drellis Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 How does everyone feel about buying Gibsons on-line without having played the actual guitar you're buying? I have been reading a number of comments lately about Gibsons not being consistent. I keep hearing "play before you pay" and so forth. I have just found a Gibson J-45 TV that I'm interested in at a store located in another state so I will not have an opportunity to play it until after I have bought it and its shipped to me. From what I have read, it seems that inconsistency is less of an issue with other major brands such as Martin and Taylor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Well....uhm to see if you like the feel and sound of the guitar? Also alot of guitars that are shipped can have problems while being shipped such as cracks in the nitro and the guitar being damage. Mind you that each and every guitar sounds diffrent even if its the same model, due to the wood, well thats what i belive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Rondack Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 The inconsistency is part of the magic... make sure you get a review period and buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sorad Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 I wouldnt buy it personally It took me 6months to find a j45 i really liked and i played alot of them I had a martin before and it just wasnt my thing. If your gunna drop that kind of money it might be wise to wait and find one local or make a road trip. Just my opinion. youll know when you play a good one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Yes, I feel that Gibson has a problem with consistency — more so than some other manufacturers. However, if you're after that great Gibson tone, what are you going to do? If you're like me, you just have to commit to "the search" in order to find one that truly sings to you. Don't become inpatient as it might take a while, but in the end I feel its all worth it. I have a 5-star Gibson acoustic dealer where I live and I still ended up buying my current J-45 TV from a shop that is halfway across the country. In my case, I deal with some folks in Nashville that I have already established a good relationship with. If they tell me that a guitar sounds great, I know that there's a pretty good chance that I'll think so as well. They do a lot of mail order business and they don't want to be sending guitars out all over the place only to have them sent back time and again — the more time an instrument spends out and about with UPS or FedEx, the better the chance something bad is going to happen. So, this shop does their best to describe the guitar's strengths and weaknesses so that a buyer has a decent idea of what they're getting themselves into. However, if I didn't like the guitar I could have simply sent it back. I would have been out the cost of shipping, but I much prefer that to getting stuck with a guitar that I doesn't really do it for me. They're also cool about giving me enough time to evaluate the guitar, allowing me enough time to come down from the emotional high of receiving a guitar that I've been lusting after. This system works for me. Bottom line: as long as you're buying from a shop that has a reasonable trial/return policy and you feel that you have the willpower to return a less than great guitar then it shouldn't be a problem. All that said, my preference would be to find a shop within driving distance (hey, I love a good road trip) where I could play a bunch of 'em in person. All the best, Guth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 By the way, even though I feel that Gibson might be less consistent than some other manufacturers, my comments above would apply to any guitar. There are always going to be at least some very subtle differences between any two guitars of the same model. There are always going to be some that are more special than the rest and some that are just duds. But then not everyone is looking for the same thing when it comes to tone. One person's trash is another person's treasure as they say. In the end, you just want to make sure that you find the treasure as opposed to getting stuck with the trash. Guth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkharmony Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 The whole "Gibson is inconsistent" thing is a myth, in my opinion. I mean, not every Hummingbird or Advanced Jumbo is going to sound the same, but this idea that only a few are good out of the thousands they produce is ridiculous. People like to complain. .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I think Gibson makes variable guitars, but that's a good thing IMHO...sometimes one player might want a bassy, percussive, fat sound, one might want a brighter, thinner tone, and one might want one in the middleground somewhere. I haven't come across a Gibson acoustic I would ever call a "dog", and it frustrates me when people complain about guitars they've bought without listening to them properly first. Would you buy a car without driving it first, then complain about legroom? It's Caveat Emptor all the way. I wouldn't personally order a 2K+ guitar sight unseen without a review period, but if you can arrange that then go ahead. My former band had a Gibson artist endorsement deal, and of the acoustics we ordered (2x Hummingbird MCs, 2x J45 MCs, 2x F5 style Mandolins, 1x Dove MC), the vast majority of them were absolutely superb instruments-truly world class, as you would expect. Of course, we had all the personal service and warranty reassurance that comes with a deal like