Ignatius Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I have to start a new thread with Kevin B's questions because I think it is an important question that might have gotten lost in the context of his thread title. Here is what he said elsewhere: As a Gibson enthusiast I would really like to be able to purchase Gibson memorabilia (T-shirts' date=' hats, decals and etc.) Not from ebay but from Gibson or an authorized Gibson dealer. Where would one post inquiries about Gibson gear in general like those mentioned? Thanks. Great forum.[/quote'] I think this is a great question. When is Gibson going to offer accessories to forum members through the website--or through dealers? I haven't even been able to find a simple Gibson t-shirt at an authorized dealer in my area! Not even Guitar Center has them anymore. In the last year, though, I bet I could have bought a dozen Fender t-shirts; I even find those at local record shops sometimes. Or am I missing the places where all the Gibson swag is hanging out these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Thanks for echoing my sentiment. It is frustrating. I've spent a bunch time on the net trying to find a simple T-shirt. There is a big market for this among Gibson enthusiasts. I have an idea they are available at the Gibson Showcase in Nashville (I'm a banjo player) but they don't have an online store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious T Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Add me to the list of Gibson owners that would love to pick up some gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Boy Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hey guys, try this site. http://www.cafepress.com/buy/gibson/-/cfpt2_/cfpt_/source_searchBox/copt_ There are a few Gibson item to choose from. If you want retro band T's, my Music Professor gave me this site last year. http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/pt/mens-retro-t-shirts/MR.html Hope they help..... I'll post other sites as I find them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeVinci13 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I have to agree with this poster as well. I want Gibson gear. I have tried with out success to find a Gibson Guitar strap to no avail. All of the guitar stores in my town have Fender gear but ZERO in the way of Gibson gear, and they are Gibson dealers. Take a look at the Fender web site to see the wealth of Fender gear available. Why can't Gibson do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Hey, Lucky Boy (I never thought I would find myself saying that as an opening to a post. . . )-- Thanks for the links. The sites do offer great merchandise, no doubt, but I think we are talking more about the authorized Gibson gear because we want to support the brand name, both visually and financially. This to me is the irony of not being able to find Gibson gear online or in a local shop: I want to give Gibson my money for a t-shirt or a strap or for a hat or whatever, and I can't find any way to do it. As DeVinci13 points out, one look at the online Fender accessories shop says it all: they have mugs, shot glasses, stools, shirts, parts for guitars and amps, signs, books, and just about anything else you could stick a Fender long on: I would love to see something similar here--or at least in my local shop. Check out the Martin website as well; they offer much less than Fender does, but Martin offers a nice variety of t-shirts, upscale gifts, and other interesting gear. Martin even sells Martin guitar-building kits and tools in its online shop. Cool stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 If you ever in Nashville stop by Oprymills. In the mall the Gibson Showcase had everything you can think of. Why they don't sell over the internet is beyond me. I was in their store during the Custon show in July and bought a boat load of stuff. Hey is anyone going to the custom show this year? Last year was great! I got to see and play stuff I could never afford and I saw a live demo of the Robot guitar. It was a Sunburst Standard they used. Great clinics, food ,drinks and of course all kinds of Gibson products. If you come on the first day Friday, they have the shop running and you can walk through the Custom assembly area, Verrry interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Your right Mark. I've been there several times. They have great selection but no internet sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Kevin I wish I could play the Banjo. I have to go some place and try one. I never see a sad Banjo player. =D>/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius Posted January 13, 2008 Author Share Posted January 13, 2008 If you ever in Nashville stop by Oprymills. In the mall the Gibson Showcase had everything you can think of. Why they don't sellover the internet is beyond me. I was in their store during the Custon show in July and bought a boat load of stuff. Two questions: First, does the Memphis factory have a similar shop? I am hoping to visit the Memphis factory this summer when my wife is there at a work-related conference. If there is a good Gibson swag shop there, maybe I can finally get some cool Gibson stuff then. Second, what is the Custom show? Not meaning to sound like a simpleton, but this is a whole new thing to me. Never heard of it, but I'd love to hear more. Ignatius P.S. I would love to learn banjo someday, too, but I am too busy torturing guitars at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I think you can take a factory tour in Memphis, I believe most of the guitars made in Tenn come from there. I dont know if they have a store. The custom show is held at the custom shop in Nashville. If you allow E-Mail from Gibson you will be invited. Simply fill out the on-line form and they will send you tickets, parking pass. Its free but you need a ticket. They provide Lunch, Dinner and beverages of all types. FYI if your from Illinois and want an adult beverage you may not be able to drink one. They do not recoginize the extended 4 year sticker on the back of your drivers licence and will tell you your licence is expired. Happened twice to me. Its a great show, they have all of their brands avaliable, not for purchase but for demo. You need to be a dealer for purchase. They have clinics, demo's, Battle of the Bands, games, trailers full of guitars for you to play. I learned alot from the clinics. Its kinda a hike from Chicago but worth the trip.I meet one couple who drove fron NY. The Hotels in the area are cheap compared to the hotels in other places I have stayed. I stayed at the Marriott (Nice) Maybe I'll see you there..... