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Aaron Lewis Southern Jumbo ???????

suburude63

By suburude63
in Gibson Acoustic

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McDuff

McDuff

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Posted

I don't really mind the idea of a signature model, but I think the whole purpose behind it is kind of defeated if the person isn't involved in the actual design of the guitar. Largely because if they are getting a signature model (in an ideal world) it would mean the guitar had all the experience and knowledge of that artist behind it, but when you give a signature to some one who doesn't have a lot of credibility even if they are simply unknown people aren't going to take their expert advice because we have no idea if they are an expert. Doesn't seem to make much sense from a marketing perspective to ask people to pay 18 grand for a guitar because some guy you've never heard of says it's awesome. Then again when was the last time I owned an international guitar company?

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suburude63

suburude63

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True Dat' ... but I wonder who's really to blame here? Mr. Lewis or Gibson? I'm sure Aaron was simply approached with an opportunity that would make any of us just melt ... but I doubt if he suggested an MSRP.

 

Yes' date=' these particular guitars are TOTALLY crazy! Honestly, NO, Aaron Lewis is not (in my opinion).

 

Yes, he should probably tell Gibson that [u']THEY[/u] are crazy since they obviously value his opinion so much.

 

I'm not a fan of anyone but I do respect "talent".. and even more importantly, "genuine effort".

 

 

Aaron Lewis is an innocent talent ! I agree . This has absolutly nothing to do with him ![biggrin]

 

Good luck Aaron in your endevours ! But to me I have never ever heard of you before this.

This is more about Gibsons ongoing reaching at straws. :-$

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suburude63

suburude63

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I don't really mind the idea of a signature model' date=' but I think the whole purpose behind it is kind of defeated if the person isn't involved in the actual design of the guitar. Largely because if they are getting a signature model (in an ideal world) it would mean the guitar had all the experience and knowledge of that artist behind it, but when you give a signature to some one who doesn't have a lot of credibility even if they are simply unknown people aren't going to take their expert advice because we have no idea if they are an expert. Doesn't seem to make much sense from a marketing perspective to ask people to pay 18 grand for a guitar because some guy you've never heard of says it's awesome. Then again when was the last time I owned an international guitar company?[/quote']

 

 

This is "Not" about a signiture guitar . It is more about a "Vintageised" guitar ! Let me restate Aaron is an inocent bystander here. He was approached to do this . He jumped at it for his own reasons.

If Gibson is marketing this or trying to to Aaron fans I guess whoever they are? I am asumeing ! If they are young they have no money I am also asumeing!

The guys today who have $7000 to throw at a guitar let alone $17000 that they can buy for $1700 - $2000 are smart. Thats why they have the $7000 / $17000.

 

 

I just think in my humble oppinion that this is a stupid marketing deal by Gibson ! [biggrin]

 

Have you seen the movie "Hurt Locker" (great film BTW !)

Theres a scene where the main character is standing in a grocery store trying to buy a box of cereal. The long shot goes

to the left and right showing thousands of boxes of cereal in each direction. He stands there completely confused and dumbfounded.

 

Why you may ask , Hmmmm? To many choices of the same thing !:-$

 

Gibson in there ifinite wisdom should see this scene ! This is what there stupid marketing is about IMHO !

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Buc McMaster

Buc McMaster

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I for one do place blame on Aaron Lewis, at least in part. If he's poor and destitute and it's just a money grab, that's one thing..........but you're not poor and destitute if Gibson approaches you for a signature model guitar, so we can toss that one out. So we could infer that it's a money grab for other motivation: greed.

 

Huh? You want to copy my old beater Gibson, mark for mark, and retail it for how much?!? $17K?!?!

 

The proper response should be You guys maybe freakin' nuts but I'm not! I'll not lend my name to such frivolity!

 

But one of the seven deadly sins, greed, steps in and Mr Lewis says

 

Hell yeah! I'll take that payday! Who cares how silly it may appear to the guitarists of the world that a purposely trashed, brand new instrument goes for stupid money!

 

Call me jaded, but this is greed and avarice and should not be excused on his part just because it may have been Gibson's idea.

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daylightrobbery

daylightrobbery

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Well, hell yeah, Buc. You're absolutely right about Mr Lewis and the rest of it but when it's a question of cash then there's a big difference between "artistic" reasons for doing something (or not doing something) and the "professional" or "business" way of doing something.

 

I am in no way defending this sort of absurdity, but in the end Aaron Lewis makes his money with music (no matter how derivitive it is) with probably no plan B, so like the the majority of working musicians, takes what he can get 'cos you never know when it'll end.

 

Principles (artistic or otherwise) never put bread on the table.

 

This is Gibson's fault. I hate the guy's music, but I earn my living from playing music and if some crazy dude from a guitar company wants to give money for nothing, then that's his problem. I have artistic pride etc etc but the bills too need paying!![biggrin]

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suburude63

suburude63

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Well' date=' hell yeah, Buc. You're absolutely right about Mr Lewis and the rest of it but when it's a question of cash then there's a big difference between "artistic" reasons for doing something (or not doing something) and the "professional" or "business" way of doing something.

 

I am in no way defending this sort of absurdity, but in the end Aaron Lewis makes his money with music (no matter how derivitive it is) with probably no plan B, so like the the majority of working musicians, takes what he can get 'cos you never know when it'll end.

 

Principles (artistic or otherwise) never put bread on the table.

 

This is Gibson's fault. I hate the guy's music, but I earn my living from playing music and if some crazy dude from a guitar company wants to give money for nothing, then that's his problem. I have artistic pride etc etc but the bills too need paying!![biggrin

 

" Principles (artistic or otherwise) never put bread on the table."

