Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
- Thread starter Captain Tightpants
- Start date
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Acoustic guitars are still strong sellers, hundreds of years later. Some have simple electronics and 3-band EQ's, but that's very primitive tech-wise. There are some things that people just want to be simple, traditional, and natural, century after century. I think we've probably seen guitars evolve as much as they're going to in our lifetime, because players don't want more from them. How many guys have MIDI PU's? There no big rush to dump passive PU's and go to MIDI, in spite of the wealth of sounds it offers. Most guys aren't even interested in active PU's.
Having played some solid state modeling amps I can say yes, they're better than ever, but they have a long way to go. They're no substitute for a good all-tube amp. It seems that for decades manufacturers have felt compelled to push guitar and amp technological 'improvements' onto players, in order to boost their sales and get an imaginary competitive edge. But there's a bigger selection of basic electric guitars and tube amps available now than ever, and that's what's selling. Pure, natural tone from wood and tubes. Guitars loaded with switches have never been big sellers. Players would rather one or two good tones than a dozen mediocre ones.
Players don't want onboard effects. They're always trying and switching around pedals, the last thing they want is to pay for, and be stuck with, effects built into their guitars. Maybe one day you'll be able to plug micro effects boards into guitars to mix and match, but until the majority of pedal manufacturers produce those, the concept will have little appeal. It may be the future, but it's decades away. Without the support of pedal manufacturers, any guitar with onboard effects will fail.
Nor will there be more than a handful of players willing to spend $5,000 for a space age guitar. That alone doomed the entire project from the outset. This could have been accomplished and sold at a fraction of that, but Gibson wanted to roll this out with pomp and circumstance, with a price tag to match. Egos created this guitar, without consumer input; egos ran amouck and proclaimed this as a triumph for mankind! And egos gave it a correspondingly grandiose price tag. This is the folly of people living in ivory towers surrounding themselves with 'yes' men. Pride goeth before a fall...
Yes, but the US is a market based economy and markets demand growth and evolution.
The premise is that you can't make money giving people the exact same thing over and over.
And we're running out of the resources to mass-market that kind of product.
The resurgence of low-cost tube amps aside, it used to be that you had to spend big money to get away from solid state guitar amps.
Emulation technology isn't quite there yet, but it's a lot closer than it's ever been and getting better all the time.
The future guitar players who grow up living on their smartphones won't think twice about playing a guitar that has that kind of functionality.
And my point is that *IN THE FUTURE*, that won't be true.
We're exhausting current tonewoods.
Most starting guitar players begin life with Line 6.
Smartphones *now* have tuners, recorders and amp emulators.
More guitars are being sold *right now* precisely because of games like Guitar Hero.
And while I don't disagree with anything you've said, aside from your assessment of my logic, the truth is that everything evolves and while Gibson seems to be intent on evolving into FUGLY, there are some things Gibson is getting right.
MM
Acoustic guitars are still strong sellers, hundreds of years later. Some have simple electronics and 3-band EQ's, but that's very primitive tech-wise. There are some things that people just want to be simple, traditional, and natural, century after century. I think we've probably seen guitars evolve as much as they're going to in our lifetime, because players don't want more from them. How many guys have MIDI PU's? There no big rush to dump passive PU's and go to MIDI, in spite of the wealth of sounds it offers. Most guys aren't even interested in active PU's.
Having played some solid state modeling amps I can say yes, they're better than ever, but they have a long way to go. They're no substitute for a good all-tube amp. It seems that for decades manufacturers have felt compelled to push guitar and amp technological 'improvements' onto players, in order to boost their sales and get an imaginary competitive edge. But there's a bigger selection of basic electric guitars and tube amps available now than ever, and that's what's selling. Pure, natural tone from wood and tubes. Guitars loaded with switches have never been big sellers. Players would rather one or two good tones than a dozen mediocre ones.
Players don't want onboard effects. They're always trying and switching around pedals, the last thing they want is to pay for, and be stuck with, effects built into their guitars. Maybe one day you'll be able to plug micro effects boards into guitars to mix and match, but until the majority of pedal manufacturers produce those, the concept will have little appeal. It may be the future, but it's decades away. Without the support of pedal manufacturers, any guitar with onboard effects will fail.
Nor will there be more than a handful of players willing to spend $5,000 for a space age guitar. That alone doomed the entire project from the outset. This could have been accomplished and sold at a fraction of that, but Gibson wanted to roll this out with pomp and circumstance, with a price tag to match. Egos created this guitar, without consumer input; egos ran amouck and proclaimed this as a triumph for mankind! And egos gave it a correspondingly grandiose price tag. This is the folly of people living in ivory towers surrounding themselves with 'yes' men. Pride goeth before a fall...
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J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Maybe it's a "concept" guitar, like the concept cars unveiled at industry auto shows every year. The manufacturer doesn't expect anyone to buy them, but soon ideas from it are making their way into popularly-priced production models, even if they're in a form so watered-down you can barely recognize the connection.
