Gibson Custom Shop Thoughts??

[clifffclaven]

My R9 and R4 are amazing. I've had a couple other recent Gibson's and they've been great.

Where are all these crappy Gibson's? I just don't run into them. The ones at GC here are all very good guitars.

no shit. Ive got 4 (78 std, 93 std. ltd edition, 90 custom plus, and 03 v) and all 4 play flawlessly. Im not saying every guitar is perfect, but jesus, cmon. Every company has QC issues of some kind.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

because you have PRS, it may not be a bad thing to have Gibson also. One may help sell the other. People could do the Pepsi side by side test rather than go some where else to compaire if they would rather want a Gibson, if they are in the market for a guitar of that calibur.

[PittJitsu]

I own a vintage Gibson LP. a Custom shop LP, a Vintage Fender strat, a 64, and a Custom shop 62. The Fenders are WAY ahead in their techniques to replicate a vintage guitar. In Fact I will go as far as to say that I have a 1992 Les Paul Custom black beauty that played better, sounds better and feels better then my almost 6k custom shop.
Lastly, Between movies and John Mayer (:< Fender's are "in style" with new kids, where Gibbys are like antique furniture, meant for the Older richer customer. I also like the ordering process of fender way better.

[Jeff Albertson]

Mano-man...I remember when guitars were an easy gig. Back in the day, a Custom cost $800 and you could get a bangin "Second" for $100 less that you didn't mind getting all scuffing up, the old fashion way....by playing it.
Almost like USA Jacksons 3+ years ago...$900-$1100 and you took home a gard-damn winner!

Now it's "relic" this, "aged" that, I wanna be a rockstar like "old fat greedy bastard of the week" signature model for $6000. How in the world does a beaten up Sykes Les Paul go for $8000? I love the idea of "Masterbuilt" and "Modern Eagle" but there is just no phucking way I'm spending $8000 on a guitar made of wood from THIS planet.
It's all gone waaaaaaaaaaaaay overboard. How, when and why did this happen?

I think there going to be a meltdown in guitarland. I've been playing and buying for 20 years and I cannot remember a steeper price inflation curve. Somebody correct me...did they start adding enriched uranium to the pickups or something? At least a car or a computer or a TV has gotten infinitely more sophisticated since 1974 but a guitar hasn't...it the same wood, same wire...the same stuff.

People are going to just stop buying the high priced tankers that aren't any better than an import that goes for 1/5 of the price. My prediction? The trends going to last a few more years then implode. Can you say Post-2000 Nasdaq? I still have 500 shares of JDS Uniphase and 1000 CMGI..that plumitted maybe 10,000% in six minutes or so...just so I don't forget about "lovin the wrong trend".

I would hate to get stuck with $472,000 in Murphy Aged inventory...but I don't think you could go wrong by stocking 10 '57 GT's, 10 R8's and 10 LP Customs. Imagine trying to explain $6700 in Murphy aged '59 to yourself 10 years ago..."you see the cracks and scuffs make it cost an EXTRA $3K... it's supposed to look used but it's new and it looks old and beaten-up but it's really better and costs more"! What would you have said back then? Me... I would have said "you're a moron". Still do.

Murphy what a boner.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/charting.asp?Symbol=CMGI&ShowChtBt=Refresh+Chart&DateRangeForm=1&CP=0&PT=8&C5=3&C6=2007&C7=3&C8=2007&C9=2&ComparisonsForm=1&CE=0&DisplayForm=1&D4=1&D5=0&D3=0&ViewType=0&PeriodType=8

[KennyF]

I'd like to toss a somewhat rational and unbiased opinion on this if that's okay.

While it's true that there is certainly NO shortage of opinions on Gibson these days, I'm not so sure that any of these opinions have, or should have anything to do with the decision of whether or not to carry the line. That's purely a business decision. "If" the profit and/or increase of customer base are worth the hassle, then do it.

From a dealer’s standpoint, Gibson is kind of a double edged sword. The company is most assuredly a pain in the ass to deal with, but the brand loyalty absolutely guarantees that a given dealer will sell "X" amount of product no matter what.

A Gibson loyalist is going to buy a Gibson, and that's all there is to that. The product sells itself. The presence of the brand is also somewhat expected by most guitar shoppers, and can redirect a potential customer to another dealer if it isn't.

On top of which, the general guitar playing public is (for the most part) completely unaware of all the internet discussion and/or debate surrounding the Gibson brand, and probably wouldn't care even if you told them.