 

You really believe this !? You gotta be kiddin !

 

This is why our economic system right now is in the basement because jerks on Wall street and big Banks have this same attitude .

Ethics and principles do put bread on the table buddy. I have been in buisness of and on for 45 years and my principles have put much bread on the table and in my pocket !

 

Your word ,principles and ethics are all you got my friend ! [biggrin]

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The G

The G

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Ok here we go..... If my math is correct ,there are 677 pages of forum members@ 20 members per page .If every member sent me a mere $2 each that would be 13540X 2$ = $27080. I would put in my time and effort to purchase one of these insruments along with a normal run of the mill SJ, and a Woody Guthrie to compare the three and report back my findings. I would not expect any remuneration for this even if my fingers blead from opening over 13000 letters. :)

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RASHARU

RASHARU

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I wonder if Gibson ever reads this Forum and takes any of our oppinions seriously ? [-(

No. Because somewhere, somebody will eventually plop down a new Master Card & buy one of these things. It's a BIG world out there. You can count on it.

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dhanners623

dhanners623

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There's nothing Aaron Lewis and/or Gibson have ever done that would make this guitar worth $17K+, unless Lewis delivered the guitar to your house personally and handed you the keys of the car he drove up in.

 

And while I can understand Lewis' excitement at having Gibson approach him about an endorsement deal like this, I think that somewhere along the line, a moral performer looks at that price tag and realizes that 99.9 percent of his fans can't afford something like this, particularly in today's economy. As I mentioned before that price is more than a third of the annual U.S. median household income.

 

Then again, the music business is all about the Benjamins, and always has been.

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RASHARU

RASHARU

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Back on post (#14), I stated that I, too, had become quite famous (within my own family) for covering other star's tunes just like Mr. Lewis does. I also said that I would sign AND ship my J45 Custom for only $19,995.

 

Well, GREAT NEWS! I'm running a "once in a lifetime".."get 'em while they last".."best deal ever" sale today only!

 

All of the above mentioned.. PLUS one slightly-used Gibson pick, one pack of Excel electric strings (missing the B-string), one Fender X-Small T-shirt, one pleather & faux fur (pink) guitar strap, and one very nice maple guitar stool missing about an inch off one back leg. I MUST BE CRAZY!

 

All of this for (3) easy payments of just $5,999.99 #-o

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hero_of_the_day_2004

hero_of_the_day_2004

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[angry]

 

 

 

Uhmmm . . .

 

* sigh *

 

Maybe you should actually read page one.

 

 

Not sure what I'm supposed to be seeing on the first page? One person mentioned it (poorly), you responded with a list of the three different prices, and then the thread went on for two more pages of people whining about the $17,000 price tag, and stating how because they don't know the guy, it's dumb for Gibson to give him a signature guitar.

 

For the record I do think $17,000 is just about the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Guess what, that guitar isn't aimed at me, or any other guitar PLAYER. It's for collectors, and Gibson offering an over priced collectors piece in no way effects a players ability to buy the $2,800 version.

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dhanners623

dhanners623

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I have a hard time believing that even a collector is going to pay that much for a guitar like this. I could be wrong and I hope for Gibson's sake I am.

 

But let's look at the pricing. I went to MusiciansFriend.com and a Gibson Southern Jumbo "True Vintage" sells there for $2,889. So that's our base price, I would assume. The basic Aaron Lewis guitar sells for $3,653, which is $764 over the basic price of the "True Vintage." What have they done to the guitar to add that extra value? I have no clue.

 

Next on the price scale is the "Aged" Aaron Lewis guitar, which clocks in at $8,598 -- or $4,945 more than the stock Aaron Lewis guitar (and $5,709 more than the "True Vintage" SJ). So you're paying nearly five grand to "age" the guitar. Fine. I know some folks like that look; I have to admit I like the look of a beat-up guitar, too. In fact, I e-mailed the same shop in Nashville that relic'd Lewis' guitar just for the heck of it to see about getting a new Epiphone Texan of mine to look aged; it just looks too darn glossy for the way it sounds, and you know how guitarists can be about how their guitar looks.

 

The shop wrote me back (quite promptly, I might add) and this was his reply on pricing in its entirety: "Do dull out the guitar only would be 300, 350 for dings n chips, start adding checking that's gonna take it to 500"

 

So dulling, dings'n'chips (sounds like bar food) and finish checking will cost me $500. Gibson added a zero to that. They have every right to do that if the market will bear it.

 

But let's say we are a collector with deep pockets or some Wall Street banker trying to figure out where to spend our bonus and we want to get the "aged and signed" Aaron Lewis model. That's going to set us back $17,198. That means Lewis' signature adds $8,600 to the price of the relic'd guitar. Eight thousand, six-hundred dollars. For perspective, here's a paragraph from a February 2009 story on NPR about presidential signatures:

 

"These days, in terms of the modern presidents, Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy command the highest prices. Reagan's signature starts at $750 and a genuine Kennedy is worth $2,500, even if it says simply "happy birthday." The content of the letter can quickly elevate the price."

 

So Aaron Lewis' signature is worth more than three times that of JFK? In what universe does that make sense?

 

To reiterate, I have nothing against Aaron Lewis. He may well be very talented. He's sold millions more records than I ever will. And I'm hoping that whomever was at the helm in market research at Gibson knows a lot more than I do, and they figured they could price the guitars accordingly. But I'm just not seein' it. Yeah, I know I'm not the one who needs to be seein' it....

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