Would you still buy a Gibson?

soma1975

If someone could buy my Les Paul in the classifieds so I can get an Eastman that would be great

JerkMoans

NelsonP said:

Funkfingers said:

Be selective.

Be objective.

Brothers give it up for the Fretboard Collective.

Wazmeister

p90fool said:

My boss is a dick, your boss is a dick, Gibson's boss is a dick. 

Stop being holier than thou, if you want one, buy one. 

Post of the year thus far.

prowla

I have no allegiance to any particular guitar maker nor investment in any side of their respective lawyers battles.

I have two Gibsons and neither of them I bought new.

There are two more Gibsons on my wish list and if or when I get them, neither will be new.

That said, I'd rather Gibson exists than it doesn't.

Boromedic

I've got 2 Gibson's both bought new nearly 20 years apart, if any of you who have issues with them decided to avoid every company with dubious business practices, you'd probably not be able to buy very much at all. That's life these days I'm afraid, the great rush to the bottom and it's good to get on your high horse but I'm afraid all the palm oil you're probably consuming daily causes more damage than Gibson pursuing law suits. 

Stevepage

I'd buy the new LP standard 50s. The quality has certainly improved with the new models. 

Ive been lucky that I've bought 2 second hand Les Pauls, a 2013 Studio and a 2016 Traditional plain top. Both play and sound amazing. Still have the Traditional but moved the Studio on. Gems can be found but you do have to do a bit of searching. 

skullfunkerry

Still? I wouldn't have bought one before

TTBZ

Maybe but only a 2nd hand one. Not as much to do with the poor image they’ve created for the company, but more to do with how bloody expensive they are now. I might get a new Epiphone but more likely to go for a PRS SE or LTD which I think are pretty much on par with Gibson bar the nicer nitro finish of a Gibson.

ICBM

TTBZ said:

Maybe but only a 2nd hand one. Not as much to do with the poor image they’ve created for the company, but more to do with how bloody expensive they are now.

I was talking about this to a friend recently. It's not that long ago when £2K was considered a *lot* of money for an electric guitar. You could buy any top-quality, professional-big-gig guitar for £2K, and any more than that seemed to be for collectors and the vintage market only.

Now £5K is the new £2K. Even £7K doesn't seem to be that unusual.

For a solidbody electric guitar?! You can buy a *brand new car* for less than £7K, just.

Fifty9

Utterly bonkers isn’t it.

I did by a new Gibson but only the blowout r8 as a once in a lifetime purchase. Used only from now on for me unless the lotto win comes in

Blueingreen

ICBM said:

TTBZ said:

Maybe but only a 2nd hand one. Not as much to do with the poor image they’ve created for the company, but more to do with how bloody expensive they are now.

I was talking about this to a friend recently. It's not that long ago when £2K was considered a *lot* of money for an electric guitar. You could buy any top-quality, professional-big-gig guitar for £2K, and any more than that seemed to be for collectors and the vintage market only.

Now £5K is the new £2K. Even £7K doesn't seem to be that unusual.

For a solidbody electric guitar?! You can buy a *brand new car* for less than £7K, just.

Yep.  Doesn't seem so long ago a local guy was advertising an absolutely mint R9 and wanted £2,500 for it it.  I went to see it,  nice guitar but I had an LP Axcess, and I wasn't sure which I preferred plus I thought maybe a bit overpriced.  I thought about making him a lower offer, I had £2,200 in mind, but had a very strong sense he'd hold out for the asking price so didn't bother.

Anyway he listed it on Ebay and by coincidence, it went for £2,200.  He'd probably have got about as much selling it to me for £2K with no fees etc.

Incredible that a new one would now cost £5K plus.

One suspicion I have is that the market is now so tough vendors are focussing on baby boomers who've saved more money than they'll ever spend and won't balk at £7K for a Fender or Gibson they're persuaded is historically accurate like Jimi  or Eric played but made to a specially high standard.  If it's just a few grand less going to the cat and dog home or relatives they've no great depth of fondness for, why not just have a nice guitar.  And dealers don't have to sell an awful lot of them to make a living.

Kittyfrisk

ICBM said:

TTBZ said:

Maybe but only a 2nd hand one. Not as much to do with the poor image they’ve created for the company, but more to do with how bloody expensive they are now.

I was talking about this to a friend recently. It's not that long ago when £2K was considered a *lot* of money for an electric guitar. You could buy any top-quality, professional-big-gig guitar for £2K, and any more than that seemed to be for collectors and the vintage market only.

Now £5K is the new £2K. Even £7K doesn't seem to be that unusual.

For a solidbody electric guitar?! You can buy a *brand new car* for less than £7K, just.

+10
Glad that it is not just me that looks at some of the asking prices & thinks 'how much' ?

