'Scales Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 http://store.gibson.com the 21st Century has arrived! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Are the prices more or less than buying through a brick and mortar shop? They dont give prices in £ so I cant work it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Prices are the same as their on line merchants. 2018 SG Standard, priced at $1,539, If you look at Sweetwater, identical. Same with the 2018 Les Paul Tribute, $1,149 again identical to what the on line prices are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 If there's a lesson to be learned from the last few years, it's that purists/traditionalists don't want new, modern junk. I'm not buying so much as a pick until they replace the site with carrier pigeons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I'm not buying so much as a pick until they replace the site with carrier pigeons. yes, but only long neck tenon pigeons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 On-line sales eh. Well, they're definitely trading in the 'pornography district' now! Seriously though, I think this can be the best move Gibson has made since, I dunno, the Les Paul Studio,... or noticing what shaped guitar Slash played....(if they have the smarts to do it right that is). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 yes, but only long neck tenon pigeons Absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I can hardly wait until the internet nutjobs start returning out of tune guitars with blood on the fret ends and strings higher than 1123/2167ths at the 12th fret with links to their GIBSON RAGE PAGE. I think they'll really start to appreciate the dealer network they once had. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I can hardly wait until the internet nutjobs start returning out of tune guitars with blood on the fret ends and strings higher than 1123/2167ths at the 12th fret with links to their GIBSON RAGE PAGE. I think they'll really start to appreciate the dealer network they once had. rct On the bright side, maybe the fine folk that work on the setup / final inspection lines @Gibson will finally start to regulate the nuts (not those nuts, the other ones) properly and actually DO a better final dressing/setup job instead of just tossing em in shipping containers and letting the stores deal with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 On the bright side, maybe the fine folk that work on the setup / final inspection lines @Gibson will finally start to regulate the nuts (not those nuts, the other ones) properly and actually DO a better final dressing/setup job instead of just tossing em in shipping containers and letting the stores deal with it. So this is where the world of manufacturing and the world of retail and the world of support all collide. One of the fun things I did at Fedner Musical Instruments Corporation was have a cigar with a buncha Mexicans that were mostly painters and the guy that gave us our behind the case tour. I really enjoyed their fondness for and loyalty to the same guitar company as me! But online retail? Not something they saw as ever being more than 12 - 15% of their actual revenue. You can't set guitars up for each buyer, it just isn't possible. You can't even set guitars up for each shop, you don't even know where they are going when they leave. At some point you cease to be a manufacturer and become a good place to get a set up, and that is just not going to happen for any of the big makers, it's why they had mom and pop shops in the first place, with Leo leading the way with guitars that were at least somewhat easier to maintain and repair. You can't set pickup heights for each buyer, it just isn't possible. You can't baby's a$$ the fret ends to the satisfaction of each buyer, that's not possible either. And explaining that guitars actually do go out of tune? Oh crap, that's not something anybody wants to do. And these are just the top four things they get the top one million complaints/returned guitars. I looked at the bench with 5 returns on it. I've been playing since 1971, using Fenders the entire time. I know a thing or two about guitars and I'da bought all 5 on that bench right there if they'da had decent prices. Nothing wrong with any of them that a guitar player doesn't know what to do with or about. And prices. I found almost exactly what I had been looking for in their factory store, an EJRW but slightly the wrong color but still doable for me. MSRP - 10% + tax, no way*. So pricing for a manufacturer is never going to be what it is in the shops. Pricing moves the guitars out of the building, that's what manufacturers do, they move stuff out of the building by wholesaling it to guys that then worry about not only the end user but the end price. It's complicated. When Fender really started winding up their retail shop it was exciting for about ten minutes. Save the company from massive amounts of debt that they've accumulated in the last two decades? Hardly. Make them a viable IPO? Nope, it isn't going to happen. Sales are estimated to be exactly what they were right before they opened a full on retail shop of their own, that's how little dent it puts in their overall movement. It is exciting that Gibson has a shop now, that is actually pretty cool. If I actually felt like buying another FibreBird I'd probably buy it straight from them. But it is also really complicated for a manufacturer to start direct selling. rct *I asked if they would get me one in the color I want, I would buy it on the spot for that money. "No, we can't possibly start selling by color like that". Again, it's pretty complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Could you set up my guitar? No. It's fine. And we'll keep the Dealer's share to cover the refi on the jet, nooo, it's too late, here come the repo show guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dog Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 This will be interesting. Sure, direct sales online will come with some problems, maybe lots of problems, but if they can deal with it, also much more profit. You can buy a $3000+ Gibson from Amazon. Not sure who's buying guitars like that from Amazon, but somebody must be. I'm sure they (along with all the other online retailers) get lots of returns but they've been selling Gibson's for years so it must be working for them. When people send guitars back because they're out of tune or have a bad setup, Gibson should be able to handle that at least as well as anyone else can. Although, they will need a bunch of new employee''s. Maybe they'll hire all the people they just laid off from the Custom Shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Could you set up my guitar? No. It's fine. Pickups significantly lower than specs, action slightly higher, spec relief? