This thing with Gibson and the guy from Mastodon...

earwighoney

WezV said:

Interesting point of view.  

Obviously the idea it should arrive in tune is just silly, but if the artist uses an unusual gauge should they at least ship it with some of those strings?  What should they slot the nut for?  How many are buying for the artist connection?

Slotting the nut for heavier strings is a tricky thing for a customer without the relevant tools to do, and if you buy a guitar which is supposed to be set up for Drop A tuning/12-60 strings but comes a nut cut for 9-46 strings, for a guitar costing several £1000's IMO it's an oversight which isn't the greatest but a significant one nonetheless. 

Funkfingers

UnclePsychosis said:

The tuning thing falls out of something else he said, which is that Gibson didn't give a shit about how he tuned his guitar or what strings he put on it. 

Right now, Gibson desperately needs to shift product to bring in money. 

The Mastodon signature guitar is non-standard. It deserves non-standard attention to the set-up. That probably takes up more production line time than Gibson can be arsed to give over to it. Leave that to the retailers.

WezV

earwighoney said:

WezV said:

Interesting point of view.  

Obviously the idea it should arrive in tune is just silly, but if the artist uses an unusual gauge should they at least ship it with some of those strings?  What should they slot the nut for?  How many are buying for the artist connection?

Slotting the nut for heavier strings is a tricky thing for a customer without the relevant tools to do, and if you buy a guitar which is supposed to be set up for Drop A tuning/12-60 strings but comes a nut cut for 9-46 strings, for a guitar costing several £1000's IMO it's an oversight which isn't the greatest but a significant one nonetheless. 

I doubt it was an oversight at all.   I suspect it was a conscious decision, just like the weight relief.  

Gibson will have tried to appeal to a wider market than just Mastodon fans.  Its a weird one, because the sig just looks like a different colour option that may well appeal to non-mastodon fans.  

Most guitarists playing in that kind of tuning are used to having to do a bit of fettling, certainly the ones who can afford the "several £1000's" price tag.   They probably have more experience than Gibson in that respect.

Weststarx

stonevibe said:

It's not exactly the first time Gibson has fucked up, so was no surprise he was pretty vocal about it. Just look at all vast majority of modern rock/metal /progressive players, they aren't playing Gibson as the company isn't up to standard for many of them to rely on.

ESP and LTD are far higher quality and listen to player needs, so it makes sense to leave the tradition of 'Made In USA' BS behind and actually go with a more forward thinking and progressive guitar builder.

The stuff I have heard and been told about Gibson this year has put me off the brand completely, they are clutching at straws and I think 2018 has a few more shocks in store with them.

Exactly this! I sold all my Gibsons in favor of ESP Ltds, you cant even compare the Ltds to Gibsons they are so far ahead in terms of quality. I used to see Gibson as a top brand, but having played them for a while I come to realise that compared to almost every other guitar brand in the £1000 range, Gibsons play and feel like a 'Starter Guitar' from Argos.

chrishill901

Weststarx said:

stonevibe said:

It's not exactly the first time Gibson has fucked up, so was no surprise he was pretty vocal about it. Just look at all vast majority of modern rock/metal /progressive players, they aren't playing Gibson as the company isn't up to standard for many of them to rely on.

ESP and LTD are far higher quality and listen to player needs, so it makes sense to leave the tradition of 'Made In USA' BS behind and actually go with a more forward thinking and progressive guitar builder.

The stuff I have heard and been told about Gibson this year has put me off the brand completely, they are clutching at straws and I think 2018 has a few more shocks in store with them.

Exactly this! I sold all my Gibsons in favor of ESP Ltds, you cant even compare the Ltds to Gibsons they are so far ahead in terms of quality. I used to see Gibson as a top brand, but having played them for a while I come to realise that compared to almost every other guitar brand in the £1000 range, Gibsons play and feel like a 'Starter Guitar' from Argos.

If a Gibson plays like an Argos starter guitar then I shudder to think what Gibson's 'Maestro' Argos starter guitar plays like