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iownrocknroll
New member
I would pay 4 grand for my 73's les paul deluxe....likewise my frankstein tele only cost me 300 stock.
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MikeMcK
New member
First post from the noob
I've been lurking here for awhile, waiting to post until there was a topic I knew a little about...
Anyway, re: Gibson prices, and coming from a guy who's owned about 25 Gibsons over the years: Gibson is a marketing machine, and pricing does not reflect cost.
I once had the opportunity to hear Henry Juskiewicz (sp?) addressing B-school students. He mentioned that after analyzing his market, he realized that there was an "inverse demand curve". Here's how he himself put it:
"I raised prices across the board, doubling them on some models. Demand increased. (pause). Yes, you heard me correctly... I raised prices, changed nothing else, and demand increased."
These guys know what they're doing. More power to 'em, but they have to live without my money these days.
I've been lurking here for awhile, waiting to post until there was a topic I knew a little about...
Anyway, re: Gibson prices, and coming from a guy who's owned about 25 Gibsons over the years: Gibson is a marketing machine, and pricing does not reflect cost.
I once had the opportunity to hear Henry Juskiewicz (sp?) addressing B-school students. He mentioned that after analyzing his market, he realized that there was an "inverse demand curve". Here's how he himself put it:
"I raised prices across the board, doubling them on some models. Demand increased. (pause). Yes, you heard me correctly... I raised prices, changed nothing else, and demand increased."
These guys know what they're doing. More power to 'em, but they have to live without my money these days.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
There's a lot of dudes out there with big time $ guitars who suck at playing them. But they climb up that slippery pole chasing after tone and all sorts of other things thinking that it'd make them better. They're like moths to a flame and Fender and Gibson love them.
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Frets2009
New member
And there are a lot of dudes with crappy guitars who suck at playing.
Sucky guitar players come in all price ranges go figure.
If your content with the guitar you own. Good for you.
If you want the expensive guitar, buy the expensive guitar. Save your pennies pick up extra work. Do what it takes (worked for me)
Sucky guitar players come in all price ranges go figure.
If your content with the guitar you own. Good for you.
If you want the expensive guitar, buy the expensive guitar. Save your pennies pick up extra work. Do what it takes (worked for me)
CMunch
Well-known member
I agree with some of what you are saying but some of it I dont,I would gladly pay $2000 for another Gibson if I could find one of these "professional" instruments with the inlays centred on the neck,without a tub of two pack filler around each one,the nut not cut too deeply on g, b and e strings,the heel not looking like it was crafted with a chainsaw and the finish not looking like the guy who sprayed it had a coughing fit while eating dry crackers.
The gap between high end and low end of the market rapidly decreasing,take the Korean built Washburns for example,especially X50 and idol series with the Seymours,I have two,the one with Indian apple top puts both my Gibsons to shame,build and tone wise,yea theres lots of cheap crap out there not worth the money but it is definately possible to get guitars rivaling the big boys for under £500.
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stevieb
Just another guy, really.
Yes, I am sure it has nothing to do, whatsoever, with being an arrogant, over-opinionated ass, who uses this forum as a means to vent his frustration at having to keep smiling and serve a clientel whom he believes is really beneath him...
Just kidding!
(No, really I am. I don't mean a word of what I just said.)
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stevieb
Just another guy, really.
I voted Gibson because of ONE MODEL- the Robot. What a stupid piece of overpriced junk. Tunig your guitar is a skill that is germain to being a good player- it trains your ear to recognize the right pitch. Oh, and the guitar is also ugly.
Some speculator in North Georgia bought one, then tried to sell it on Craigs List at a profit. He's still posting it, at far less than his original price, and, I suspect, a loss compared to what he likely paid for it. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Some speculator in North Georgia bought one, then tried to sell it on Craigs List at a profit. He's still posting it, at far less than his original price, and, I suspect, a loss compared to what he likely paid for it. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
undrgrnd studio
New member
Exactly. I own the Amber C1 elite, it's hands down one of the best guitars I've ever played. Comfortable, lots of tone settings, beautiful, lots of sustain. I just love it.
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238839
New member
Love my EPI
I have been playing for 30+ years and have owned many guitars. My Epi Cherry Sunburst Les Paul must be a complete fluke...it simply rocks solid. Paid $500.00 new with a very good used form fitting case in 1996.
