Problems at Gibson?

[CUBE]

I heard PRS was calling dealers asking them for orders to help them out this month ...perhaps they should not have opened and amp division and acoustic division during a recession ..my guess is PRS is in worse shape than Gibson or fender

As a smaller company, I think PRS can cope with fluctuating markets better.  Their product line is being completely re-vamped this year, for better or worse, so they're creating new demand with cunning new models - 25th Anniversary models, limited editions of good specs etc.  There are still some howlers there though, but having Paul steer the company with his passion for guitars really helps.

Gibson seem to be producing guitars that nobody really wants (reverse V, holy explorer, zoot SG etc) and they have investors to please - if they fail, which they seem to be doing, the money guys will pull the plug...

 Well from what i see at local shops the PRS stuff does not move very often and gibsons do , thats a big difference  so the shops can order more ..
 if you already have 9 PRS you dont really need more for your wall , people might want PRS but not a lot are buying em.. pretty much only mira's
 
 Gibson Has no investors its its owned by Henry J and Dave B . 

[Twinfan]

My misunderstanding re. investors at Gibson - apologies.

It depends on the shop re. sales.  I know some places where PRS's fly out and Gibsons sit, and vice versa.

[Philly Q]

I heard PRS was calling dealers asking them for orders to help them out this month ...perhaps they should not have opened and amp division and acoustic division during a recession ..my guess is PRS is in worse shape than Gibson or fender

As a smaller company, I think PRS can cope with fluctuating markets better.  Their product line is being completely re-vamped this year, for better or worse, so they're creating new demand with cunning new models - 25th Anniversary models, limited editions of good specs etc.  There are still some howlers there though, but having Paul steer the company with his passion for guitars really helps.

I think it's "interesting" that both Peter Wolf and Joe Knaggs have left PRS this year. 

I know they're presenting a smiley-faces picture of how great it was working at PRS and now they're looking forward to exciting new opportunities (etc).  But it's a strange time to be branching out on your own if everything's rosy at PRS.

[CUBE]

It depends on the shop re. sales.  I know some places where PRS's fly out and Gibsons sit, and vice versa.

 good point    :)

[Twinfan]

I think it's "interesting" that both Peter Wolf and Joe Knaggs have left PRS this year. 

I know they're presenting a smiley-faces picture of how great it was working at PRS and now they're looking forward to exciting new opportunities (etc).  But it's a strange time to be branching out on your own if everything's rosy at PRS.

Yep, I agree.  There are SERIOUS changes going on with the product line and I can sort of see what they're doing, but it's not going down well in a lot of PRS camps.

Including mine....

[Johnny Mac]

With reps like this its a wonder why anyone would want some of the new ones. Just another great reason to buy a custom guitar to your own spec.

[Jonny]

I wish a PRS would fly out and into my room :P

[fbloke]

I think it's "interesting" that both Peter Wolf and Joe Knaggs have left PRS this year. 

I know they're presenting a smiley-faces picture of how great it was working at PRS and now they're looking forward to exciting new opportunities (etc).  But it's a strange time to be branching out on your own if everything's rosy at PRS.

Yep, I agree.  There are SERIOUS changes going on with the product line and I can sort of see what they're doing, but it's not going down well in a lot of PRS camps.

Including mine....


Is it possible that PRS are being really canny and getting themselves into the position that Gibson ought to be, i.e. introducing a range of affordable high quality guitars that have a desirable brand?  They will be well aware of the state of affairs at Gibson and see an opportunity to be equal in the market to Fender and Gibson.  It's going to turn off a lot of PRS purists, but if you're a businessman into expansion you have to strike while your competitors are weak. 

[Twinfan]

I believe it's more to do with them not competing with their own used models on eBay etc.  Create something new so you're only competing with yourself..............

[Philly Q]

I think PRS could fall into the Gibson trap of pissing off existing customers by trying to appeal to new ones.

Overhauling the product range every few months and issuing loads of limited-edition models isn't refreshing, it's just annoying.

[dave_mc]

i agree. not just in guitars, it always pisses me off to see that companies are more concerned with getting new customers than with retaining old ones. I guess they don't teach that you can lose customers at business school, because that would be pessimistic and not showing the required can-do attitude and [insert various buzzwords, jargon etc.]...

:(

[Dmoney]

is it about retaining customers though? well i guess.... what im trying to say is, how many average people have half a dozen gibsons, or prs' or whatever at £3K each? chances are most people will buy one high end guitar and maybe have a couple that are more reasonably priced. if by keeping customers you mean keeping people who already own top of the line guitars buying the same brand then thats one thing, and getting new customers to buy that one awesome guitar they can afford is another. if making low cost instruments is a way to do that then i guess people are going to do it. how many people here had squires before they had fenders? how many had epiphone before gibson?

i think this is gibsons problem. sponsoring polo matches to get big money earners into collecting all the cr@ppy wacked out guitars they spew out. not really caring about the vast majority of consumers who want a qaulity instrment at a competitive price

[nfe]

Thing is, do a run of mega high end instruments for outrageous prices and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them sells. It's an obvious way to get a several hundred grand in the bank in five minutes.

And bringing back the old customers isn't really much of a concern of the likes of Gibson, realistically. We can't keep a Gibson guitar on the wall for more than a couple weeks, the DO fly off the walls, especially now there's so few dealers and those dealers are struggling to get stock from Gibson, but most of the people buying them will never buy another guitar, because the vast majority of people who buy those guitars are hobbyists who've just always fancied the guitar they associate with whoever inspired them to play in the first place, they've wanted that all their life and now they've got it, they're done.

[dave_mc]

nfe and dmoney:

well, i see your points, and i agree it probably makes "business" sense, but it's a pretty lousy philosophy, and i reserve the right to say I don't like it, and refuse to buy their stuff if they do it. :lol:

[nfe]

Oh I completely agree. It's rubbish. But it's business.