Another industry has an event analogous to the auto show and the concept guitar; it's called a fashion show.
Maybe it's a "concept" guitar, like the concept cars unveiled at industry auto shows every year. The manufacturer doesn't expect anyone to buy them, but soon ideas from it are making their way into popularly-priced production models, even if they're in a form so watered-down you can barely recognize the connection.
Another industry has an event analogous to the auto show and the concept guitar; it's called a fashion show.
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
By Henry's response, he evidently dismissed the general consensus of going back to basics. Which makes me wonder, if he has no interest in public opinion, why then does he ask the for it in the first place?
Apparently, as he gets richer by the hour with massive Epiphone sales, he can afford to be obstinate as far as the public is concerned and dream up this whacked out stuff, making it a reality for whatever its worth. I always considered instruments from Gibson as being dignified. He really is destroying this decades held concept of mine.
The only reason I'd like to own that guitar is for speculation. Maybe 30 or so years down the road it will be worth something and will be known as being from, "Gibson's Albatross Era" or, "Henry J's Hallucinogenic Days" along with so many other outlandish designs we've seen of late. YMMV.
By Henry's response, he evidently dismissed the general consensus of going back to basics. Which makes me wonder, if he has no interest in public opinion, why then does he ask the for it in the first place?
Apparently, as he gets richer by the hour with massive Epiphone sales, he can afford to be obstinate as far as the public is concerned and dream up this whacked out stuff, making it a reality for whatever its worth. I always considered instruments from Gibson as being dignified. He really is destroying this decades held concept of mine.
The only reason I'd like to own that guitar is for speculation. Maybe 30 or so years down the road it will be worth something and will be known as being from, "Gibson's Albatross Era" or, "Henry J's Hallucinogenic Days" along with so many other outlandish designs we've seen of late. YMMV.
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
and i'm just giggling
if it was 1950 you'd all be telling me guitars aren't supposed to be electrified and that "Tooty Fruity" is Devil music
and i'm just giggling
if it was 1950 you'd all be telling me guitars aren't supposed to be electrified and that "Tooty Fruity" is Devil music
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Oh shut up. This thing is a POS and you know it.
New technological advancements are a good thing, and new guitar ideas are good for musicians, but that thing looks like it was hacked out on a bandsaw after a long lunch, hit with the belt sander for "radiusing" and sent straight to paint.
If I didn't know the headstock was made from the same piece of wood as the neck, I'd swear they just found it lying around the shop and said "Yeah, this one'll fit."
And those inlays on that fretboard? Are you kidding me?
Fancy electronics aside, this thing looks like it was "designed" by using the first thing they pulled out of each parts bin regardless of what it looked like.
I applaud Gibson for pushing the boundaries of technology, but I can't help but puke in my mouth a little over how they push the boundaries of good taste.
If you look at that thing and honestly see a parallel to a '50s V or Explorer, well.... The design field probably ain't your bag...
Oh shut up. This thing is a POS and you know it.
New technological advancements are a good thing, and new guitar ideas are good for musicians, but that thing looks like it was hacked out on a bandsaw after a long lunch, hit with the belt sander for "radiusing" and sent straight to paint.
If I didn't know the headstock was made from the same piece of wood as the neck, I'd swear they just found it lying around the shop and said "Yeah, this one'll fit."
And those inlays on that fretboard? Are you kidding me?
Fancy electronics aside, this thing looks like it was "designed" by using the first thing they pulled out of each parts bin regardless of what it looked like.
I applaud Gibson for pushing the boundaries of technology, but I can't help but puke in my mouth a little over how they push the boundaries of good taste.
If you look at that thing and honestly see a parallel to a '50s V or Explorer, well.... The design field probably ain't your bag...
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
^ dude it looks like a Jaguar / Firebird hybrid with robot junk on it...it doesn't look that bad, and even so, 'looks' are totally a manner of opinion.
Tons of dudes hate the way normal Jaguars look, or MusicMan guitars, hell there are dudes that hate the way a goldtop Les Paul looks...
Call me the devil's advocate but at least it's something we haven't seen before that has the potential to unlock some creative ideas. I would love a chance to sit down and play with the delay sliders while telling the guitar to switch back and forth between different tunings for some truly psychedelic insanity.
^ dude it looks like a Jaguar / Firebird hybrid with robot junk on it...it doesn't look that bad, and even so, 'looks' are totally a manner of opinion.
Tons of dudes hate the way normal Jaguars look, or MusicMan guitars, hell there are dudes that hate the way a goldtop Les Paul looks...
Call me the devil's advocate but at least it's something we haven't seen before that has the potential to unlock some creative ideas. I would love a chance to sit down and play with the delay sliders while telling the guitar to switch back and forth between different tunings for some truly psychedelic insanity.
Captain Tightpants
New member
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Nothing new about it. Auto-tuners have been around for a few years now, and on-board effects have been tried again and again for well over 30 years in various guises. Nothing new under the sun.
Nothing new about it. Auto-tuners have been around for a few years now, and on-board effects have been tried again and again for well over 30 years in various guises. Nothing new under the sun.
