Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

[formula73]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Kahler.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

I suppose it could be a hoax, but considering the amount of dumb **** Gibson has done, would it surprise you if it were real?

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

but considering the amount of dumb **** Gibson has done

Selling fewer guitars at a higher price and saving on labor force and production cost to make the same money is dumb? Potentially a deficit of gibsons on the market could even drive up demand

 

[Archer250]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Yeah, but at that price, who would buy new Gibsons? I bet more people would look to the used market.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Yeah, but at that price, who would buy new Gibsons? I bet more people would look to the used market.

If no one buys them, gibson will drop the price... but at the ridiculous prices they already charge people are buying them as fast as they can make them.

The guys who are going to buy used werent going to buy a new LP standard anyways

 

[Archer250]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

If no one buys them, gibson will drop the price... but at the ridiculous prices they already charge people are buying them as fast as they can make them.

A sucker is born every minute, and I guess so is an LP

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Selling fewer guitars at a higher price and saving on labor force and production cost to make the same money is dumb? Potentially a deficit of gibsons on the market could even drive up demand

Gibson could stop production, and it would take years to clear the glut in the market.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Yeah, but at that price, who would buy new Gibsons? I bet more people would look to the used market.

My take on this (again, I'll point out that we'll see if the news is real first) is that this move would make Gibsons a bit more of an "elitist's" instrument... they've been going all over the map and lately have produced a lot of variety on the lower-price-range front and would bring them back to a luxury instrument... As been said numerous times in this thread, there are a LOT ( and I do mean LOT) of great instruments being produced at this point in history and some spectacular guitars can be had easily below 1K$. Maybe at this point Gibson can no longer be profitable from cathering to this segment of the market?
If one removes himself from the "boohoo I won't be able to buy a guitar with Gibson on the headstock therefore they suck" mindset (which we often encounter on the internet as a results of guys not having permission from their GF, parents or budget to buy their dream guitars), one can understand their point to stick to what they do best and cather to the upper segment niche, produce high-class (or at least high-priced) instruments exclusively.

People are already buying new Les Pauls at ridiculous prices, I'll bet a diet pepsi that many many folks will jump on the bandwagon and buy many of those if Gibson makes the move to restrict themselves to the higher-price market, even moreso than now considering how owning a Gibson will then become an even more distinctive indicator of money and worthiness to many many guys.

Disclaimer: I'm not saying I'm one of those guys in any way.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Assuming this is real…as Surgeon mentioned.

I have spoken often of the (mostly) pure business of this approach. Nothing here is amazing, I said it would happen.

The only issue with the "elitist" model is that they need to them become a boutique builder. The profit margin is unbelievable. But the gross profit is way, way, way, less. That won't sit well.

Boutique builders do not need the corporatocracy Gibson has built around itself.


Honestly, you guys can't really justify the cost of a Les Paul currently, let alone +30%

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

My take on this (again, I'll point out that we'll see if the news is real first) is that this move would make Gibsons a bit more of an "elitist's" instrument... they've been going all over the map and lately have produced a lot of variety on the lower-price-range front and would bring them back to a luxury instrument... As been said numerous times in this thread, there are a LOT ( and I do mean LOT) of great instruments being produced at this point in history and some spectacular guitars can be had easily below 1K$. Maybe at this point Gibson can no longer be profitable from cathering to this segment of the market?
If one removes himself from the "boohoo I won't be able to buy a guitar with Gibson on the headstock therefore they suck" mindset (which we often encounter on the internet as a results of guys not having permission from their GF, parents or budget to buy their dream guitars), one can understand their point to stick to what they do best and cather to the upper segment niche, produce high-class (or at least high-priced) instruments exclusively.

People already buying new Les Pauls at ridiculous prices, I'll bet a diet pepsi that many many folks will jump on the bandwagon and buy many of those if Gibson makes the move to restrict themselves to the higher-price market, even moreso than now considering how owning a Gibson will then become an even more distinctive indicator of money and worthiness to many many guys

This is what im talking about.... :bigthumb:

As a note to the part in bold... Gibson will still have a horse in that race with epiphone... Maybe epiphone has gotten so popular that they are willing to pull the Gibson name out of that market and just concentrate on being elitist.

