Mike Phillips Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 It is really frustrating to learn about certain artist models after they are no longer available. For example, I really want a Paul Jackson, Jr. ES-347 in wine red. Does anybody know where to find one? I was told that Gibson was planning to do another run. When I called Gibson, I was told that no run was being planned. Does anyone know where to find a KS-336? I love my Gibson guitars, including my 1969 Barney Kessel and my 1980 SG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Admin Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 we are still making both the paul jackson and the keifer sutherland in small quantities, so you ought to be able to order one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 we are still making both the paul jackson and the keifer sutherland in small quantities' date=' so you ought to be able to order one.[/quote']That's fantastic news. If you will email me your contact information so that I can have my dealer contact you, it would be helpful. I'm ready to order a Paul Jackson, Jr. in wine red. How long will it take to get it? EDIT 5/29/08: I just called your customer service number to find out if I can order a guitar. The operator said that customer service could help, and she transferred me there. After a long wait, a rep came on the line. He checked and said that 347 is not on the price list and that he would have to email the custom shop and ask if the guitar was available. I thought I was talking with the custom shop, but obviously I was not. He then hung up with no mention of when he would get back with me. I called back an hour later, and the office was closed. After listening to the voice response telling me how important my call was more than ten times, I hung up. So, at this point, my subject line stands: Frustration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdick2112 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Mike, try calling Wildwood Guitars in Louisville, CO. They are the largest dealer of Gibson Custom Shop instruments in the USA, and if anyone can get results for you, they can. Ask for Steve (the owner) or Troy - great people and a great store. I purchased my Alex Lifeson ES-355 (and my prized Ric 4003 bass) from them, and I couldn't be happier with their service. Tell them Rich Welch said "Hi". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 Rich, thanks for the recommendation. Hopefully someone at Gibson will take the time to answer my question. Another dealer has offered me an excellent price IF the guitar is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Admin Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 these guitars are absolutely available...any Custom Shop dealer should be able to order you one (we can't do sales via this forum, or via Customer Service). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 Gibson Admin, please contact me. There is a major disconnect with your company. Roger at your Customer Service department kindly spent a couple of days researching my request after your post above, and he said that they are discontinued and are no longer available. Even though I have talked with one of your dealers three times, they claim that they have not been able to get up with their Gibson representative. I called Wildwood as recommended above and on BeatGear Cavern. They offered to check into my request and let me know. No word from them yet. Just now, at Roger's recommendation, I called Woodwind and Brasswind. The received their last gingerburst in February. They are showing the Paul Jackson, Jr. model as "temporarily" discontinued. The result is that I am in a loop. Please email me your contact information. I will have the dealer contact you to place an order. I realize that you cannot do sales direct to custmers; I was a Gibson guitar dealer in the 60s and 70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Admin Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 you have 2 PMs...the 2nd one has the more accurate info... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 To follow up, I got my Paul Jackson, Jr. guitar last week. It is the best playing, best sounding guitar I have ever owned. I am blown away and could not be happier with this amazing instrument. Gibson Custom, you rock!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Congrats!! Too bad most of us Lifeson owners cannot feel the same elation and joy over a Artist Model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LerxstLee Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Gibson Admin' date=' please contact me. There is a major disconnect with your company. Roger at your Customer Service department kindly spent a couple of days researching my request after your post above, and he said that they are discontinued and are no longer available. Even though I have talked with one of your dealers three times, they claim that they have not been able to get up with their Gibson representative. I called Wildwood as recommended above and on BeatGear Cavern. They offered to check into my request and let me know. No word from them yet. Just now, at Roger's recommendation, I called Woodwind and Brasswind. The received their last gingerburst in February. They are showing the Paul Jackson, Jr. model as "temporarily" discontinued. The result is that I am in a loop. Please email me your contact information. I will have the dealer contact you to place an order. I realize that you cannot do sales direct to custmers; I was a Gibson guitar dealer in the 60s and 70s.[/quote'] How could there possibly be a "disconnect" ? Especially with the GIbson Company ? Tightly knitt crew there / Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LerxstLee Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Forgot the Picture . Used w/o consent , patent pending Just more frustration with the artist series . Gibson claims that the white one " Alex lifeson ES-355's " volute is in the correct spot ? http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb206/RareFormMusic/DSC00186compred.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 I realize there are a lot of complaints with the Lifeson, but I don't understand what the problem is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turkeyT Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 I don't either. I'm thrilled with mine. Certain people here get a charge out of constant complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJLCC14 Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Ok everyone..........turkeyT doesn't like when people have complaints...........so just enjoy your guitar whether you like it or not! Or face public ridicule from turkeyT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enduroexpert Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 I don't either. I'm thrilled with mine. Certain people here get a charge out of constant complaining. Your happy with yours thats great, others aren't, let them have their say. Sounds like your lucky like me and got a pretty much perfect guitar which we're very happy with, but when all said and done its still a flawed model whether you like it or not. These other folk have a right to complain, so let them....