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Gibson Custom Shop Master Artisan collection


Rabs

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Seriously, is "arts and crafts" the new version of "Murphy lab",  f-up your guitar, embellishment du jour?  I guess I'm off to Hobby Lobby tomorrow to buy a bunch of mosaic tiles, acrylic paint, and adhesive to "decorate" my '83 Explorer.  Heck, I already "Murphy Lab-ed" it from decades of use/abuse. It must be time to "re-decorate".

I wish that I could be like the cool kids.

 

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2 hours ago, SteveFord said:

He's a talented fellow, I guess if you're into wall art it would make for quite the room.

definitely! - great artistic talent and imaginative creative designs on tricky surfaces.

I'm almost tempted to go on eBay and buy some $50 guitar just to have some fun painting on it. :-k

Edited by 'Scales
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13 hours ago, Rabs said:

Let the moaning begin  😄    

Don't give these whiners something else to whine about.

Waylon put leather on a guitar 50 years ago, about the same time Eddie was painting his with Schwinn bicycle paint and adding pin stripes.

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I like the Henna set, the psychedelic LP and the V.  I like 'em better than those jewel-encrusted ones that came out under HJ. 

And the motorbike/car association (Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Corvette etc) has been done already.

I'm too neck-dot oriented to be able to get around accurately on the 'psychedelic' one, and I wonder why just yellow and blue? Could be.....:-k

🎸[thumbup]

Edited by jdgm
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For the record, Rickie didn't use tiles. He hand-carved and hand-painted each one of the "tiles" on the Explorer and Flying V individually. It takes him about a month (or more) to do each guitar or amp. He makes five or maybe ten pieces a year, max, so it's not like these are a huge part of the Gibson production totals, but personally, I think it's pretty cool that we let him run wild and do something a bit different from the norm. 

He's a really nice guy, IMO, and just like he comes across on the video in person. Personally, I think he's an amazing artist. Would I buy one of his guitars? If I was wealthier than I am, I might be tempted to pick up that Explorer or the Old West Les Paul, but they're way out of my price range. Would I use it on stage? No. If I owned one of his guitars, I might use it in the studio, but those are obviously collector-type or museum-type pieces and while Rickie is quick to point out that they're 100% playable and that he wants their new owners to use them if they wish (or put them in a display case if they prefer, or whatever they want to do with them), I seriously doubt the folks who buy his MasterArtisan Collection guitars use them extensively, if at all. I wouldn't. And while I do have a lot of gear (including some pretty valuable vintage gear), everything I have gets used, so buying something I wouldn't be using would be a first for me. 

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1 hour ago, Phil OKeefe said:

For the record, Rickie didn't use tiles. He hand-carved and hand-painted each one of the "tiles" on the Explorer and Flying V individually. It takes him about a month (or more) to do each guitar or amp. He makes five or maybe ten pieces a year, max, so it's not like these are a huge part of the Gibson production totals, but personally, I think it's pretty cool that we let him run wild and do something a bit different from the norm. 

He's a really nice guy, IMO, and just like he comes across on the video in person. Personally, I think he's an amazing artist. Would I buy one of his guitars? If I was wealthier than I am, I might be tempted to pick up that Explorer or the Old West Les Paul, but they're way out of my price range. Would I use it on stage? No. If I owned one of his guitars, I might use it in the studio, but those are obviously collector-type or museum-type pieces and while Rickie is quick to point out that they're 100% playable and that he wants their new owners to use them if they wish (or put them in a display case if they prefer, or whatever they want to do with them), I seriously doubt the folks who buy his MasterArtisan Collection guitars use them extensively, if at all. I wouldn't. And while I do have a lot of gear (including some pretty valuable vintage gear), everything I have gets used, so buying something I wouldn't be using would be a first for me. 

So which is the bulk of Gibson customers?  Somebody has data, somewhere, to support this kind of thing.  I get loss-leader and all that but from a company that already has a high end normally this gets a bit...sticky.  Nobody that actually plays guitars is going for one of these, the people we used to call guitar players, the people that used to be the only people concerned at all about guitars from G & F & CFM.  It doesn't seem like they matter at all, haven't for a long time.  There is room for everyone, I get that too, it just seems weighted in this ridiculous direction.

The other two do similar, they have their moments too.

rct

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I own 12 Gibson guitars currently - 6 or which come from the Custom Shop. I am vouching that this company that has gone bankrupt and done some questionable maneuvers has begun to lose its way - at least with me it has because… they are still around making ends meet apparently. There is absolutely nothing in recent years I have aspired to buy from this guitar company. Not saying they make crap, but these aren’t guitars. And the guitars they sell today have all had immense hikes that I can find other brands that sell same or better quality for considerably less. Well I will be able to before Gibson decides to sue them. Hopefully Mark will be directed to put out another threatening video beforehand. 
 

I own the following CS guitars:

R7 Goldtop, R7 Black Beauty, 2 x R9s, 68 RI, and a “regular” Gibson Custom. 

Just wanted to add this because I have bought into this company and not badmouthing them by any means to be some kind of troll or whatever. I’ve spent some bucks with this company over the years. I like my guitars - I think they are great. I am just finding this company as of late continuing to head in directions that I don’t find palatable so to speak. They’ve always been a more expensive, higher end guitar place, but last few years they went bankrupt for questionable business ventures, had quality suffer immense hits, now they are some niche artsy guitar maker that charges tens of thousands for anything that comes out of their factories… and to boot, their guitars because of inflation and maybe just desired hikes have substantially gone up in price. I ask myself why do I want another Gibson fresh off the presses… YMMV, as always. Just sharing my perspective 

Edited by NighthawkChris
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I stopped watching at the guitar with all the circles on it and threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Step one: but a LP.