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
yeah except none of the robot guitars had built-in FX
and these are newly-designed built-in FX none of us have ever heard before
i'm not saying it's gona be some revolutionarily awesome new life-changing thing
i'm just saying that there haven't been guitars with those features before and now there are
yeah except none of the robot guitars had built-in FX
and these are newly-designed built-in FX none of us have ever heard before
i'm not saying it's gona be some revolutionarily awesome new life-changing thing
i'm just saying that there haven't been guitars with those features before and now there are
Metalblaze
New member
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
It's not for me but I somewhat like those labeled controls, switches and knobs that make it look like an old-fashioned microwave oven or something.
It's not for me but I somewhat like those labeled controls, switches and knobs that make it look like an old-fashioned microwave oven or something.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Is this said in a postive or negative way? Not a lot of us are going for that old microwave look in our instruments.
Is this said in a postive or negative way? Not a lot of us are going for that old microwave look in our instruments.
Metalblaze
New member
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Lol, In a positive nostalgic mood for the 70s.
When I get my custom guitar I want so much I'd really like to have one with those chickenhead knobs and all those switches with labels for their positions.
Lol, In a positive nostalgic mood for the 70s.
When I get my custom guitar I want so much I'd really like to have one with those chickenhead knobs and all those switches with labels for their positions.
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Absolutely. Onboard effects have always flopped because you can't pick the ones you want, or from the manufacturers that make the effects you want. Until they're modular and you have a big selection to choose from and swap out, onboard effects is just another rehased idea. Players aren't rushing out to buy robot tuners on the previous guitars Gibson put them in.
All Gibson did was combine several 'modern' features into one guitar, features that never were popular in the first place. That's hardly a breakthrough that revolutionizes the industry. "Oh gosh honey look, here's a guitar that has even more of what I don't want, and we could buy a decent used car for what this guitar costs. The perfect product to introduce during a recession. Let's get one!"
Absolutely. Onboard effects have always flopped because you can't pick the ones you want, or from the manufacturers that make the effects you want. Until they're modular and you have a big selection to choose from and swap out, onboard effects is just another rehased idea. Players aren't rushing out to buy robot tuners on the previous guitars Gibson put them in.
All Gibson did was combine several 'modern' features into one guitar, features that never were popular in the first place. That's hardly a breakthrough that revolutionizes the industry. "Oh gosh honey look, here's a guitar that has even more of what I don't want, and we could buy a decent used car for what this guitar costs. The perfect product to introduce during a recession. Let's get one!"
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
The industry should do more guitars with built-in amps. :banana:
The industry should do more guitars with built-in amps. :banana:
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Yeah yeah..Oh Shut Up ( < does Beavis and Butthead laugh)
Yeah yeah..Oh Shut Up ( < does Beavis and Butthead laugh)
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
I forgot one thing about it;
It needs Duncans, specifically Seymourized Mini Humbuckers. I don't like Gibsons' Mini-humbuggies.
I forgot one thing about it;
It needs Duncans, specifically Seymourized Mini Humbuckers. I don't like Gibsons' Mini-humbuggies.
brunogio
New member
Re: Check out Gibson's so-called "Game Changer"...
Something occurred to me today and maybe these are ideas I should share with Gibson.
I've seen this one Gibson LP model that i thought was truly a good idea. It came stock with humbuckers and shipped with two full sized p-94. they were interchangeable through the back of the guitar held in place with magnets.
Now if Gibson did that but allowed the pups to be interchanged through the front of the guitar, they would really be onto something. The drawback of this other design is that the back of the guitar has two big metal plates where the wood is normally, which to me is a big turn off.
Since a lot of models have stop tailpieces, you could just loosen the strings and remove the tail. Then if you could just push down and release the pups you could swap them with other pups mounted in some chassis that did fit the housing.
It would be like changing fuses but instead you could change up the pups. This would likely enable Gibson to sell more of their pups and make their guitars more versatile.
This is the kind of technology I'd like to see in a guitar. I'll go with my pedals and tuner and skip this robot technology and outboard nonsense.
Something occurred to me today and maybe these are ideas I should share with Gibson.
I've seen this one Gibson LP model that i thought was truly a good idea. It came stock with humbuckers and shipped with two full sized p-94. they were interchangeable through the back of the guitar held in place with magnets.
Now if Gibson did that but allowed the pups to be interchanged through the front of the guitar, they would really be onto something. The drawback of this other design is that the back of the guitar has two big metal plates where the wood is normally, which to me is a big turn off.
Since a lot of models have stop tailpieces, you could just loosen the strings and remove the tail. Then if you could just push down and release the pups you could swap them with other pups mounted in some chassis that did fit the housing.
It would be like changing fuses but instead you could change up the pups. This would likely enable Gibson to sell more of their pups and make their guitars more versatile.
This is the kind of technology I'd like to see in a guitar. I'll go with my pedals and tuner and skip this robot technology and outboard nonsense.