Another 2017 wish...Gibson, please be like Fender.

[norcalpiper]

I know-

Almost blasphemous! But my friend just came back from NAMM and dropped all his pics in my Dropbox account. 90% were Fender guitars, and that got me thinking-Fender pulled out a lot of great styles and choices for all their lines this year. Fresh ideas, new designs, great pick up pairings, they just win 2016 hands down.

 

 

I would love to see Gibson give us a slew of fresh concept and designs to go with the traditional lineup. I would love to see another combo humbucker/p90 guitar, i could go on, but keeping it to SG's-

I want a traditional gold top with natural back body and neck. I want cream pick guard and 2 cream p90s with Kluson revolution preload tuners.

 

I would also like to see a cherry burst with no pick guard, 57's, and Grover kidney gears.

[kidblast]

I think they tried this in 2015, zero fret, auto tuners, wider fret-boards etc...

 

 

the peasants quickly formed an uprising.. basically that didn't work out so good...

[merciful-evans]

I think they tried this in 2015, zero fret, auto tuners, wider fret-boards etc...

 

 

the peasants quickly formed an uprising.. basically that didn't work out so good...

 

True. It's us collectively that hold Gibson back from innovating.

[L5Larry]

Both Gibson and Fender make the majority of their sales from "traditional" designs. The fact that these original designs made them famous and profitable, coupled with the "vintage" craze, and demand for "reissues", these companies would not be wise to vary too far from the norm. All manufacturing companies have bean counters telling R&D to come up with new designs to generate sales in new markets, but eventually they find out which side their bread is buttered on. I can't count all the oddball models Gibson has birthed and then buried in my nearly 50 years of being a guitar "enthusiast".

 

As for Fender, it's a lot easier (and cheaper) for them to experiment, as their instruments are made from many pre-assembled/drop-in parts, in bolt-together construction. Manufacturing costs, as well as retail selling prices are much less, so there is less on the line in terms of success or failure.

 

As for the specs and options you stated above, I see nothing that couldn't be done as an aftermarket "mod" to an existing guitar in the Gibson product line.

[Searcy]

Fresh ideas do not work well for Gibson.

[Rabs]

Fresh ideas do not work well for Gibson.

You can say that again ;)

[rct]

Don't forget:

 

 

rct

[jdgm]

Think there have been quite a lot of SG variations over the years but some were limited.

 

The SG-Z for instance - nice looker IMO, I never tested one out -

 

[BigKahune]

.

Good one. But that's lost on many here who wouldn't guess Gibson was going to try a Jimi sig guitar. B)

 

 

Don't forget:

 

 

rct

[Searcy]

You don't have to get as drastic at all that. This board has lost it's mind over the larger strap buttons and different knobs on the 2014 models.

 

 

Gibson should make 1959 and 1960 Les Paul reissues... but in a tasteful burst.

[rct]

#StrapButtonsMatter

[Rabs]

#StrapButtonsMatter

Let alone the cases.. :)

 

 

 

[rct]

Let alone the cases.. :)

 

That one is sex ay. I should get one for the Splorer.

 

rct

[darling67]

I am easy when it comes to what I want in a new line of guitars...

 

For the SG, I would like to see more "vintage" finishes for 2017—and not just the same old cherry, black, and occasional sunburst! Ho-hum! Oh, and no more of those hideous tiger-striped, day-glow and fluorescent greens and blues.... Yeesh!

 

How about cream and TV Yellow finishes? Could have P90s or humbuckers—why not both?

[Zentar]

I'd like to see a GT with 60s slim line neck and weight relieved to the point that it weighs slightly under 7 lbs. The Les Paul line is typically a $2000+ line so get rid of cheap Zamak tail pieces.

 

I love the natural Mahogony backs and necks on GTs.

 

I'd like to see Gibson take their best Custom Bucker PAF design and make them aftermarket available. Stickem in all their GTs. Why should I have to buy a $3500 reissue to get Gibson's best pickup? A $2200 GT with Custom Buckers should be OEM.

I love the vintage spec pearloid tuners because they are lighter than heavy Grovers.

[10K-DB]

Id like a SG Supreme in Ocean Blue w/Black Floydrose +hardware. w/3 PAF's. As far as "fresh designs" I use Gibsons for certain songs,,and Fenders for others. For me it comes down to which Gtr presents the song the best and how easy chord progressions are to play for the given tune. New design bells +whistles dont really interest me that much.