that, so it wasn't a worry at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Take into account what everyone else is saying here but at the end of day NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER buy a Gibson without playing it first. Did I make that clear enough. I live in Prague and only found the right Gibson acoustic on my trip to NYC, by pure accident. Read my post titled 'Shocking Gibson acoustitic buying experience' it will put things into perspective. Agree only a Gibson is good enought - but YOU MUST roadtest them first - they ARE incredibly incosnistent, sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I buy used guitars all the time, mostly through ebay. It's Russian Roulette at best. Obviously I'm not going to pay any more than I have to, that's just common sense, but I make that a deal maker or breaker. If the stars line up and I win an auction cheap, I have financial room to flip it and at least get my money back. As much of a risk-taker I may be in that sense, I would really have a hard time buying a new Gibson on the internet or over the phone. We're talking serious money here. Not making any claims about consistency or lack thereof, just that when the numbers get that high, the scrutiny increases exponentially. If I buy a $500 car I don't care if the gap around the trunk lid is off, but if it's $5000, then I pay attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCSC Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Like Guth, I've had luck buying a guitar sight unseen. A forum member mentioned they'd heard a particularly nice SJ-200 and I contacted the dealer (in Oregon, no less). The sales people spent a lot of time playing and describing the sound of the guitar to me by email and over the phone. They also gave me a ten day review period and a no questions asked return policy. I ended up buying the guitar and am extremely pleased with the purchase. Ideally, though, it's great to be able to sit in a room full of Gibsons and try them all. And if you happen to live in the western part of North Carolina, it's a fairly quick drive to a superb five-star Gibson dealer in Sevierville, Tennessee, Music Outlet. It's been a while since I've been over there (a rock slide closed I-40 for about six months recently), but the last time I visited they had at least 30 Gibsons on the wall. An extremely wide and varied selection. And their prices are very, very competitive. When I purchased my Songwriter, I spent the entire day in the store. Part of it in the main showroom and the balance in a small listening room, where a particularly attentive salesperson brought in the guitars that had made the first round of cuts, four at time, so that I could A-B them. I played a lot of Taylors and Martins, too. Walked out with the Songwriter. On the subject of inconsistency, I found the Gibsons no better or worse than the Taylors or Martins. However, I will say that all of the Taylors were set up beautifully and played flawlessly. I think that the playability of a guitar sometimes clouds our judgement of tone. I know it does with me. If a guitar plays especially well, I sound better -- but not necessarily the guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I've had good luck and bad luck buying guitars unseen. I agree with KSDaddy, if you're gonna drop 2K-3K on an instrument, I would like to play it first or at least have a "try-out" period. Like my Grandfather used to say..."let your conscience be your guide".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drellis Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 Thanks for all the feedback. Unfortunately the nearest Gibson dealer to me is a Guitar Center which is over 100 miles away and about the only thing that I will buy from a GC is a pick or maybe a set strings (not a $2000+ guitar). I did call GC and they only have a standard J-45 anyway, not a TV. Most music stores that do any mail-order business will probably have some kind of return policy but I really don't want to go through the hassle of ordering a guitar and then sending it back and then starting the whole process all over again. I know there are several companies such as Collings, Santa Cruz, Huss and Dalton, etc . that are building some excellent guitars that are very consistent and most do offer a slope-shoulder dread similar to a J-45. Has anyone had any experiences with any of these brands? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drellis Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 Like my Grandfather used to say..."let your conscience be your guide".... Your Grandfather is a smart man... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Due to the lack of Gibson dealers, I've bought several Gibsons from Musicians Friend. I had a problem once with my daughters first Studio Les Paul, sent it back and got a replacement in a few days. What's the big deal? If you don't like it send it back. I'm not driving all over the Country for weeks when they'll ship em' for free. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drellis Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 Take into account what everyone else is saying here but at the end of day NEVER' date=' EVER, EVER, EVER buy a Gibson without playing it first. Did I make that clear enough. I live in Prague and only found the right Gibson acoustic on my trip to NYC, by pure accident. Read my post titled 'Shocking Gibson acoustitic buying experience' it will put things into perspective. Agree only a Gibson is good enought - but YOU MUST roadtest them first - they ARE incredibly incosnistent, sadly.