Slagging Gibson Off Seems to be a Global Pastime!

[IanHenry]

Last night at a practice session, one of the guitarists was telling me that he'd gone to a friends store with the intention of looking at a Les Paul Studio, the guy had in, however when he got there the guitar had sold.

His mate then proceeded to tell him that he avoids buying Gibson's because they are all rubbish, due to Gibson's poor quality control and then went on to quote examples of 4 year old Gibson's that he'd seen with the binding coming apart from the body etc. Now maybe this guy was going to try and sell something else, as he had already sold the Les Paul (no binding there!), but I can't help think that slagging Gibson's off has become endemic.

 

If you look over at the Acoustic Guitar Forum, there are always posts coming up about how terrible Gibson's are, usually from Martin and Taylor fans (now I don't want to become like them, but those are people who buy from manufacturers, one of whom makes guitars out of Paper Mache, the other are like over priced Yamaha's).

 

It's like slagging Gibson off has become a Global pastime! I haven't ever seen examples of this "poor quality control" from Gibson, all the Gibson's that I've played have been excellent, some better than others, that's half the fun of finding and buying a new Gibson, there all slightly different, but non are poor quality. I've always aspired to owning a genuine Gibson and this irritates me a little. If Gibson's are so terrible, why do so many manufactures spend so much time, resources and effort copying them?

 

Ian

[pippy]

...His mate then proceeded to tell him that he avoids buying Gibson's because they are all rubbish...

I'd have stopped listening at this point. Seriously.

What an idiot.

And, as we all know, you can't argue with 'Stupid'.

 

P.

[IanHenry]

I'd have stopped listening at this point. Seriously.

What an idiot.

And, as we all know, you can't argue with 'Stupid'.

 

P.

 

I agree Pippy, but people believe what their told when it comes from "someone in the trade" and it's everywhere. I am a little sceptical as to how good a Mate this is, or is he jut a "Mate who tries to sells you things". I've got a Mate likes that, he's constantly trying to sell me a new car, so is he a "Mate" or a car dealer? I've already made my mind up on that one.

 

Ian

[Versatile]

I have met similar tunnel vision shop assistants and patiently ignore them...

 

IMX a good supplier will have experience and be willing to discuss any downsides of particular brands such as Gibson..

 

Again IMX a top Taylor/Martin/Takamine etc acoustic will have quality on a level with a top Gibson, suiting different players with individual tastes..

 

Wood is wood...profound I know... :blink:

 

So one guitar may be more stable construction wise than another...

 

And as mentioned, there is an art to seeking out and purchasing a suitable guitar...whether new or S/H...

 

V

 

[capmaster]

You may find duds from every manufacturer, and you can't address every problem of each item with Quality Control. However, ranting about a specific manufacturer in the whole is inappropriate generalization in my opinion. Some people seem to be sold to one brand and spanking all the others.

 

I always preferred finding out for myself. As examples, I don't own any Gretsch or Rickenbacker instruments. They just weren't that much to my taste I would have spent money on them, but those I tried were fine ones. I wouldn't dare saying anything bad about them or their manufacturers just because of personal taste.

[cody78]

Over the years I've tried many Gibsons and currently I am lucky to own 13 - solids, archtops and acoustics. I have NEVER experienced these quality control issues people talk about. Every model I own or have played have been of the highest standard in terms of craftsmanship and playability.

 

Yesterday I tried a 1933 L4 which was amazing and then later in the day a 2013 1958 Reissue Les Paul which was absolutely flawless.

 

I have also tried many Gretsch, Fender and other makes of guitars and on the whole they have all been equally well made. The only issues I have ever found are with some of the cheaper brands - Chinese made, Mexican made, etc, but even with these cheaper guitars the problems were all easy to fix.

 

I think a lot of people who slag Gibson off are either not experienced musicians or people who plainly don't like them so enjoy making them sound bad!! I may be wrong on this assumption though?!!!

 

I love Gibson

[Starpeve]

Salesmen are like politicians- you can tell they're lying because their lips are moving. The times that I've kept a line of conversation going merely because I knew my subject and I wanted to see how much the guy really knew are countless, and often amusing .

[LPguitarman]

Maybe it's because if you can't get to their (Gibson's) status, envy forces them to try and cut them down.

[BigKahune]

.

Gibson putting out poor quality is a meme. A few legimate problems have grown into bashing the company as a whole. I hate to say it, but I've seen plenty of it here. I've owned a few Gibbies over the years and looked at hundreds, and I've come across a few Q/C issues, but nothing like what some people, including this sales guy, claim to have seen. And then you have component changes like in Gibson's 2015 line setting off even long-time/loyal customers on bashing tirades, compounding the problem. Henry's got a tough job. There. I said it. Flame away.

 

 

.

[stein]

I have heard of issues about Gibson and everyone else, but never, ever, have I ever heard of or seen or experienced binding coming off of a relatively new Gibson.

 

Tells me something right there.

 

On the other hand, if this guy IS experiencing binding issues on Gibsons and thinks them cheap, I'd like to see these. Maybe make him an offer on these "cheap" guitars.

[charlie brown]

Well, unfortunately, I have seen some of these "quality control" issues.

