Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

[Zerberus]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

...Gibson acquired Valley Arts in 2002

Valley Arts

Are you sure? I´ve checked the valley arts page and did a search via google, but I couldn´t find anything anywhere implying or better yet stating any relationship to Gibson....

*edit* LOL, and the link you posted just went "bam" and put that in my face, thx

Sorry Tweed :friday:

SO, to "modify" my response: Does anyone know whether VA pays licensing fees to Fender just like Warmoth, Charvel, Allparts, Mighty Mite, Samick....?? I would assume yes, as Gibson and Fender usually have great "firewalls" in the sense that they usually DON`T do anything to infringe on trademarks, Copyrights etc. because they know what the outcome could be...... Anyone know this for sure?

 

[tiefightertk069]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

Does anyone disagree with their practices, but still want to get a new Gibby?

Well a lot of what they're doing is standard Business 101 "Harvard Business School" stuff... they're a big corporation that is trying to get bigger and more global. It's a natural progression when you consider who the CEO is, and where he comes from, as well as the management that he has surrounded himself with. He's flat out said that he wants to take on the big guns and be number one.

Do I agree with a lot of it? No, but I can understand where he's coming from. It's a different playing field, and the decision has apparently been made to grow larger as opposed to staying smaller and more craftsmanship oriented. I mean, down the line I think it was a bad decision... I think they should have followed a business plan along the lines of Harley Davidson, another iconic American company, and kept things close instead of broadening and becoming more diverse.

But hey, I'm not the CEO so what do I know right?
As for the lawsuits, I side with Gibson... pulling internet sales and display rights I'm not so sure about. I'd like to know more about why they did that.

When it comes down to it though, none of this has affected my desire to buy a new R8.

On a side note, what's the deal with the Les Paul forum, I've tried to register twice and I still can't seem to get pst moderation... and the two e-mails I've sent to them have gone unanswered???

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

I think Gibson's biz practices are partly greed and partly trying to figure out how to charge enough for thier guitars that they can make money and also pay US workers the wages we insist on in order for us to buy big homes, new cars, get fat and buy guns. :laugh2:

JUST KIDDING! (Sort of....)

Lew

 

[matt99camero]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

He's flat out said that he wants to take on the big guns and be number one.

I bet he does. But he is not going about it the right way. I mean look how many people just on here refuse to buy Gibson guitars. Ok, so Gibson has alot of history, but you can't just put out a crappy product (we know they arn't crappy but sometimes they are questionable and their customer service kinda sucks) and that are overpriced and expect to be the "big dog" because of what your name is. Good reliable products priced right, great customer service and and using your profits right is what makes a good company. Maybe they are laughing at everyone that buys Gibson's because they know how overpriced they are and how much money they are making just because they are "Gibson" but I'm not going to totally knock them cause sometimes you lose sight of business practices, so I'm giving them the benifit of the dought right now.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

I think Gibson's biz practices are partly greed and partly trying to figure out how to charge enough for thier guitars that they can make money and also pay US workers the wages we insist on in order for us to buy big homes, new cars, get fat and buy guns. :laugh2:

JUST KIDDING! (Sort of....)

Lew

Cmon Lew I gotta have some way to shoot TRAP!!!

Interestingly I think wages have a lot to do with it too Lew. Of course mostly wages of JERK-o-witz. But really that is an issue. The fact that Gibson turns out SO many guitars though (regardless what you think of CNC) kind of makes everybody raise an eyebrow when their is a huge increase.

I just can't fathom someone playing a identical Heritage and hearing a difference.

Once again I'll ask, has anyone else heard that Gibson is pulling the dealerships without a huge buy in? I asked this 2-3 months ago and everybody thought I was a moron or lost my mind, is it a reality?

Luke

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

That's interesting, and I'm glad you posted it. Do you know for a fact that this is the case? Not doubting you...more of a "trust but confirm" position I'm taking, I guess. Lotta stuff flying around about all of this. I'd like to be able to separate fact from fiction as much as possible.

I know for a fact that Fender licenses out pretty readily; every Warmoth Strat and Tele body and neck have a "Licensed By Fender" logo on them. Fender agressively defended its patent in the 80's with Fernandes. While I can't point to specific instances that they license to other companies I can't see why they would have gone to bat like they did with Fernandes, won, and then let so many other companies run roughshod over them.

And I don't know where I heard it, but I do know that Hamer does license from Gibson. Heritage may be a different case since the shop there is essentially Gibsons old luthiers and Gibsons old facility that got left behind when they went to Tennessee. I'm assuming that they probably got a sweetheart deal out of it; Gibson probably was able to sell the place outright and not have to deal with parting it out to multiple buyers. But I'm certain Heritage has permission in one form or another.

I wasn't aware of the tidbit that Gibson had approached PRS to license. That's pretty arrogant on PRS' part. It also gives ALOT of weight to that internal memo that came out where they stated they were looking to make a "Les Paul Killer" to use a turn of words typically found in the computer tech world.

But I think Lew may have hailed it; Gibson is trying to figure out how to maximize profit while making sure their workers are well paid and they can make a consistent and reliable product.

I'd love to see both work it out though. And , reasonably, there's too much money involved in this for them not to. Both stand to gain alot by doing this. It'd be silly for them not to.

If you've got to give Gibson one thing it's that they've certainly got the name to work with.

 

[tiefightertk069]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

Once again I'll ask, has anyone else heard that Gibson is pulling the dealerships without a huge buy in? I asked this 2-3 months ago and everybody thought I was a moron or lost my mind, is it a reality?

Luke

I was just talking with a local shop owner about this yesterday while looking over a stack of Standards he got in...
All he has heard is rumors, and his rep has mentioned "changes" coming in required stock on hand, etc.
He's a partner in a small shop, they move quite a few Gibsons, but he said that something like a big buy-in would prevent him from dealing in new Gibsons.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

no matter the why or how or who...it's a sad state of affairs in the big two imho...(fender & gibson)

i wish it wasn't so...

 

[Thames]

Re: Your thoughts on Gibson's business practices?

I will never buy a Gibson, period. They seem to have forgotten it's the customer that keeps them in business.

+1. Buy Hamer.... or Edwards