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So It Begins- Gibson Implosion


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5 hours ago, hamerhead said:

So while their QC issues are nothing new, every guitarist really wants a Les Paul whether they'll admit to it or not. All Gibson needs to do is build one good one for considerably less than a $3k street price.

Fixed it for you. 

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On 3/4/2018 at 9:19 AM, hamerhead said:

Waaaaaaay back when I was a dumb 18-year-old kid, my Mom - for reasons still unknown - co-signed on my very first bank loan for the purchase of a brand-spanking-new, not-in-stock/had-to-be-ordered Gibson Les Paul Custom. Having outgrown a few 'beginner' electrics (including an Ibanez lawsuit copy that never played in tune), it was the guitar of my dreams. It took 4 long months to get it, but it was perfect. Until 3 months later when the fingerboard started lifting off the neck. It was fixed under warranty (twice actually). But I l still love it.

So while their QC issues are nothing new, every guitarist really wants a Les Paul whether they'll admit to it or not. All Gibson needs to do is build one good one.

Interesting, and I am pretty sure I agree!  I've still got the Les Paul Custom that I bought new in the early '80s as a high school kid with my saved up McD's slave wages.  At the time, Earle Teat Music in downtown Dover, DE, had RACKS of brand new Les Pauls - seriously.  They also had 3 or 4 25/50 Anniversary Models that had never been sold in the first case, all priced at a bunker-busting $1,095.  I bought my "Ace Approved" Cherry Sunburst LP Custom with the plastic still on it for $629.99 (no sales tax, because...Delaware).  Steve bought a matching Tobacco Sunburst one and somehow, we got a cash package deal to boot.  Those were the days.

I've been toying with the idea of moving along my '80s PRS Custom, and stopped into a shop in Annapolis before the Caps/Leafs game over the weekend looking for a decent R8/R9/R0 to work up a trade deal.  I played every one in the place, but of them, two were absolutely AWFUL, two were slightly better than "Meh", and of course, the one tagged at $11k was stellar.  I was completely underwhelmed, and that kind of bummed me out, as I was expecting to be wowed.  Just my luck.

The PRS stays with her original owner for the time being...

 

LP RIs GPG 030318.jpg

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1 hour ago, cmatthes said:

 

I've been toying with the idea of moving along my '80s PRS Custom, and stopped into a shop in Annapolis before the Caps/Leafs game over the weekend looking for a decent R8/R9/R0 to work up a trade deal.  I played every one in the place, but of them, two were absolutely AWFUL, two were slightly better than "Meh", and of course, the one tagged at $11k was stellar.  I was completely underwhelmed, and that kind of bummed me out, as I was expecting to be wowed.  Just my luck.

 

LP RIs GPG 030318.jpg

When you specifically want to buy a certain guitar and end up walking away that's a terrible sign.  Us guitarists are normally easy to pursuade into a sale when we feel that compelling urge.

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1 hour ago, cmatthes said:

I pllayed every one in the place, but of them, two were absolutely AWFUL, two were slightly better than "Meh", and of course, the one tagged at $11k was stellar. 

Haha! From, “Only a Gibson is Good Enough” to, “Gibson: We’re Slightly Better Than ‘Meh.’” Catchy!

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On 3/4/2018 at 9:19 AM, hamerhead said:

So while their QC issues are nothing new, every guitarist really wants a Les Paul whether they'll admit to it or not.

I don't, have three Knaggs single cuts, less stress and drama, and if there would be an issue, Joe Knaggs is just an email away. 

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1 hour ago, RobB said:

Haha! From, “Only a Gibson is Good Enough” to, “Gibson: We’re Slightly Better Than ‘Meh.’” Catchy!

Ha!

I'm thinking that whether or not Henry is still with them this time next year, they may need something new...

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If Henry relinquishes his tier (major share holder) to Bob Merriman, (second in share holdings, CEO of Epiphone) there may be hope.

Bob is good ppl, and would steer the ship right out of the abyss

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28 minutes ago, murkat said:

If Henry relinquishes his tier (major share holder) to Bob Merriman, (second in share holdings, CEO of Epiphone) there may be hope.

Bob is good ppl, and would steer the ship right out of the abyss

I'm hopeful.  I'm still not a Gibson basher - just a Henry basher.  He's a fucking dick.

I still want a nice flametop R8-R9-R0 one of these days, but I'm not in the market for a $5k guitar anymore.  We'll see as the boomers start shedding 'em and the prices get friendlier, but I'll probably be too old to care by then! :D

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20 hours ago, cmatthes said:

Interesting, and I am pretty sure I agree!  I've still got the Les Paul Custom that I bought new in the early '80s as a high school kid with my saved up McD's slave wages.  At the time, Earle Teat Music in downtown Dover, DE, had RACKS of brand new Les Pauls - seriously.  They also had 3 or 4 25/50 Anniversary Models that had never been sold in the first case, all priced at a bunker-busting $1,095.  I bought my "Ace Approved" Cherry Sunburst LP Custom with the plastic still on it for $629.99 (no sales tax, because...Delaware).  Steve bought a matching Tobacco Sunburst one and somehow, we got a cash package deal to boot.  Those were the days.

I've been toying with the idea of moving along my '80s PRS Custom, and stopped into a shop in Annapolis before the Caps/Leafs game over the weekend looking for a decent R8/R9/R0 to work up a trade deal.  I played every one in the place, but of them, two were absolutely AWFUL, two were slightly better than "Meh", and of course, the one tagged at $11k was stellar.  I was completely underwhelmed, and that kind of bummed me out, as I was expecting to be wowed.  Just my luck.

The PRS stays with her original owner for the time being...

