Plank_Spanker Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Bean counters rule! I can see this as major cost cutting factor for Gibson, but a major loss for the Gibson playing community. It looks like modding your new Gibson will take on an entirely new aspect - If you don't like your pots, what now? A new board with your selection of pots? The aftermarket companies are going to have a field day. (Gibson licensed exclusives?) Plek? Another cost saving measure. I've played a few "pleked" Gibsons. I see very little difference with that and a properly done fret dress / leveling / polishing / nut filing. Gibson just has to train a few operators on the machine vs keeping on the people who have the experience to do it by hand, sight and feel. Price increases - going to happen as time marches by, but looks like bean counting voodoo to me. For the record, I'm not a stuck in the mud traditionalist, nor am I a luddite fearing new technology. I'm also a dyed in the wool Gibson fan. I never thought that I would even remotely slam Gibson, but these changes don't sit right with me. Gibson is a brand steeped in tradition, and that is their major selling point and magic. Is this brand heading down the slippery slope of the Micro Soft business model? This smacks of bean counters once again ruling the roost...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 I was re-reading Tony Bacon's Les Paul book a couple weeks ago. How many times did Gibson change the Les Paul to make it "fresh and new" only to see it rejected by buyers. If you want something different, then go shopping. Shouldn't have to by a Les Paul from PRS, or Gretsch, or whoever. Gibson is shooting themselves in the foot again. Stupid. They'll build all this fancy new sh!t for a few years then drop most of them. Then they'll wait and see who misses what before they reissue it - at a much higher price. Trust me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Pleking kind of makes sense. It yields greater consistency. Plank, if you're against the technology Gibson is introducing, there always the historic line...:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckledzepplin Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 there always the historic line... i dont know if all of us can afford a $5000 guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 +1. Seems crazy that you would need to spend more than $2500 to get a fantastic guitar. If that is the case with Gibson, then perhaps it is time to move to a different brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 i dont know if all of us can afford a $5000 guitar? I got my R8 for $2,500...brand new. Bluemoon, I agree with you but look at the world we live in. Prices aren't going down, that's for sure. If I want a nice car...and I'm talking BMW M3, I'm near the $90,000 level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 How can you try to characterize the capital investment of a Plek machine as a cost-cutting measure? My Plekked ES339 has impeccable fretwork right out of the box. And there's nothing stopping you from swapping pots, although to make it easy Gibson is expected to offer replacement boards with the pots already on there, plug and play. Sorry but this sounds like searching for a reason for Gibson-bashing. If you spent nearly three grand on a guitar that had quality control issues, by all means, lets hear about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 I got my R8 for $2' date='500...brand new. Bluemoon, I agree with you but look at the world we live in. Prices aren't going down, that's for sure. If I want a nice car...and I'm talking BMW M3, I'm near the $90,000 level.[/quote'] True. But my salary isn't keeping up with inflation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Drimble Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 I wondered if the circuit board and see through cover were attempts to make it harder to pass fakes off as genuine instruments - just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 I wondered if the circuit board and see through cover were attempts to make it harder to pass fakes off as genuine instruments - just a thought Good observation ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elessar820 Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 True. But my salary isn't keeping up with inflation! Things keep getting more cheaply made and more expensive while everyone keep making the same money. The economy sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 I'm in a much less vehement version of the same boat Bobv is in... I view internal circuitry as a modern advancement. Most folks view progress as inevitable. Fortunately, the market and time will tend to demonstrate the success or failure of their advancements. I say good on 'em for still offering the "good ole" Les Pauls. I think Plek was meant to be more of a fix for the quality variances, or at least that was what I got from the marketing stuff I read. I honestly never considered the manpower aspect, and am not sure what the compensation differences would be between a skilled guitar set-up tech and a skilled Plek operator, but it might be a very valid point. Companies do similar things all the time. I haven't played any of the new stuff, but I have read some glowing (and not so glowing) reviews, so I think I'll reserve my final opinion until I have had a chance to play them for a bit. Overall, though, I think it is a good thing that an industry leader in the guitar manufacturing business is exploring new technology, and hope they make some substantial breakthroughs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 How can you try to characterize the capital investment of a Plek machine as a cost-cutting measure? And there's nothing stopping you from swapping pots +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Regardless of technological advancements, this part about Gibson will never change... but I have read some glowing (and not so glowing) reviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 1. The PLEK rocks! Consistency is where PRS was kicking the sh!t out of Gibson - real or imagined. 2. The "good old guitars" are still available, Gibson has stepped up production for their reissues. Just spend some $$$$... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plank_Spanker Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 How can you try to characterize the capital investment of a Plek machine as a cost-cutting measure? My Plekked ES339 has impeccable fretwork right out of the box. And there's nothing stopping you from swapping pots' date=' although to make it easy Gibson is expected to offer replacement boards with the pots already on there, plug and play. Sorry but this sounds like searching for a reason for Gibson-bashing. If you spent nearly three grand on a guitar that had quality control issues, by all means, lets hear about it.[/quote'] OK............................... I'll back track a bit on the PLEK. The point I was trying to make was Gibson is making a huge deal of it - and I bet a good reason to drive up prices. I've played a few PLEK'ed guitars, and while they were nice, they were not miraculous - and PLEK is a current vogue of being a miracle cure..............too much hype. I'll be one of the last players on this planet to bash Gibson - I own four and I'm sure there will be more. I just get a bad feeling of this new direction Gibson is taking - Hype the new models, raise the prices..............................and if they flop, they can always reintroduce the "old" models as expensive reissues. They are pandering to the collector market and it sure seems like they are forgetting the guys and gals that actually play them. They are gradually pricing their guitars out of the reach of the exact type of player that made them famous. Gibson always commanded a premium price, but not out of reach...................................... I love Gibson guitars......................................I just don't like the current direction Gibson is taking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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