 

[voggin]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

This seems a little weird to me. Is the high end of the market really that healthy? If so, why did PRS just spend a gazillion dollars developing the S2 line at more of a Les Paul Studio price point? After all, PRS must pretty well own a huge chunk of the high end player/collector market, and if business was booming there why bother with the S2s? They already had the (excellent, in my opinion) SE series, which they could have expanded to some 1K + models.

Anyone here on the sales side of things know how this past (rather unusual year) has been for Gibson? There's only one dealer in my town, and they seem to have sold quite a few this year (judging from my own observation of stock turnover) but I don't know if that is really representative. The LPJs and SGJs seem to fly off the wall, and the SG specials and Futuras seem popular, but again, that's one store in a city with really only one good guitar shop and a big rural market around it.

 

[superpete]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

If no one buys them, gibson will drop the price... but at the ridiculous prices they already charge people are buying them as fast as they can make them.

the 2014 models with the 12th fret inlay and min-e tunes really didn't sell that well. i can't see the new changes increasing sales at all.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Gibson fell off the cliff long ago anyhow, so who ****ing cares what they do any more? I'm wasn't gonna buy a 2014, just like I wasn't gonna buy a 2013, 2012, etc., so of course I won't buy a 2015! Henry started losing his marbles somewhere around the turn of the century, and it has been nothing but sliding downhill since. I don't know what happened. He got the company in the '80's, and quickly turned it around, in a very good way. The late '80's and the '90's Gibson are generally well made guitars, and they were somewhat affordable at the time. The company was saved, and IMO back to its old quality. Now they are far worse than they were under Norlin. They have done nothing but lower quality, introduce stupid changes, and increase price over the past 10–15 years. Fuggem. They are totally written off to me, and have been for years.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

This is what im talking about.... :bigthumb:

As a note to the part in bold... Gibson will still have a horse in that race with epiphone... Maybe epiphone has gotten so popular that they are willing to pull the Gibson name out of that market and just concentrate on being elitist.

I agree, I should've mentioned that when I write "Gibson" I do mean guitars with that brand on the headstock. Epis are getting really good so I'm guessing this is basically what's happening: if LTDs, Schecters, and so many others are making superb guitars around and below 1k$, maybe the smartest move is relying on Epiphone for the major share of the market and keep Gibson as their absolute high-end brand...

I may be completely off too...

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

I think the "27% lower fret wire" alone is easily worth the price increase.

yeah, give less metal, make it sound like a good thing, charge more money. Me, I like big like big frets and I cannot lie....

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

New slogan... "Only a Gibson is expensive enough."

LOL! TRue! Going from an iconic brand that has churned out years of great music to merely a collectable item.

Keeper, as usual, I agree with you my friend..

 

[DreX]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Are the price increases superficial MSRP figures, or will people actually have to pay more money for the same guitars?

I wonder what could happen in model year 2014 that would cause a manager to say "our prices are way too low".

I hope that, in the long run, putting Gibson's at a higher price point will give incentive to make nicer Epiphones, to fill the widened price gap in between.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

I agree that Epis have improved greatly in recent years, therefore covering the lower pricepoint. And those comparing PRS', whenever I get a new MF or whatever catalog, there are ALOT of PRS' that are priced at 8 or 9 K. So as stated, perhaps they are trying to be more of an upscale brand. PRs' arent exactly cheap anymore.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

PRS at $8-9k has to be Private Stock stuff. That's not exactly volume production. The normal MIA production run stuff is running between $2-6k at a guess, which is where Gibson seem to want to be.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Just saw this: Gibson cutting production/raising prices/modifying stuff

Why not even a nice range of us-made epis to fill the gap now? Doesn't sound too bad to me honestly... Give everything that's low-end Gibson to a us-based epi plant. It's all possible..