I once had one of my students bring his Les Paul Standard to my class and he paid close to $2500.00 for it. He was almost crying when he left class because the Epi was louder, clearer and wailed better than his $2500.00 Les Paul...true story...go figure huh?
I have been playing for 30+ years and have owned many guitars. My Epi Cherry Sunburst Les Paul must be a complete fluke...it simply rocks solid. Paid $500.00 new with a very good used form fitting case in 1996.
I once had one of my students bring his Les Paul Standard to my class and he paid close to $2500.00 for it. He was almost crying when he left class because the Epi was louder, clearer and wailed better than his $2500.00 Les Paul...true story...go figure huh?
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238839
New member
Love My EPI
I have been playing for 30+ years and have owned many guitars. My Epi Cherry Sunburst Les Paul must be a complete fluke...it simply rocks solid. Paid $500.00 new with a very good used form fitting case in 1996.
I once had one of my students bring his Les Paul Standard to my class and he paid close to $2500.00 for it. He was almost crying when he left class because the Epi was louder, clearer and wailed better than his $2500.00 Les Paul...true story...go figure huh?
I have been playing for 30+ years and have owned many guitars. My Epi Cherry Sunburst Les Paul must be a complete fluke...it simply rocks solid. Paid $500.00 new with a very good used form fitting case in 1996.
I once had one of my students bring his Les Paul Standard to my class and he paid close to $2500.00 for it. He was almost crying when he left class because the Epi was louder, clearer and wailed better than his $2500.00 Les Paul...true story...go figure huh?
Mr Fruit
New member
Not sure why Epiphone are getting a slating, I had a gold top that was lovely, good tone, good finish, good price.
Obviously not your ultimate guitar material, but not as bad as some people make out.
I found my holy grail type guitar with a jetglo ricky. which i stupidly sold, when cash was short.
I have a 89 tele now, which is a good no nonsense hard working guitar.
Obviously not your ultimate guitar material, but not as bad as some people make out.
I found my holy grail type guitar with a jetglo ricky. which i stupidly sold, when cash was short.
I have a 89 tele now, which is a good no nonsense hard working guitar.
Roguetitan
New member
ya I don't understand that either they are good playing instruments and probably the lowest priced in the market.
....Gibson OTOH
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stevieb
Just another guy, really.
Victory Pete
Banned
Gibsons are overpriced but worth every dime, for a change!
It is funny this topic is 5 years old and now the price of all those Gibsons has increased about $100 a year since then. It is out of control. I bought my first Gibson in 1991. an SG-62 for $750. It had alot of problems, Then I bought an SG standard for a little less money. it was a disaster, the neck had a hump in it. Gibsons method to fix it was to pull all the semiflat frets out of it and take a belt sander to it. They then installed high round frets to compensate for the missing wood. I was furious and told them they should be making dumpsters. (It was all I could think of at the time) I went shopping for a Les Paul in the mid 90's with $1000 cash in my wallet(A rare event) I went home with all of it. Every LP had something crooked, cracked. bent, warped, or loose. I vowed to never by a Gibson again. (Fast-Foward to present day) I now own 5 recently made Gibsons, everyone perfect and flawless but expensive. Along with other companies Gibson has cleaned up their act. I think all this Vintage nonsense is driving up prices, also the fact that there are way too many cheap guitars out there flooding the market. If there were only "real" guitars for sale, like in the early days, Guitars would be more affordable for everyone.
Victory Pete
It is funny this topic is 5 years old and now the price of all those Gibsons has increased about $100 a year since then. It is out of control. I bought my first Gibson in 1991. an SG-62 for $750. It had alot of problems, Then I bought an SG standard for a little less money. it was a disaster, the neck had a hump in it. Gibsons method to fix it was to pull all the semiflat frets out of it and take a belt sander to it. They then installed high round frets to compensate for the missing wood. I was furious and told them they should be making dumpsters. (It was all I could think of at the time) I went shopping for a Les Paul in the mid 90's with $1000 cash in my wallet(A rare event) I went home with all of it. Every LP had something crooked, cracked. bent, warped, or loose. I vowed to never by a Gibson again. (Fast-Foward to present day) I now own 5 recently made Gibsons, everyone perfect and flawless but expensive. Along with other companies Gibson has cleaned up their act. I think all this Vintage nonsense is driving up prices, also the fact that there are way too many cheap guitars out there flooding the market. If there were only "real" guitars for sale, like in the early days, Guitars would be more affordable for everyone.