[/quote'] I just read your post, very interesting. For what Gibson is charging for their guitars these days, you would think that they could at least "get it right" most of the time. What a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Not taking into account quality issues, you should consider Gibsons "works of art", rather than a stamped-out fiberglass bodied instruments. It's why a photograph is different from an oil painting. You can reproduce a photograpy multiple times, and they're always the same. Oil paintings are never the same...that's what makes them so valuable. Dali painted three different "The Hallucinogenic Toreador" paintings, all of which are different. So "consistency" isn't high on my list for what makes Gibson guitars great, finding the "right one" is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drellis Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 What's the big deal? If you don't like it send it back. I'm not driving all over the Country for weeks when they'll ship em' for free. True but the buyer usually pays to have it shipped back. And how do you know that the next guitar won't be as bad as the first one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drellis Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 So "consistency" isn't high on my list for what makes Gibson guitars great' date=' finding the "right one" is![/quote'] yes but the trick is being able to find the "right one" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 ... NEVER' date=' EVER, EVER, EVER buy a Gibson without playing it first. ...[/quote'] I doesn't matter what manufacturer you buy from - if you buy without playing it first, it's a crap shoot. Some people are stuck with mail order. Some of those are more lucky than others and encounter little if any problems. Others end up generating some nightmarish posts/stories. As far as the consistancy - the Bozeman build quality is fine and consistant IMHO. Tone varies, and there is no escaping that, by Gibson, or anyone else. Unfortunately, on a rare occasion, I've gone into a store to sample acoustics and have found too much the Gibson stock with tone unacceptable to my liking. Of course that doesn't mean another person wouldn't like them. But it is disappointing that this happens with Gibsons and the others confirm it with their own experiences. And that's really gotta be tough on people stuck in a mail order situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadaPic Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 The whole "Gibson is inconsistent" thing is a myth' date=' in my opinion. I mean, not every Hummingbird or Advanced Jumbo is going to sound the same, but this idea that only a few are good out of the thousands they produce is ridi****us. People like to complain. .02[/quote'] I can't agree more. I have bought 15 Gibsons over the past few years, only one was I able to play before buying. I guess I've been lucky, but not a one of these guitars did I consider a 'dud' or somehow substandard. Did they require some amount of setup to bring out their best? Yes, of course. Was I ever the least disappointed with any of these purchases? No. If Gibson's are somehow 'inconsistent' then they are no more so than any other large producer of guitars. What is inconsistent is string manufacturer and string condition, action, moisture content of guitar wood, nut/saddle material, age of guitar among other variables at the time you pick up a guitar to play it. Work with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 yes but the trick is being able to find the "right one" Yeah.... that's the trick.... when I bought my DIF I was told about it, so I went online to GC in SF and saw pics of it. I emailed the store manager, and bought it without ever playing it, (and it was a LOT of $), but I told him if I didn't like it, I'd take it back to the Concord, CA GC store for a full refund. He agreed and he UPS'd it to me the next day! Needless to say, it was everything he said it was...and more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drellis Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 I can't agree more. I have bought 15 Gibsons over the past few years' date=' only one was I able to play before buying. I guess I've been lucky, but not a one of these guitars did I consider a 'dud' or somehow substandard. Did they require some amount of setup to bring out their best? Yes, of course. Was I ever the least disappointed with any of these purchases? No. If Gibson's are somehow 'inconsistent' then they are no more so than any other large producer of guitars. What is inconsistent is string manufacturer and string condition, action, moisture content of guitar wood, nut/saddle material, age of guitar among other variables at the time you pick up a guitar to play it. Work with it. [/quote'] From the comments I have read, and I have read many, inconsistency seems to be much more of an issue/problem with Gibsons than other brands. It has nothing to do with "dead" strings, humidity, etc. because those factors affect ALL guitars equally whether they are Taylors, Martins or Gibsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 True but the buyer usually pays to have it shipped back. And how do you know that the next guitar won't be as bad as the first one? I've only seen one bad one...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I had a bad experience with a Washburn Guitar bought through EvilBay...since then my motto is .... No play...no pay... No try .....no buy.... I don't care what brand ....no ....no ...no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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