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 1st day I bring home a new guitar I spend time adjusting it to how I like. What's the problem ? I could care less what their specs say. choose the guitar. pay for it take it home / accept delivery adjust it to your liking quit b!tchin' and play the damn thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 http://store.gibson.com/capacitors/ Historic Spec Bumble Bee Capacitors - Two-Pack $129.99 :o That's just silly. I do quite like this tshirt though http://store.gibson.com/gibson-firebird-black-t/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 http://store.gibson.com/capacitors/ Historic Spec Bumble Bee Capacitors - Two-Pack $129.99 :o That's just silly. I do quite like this tshirt though http://store.gibson....rebird-black-t/ Rabs, me too. Got the tshirt for Christmas from my daughter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 http://store.gibson.com/capacitors/ Historic Spec Bumble Bee Capacitors - Two-Pack $129.99 :o That's just silly. I do quite like this tshirt though http://store.gibson....rebird-black-t/ I wonder when gibson are going to start selling reliced t-shirts with tie-die sunbursting. I'm happy to wear them in for a small fee Seems like Gibson is exploring every avenue at the moment (which their customers havent asked for in many cases). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 As far as prices of guitars is concerned it makes a whole lotta sense to charge the same as a bricks-n-mortar outlet. The B'n'M buys from Gibson at trade and then adds mark-up to cover numerous overheads and then adds more to give them a profit margin. Gibson sells on-line for the same amount but, extra expenses accepted, nevertheless keeps s a bigger slice of the profit-pie. I reckon....?............ Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 From what I've been led to believe places like sweetwater lose quite a bit of those margins when they get into the X months 0% interest with the credit card holders as they are picking up some of that "overhead". It's all done to "Sell" things, get it off the inventory. They must feel it's worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 From what I've been led to believe places like sweetwater lose quite a bit of those margins when they get into the X months 0% interest with the credit card holders as they are picking up some of that "overhead". It's all done to "Sell" things, get it off the inventory. They must feel it's worth it? Sure. A million buyers x some flat rate back to the cc company for the "zero interest" period = a nice bunch for the cc guys up front, no projections needed. In return, at a later date, the retailer will get a good period of less % to the cc company for each buy. Buyer thinks they are getting something special when yeah no, not really. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Sure. A million buyers x some flat rate back to the cc company for the "zero interest" period = a nice bunch for the cc guys up front, no projections needed. In return, at a later date, the retailer will get a good period of less % to the cc company for each buy. Buyer thinks they are getting something special when yeah no, not really. rct The only way the 0% works for the buyer is to be sure to zero out the balance before the promo ends. The Int. rate is 29% on some of these cards. My guess is unless Gibson starts to do the same, which entirely defeats the purpose of selling direct to gain profits back, people will still use the Online super stores and their "preferred" card.... when the promos run, that's when these guys buy. a $2,700 les paul on the way, %0 for 36 months... very easy to convince yourself you must have that axe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dog Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 From what I've been led to believe places like sweetwater lose quite a bit of those margins when they get into the X months 0% interest with the credit card holders as they are picking up some of that "overhead". It's all done to "Sell" things, get it off the inventory. They must feel it's worth it? I may be wrong but I think the retailers have a bigger margin than we might expect. Also, there may be other incentives from Gibson for volume as well. I don't know. "We got to move these refrigerators, we gotta move these color TVs" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I can hardly wait until the internet nutjobs start returning out of tune guitars with blood on the fret ends and strings higher than 1123/2167ths at the 12th fret with links to their GIBSON RAGE PAGE. I think they'll really start to appreciate the dealer network they once had. rct There was a dude upping the ante on Facebook yesterday, he said Gibsons fret ends are so high on the guitar he tried that his fingers where getting chopped off. He claimed he knew exactly what he was talking about because he's been playing for decades. Fingers...chopped off...something to watch for if you are trying a Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dog Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 As far as prices of guitars is concerned it makes a whole lotta sense to charge the same as a bricks-n-mortar outlet. The B'n'M buys from Gibson at trade and then adds mark-up to cover numerous overheads and then adds more to give them a profit margin. Gibson sells on-line for the same amount but, extra expenses accepted, nevertheless keeps s a bigger slice of the profit-pie. I reckon....?............ Pip. Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I may be wrong but I think the retailers have a bigger margin than we might expect. Also, there may be other incentives from Gibson for volume as well. I don't know. I got this from my sales tech at Sweetwater, who I've been working with for a number of years now, (since 2005 I think???) according to him, it's often down to dog ends for profit margins for a lot of what they are selling with these promos. they continue to do it, because it allows them to sell the #s they need to maintain their "Status" with the major manufactures. everyone is feeling the bite here. not just us wee consumers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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