Gibson rolling back prices and features for 2016

Tadpui

Tadpui

Well-known member
I just read that Gibson is actually listening to the uproar over their 2015 price hike and silly features. For the 2016 production year, they're lowering prices by 20%-25% and getting rid of the zero nut, the robo-tuners, and the commemorative LP inlay. A new LP standard is still pretty outrageously priced at $2800 list price, but you know how list prices are...

Just saw an article on Reverb about this, but they don't cite any sources. I hope this is true, as much for Gibson's sake as for the guitar playing public's sake.

https://reverb.com/blog/breaking-gibson-to-revert-prices-and-specs-on-2016-models?_aid=fb
 
I've heard a lot of good things about the robot tuners. Don't know whether they're good value for money though
 
JDOD said:
I've heard a lot of good things about the robot tuners. Don't know whether they're good value for money though
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They're a good thing if you play with a lot of odd tunings. But grab any random Gibson with robot tuners and it might work great, or it might spend 10 minutes trying to tune one string.
 
Greg_L said:
They're a good thing if you play with a lot of odd tunings. But grab any random Gibson with robot tuners and it might work great, or it might spend 10 minutes trying to tune one string.
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I've never actually seen one in the flesh. Just read good reviews about them and chappers and the captain like them.
 
Greg_L said:
Of course, they're in the business of selling them.

Does either of those limey blokes actually own and play them?
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Yeah, I think they both bought Les Pauls recently actually.

I don't know how much they add to the price of a guitar mind. Bet it's quite a lot
 
JDOD said:
Yeah, I think they both bought Les Pauls recently actually.

I don't know how much they add to the price of a guitar mind. Bet it's quite a lot
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Gibson has been flirting with robot tuning for about 5-10 years now. They never get it quite right. They should spend more time cutting good nuts and then the guitar will stay in tune manually.

I think I saw a vid where "captain" bought an R8. That's a custom shop 58 reissue. No robot tuners, brass nuts, or plank fretboard on that thing.
 
No problem with the robot tuner as an option. Problem is when you aren't given a choice but to buy it, then buy another set of tuners to replace it.
 
I could live with the robot tuners. My problem with the 2015s are the stupid brass nut, the stupid scribble headstock signature, and the stupid fence picket shredder neck. And the ridiculous 30% pricing increase for changes and options that no one actually wanted.
 
Actually, my biggest problem is the wider neck. Guessing it was designed to solve the problem on a lot of late model Gibsons, where the high E string wants to fall off the edge of the fret. Don't know why, except maybe too aggressive beveling of the fret ends or poor fit in the binding. My 2012 Les Paul does it. My 1998 SG Special does not. Seems like a radical solution to a minor fit and finish problem. Just go back to doing whatever they were doing before the problem appeared.
 
Robus said:
No problem with the robot tuner as an option. Problem is when you aren't given a choice but to buy it, then buy another set of tuners to replace it.
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I don't think you'd have a reason to get rid of them if you had them. I can't see them having a disadvantage over normal tuners, it's just a pain that they're both expensive and fitted as standard.

Haha, given the shite sales, the 2015 could be a sought after vintage in 2065.

Greg, you're right, he did get a 58.
 
JDOD said:
I don't think you'd have a reason to get rid of them if you had them. I can't see them having a disadvantage over normal tuners, it's just a pain that they're both expensive and fitted as standard.

Haha, given the shite sales, the 2015 could be a sought after vintage in 2065.

Greg, you're right, he did get a 58.
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I'm not 100% sure on this, how common it is, if it's a feature, or if something's wrong, but I've personally fiddled with gibsons robot tuners that did nothing when you turn them manually. They jut spin. Like they won't work unless they're auto-tuning. To me, that is a huge fuck no. But the older versions can be manually overriden.
 
I haven't used their robot tuners myself either, but I've read a couple of reviews saying that they tend to not hold tune very well. Honestly I just hate the way that they look...that big giant goomba on the back of the headstock. Not noticeable from a straight-on view, but from an angle it just looks goofy to me.

An adjustable nut seems like a good idea to me. But brass? And a zero fret? Why be so radical when the one idea would have sufficed?

And yeah, who wants a wide/flat LP neck? That's just not what people expect from a LP. I really don't like the '50s style "baseball bat" necks, and I love my '60s slim-taper neck. It's perfect for me. Although my Jazzmaster's wider flatter neck is really growing on me...
 
The wide flat neck is really a bitch on the new Gibsons. Sure, anyone that can halfway play could get used to it in a few minutes, but then when you go back to a normal Gibson, or any normal guitar, you're self-adjusting all over again. For me, the beauty of a Gibson is classic sound, style, and playability. They're rock and roll instruments. You should have a reasonable expectation of a certain look and feel with any of the classic Gibson designs. No, they don't all feel the same, but within those small differences it should still look and feel like a Gibson. The new neck feels like some Charvel POS shred wank machine. It's very un-Gibson-like.
 
Man, it's unreal that people will dish out 4 grand for a new Les Paul guitar...especially when you can get a damn fine near mint used standard for $1500.
 
jimistone said:
Man, it's unreal that people will dish out 4 grand for a new Les Paul guitar...especially when you can get a damn fine near mint used standard for $1500.
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Maybe they won't! Maybe that is why Gibson is getting rid of the extras nobody wants and bringing the price back down. I was in my local shop about 2 months ago trying out SG's. I was explaining to the sales guy there that Gibson directly and effectively took me and likely many other customers out of the market for new Gibson guitars with the business choices they were making. I won't touch a 2015 again. I asked him to give me a call whenever he gets interesting used guitars come though that do not feature the robot/g-force tuners or when he gets word that they decide to revamp the 2016 line. He said it would never happen, but he also admitted that their sales are down, so it is likely not only customers that are pushing for this, but their all important vendors as well.

Hopefully they actually are coming to their senses.
 
This is why I bought a used 2014 this year. I played some 2015's just because maybe I would walk out with one but no, I did not. I could not get past the tuners, fuck that. The sales guy tried equating it to how some people complained about tv's and that radios were better :facepalm: Then he tried telling me most people actually liked them. I dont argue with this stuff, I just stood there nodded my head then left when he was done. It was literally like buying a car, just a line of bs.
 
Greg_L said:
Gibson has been flirting with robot tuning for about 5-10 years now. They never get it quite right. They should spend more time cutting good nuts and then the guitar will stay in tune manually.
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Yeah this was a big issue with my 2014. I wonder if they will ever consider nuking the 17 degree headstock, and adopt the PRS (or similar) flat headstock shape. Not sure if string trees would be needed etc etc. I know it's radical but man it might solve a lot of problems. What do you think?
 
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