TheStones143 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I was thinking about how Gibson can grow its sales...I am marketing guy and this is what I think about. Rondo music, GFS and others are growing like mad. Even Mojotone.com has been hiring to meet demand. The reason? Entry level guitars are all the rage, but the electronics stink so people are more and more learning that they can replace the features. The wood itself is very well made...its the electronics that stink. I believe Gibson should use the Epiphone label to create custom guitars. Offer a les paul, an SG and a Dot. Offer them in 2 - 3 colors. And offer options on electronics (vintage vs modern), pick ups, pickguards, tuners etc. And charge more for them. Gibson could capture back the business from Rondo & GFS and increase engagement with players. Anyway, that is my reco to the nwe CMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyphre Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 They are already offered in 3 colors, generally speaking. I'd offer a broad choice of maybe 10-15 color options along with three or four binding options. I'd pay more for a custom Dot, certainly. As it is I'll probably buy an Agile LP style guitar from Rondo, eventually. High quality instruments for the $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 If Gibson started offering Epis with better electronics it would probably eat into the sales of Gibson guitars. So for that reason alone, I don't think Gibson would even consider your proposal. I also think they are doing fine as far as profits go. Maybe some of the smaller manufactures have taken some of their business, but I don't think it has hurt them much at all. I think there are a lot more people playing and buying guitars today then ever before. That has only helped Gibson sales. Hey, I would love it if they took your advice. And I may have no idea what I'm talking about. But it's what I think about it. And that ain't worth a whole lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 If Gibson started offering Epis with better electronics it would probably eat into the sales of Gibson guitars. Sounds to me like that's what the Elitist series was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheStones143 Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 If Gibson started offering Epis with better electronics it would probably eat into the sales of Gibson guitars. So for that reason alone, I don't think Gibson would even consider your proposal. I also think they are doing fine as far as profits go. Maybe some of the smaller manufactures have taken some of their business, but I don't think it has hurt them much at all. I think there are a lot more people playing and buying guitars today then ever before. That has only helped Gibson sales. Hey, I would love it if they took your advice. And I may have no idea what I'm talking about. But it's what I think about it. And that ain't worth a whole lot. And I know even less! The point about eating into Gibson sales is fair...that could be a risk. But a Dot custom for $1,000 vs $2200 for a Es335...there still might be pricing power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheStones143 Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Sounds to me like that's what the Elitist series was. But Could you choose your pick ups etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigneil Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I reckon epiphones are fine the way they are..and are enjoying a symbiotic relashionship with after market parts companies. there are thousands up on thousands of guitar players who love modding their axes and making them "their own". If we start mucking around trying to make epi's more custom shop, then they are going to get more expensive and modders and bargain hunters will move on to other brands..Jay Turser, Squire, chinese or korean Ibby's, Xavier, Vintage brand, lower end BC Rich, and Agile are all looming in the background with all their mates, just waiting to jump out and make us spend our money on them. And don't forget Epi have been offering cool stuff that Gibby doesn't since they were taken under the wing of Gibson all those years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinlander Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I also think it is more fun to mod those cheap guitars by my own, customizing them to my exact specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 In Australia we pay way too much for products from the leading manufacturers including Epiphone so the premise that we accept lesser quality because of the price, doesn't work here! Paying $1000 you don't expect to have to replace PUPs or switches! I bought 3 Epiphone's and they are all faulty! I bought an Agile AL2900 from Rondo and even with freight and a case it was much cheaper than buying an Epi LP Studio with no case locally. The Agile turned out to be perfect out of the box and to be honest leaves my Epi's for dead. This situation leaves Epiphone vulnerable to cheaper opposition and when you add their requirement for minimum multi thousand dollar order requirements, the smaller dealers have no choice but to look elsewhere. This tends to exclude the Mum & Pop stores and favour the larger outlets, and just yesterday our two major chains (and big Gibson/Epi outlets) were put into receivership!! So perhaps a case of all the eggs being in the one basket? I don't know what the answer is but America is just one market, not the totality! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 But Could you choose your pick ups etc? I'm sure there are more knowledgeable than me on this topic, but I don't think so. My point was that the Elite/Elitist series was the "upgrade" step between Gibby and Epi. I have an Elitist Casino, and it really is my "go to" guitar. Fit, finish, playablility, all American electronics, etc. for half the price of a G. What's not to like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigneil Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 LOL, perhaps Epi could open up a factory in Mexico and start a line of epi guitars built to American specifications proper gibby nut width, american electrics etc but using more renewable woods, or alternative space age materials. And the chinese built epiphones could be re-branded as the "Epi Neophyte" range. Hang on a mo', didn't another manufacturer do something like this already......<strokes beard> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2turbos Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 If Gibson started offering Epis with better electronics it would probably eat into the sales of Gibson guitars. So for that reason alone, I don't think Gibson would even consider your proposal. I also think they are doing fine as far as profits go. Maybe some of the smaller manufactures have taken some of their business, but I don't think it has hurt them much at all. I think there are a lot more people playing and buying guitars today then ever before. That has only helped Gibson sales. Hey, I would love it if they took your advice. And I may have no idea what I'm talking about. But it's what I think about it. And that ain't worth a whole lot. IMHO I don't think Gibson pots, switches and wiring are any better than what Epiphone supplies. Actually, my experience is that Epiphone electronics are less troublesome than Gibson. Do your preventive maintenance and everything will be ok. I've replaced a lot of pots for guys at their request(I have skills) and all they ever need is a Deoxit bath. I have a drawer full of good Epi pots. CTS, Alpha and Alps is what everybody wants but I'm not seeing an increase in reliability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I must say, this post is really on topic........ [thumbup] ...... Anyhow, Epi is Epi.....They do what they do............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I'm sure there are more knowledgeable than me on this topic, but I don't think so. My point was that the Elite/Elitist series was the "upgrade" step between Gibby and Epi. I have an Elitist Casino, and it really is my "go to" guitar. Fit, finish, playablility, all American electronics, etc. for half the price of a G. What's not to like? The Elitst pickups are made in the USA by Gibson, but the pots and switches are metric-sized, Pac-Rim sourced components similar to those usually found in most other Epis available when Elitists were sold. Only the "Assembled in the USA" Elitists (the John Lee Looker Sheraton and variant, the limited edition John Lennon 1965 and Revolution Casino, etc.) got USA pots and switches (and now some non-Elitists have them, too). That's not to take away from the superiority of the Elitist series. They are the equal of or surpass many a Gibson. However, in the hey-day of Elitist sales, when the Elitist line was wider than just the Casino variants available today, and was widely advertised, Epiphone marketing counted on consumers mistaking the non-specific term "USA electronics" as meaning ALL the electronic components were USA-sourced, rather than SOME (the pups). Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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