Real live Gibson's at Cost-Co???

[Flamin Lip]

The way the music instrument biz is going makes me SICK!!!!!! The wholesalers/manufacturers are totally screwing the mom and pops that put them on the map for all those pre internet/big box years.

Fender enters an exclusve deal w/ Walmart/Sams Club to sell a "real Fender Starcaster" value pak, w/ amp and accessories for $125..... How do you compete w/ that? I get these kids coming in for setups and restrings on em..... I always ask em "why didnt ya go back to Sams Club and have one of their guitar techs take a look at it?"

GC and Sam Ash piss me off too. They get lower wholesale prices by ordering volume, and are totally happy to make $30 on a $250 sale.

Gibson is THE WORST!!!! Their new CEO is the former head of Coca Cola.. What does that tell ya bout their dedication to making great gear? Nothing!!!!!! Its all about product placement and the mighty bottom line. How many mom and pop Gibson dealers are ther now? NONE!!!!!!!! Because Gibson has a set in stone high dollar minimum order policy. So if ya want to go play a Les Paul before ya buy it..... dont expect to see one at your mom and pop shop...... we cant afford it.

Sorry about the rant, but I just hate to see the way things are going. Yes.... there is tons of quality affordable gear out there right now, but dont come cryin to me in 5 years when the only way to get an emergency set of strings the night of a gig is to beg em off you pals because the only ones left are on the internet.

 

[Zaphod B]

The way the music instrument biz is going makes me SICK!!!!!! The wholesalers/manufacturers are totally screwing the mom and pops that put them on the map for all those pre internet/big box years.

The other side of the story: I can remember all those years - lots of em! - when the only music stores were mom & pops, and when *they* were the only game in town, you could not get a break on gear to save your life. No discounts on multiple packages of strings, no bulk picks, and not a penny off the price on the tag of that guitar.

And the techs I ran into in these kinds of stores were generally shade-tree guitar mechanics who had worked on guitars about 2 hours more than me.

As a consumer, I like it better now. More competition lowers prices. It's partial insurance against the ridiculous prices that some guitar makers are asking.

 

[mshilarious]

How many mom and pop Gibson dealers are ther now? NONE!!!!!!!! Because Gibson has a set in stone high dollar minimum order policy. So if ya want to go play a Les Paul before ya buy it..... dont expect to see one at your mom and pop shop...... we cant afford it.

I bought my Gibson and Epi here:

http://www.melodeemusic.com/main.html

I don't live near there anymore, but I love that store. Shopped there from 1982 until earlier this year. They were smart about the big boxes moving in and expanded their floor space and selection. Plus they have a large number of young customers coming in for instrument rentals, which they do a great job.

 

[espskully]

Where else can you buy toilet paper and a Les Paul?

Actually - that standard is cheaper than Sweetwater.

 

[kid klash]

No beef from me!

I've owned three Gibsons over the years, and none of them ever had any warranty issues.

I've had (and still have) several Gibsons myself, and, like you, have never had a warranty issue with them. That's why I'm not worried about buying a new Gibson without a Gibson warranty.

For me, if there's been a problem with a new guitar (ANY brand, including Gibson and Fender), it's been fairly obvious within the first few minutes of receiving it. Sure, I've replaced my share of tone and volume pots, 1/4" jacks, saddles and other small stuff, but I accept that these are the types of parts and repairs that come along with buying and owning any guitar.

 

[bford]

yes excuse me sir.... where can I find the huge cans of BBQ sauce and the Les Paul/335 combo packs?

rock

bford

 

[jonnyc]

yes excuse me sir.... where can I find the huge cans of BBQ sauce and the Les Paul/335 combo packs?

rock

bford

Hell at least there's someone at Costco to answer that question. I went to GC a couple weeks ago to pick up a hot rod deluxe and stood there in front of it for more than 45 minutes. A mom was sitting by me with her 10 year old son and a sales guy. The lady pointed at me and said, "that guy has been standing there a while, he might need help." The salesman looked at me and said to her " nah he's ok." I walked out with nothing, and the sad thing is I've spent probably ten grand there in that last year, and they still don't know me.

Some of you may ask why I didn't get a salesman myself. Well I sell real estate and work 100% on commision and there would never be a time when a customer woulld walk around without me asking what they need and how I can help them. So when I walk into a place that is commision based I want the first guy that comes up to me to get the sale, not the first guy I go and get.

 

[Hard2Hear]

This info is straight from a Gibson rep thru a buyer for a large dealer.

They said that a "disgruntled" large ex-Gibson dealer unloaded all their remaining stock to Costco. Gibson has is purchasing some of those guitars themselves so they can track the serial numbers and find out exactly who did it. They didn't say exactly what action they were planning on taking after that.

H2H

 

[TheRockDoc]

The way the music instrument biz is going makes me SICK!!!!!! The wholesalers/manufacturers are totally screwing the mom and pops that put them on the map for all those pre internet/big box years.

GC and Sam Ash piss me off too. They get lower wholesale prices by ordering volume, and are totally happy to make $30 on a $250 sale.

Gibson is THE WORST!!!! Their new CEO is the former head of Coca Cola.. What does that tell ya bout their dedication to making great gear? Nothing!!!!!!

I am much more concerned about Gibson than GC and Sam Ash. In NYC, everyone knew that if you wanted to get treated like crap- you could go to 48th Street. You'd pay less, and be ignored and lied for the bargain.

This, my friend, is the American Way.

Consider these guys, www.haloguitars.com or www.unrealdrums.com

Everything is built in the USA, and the quality for the money is incredible. A $500 guitar for $400 is worth more than a $29 guitar for $99, IMO

In the meantime, a friend of mine in the midwest was telling me about the people in his area chanting "Buy American" while they drive to Wal-Mart in their SUV's and buy all the Korean and Taiwanese Imports.

It's like voting- who you buy from can be just as important as what you get and how much you pay for it... but I also remember when you couldn't anything but a Gorilla amp for list price outside of the big shops in NYC.

Just my $$ worth

 

[Hard2Hear]

Only problem is that Halo guitars are Korean built imports QC'd and set up in the US. Just like Epis are.

oh p.s. if you're on Myspace and are a metal band that doesnt totally suck, they've probably offered you an "artist endorsement".

H2H

 

[TheRockDoc]

Only problem is that Halo guitars are Korean built imports QC'd and set up in the US. Just like Epis are.

oh p.s. if you're on Myspace and are a metal band that doesnt totally suck, they've probably offered you an "artist endorsement".

H2H

I was unaware of that- it would have to be only their low end. Aren't their custom shop gtrs built in US?

That might rule out my comment about Halo- but not about Wal-Mart

Do you know anything about unreal?

 

[Hard2Hear]

All their guitar lines on their website are Korean guitars. They go to lengths to hide that fact. They do have a 'custom shop' in Texas. This is the exact same business setup as Schecter and Dean, so its nothing new, really. And those custom shop guitars will cost you way more than an off the line Gibson will. For example, I priced a quilt topped hardtail model and it came in at just about 3k.

H2H

 

[donkeystyle]

I seriously doubt they can do anything to an ex-dealer. their dealership agreement/contract is void so they can do whatever they want with the guitars. i'm glad it's happening. gibsons done some screwed up things to their now ex-dealers in the last year or so.

This info is straight from a Gibson rep thru a buyer for a large dealer.

They said that a "disgruntled" large ex-Gibson dealer unloaded all their remaining stock to Costco. Gibson has is purchasing some of those guitars themselves so they can track the serial numbers and find out exactly who did it. They didn't say exactly what action they were planning on taking after that.

H2H