So why the hate towards Gibson?

[eakinj]

Just curious but why do people hate Gibson so much? This is about the company, not about hating a specific model of their guitar line.

Is it the prices?
Did a Gibson rep pee in your pancake batter?

I've never understood why people go after a company with such vigor.

[rjohnstone]

It's their CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz... he's a first class douche.
From the dealers I talk to, Gibson is flaky as hell with their dealer program.
One minute you're on the list and treated with respect and the next minute you can't get a phone call returned.

Their production quality has been very hit or miss over the past few years as well.
More miss than anything.
Now this does not include their custom stuff. Everyone I've ever touched was pretty much flawless.

[Musician78]

I've never played a Gibson Custom, but have played a few Les Pauls and an SG, and I liked them all. But I like my Jacksons better.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I looked at a Custom Shop Gibson Les Paul Custom a few weeks back... Very nice guitar, but a little overpriced. If it were say, $2300, I probably would have bought it. $3800? Not so much.

I don't really hate Gibson, but I am kind of disgusted with their making junk quality crap and selling it at an outrageous price based on the name, like those craptastic $1800 Les Paul Standards and $1200 Les Paul Studios at Guitar Center that look like they were assembled by blind drunk retarded people on leave from the group home.

Sorry, that's insulting to retarded people. I'm sure their work is much better.

[Newc]

Saw their Memphis facility on Made In America last year or so, where all USA Les Paul production models are made.

A shop full of day laborers building Catalinas and Elites as well as Standards and Customs. It was sad.

[eakinj]

It's a shame to hear about their poor business practices and how they treat the dealers that are out there selling their product. I don't really now any guitar dealers so this is in fact news to me. That's really sad.

MakeAJazNoiseHere - You know what's scary about that? In 1989 I ordered a custom shop (was told it was a custom shop by the dealer and the Gibson rep i got to talk to) took 8 months to build, and it only cost me 1800 bucks.. I loved the guitar, but I wouldn't have paid 3800 for that same guitar today, and if it was a true custom shop as they said, then probably couldn't touch it now for less then what, 8k? what's their custom shop stuff going for now?

I still love les pauls, and other gibson products but it does sound like there's a well placed anger with the company

[Grandturk]

I've got no problem with Gibson. I think they're miles from where they were when you could buy a new LP Std for $1,000. I think they have an over abundance of models with silly features like "faded" and "satin" and "raw" and "robot."

They can't introduce a new model to save their lives.

[mr426]

I want to like them, but they are just waaay over priced.They can't do any new models without fucking it up some how.Like make a non pick gaurd Explorer but put a fuckin Khaler on it.Quality is hit or miss-like others have said. I know some dealers and they tell me that if you want Gibson you have to have like $100,000 in inventory and you can't pick what you get either.That is just stupid. I just don't like the fact that you can order a custom shop Jackson for less than you can get a Les paul that everyone else and their mom has...

[RacerX]

There's this: http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nas...6/daily16.html

[Axewielder]

They are shackled to their legacy by customers who block their attempts to innovate. So, the only way for them to increase profits is to shave costs and squeeeeeeeeze out what they can. That, and Guitar Hero. They all deserve each other!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

MakeAJazNoiseHere - You know what's scary about that? In 1989 I ordered a custom shop (was told it was a custom shop by the dealer and the Gibson rep i got to talk to) took 8 months to build, and it only cost me 1800 bucks.. I loved the guitar, but I wouldn't have paid 3800 for that same guitar today, and if it was a true custom shop as they said, then probably couldn't touch it now for less then what, 8k? what's their custom shop stuff going for now?

This was a Custom Shop Les Paul Custom. Had the Custom Shop logo on the back of the neck and a "Certificate of Authenticity."



Just like this one. $3899.

[Gank]

Just one of the many reasons for the hate:

[StukaJU87]

I have the same problem with Gibson that I do with Jackson. New guitars are overpriced. Gotta search for them used nowadays. I got my white LP Custom, near mint like 5 years ago for $1375. My white Explorer for $750. I did buy my white '81 V new back in the day and it was $700 (iirc). But they all play and look great.

[wetrx95]

I honestly can't say I've played a lot of Gibson guitars for one reason, the pricing is outrageous. The few I did play, I found their craftsmanship shoddy. Hell, a couple couldn't even stay in tune after a ten minute beating...and I'm not that good. The Epi I bought costs $1800 less than it's counter part...$1800. It also took a beating. However, if I did have the money, I would go to the original building site in Kalamazoo and buy a Heritage. Here's a link to one I found in my area.

http://jerrys-music.com/catalog/heritage-h150cm-classic-p-241.html

Original builders, cheaper price, and better build quality. IMO.

[jim777]

I used to play Les Paul Customs but switched to Ibanez Artists in '80 because I thought the Ibbys were superior. I love the ES hollowbodies and the L series hollowbodies, but the only Gibson solidbody I like these days is the Explorer. To be honest though, my ES-175 and L5 are both late 70's Ibanezes as well, because they were also simply better in my opinion. I think the younger guys dislike them because they have a rep as being more difficult to shred on than a superstrat, but I'm old and admittedly out of the loop so I don't really know I think they have a rep (as was alluded to earlier) of being an 'old man's guitar'.