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 The custom show is held at the custom shop in Nashville. If you allow E-Mail from Gibson you will be invited. Simply fill out the on-line form and they will send you tickets' date=' parking pass. Its free but you need a ticket. Its kinda a hike from Chicago but worth the trip.I meet one couple who drove fron NY. The Hotels in the area are cheap compared to the hotels in other places I have stayed. I stayed at the Marriott (Nice) Maybe I'll see you there..... Mark[/quote'] Mark, you must be special--or I'm not special--because I do get Gibson emails but I've never been invited. Could it perhaps be only sent to people who buy Gibsons new? My Gibson is a used ES-125, and I've never bought a brand new Gibson (although I hope to change that someday in the not too distant future). Hey, you have a good memory. I changed my profile because I am currently running up and down between Chicago and Milwaukee a few times a week, but yes, I did originally say that I am from Chicago. Technically from the 'burbs, but it's just easier to say Chicago. I'm still getting used to it; I am a Wisconsin boy, and the Chicago traffic is tough going for me still. Ignatius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Hey Ignatius, I did purchase a new Gibson Les Paul from a local store (HIX Brothers) but they were loosing their dealership so I am sure none of my infomation reached Gibson. I beieve I was sent the invite just by checking the (Do you want to receive Gibson announcements box) when I first joined the web site a few years ago. I was just thinking that maybe if you register to win a Gibson product you will get on their mailing list. They will ask you if you want to receive product information, look for the box. But I get your Gibson if you win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I don't know how my LP got on the page Sorry Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimc76 Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 First' date=' does the Memphis factory have a similar shop? I am hoping to visit the Memphis factory this summer when my wife is there at a work-related conference. If there is a good Gibson swag shop there, maybe I can finally get some cool Gibson stuff then. Ignatius [/quote'] I went down to the Gibson Factory Tour in Memphis last summer (had a great time too) and they do have a smaller version of the Nashville Gibson Showcase store. The Memphis factory is where they build all the Spanish Electrics/ hollowbody and thinline models. The store has a fair amount of merchandise but the Nashville Showcase store in the Opryland Mall is bigger and carries more of everything - instruments, hats, shirts, etc. It's certainly worth a visit if you can make it. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaphod B Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I also think Gibson is really dropping the ball on logo merchandising. There are probably 100 t-shirt companies that would love to pay Gibson for a license for the use of the logo. Take a look at Fender's web site - they have lots of cool Fender-labeled stuff there. (Also some tacky stuff.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I have a hat I bought years ago that said Gibson. It become worn and faded so I tossed it out. I wouldnt mind a few nice t-shirts. Quality, not bootleg crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 I have a hat I bought years ago that said Gibson. It become worn and faded so I tossed it out. I wouldnt mind a few nice t-shirts. Quality' date=' not bootleg crap.[/quote'] That's the rub, deepblue: I see a decent amount of bootleg garbage--especially on ebay--so there clearly is a market for logo merchandise. And every time somebody buys one of those bootlegs, not only does Gibson lose a sale, but it also might lose future sales if the buyer thinks that junk actually came from Gibson in the first place. I keep hoping a Gibson rep might weigh in on this thread to let us know the logic of their merchandising decisions. Ignatius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 The Gibson Retail stores carry many of these items - http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Locations/RetailCenters/ There are plans to make more Gibson merchandise (shirts, etc.) widely available, but we have no information regarding exactly when this will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ignatius Posted January 23, 2008 Author Share Posted January 23, 2008 There are plans to make more Gibson merchandise (shirts' date=' etc.) widely available, but we have no information regarding exactly when this will happen. [/quote'] That is great to hear, even if there is no clear date. At least we know it will be happening. Do you know why places like Guitar Center used to carry Gibson t-shirts and now don't anymore? In any case, good news. And it is even better news to see Customer Service involved in another thread. This new forum is shaping up really well! Ignatius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 The Memphis store had only jean jackets, ties, and short sleeves shirts....not much of a selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 You see? The masses have spoken and Gibson has responded. Do you know how much money bands make selling t-shirts, headbands etc..? Its a fortune... Problem here is, thats fine. You can go to the Gibson store in Nashville. But what about if you dont live near Nashville? Im just north of the 49th parallel ( Canada ) I hope L&M up here gets a nice shipment of Gibson swag when it becomes available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious T Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 When I was on the phone to Gibson yesterday I asked about merchandise. The rep told me that plans are in the works for more readily available merchandise but an exact date was not set. So, that's promising at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I know name brand marketing is super big business and I am sure Gibson knows it! In a way, I also like less brand name commercialism. Perhaps limit the Gibson branding to more expensive or quality merchandize or special memorabilia. I love my "100 Year Gibson Aniversary" jean jacket! But seeing thousands of t-shirts do not seem as to be as "special"...especially with the usual flood of unauthorized merchandizing that follows. Kudos to Gibson if they have kept the name branding to real memorabilias, and not follow the "only for profit" mentality. But unfortunately, profit rules corporate America. Just my 2cents from a loyal consumer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaphod B Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I think it's a really smart business move to capitalize on a brand name with accessory merchandising. Of all the pickup trucks you see that have Harley-Davidson stickers on the back window, or guys walking around wearing Harley t-shirts, how many of them do you think actually own any motorcycle at all? Very few. In fact, H-D has written the book on creating an artificial "lifestyle" that goes along with ownership of their bikes, and their dealerships look like leather boutiques. Personally I think it's all a bit overboard, but H-D has shown what can be accomplished by selling nothing more than a logo. Gibson is a for-profit company, and if all they do is license the logo to the makers of paraphernalia, it's free money with almost zero investment and risk. Not that I'm going to profit from it, but hey, maybe one day I'll be able to buy a cool Gibson bowling shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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