Victory Pete
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stevieb
Just another guy, really.
Isn't that a contradiction?
Victory Pete
Banned
Irony
What I mean is even though Gibsons are expensive they are finally making nice guitars.
Victory Pete
What I mean is even though Gibsons are expensive they are finally making nice guitars.
Victory Pete
JRSIV
JRSIV Music Ltd.
To me, PRS guitars are extremely over-rated and even more over-priced. On the models that have wrap-around tail pieces and non-adjusting bridges, the intonation is lousy. The bridges with movable saddles are usually paired with tremelos...these things don't stay in tune very well.
I played a Custom 24 at Ed Roman's in Vegas and while the fit and finish was nice, the sound was very "pretty" and thin. Too pretty. I like a guitar with humbuckers to have some personality and "funkiness" to them...balls, ya know. And the thing just didn't tune and intonate well. And it was $2800...ON SALE!
Ricky's are another guitar with tuning issues, but their character and chimy sound are miles away vibe-wise from PRS. $4000+ for a McCarty or $1800 for a 330? I'll take the 330...
I played a Custom 24 at Ed Roman's in Vegas and while the fit and finish was nice, the sound was very "pretty" and thin. Too pretty. I like a guitar with humbuckers to have some personality and "funkiness" to them...balls, ya know. And the thing just didn't tune and intonate well. And it was $2800...ON SALE!
Ricky's are another guitar with tuning issues, but their character and chimy sound are miles away vibe-wise from PRS. $4000+ for a McCarty or $1800 for a 330? I'll take the 330...
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dodgeaspen
New member
I know NOTHING about guitars, but I was on Sweetwatres site last week and seen a video of the Parker Fly and sent it to a friend who told me that particular guitar goes for almost 10K If that's right Hendrix better be playing it in my band if I were to buy one.
rayc
retroreprobate
Anything that adds a premium because of the brand name or guitarists assosiation is overpriced.
Altruistically every instrument should be individually priced based on the workmanship & a bunch of subjective stuff like tone, timbre, etc.
Many have experienced the name brand, artist aligned instrument in a store that is just a nasty plank with wires.
Many have experienced the ugly/ancient/out of the box/dumb stick that is really rather good or unique in a way that makes one smile.
It really is a buyers market - unfortunately a majority of buyers aren't savvy about that fact and are driven by look, brand or association.
I'm in the fortunate position of not being able to countenance a brand or artist associated guitar because I haven't, & don't expect to have, the money to do so. Instead I play things & take the very occassional chance on something cheap. I've ended up with a nice Epi, a superb Bruno, a brilliant Vantage, a good Emperador and an appalling AUS$80 delivered MIChina tele copy.
Then again - if someone buys a guitar they take with them a host of biases based on hero worship, appreciation, culture, Socio Economic Status, serendipity, hormones and the faint but every present hope that the machine will overcome those personal technique difficulties like the inablility to play Bm.
Altruistically every instrument should be individually priced based on the workmanship & a bunch of subjective stuff like tone, timbre, etc.
Many have experienced the name brand, artist aligned instrument in a store that is just a nasty plank with wires.
Many have experienced the ugly/ancient/out of the box/dumb stick that is really rather good or unique in a way that makes one smile.
It really is a buyers market - unfortunately a majority of buyers aren't savvy about that fact and are driven by look, brand or association.
I'm in the fortunate position of not being able to countenance a brand or artist associated guitar because I haven't, & don't expect to have, the money to do so. Instead I play things & take the very occassional chance on something cheap. I've ended up with a nice Epi, a superb Bruno, a brilliant Vantage, a good Emperador and an appalling AUS$80 delivered MIChina tele copy.
Then again - if someone buys a guitar they take with them a host of biases based on hero worship, appreciation, culture, Socio Economic Status, serendipity, hormones and the faint but every present hope that the machine will overcome those personal technique difficulties like the inablility to play Bm.
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sarge117
New member
To easy, Gibson. And in there case you get less then you paid for, because once you buy it, you need to go back and pay for all the basic QA stuff.
Now they can be excellent, but I have never seen a brand new guitar in more need of a fret level and dress and a setup then a brand new Gibson anything.
Atleast PRS are setup correctly and have properly dressed and leveled frets.
Now they can be excellent, but I have never seen a brand new guitar in more need of a fret level and dress and a setup then a brand new Gibson anything.
Atleast PRS are setup correctly and have properly dressed and leveled frets.