I've never purchased any of those guitars, and in ALL cases, they were sent

back to the factory, for a replacement, by my dealer. (I just happened to be in

the store, when they unpacked their new shipment of Gibson's.) Most were "flawless,"

but there were 2 (all Gold) Firebirds, that had really obvious poor sanding, near

the neck joints, and 1 Les Paul bass, with the same issue. They all went right

back into the shipping containers, and were sent back to the factory. Good Dealers,

do that, before they ever get to the sales floor.

 

And, being a loyal Gibson customer, for 50 years now, I can tell you this is nothing

"New" or even recent. It's been going on, for the entire time I've purchased Gibson

products. Some just "slip through the system," and have to be returned. Anything,

that's mass produced, will have some items that have "flaws," now and again. And,

of course, OUR decision on what "that flaw" is, can be a factor too. That, we've seen

expressed on these pages, as well.

 

The recent whining (including my own) about the changes to the spec's, of the 2015 models,

is more about those particular changes, than any QC issues. At least, so far. Oh, and

the absurd 29% price increase!

 

I don't see it as "Gibson bassing," as much as trying to keep them honest, to their slogan...

"Only A Gibson Is Good Enough!"

 

Carry on!

 

 

CB

[Kelvinator]

I've owned many basses over the past 45 years from Fender, Ric, Yamaha, MIJ Aria Pro, and Gibson. All very good instruments. To me, Gibson quality has always been excellent, and I love the way they play and sound - no complaints here. I'm not a collector, so many basses have come and gone (can't seem to hang on to anything with a "string-tree"), but my Gibsons are the only ones I won't sell.

[zigzag]

I will not own another Gibson, mainly because I don't really have GAS for one. I'd love to have a 175, but for the money, I can do as well (or better) with something else.

 

IMO, for what Gibson charges, their consistency is not the best and doesn't match most of their competitors. That said, I love Gibson guitars or I wouldn't be here.

[stein]

If you look over at the Acoustic Guitar Forum, there are always posts coming up about how terrible Gibson's are, usually from Martin and Taylor fans (now I don't want to become like them, but those are people who buy from manufacturers, one of whom makes guitars out of Paper Mache, the other are like over priced Yamaha's).

 

 

Ian

That forum has it's roots in Gibson bashing. It is NOT the "universal forum" the name suggest, but rather is what once was the Taylor forum.

 

As you likely well know, Taylors are very different from Gibsons, both in sound, in philosophy, and in customers.

 

You can't judge the quality of SUV's at a global warming conference. Nor can you judge the quality of electric cars at a race track.

[charlie brown]

Some dealers in the U.S.A. don't care for Gibson's stock requirements,

and so either can't meet, or refuse to be Gibson dealers. I've heard

some of those salespeople bash Gibson, for that reason alone. And,

the QC issues, get tacked on, as well. But, I often here that (stock

requirements, and pricing) about Fender, and Rickenbacker, too!

 

 

CB

[brc]

As we all know, Gibson has been around for a long time, and when your on the top, you are going to get people<even stores> that want to bring them down any way they can.

Of course there are going to be issues in a production guitar, whether its handled by one person in the factory or many.

I have owned Gibsons sinse the 50s, and I have not seen the issues that are being talked about.

Knowing that Gibsons have gone through lots of changes in management and production in last last few years, I myself still have not run into theses issues. Not saying there could not be quality control issues, I just have not had any problems at all.

Even today, if I were going to purchase another new guitar, I would purchase a Gibson before I purchased a Fender, Gretsch. Only acoustic I would purchase before I would purchase a Gibson would be a Martin, but that would be another vintage Martin from the 50s 60s.

[kelly campbell]

Some dealers in the U.S.A. don't care for Gibson's stock requirements,

and so either can't meet, or refuse to be Gibson dealers. I've heard

some of those salespeople bash Gibson, for that reason alone. And,

the QC issues, get tacked on, as well. But, I often here that (stock

requirements, and pricing) about Fender, and Rickenbacker, too!

 

 

CB

 

Exactly what I was thinking...

[rct]

I'd love to have a 175, but for the money,

 

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[quapman]

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Oh you subliminal sl.ut you!!!

[pippy]

 

P.

[quapman]

Seriously though.

People have been slagging on Gibson for years. I don't think it's anything new.

Hell people on this forum are slaggin them.

[kelly campbell]

Seriously though.

People have been slagging on Gibson for years. I don't think it's anything new.

Hell people on this forum are slaggin them.

 

True

[LarryUK]

This makes me think of the people slagging Tesla Model s' off. Saying they set on fire. If you crash any car they could set alight. Tesla have the top safety rating and the other companies don't like it.

Back to Gibson. I think some of the criticism is justified. They stopped doing nibs because it's better? Rubbish. It was a money saving move and this obcession with overpriced signature and repro models is ridiculous. Its clear that they just want more profit at the cost of quality. But that goes for all big business now.

[capmaster]

... Its clear that they just want more profit at the cost of quality. But that goes for all big business now.

However, this justifies nothing, not a single dud passing quality control. Moreover, I think they should have learned from their Norlin and Fender's CBS desasters, and try not to repeat them.

[duane v]

No quality issues with any of my Gibby's