JerkMoans

Kittyfrisk said:

ICBM said:

TTBZ said:

Maybe but only a 2nd hand one. Not as much to do with the poor image they’ve created for the company, but more to do with how bloody expensive they are now.

I was talking about this to a friend recently. It's not that long ago when £2K was considered a *lot* of money for an electric guitar. You could buy any top-quality, professional-big-gig guitar for £2K, and any more than that seemed to be for collectors and the vintage market only.

Now £5K is the new £2K. Even £7K doesn't seem to be that unusual.

For a solidbody electric guitar?! You can buy a *brand new car* for less than £7K, just.

+10
Glad that it is not just me that looks at some of the asking prices & thinks 'how much' ?

Everybody knows the real value is to be had in used The Pauls.  Thank me later

Kittyfrisk

JerkMoans said:

Kittyfrisk said:

ICBM said:

TTBZ said:

Maybe but only a 2nd hand one. Not as much to do with the poor image they’ve created for the company, but more to do with how bloody expensive they are now.

I was talking about this to a friend recently. It's not that long ago when £2K was considered a *lot* of money for an electric guitar. You could buy any top-quality, professional-big-gig guitar for £2K, and any more than that seemed to be for collectors and the vintage market only.

Now £5K is the new £2K. Even £7K doesn't seem to be that unusual.

For a solidbody electric guitar?! You can buy a *brand new car* for less than £7K, just.

+10
Glad that it is not just me that looks at some of the asking prices & thinks 'how much' ?

Everybody knows the real value is to be had in used The Pauls.  Thank me later

I'm now thinking of moving into tools   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-KING-DICK-3-4-DRIVE-RATCHET-TOOL-GARAGE-MECHANIC-WORKSHOP/174202045554?hash=item288f404472:g:YTgAAOSwsCdeVUK4

JerkMoans

Kittyfrisk said:

I'm now thinking of moving into tools   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-KING-DICK-3-4-DRIVE-RATCHET-TOOL-GARAGE-MECHANIC-WORKSHOP/174202045554?hash=item288f404472:g:YTgAAOSwsCdeVUK4

LOVING your new strides.  Très on-trend.

Anacharsis

It's really just a fiction, all this brand identity stuff. I have big name guitars, but I understand that the name is really just a piece of paper that has changed hands over the decades, not a "legacy." If I don't like how a company is doing business, then no, I likely won't buy from them. The logo may be fun to have, but it doesn't actually mean anything any more. In the case of Gibson, they're a private equity property that seems more interested in making their executives look "cool" and filing lawsuits/sending C&D letters than anything else. I'll pass.

melod

I sort of disagree that guitar prices have gone that much up historically. I think people seem to reference the brief period where the dollar was very weak some years ago or the first eBay years that created all sorts of myths on bargain acquisitions. Yes, compared to 2010 it’s gone up.

Prior to that, a good guitar cost several salaries to acquire. The Les Paul my dad bought (not in the U.K.) cost 2-3 salaries that I would think would equate to 4-5k in today’s terms. 

Maybe some older people in the forum could confirm what it cost to buy a strat in the 90s or 80s... I doubt it was cheaper ... although some may say they were traumatised for not having experienced factory relicing and flamed maple as kids

JonHosker

Just bought a 335 Gibson s/hand from Coda, and a USA Epiphonw Casino on here...both great buys. Secomdgand yes, new, never again for the money!

johnhe

I’d buy a Gibson in a heart beat.

randella

melod said:

I sort of disagree that guitar prices have gone that much up historically. I think people seem to reference the brief period where the dollar was very weak some years ago or the first eBay years that created all sorts of myths on bargain acquisitions. Yes, compared to 2010 it’s gone up.

Prior to that, a good guitar cost several salaries to acquire. The Les Paul my dad bought (not in the U.K.) cost 2-3 salaries that I would think would equate to 4-5k in today’s terms. 

Maybe some older people in the forum could confirm what it cost to buy a strat in the 90s or 80s... I doubt it was cheaper ... although some may say they were traumatised for not having experienced factory relicing and flamed maple as kids

Cheeky bugger

Inflation-adjusted (BoE website), the last Strat I bought - for £600 in 1996 - would cost £1,134 today. It’s a USA Standard limited edition, tweaked by the custom shop with Texas Specials and a few cosmetic niceties. 

A quick squint at Anderton’s and the nearest I can find is an FSR American Professional limited edition up at £1,399.  Quibbling over a few quid really. It’s also probably a better guitar, much as I love my own. 

Also the frets on mine are knackered beyond hope, but I can’t blame that on the weak pound

I never took any interest in Gibsons back then, so I really have no idea what - say - a 335 cost at the same time. I’ll admit that I was startled to see them edging close to £3k now, but maybe they always were that dear.

Anyone with insight, I’d be interested.