New Gibson price rise

[fbloke]

Have heard today that Gibson are raising their prices for dealers.  Anyone heard similar?  I'm thinking of selling a few of mine but am curious as to how much Les Pauls and 335's will be going for in 3 year's time.

[Philly Q]

Hadn't heard it, but nothing surprises me.

Better go out and buy a couple quick.  Actually I should do that anyway, before they run out of rosewood and ebony and start putting baked maple on everything. 

[Stevepage]

I'm not surprised. Their prices for a Standard LP are already ridiculous and considering how Gibson are there's only one way (up). Unfortunately, rises in price don't mean a rise in quality. Gibsons quality has been shockingly bad on their Standard stuff, though I can't comment on the higher priced stuff as I've not had my hands on one.

However I'd rather go with a Heritage. £1899 gets you a very very nice LP type guitar built by the same people in the old factory.

[Twinfan]

My CS Gibbons LP was pretty good quality to be honest, but only on a par with a stock PRS.  My Private Stocks are another step up again though...

[Alex]

I once read a factory report/tour on PRS and I'm not suprised by that statement. PRS has a much more rigorous and thorough quality management. Their factory's output is also much much lower than that of Gibson's, even considering they are smaller. They really take it very seriously and would never send out some of the lemons that Gibson ships.
I'm not saying all Gibsons are bad - but they don't seem to care if some rather shoddy ones are sent out with the good ones.

[Philly Q]

I don't think Gibson's build quality - even the Custom Shop stuff - is consistently anywhere near on a par with PRS, or Music Man, or Tyler, or (presumably) Suhr, Tom Anderson, Collings, etc.  

It seems to me that the recent (post 2008) Les Paul Standards and Traditionals are actually pretty good, but the quality does drop off quite sharply below that price point.

But, somehow, even the cheap shite does have a great vibe to it - and I don't think I'm just imagining that due to the name on the headstock.

[gwEm]

i tend to agree with philly, there is something about them

[Eyes Wide Shut]

For the price of some Gibsons - especially the Les Paul Custom - it makes more sense to pay for a custom-made guitar. Even Slash who is famed for playing a Gibson Les Paul had a custom Les Paul made, and to this day he says he prefers it and uses it over a Gibson when recording. I have an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and I prefer over my Gibson. Probably because it's the guitar I learnt on. But my Epiphone had it's hardware upgraded and it's frets redone, and not only does it play better, it was an eighth the price lol

[Twinfan]

It all depends on the spec you're happy with.  If you need Gibson on the headstock you only have one choice, and if you want a nitro-cellulose finish your options narrow significantly.

Sometimes, and for a LOT of people, only a Gibson will do...

[Eyes Wide Shut]

It all depends on the spec you're happy with.  If you need Gibson on the headstock you only have one choice, and if you want a nitro-cellulose finish your options narrow significantly.

Sometimes, and for a LOT of people, only a Gibson will do...

Yeah that's a good point. My mate actually has an Epiphone Sg which has Gibson on the headstock lol. That must have been a random error. He's an obsesseg SG collector. He actually has an SG with a sort of Bigsby trem and it has les Paul on the Truss Rod cover

[Davey]

BAKED MAPLE FTW!   :P


i have nothing else constructive to add to this ...

[XxpapertigerxX]

I think Gibson is making a mistake with this one. They're going to put themselves into the custom/boutique guitar price range, and I don't think they can compete with the quality of the other guitar manufacturers at those price points.

[keith]

The price rise thing doesnt surprise me but I must admit my 2000 LP Standard I have had a few years now is a great guitar I think anyway, it was immaculate when I bought it and had been stored under a bed for two years. Never found any issues with this guitar but the quality was better years ago and seems to have steadily declined. Bought a white explorer about 6months ago that didnt have any issues. Maybe I just got lucky with both guitars. Having said that I am now looking at PRS as most of those I have seen and tried the quality has been excellent.

[Elliot]

The best Les Paul I ever played was Johnny Mac's Feline - it, as the cliche goes, plays itself.  Still, when I could afford a Les Paul I stupidly bought a 59 RI from Gibson Custom.   Very nice, but it needed a fret dress and set up from a luthier (the one and only Feline) and doesn't play like Johnny Mac's (and probably cost about the same).

The moral  - snob value is one thing and I am a sucker for it (Fenders HAVE to have a spaghetti logo, for instance), but if you want a really good guitar at Gibson's current prices, it is probably best to get someone good to make it for you.

[Afghan Dave]

I maybe biased but I believe Feline makes the best goddam LP/Lion guitars availiable:

You should see some of the outragous wood he's got for the 20th Anniversary models... F**K me.  :o