Step two: have your 8 year old glue elbow macaroni to it. 

Step three: sell it for 5x what you bought it for. 

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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50 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Since when? You can still buy a 700 dollar duffle bag.

Correction....

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Product/LIFTON-DUF-BRN/LIFTON-DUF-BRN

It's $800.  I told Gibson to notify me when they become available again.  Their expensive guitar cases cost less than this - which I could arguably fit more stuff into...  I'm thinking that's the ticket. 

I'm actually mostly interested in that $180 wallet.  Won't have money to put in it after I buy one, but I will have a wallet that costs $180. 

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57 minutes ago, NighthawkChris said:

Correction....

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Product/LIFTON-DUF-BRN/LIFTON-DUF-BRN

It's $800.  I told Gibson to notify me when they become available again.  Their expensive guitar cases cost less than this - which I could arguably fit more stuff into...  I'm thinking that's the ticket. 

I'm actually mostly interested in that $180 wallet.  Won't have money to put in it after I buy one, but I will have a wallet that costs $180. 

Thanks for setting me straight.

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1 hour ago, NighthawkChris said:

Correction....

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Product/LIFTON-DUF-BRN/LIFTON-DUF-BRN

It's $800.  I told Gibson to notify me when they become available again.  Their expensive guitar cases cost less than this - which I could arguably fit more stuff into...  I'm thinking that's the ticket. 

I'm actually mostly interested in that $180 wallet.  Won't have money to put in it after I buy one, but I will have a wallet that costs $180. 

Its showing up as £876 ukp here. Maybe because it includes VAT & shipping. I'm not paying that. I'll wait 'til the Epiphone one comes out. 

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On 3/22/2024 at 4:41 PM, Phil OKeefe said:

For the record, Rickie didn't use tiles. He hand-carved and hand-painted each one of the "tiles" on the Explorer and Flying V individually. It takes him about a month (or more) to do each guitar or amp. He makes five or maybe ten pieces a year, max, so it's not like these are a huge part of the Gibson production totals, but personally, I think it's pretty cool that we let him run wild and do something a bit different from the norm. 

He's a really nice guy, IMO, and just like he comes across on the video in person. Personally, I think he's an amazing artist. Would I buy one of his guitars? If I was wealthier than I am, I might be tempted to pick up that Explorer or the Old West Les Paul, but they're way out of my price range. Would I use it on stage? No. If I owned one of his guitars, I might use it in the studio, but those are obviously collector-type or museum-type pieces and while Rickie is quick to point out that they're 100% playable and that he wants their new owners to use them if they wish (or put them in a display case if they prefer, or whatever they want to do with them), I seriously doubt the folks who buy his MasterArtisan Collection guitars use them extensively, if at all. I wouldn't. And while I do have a lot of gear (including some pretty valuable vintage gear), everything I have gets used, so buying something I wouldn't be using would be a first for me. 

I was amazed when he explained the hand painted "tile" effect. I did mention buying tiles because I wouldn't have that kind of patients. (Oh, and I would never mess with my Korina like he did, btw!)

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On 3/22/2024 at 3:49 PM, rct said:

So which is the bulk of Gibson customers?  Somebody has data, somewhere, to support this kind of thing.  I get loss-leader and all that but from a company that already has a high end normally this gets a bit...sticky.  

 

I can't tell you what the sales percentage breakdowns are vs. price points because I honestly do not know, but Gibson has always offered a range of guitars at different price points. For example, the new Theodores are $1,999, which is obviously considerably less than Rickie's guitars, or the recently released Jimmy Page EDS-1275 Doublenecks. I suspect guitars like those are not being purchased by folks who are going to go out and gig with them, but again, Gibson and Gibson Custom make things at a variety of price points, and a lot of those guitars do get played. And of course, there's the also Kramer for the shredders, as well as the whole Epiphone line, too, which also covers a pretty broad range of types of guitars and price points. 

I do know that all of Rickie's previous works have sold, and they usually sell fairly quickly, so there's obviously a market for his work.  

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On 3/22/2024 at 4:41 PM, Phil OKeefe said:

For the record, Rickie didn't use tiles. He hand-carved and hand-painted each one of the "tiles" on the Explorer and Flying V individually. It takes him about a month (or more) to do each guitar or amp. He makes five or maybe ten pieces a year, max, so it's not like these are a huge part of the Gibson production totals, but personally, I think it's pretty cool that we let him run wild and do something a bit different from the norm. 

He's a really nice guy, IMO, and just like he comes across on the video in person. Personally, I think he's an amazing artist. Would I buy one of his guitars? If I was wealthier than I am, I might be tempted to pick up that Explorer or the Old West Les Paul, but they're way out of my price range. Would I use it on stage? No. If I owned one of his guitars, I might use it in the studio, but those are obviously collector-type or museum-type pieces and while Rickie is quick to point out that they're 100% playable and that he wants their new owners to use them if they wish (or put them in a display case if they prefer, or whatever they want to do with them), I seriously doubt the folks who buy his MasterArtisan Collection guitars use them extensively, if at all. I wouldn't. And while I do have a lot of gear (including some pretty valuable vintage gear), everything I have gets used, so buying something I wouldn't be using would be a first for me. 

Nice post, thanks

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