The bottom line? Sell the Gibson guys what they want, and use it to sell the Gibson bashers a Jackson.

Just my two cents.

[lefty]

[QUOTE=mattsmusiccenter;882358]. I know they've got a reputation for being an insanely difficult company to deal with, but hey... they can't be that much worse than some of the companies I already carry.
QUOTE]

Hehe, they can't be any worse than Mesa, eh?


theo

[hippietim]

Matt, while I think it would be way cool if you carried Gibson's I just don't see it being good for your mental health. I suspect it'd be a good move financially but every dealer I've ever talked with about Gibson says they are miserable to work with.

And people around here give people shit for being too picky about QC on our $2-4k guitars. Just wait until you have to deal with folks spending $6-10k on guitars. That's a whole other playground Matt.

But if you do go for it I would like to take some before and after pictures of you (aka, with and without hair)

[Newc]

Just join a local bondage group

[mattsmusiccenter]

But if you do go for it I would like to take some before and after pictures of you (aka, with and without hair)

Eh... l'll just glue it back onto my head as it falls out.

[PittJitsu]

Fender CS isn't available to me because we've got a Fender dealer on the other side of town, otherwise that would be my first choice. Gibson's CS buy in is more like 25 pieces and they ain't cheap. I know they've got a reputation for being an insanely difficult company to deal with, but hey... they can't be that much worse than some of the companies I already carry.

If I end up doing this, there will be some deals to be had for you guys on the Gibby Customs we buy!

Matt, if you cannot get Fender, then the question in my opinion is irelevant. I have a retail business selling bicycles. When I cannot get a company, some other shop is usually kind enough to trade Grey market with me for what I have. Yet you do need to have a base set of company's that "sell themselves'' as one poster put it. Without say, Schwinn, trek, Cannondale etc, I could not exist, and with music companies, unfortunately, the pick of the litter is very limited. I would invest in a research profile of your area (pm me for info) which will tell you approx how many high end guitars are being bought within a certain radius of your shop, the median price that the other dealers are selling them at ans more. What I run into is simply this.. The bigger shop buys at a better price break, so they can undercut me. Of course not in print, but on live deals.
The bigger guy buys more, so when they have 3 of the cool thing that just came out in stock, and 40 dealers wanting 12 each, I'm not getting one.. Etc..
So what you really want to know is can you buy and resell the Gibbys for a fair margin and consistently keep up with your order quota. Too many times a day do I see some kid come in with a box of stuff he bought over the Internet, for dollars more then I pay, wanting me to assemble or work on it. The other thing to think about is repairs, do you do repairs? If so, will carrying Gibby bring in much more work for you?

all things I woulds consider before dedicating myself into a contract with a vendor.

[slayer]

Matt, have you thought about Robin guitars? They are very nice!! I would probably order one bro Jack.

[Chasbo]

Matt, I was talking to my Gibson dealer the other day and asked him how he felt about them and isn't pleased with their dealer relations at all. His Gibson rep comes in and actually counts how many gibsons he has displayed compared to other makes like Fender. I personally think that's outrageous. Their policies seem to make dealers jump through many pointless hoops. I also think that as a whole, the prices of the current Gibson line tend toward the outrageous. Having said all that, this guy also said he will carry Gibson as long as possible because they still do sell very well for him. Then again, he has been a Gibson dealer for over 20 years. I am glad he carries them, but if he dropped the line I would totally understand why based on some of the shit he has told me.

chuck

[Chrisb]

The other thing to think about is repairs, do you do repairs? If so, will carrying Gibby bring in much more work for you?

Damn good question, alot of people have Gibsons and I can bet you would get a huge amount of business from the repair side if you became a dealer.

Its a hassle, a huge one no doubt. However I suspect it would be worth it for you. Also there are more than a few Gibson fans here that know your reputation Matt and would bring their future Gibson dealings to your table. So I can't imagine it would be a loss for you from a business standpoint. Just be prepared for lots of frustration. My old repair shop was a Gibson dealer and he just HATED dealing with them. He said he would never stop carrying them but that its the single worst guitar company he has ever dealt with.

[Chasbo]

Just be prepared for lots of frustration. My old repair shop was a Gibson dealer and he just HATED dealing with them. He said he would never stop carrying them but that its the single worst guitar company he has ever dealt with.

That's pretty much the exact thing my dealer said as well. He hated dealing with the company, but wouldn't stop carrying them.

chuck