Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Some of the prices are radically high. The product pages are not really informative.
https://www.gibson.com/en-US/page/pickupshop
https://www.gibson.com/en-US/page/pickupshop
Gibson: Unveils the New Gibson Pickup Shop
- Thread starter Securb
- Start date
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
I guess many Gibson owners would like to keep their guitar all Gibson. I can understand that, though there are a lot of these pickups out on the used market thanks to the folks who couldn't wait to get rid of their stock ones. Somehow I doubt many owners of non-Gibson guitars will be seeking these out (though I do have a friend who loves the 498T and puts it in every guitar he uses).
I'm not going to shell out $500 for a set of Custombuckers myself, not when bespoke handwounds would cost me less.
But to somebody who might drop that much on a good meal, it wouldn't be a big deal.
I'm not going to shell out $500 for a set of Custombuckers myself, not when bespoke handwounds would cost me less.
But to somebody who might drop that much on a good meal, it wouldn't be a big deal.
P90s and Mini-Humbuckers can be found in the "Original" collection. You'll have to look elsewhere for the CC and Firebird...I click on 'Gibson Historic' expecting to see . . . y'know some of the cool older pickups they made. Charlie Christian pickups? Nope. P90s? Nope. Minihum? Nope. Firebird? Nope. You get the same unpotted PAF in A3 only. Guess that's the only history that matters.
https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Collection/pickupshop-original
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Call me crazy . . . but I'd say that p90s are more historic than PAFs. Y'know. Considering that they came first.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
I am also a huge fan of the 498Ts, I have them in two of my Ibanezs and in my SG. As you mentioned I have no problem finding them on the secondary market for budget prices.
Inflames626
New member
For me, $200 for a pickup is a hard limit, and Gibson is pushing it.
I paid more for a 498T than comparable pickups several years ago, but it was because it has the Gibson brand on it. It was probably the only time I liked a pickup's sound enough to think the premium I paid was worth it.
Wherever you're finding them used for budget prices, please do let me know. Finding four conductor versions was really difficult for me.
Inflames626
New member
I don't think Gibson in its current state is like Fender was when its employees bought it back from CBS in 1985 and turned things around. Since then, Fender seems revitalized. Gibson just seems overpriced.
Everything associated with Gibson seems expensive since they went on that spending binge, bought a bunch of music-related but non-guitar companies, then went bankrupt a few years ago.
So, I consider Gibson the Cadillac of the guitar world--luxurious, expensive, nice when new, desired and revered when old and in good condition, but generally long surpassed by Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, etc.
Like Cadillacs, Gibsons are also problematic. Make sure you've got some glue for when that headstock breaks off. Or did the new owners fix that finally?
Don't get me wrong--they're still nice guitars. I'm not as hard on them as Ed Roman was--but when an Adam Jones signature guitar is near $10,000 and it's basically a re-creation of a 70s silverburst that wasn't that popular to begin with--it's just insane. The only people who need $10,000 guitars are people who can make that kind of money back by playing on them.
Meanwhile I played a friend's used black LP Custom and wouldn't have given more than $1200 for it.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Woah woah woah, the picture you're painting seems like you are trying to say that Acura and Infiniti are or at one point have been in the upper echelon of cars.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Call me crazy . . . but I'd say that p90s are more historic than PAFs. Y'know. Considering that they came first.
IME Gibson P90s have been great, much better than most of their hums.
Not that I've tried all their hums, just not a big fan of the ones I've used (except the Shaws - but they squealed at stage volume).
Actually a P90 is probably the only Gibson pickup I might choose to put in a non-Gibson guitar.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
I don't think they expect to sell a lot. But I think they know there are some people who will find a deal on a used historic that's been messed with and want to restore it back to it's original configuration and would pony up to make it so.
voggin
Well-known member
I think the custombuckers are meant to compete with boutique stuff, hence the price. They aren't meant to compete with SD or Dimarzio.
I wouldn't pay that price for them, but I wouldn't pay for the boutique stuff, either. I'd just by a set of Seth Lovers or antiquities.
But I think it makes sense for Gibson to wade into that market, from a business point of view. I think there are people who love their older reissues but might want to replace the burstbuckers, and instead of going to the smaller winders, they can just walk into their Gibson dealer and order a set of these.
I wouldn't pay that price for them, but I wouldn't pay for the boutique stuff, either. I'd just by a set of Seth Lovers or antiquities.
But I think it makes sense for Gibson to wade into that market, from a business point of view. I think there are people who love their older reissues but might want to replace the burstbuckers, and instead of going to the smaller winders, they can just walk into their Gibson dealer and order a set of these.
Back around the bankruptcy, it had become clear that Gibson had totally lost their way.. what they needed to do is figure out was what differentiated qualities they could bring to customers that wanted said qualities and had the bucks to pay for it.
This announcement makes it clear that Gibson is no better at targeting than they were before.. you guys have nailed a reasons that pups are not a good opportunity for them. And they continue to look for new opportunities while they allow their traditional market to evaporate... From Hurley Benton's to Surhs, everyone is nibbling away the meat. If Gibson doesn't wake up, they may have little other than a brand.
This announcement makes it clear that Gibson is no better at targeting than they were before.. you guys have nailed a reasons that pups are not a good opportunity for them. And they continue to look for new opportunities while they allow their traditional market to evaporate... From Hurley Benton's to Surhs, everyone is nibbling away the meat. If Gibson doesn't wake up, they may have little other than a brand.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
There are two groups of guitar gear guys, the ones on the forums and the ones that don't go to the forums.
For the first group, this move makes no sense. But for the second, I think it makes a bit more.
Let's say I'm a small town guitar store owner and I advertise repairs and guitar upgrades. You bring in your guitar and ask for an electronics upgrade. What's an easier sell, pickups made by a guitar company with brand recognition or some other brand that you've probably only seen on weird guitars in the Used rack?
For the first group, this move makes no sense. But for the second, I think it makes a bit more.
Let's say I'm a small town guitar store owner and I advertise repairs and guitar upgrades. You bring in your guitar and ask for an electronics upgrade. What's an easier sell, pickups made by a guitar company with brand recognition or some other brand that you've probably only seen on weird guitars in the Used rack?
80's_Thrash_Metal
Slightly_Glazed_Believer
Just 1 word