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 No one can keep you from having your say here except the admin. Now, back to my question. What is the problem with the volute being in the wrong place on the Lifeson? What would you like to see for a solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Hey Mike, First off, I appologize. It seems my comment about the Lifeson has hijacked your thread. I did not intend that, I was just a little jealous perhaps that you got what you wanted and we Lifeson owners did not. What is wrong with the Lifeson? Well, mine is actually quite superb. All of the issues I am about to mention are issues many have had with this guitar, but the volute is a real problem. First and foremost the volute is not in the same spot as it should be on a 1976 ES-355. When looking at the Lifeson it seems they paid attention to almost every other detail, even leaving the dot off over the i which was done on these 70's models. But, then they put the volute 1" lower than it should be. Why is this a problem? Well, many players complained about the volute in the 70s because it was a bit crampy around the first fret. So, Gibson stopped doing it since it did not really reinforce the neck that much anyway. Now, they made the cramping even worse by putting the volute where it is. Some chords played on the first fret are a bit cramped because of the volute. Now me personally, I have gotten used to it and it does not really present that much of a problem, but it is there. I think the most upsetting thing about this is that Gibson refuses to admit the mistake and are probably glad the production is over and they don't have to deal with it. Other problems with the model from some users include: Wrong horn size, black spots bleeding through the paint, binding separating from the neck, large binding ridge in spots on some and the entire length of the neck on others, inproperly aligned tuning keys, wrong length trem arm, wrong angled trem arm, misaligned tailpiece, misaligned strap button on butt of guitar, Japanese bridge, electricall problems with some, poor etching on tailpiece on some, cheap pickguards on some. I think that covers it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Phillips Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Wow, that's an ugly list. Many of those items should be covered under warranty. I'll have to look at my guitar closely to see if there are any of these problems. The only two issues I have noticed so far are that the output jack does not appear to be very snug when the cord is plugged into it. The other issue is the back of the neck is sticky. I'm told that will go away pretty soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LerxstLee Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 I realize there are a lot of complaints with the Lifeson' date=' but I don't understand what the problem is. [/quote'] Hello Mike , I have been lucky with my Al-355 , I can live with the wrong trem arm , I have to buy one from allparts.com , I can live with a few bleed through dots considering its a white finish it SOMETIMES happens. My white Rickenbacker might not be so white but never did I have a bleed through . So for me the only two problems are The volute , click on the link , look at the white neck , you will see a LUMP on the back of the neck at the first fretmarker , the red guitars "lump " starts AFTER the NUT , thus you never feel it . The red guitar is from the same era that the white one is TRYING to duplicate . http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb206/RareFormMusic/DSC00186compred.jpg The second Problem with mine is , Gibson's only way for me to get this fixed is 1, Sell it on ebay you should do quite well , " yet they seldom fetch $3000.00 for a $3700.00 guitar. 2, I can send it to the restore and restoration dept , and have the Volute "shaved off then refinished . They kindly reminded me that all expenses would be mine as it is NOT a manufacturing defect . I am only speaking for myself , Some angry one's who think this is a COMPLAINT should probably not be playing guitar . The neck is incorrect for any guitar. Customer service is available 24/7 yet it's like calling an infant and hearing them say waats dat mean dada /cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turkeyT Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Why did you take the guitar home from the shop? Didn't notice the volute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Why did you take the guitar home from the shop? Didn't notice the volute? I think most owners of the AL had to order theirs ahead of time if they were going to be assured they would get one. We went on faith that the description that the Gibson Custom Shop provided of a "painstaking recreation of this iconic isntrument" was true. The history of the Custom Shop so far has been that they usually deliver. Some of us were not too shocked at the price tag, because we knew that if we were getting a guitar built to the specs of Alex's original that would be what we paid. We did not get a guitar built to those specs as was promised. Now, I am not one to unload my AL. I like it and I get quite a lot out of it, but I will not accept that it is anything like they promised. That was the big let down as far as I am concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enduroexpert Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Why did you take the guitar home from the shop? Didn't notice the volute? Did anyone notice it at the shop.....? I flew from the UK to pick mine up from Wildwood, I was that excited to just be holding and playing one in the shop I wouldn't have ever noticed it, its only when you get home and start looking at it in more detail that these ugly little "balls ups" come to light.......it doesn't affect my playing but its still a mistake....!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Blues Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Hi Admin, I know the Axcess is based on it, but I'm just wondering if the Neal Schon is still available? As most of you know, I had issues (so adeptly enumerated by Wondo) with my Lifeson 355, but like Wondo and turkeyT, I'm very happy with mine as well. AL 028 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Admin Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Hi Admin' date=' I know the Axcess is based on it, but I'm just wondering if the Neal Schon is still available? As most of you know, I had issues (so adeptly enumerated by Wondo) with my Lifeson 355, but like Wondo and turkeyT, I'm very happy with mine as well. AL 028[/quote'] no, the Schon was a limited run and is done. we may end up doing something else with Neal though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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