 

LP RIs GPG 030318.jpg

It took me 24 years to put my hands on the second one that did it for me. Funny enough the first one was the also an R8 and of the same year 2001. Good luck hunting! 

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On 3/1/2018 at 1:01 PM, Willie G. Moseley said:

^^^^^Is there a so-called Generation Y between Xers and Millenials? Some say yes and I want to interpolate an accurate reference when I speak to organizations about vintage guitars.

Generation X was the next 20 birth years after the Baby Boomers. The next cohort was called Generation Y for a time, but as that generation reached adulthood in the 21st century, Gen. Y became known as the Millennials.

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@Willie G. Moseley Some social scientist think that there is a microgeneration of people born between 76 and 84 that you see sometimes called the "Oregon Trail" generation or "Xennials."   They tend to be a bit more mistrustful of social institutions like Gen X but digital natives like Millennials.  It has to do with when the internet showed up at your house really.  

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15 hours ago, LucSulla said:

@Willie G. Moseley Some social scientist think that there is a microgeneration of people born between 76 and 84 that you see sometimes called the "Oregon Trail" generation or "Xennials."   They tend to be a bit more mistrustful of social institutions like Gen X but digital natives like Millennials.  It has to do with when the internet showed up at your house really.  

Born in 80, I fit in there, but nowhere near Oregon. I wish! It's really because we don't fit neatly into either generation. We weren't born with the gadgets and internet and mobile phones, but those came to be and grew prominent as we grew, we also aren't old enough to be quite Gen X, with all the general malaise and what not, but we still got some of it and we had to endure the popularity of Nu Metal more than others, so it kind of balances there ;). I was in my 20th year when I was partying like it was 1999, because it was 1999. Don't know if that's the same as "growing up" in the new Millennium.  

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I was born in 79, never played Oregon Trail, and didn't have Internet until 97 or so.  I'm quite Gen. X.  I also got into music young, so even though I was 12 when Nevermind broke, I hated grunge for years before finally buying in around 93 or 94.  I was an AIC nut, which makes sense I guess because they had a hair metal background.  Their self-titled and Pearl Jam's. Vs. albums were probably the only two Seattle bands who had albums I bought on release day.

My first band actually had some problems playing little house parties and stuff because we were still playing Cinderella and Poison in 94 and 95.  The girls who were high school seniors or at the local Juco dug it though.  Too bad I was too shy back then to exploit that gold mine.  I still remember my junior year of high school the head cheerleader doing everything she could to get me to go makeout, and I had no fucking clue what was going on.  She ended up with a football player that night.  16-year-old me pulling that off would have been akin to Ethiopia ending up the first country to land on the moon, but it was right there. 

 @Biz Prof is right... youth truly is wasted on the young. 

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In the 80s my Grandfather bought me a Gibson custom Les Paul, black with gold hardware.  I had it for about a week before the pickups got lose and one fell out while I was playing it.  He took me to the music shop and I got a top of the line Ibanez neck through in exchange for it.  That guitar was flawless.  I’m sorry I sold the Ibanez.  

I later bought another Les Paul and it was terrible from the get go.  It was used but in mint condition.  It was an odd burst color I had never seen.  I put it aside.  Then, good luck came my way.  I was in Florida at a little guitar shop, and was chatting with the owner.  I told him about the guitar and about a month later he calls me and asks if I want to trade it for an Alembic Little Darling I wanted.   I traded the Les Paul for the Alembic and could not be happier.  

 

1AB5D4AB-D103-4BB8-B449-86468E50D328.jpeg

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There was also a micro-generation from about 1956 to 1965.  This group was too young to really fit into the Boomers, as we didn't experience or participate in the 50's/60's/vietnam/civil rights movement/hippie cultures.  I was born in 1960 and remember some of those things going on, but only as an innocent child and from a safe distance.  Though officially part of the Boomer generation I really have nothing in common with them economically or culturally.

But Gen-X  also has little to nothing in common with this micro-generation.  MTV?  Nope.  Grunge and hip-hop?  Nope.  Latch-key kids?  Some, but in my town almost none of my friends had mothers with a full time job.

Some sociologists call this a younger boomer subgroup.

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1 hour ago, Camstone said:

You mean to tell me that the Surf Van Les Pauls haven't solved all of theri financial troubles?

I am shocked. :blink:

If only they had the robotuners...

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On 3/7/2018 at 10:51 AM, Uncle Thor's Hamer said:

There was also a micro-generation from about 1956 to 1965.  This group was too young to really fit into the Boomers, as we didn't experience or participate in the 50's/60's/vietnam/civil rights movement/hippie cultures.  I was born in 1960 and remember some of those things going on, but only as an innocent child and from a safe distance.  Though officially part of the Boomer generation I really have nothing in common with them economically or culturally.

The oldest of that subgroup could be fairly called Generation Wooderson. 

matthew-mcconaughey-as-david-wooderson.jwooderson.jpg?itok=qV9_FXqu

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On 3/7/2018 at 10:51 AM, Uncle Thor's Hamer said:

There was also a micro-generation from about 1956 to 1965.  This group was too young to really fit into the Boomers, as we didn't experience or participate in the 50's/60's/vietnam/civil rights movement/hippie cultures.  I was born in 1960 and remember some of those things going on, but only as an innocent child and from a safe distance.  Though officially part of the Boomer generation I really have nothing in common with them economically or culturally.

But Gen-X  also has little to nothing in common with this micro-generation.  MTV?  Nope.  Grunge and hip-hop?  Nope.  Latch-key kids?  Some, but in my town almost none of my friends had mothers with a full time job.

Some sociologists call this a younger boomer subgroup.

Baby Boomer Echo, is the term I learned in Marketing

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