Another Gibson Fail ??

[Cagey]

I held a Gibson SG fresh out of the box at guitar center today.

fretboard felt like a sawblade.

they hung out so far they actually left red scratches on my hand.

how is THAT supposed to feel fast?

add to that the "Hand shaped neck" felt bumpy.

so I sat that 1,100 dollar one down. and picked up the 350 dollar Epiphone SG next to it.

felt much better.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

The Epiphones are made in Korea, so you'd expect them to be at least decent, if not better. The Gibsons are a form of mystery meat. I'm not sure where they come from, what goes into them, or what they're thinking about when they make them. They're just selling the name.

Back in the old days, we used to think SG stood for "Super Glide", because they were such a joy to play. They had mungo frets on them compared to the wimpy frets Fender used to use. Quite wide, and taller as well. Straight from the factory they were leveled, crowned, dressed, and polished. If you ponied up the dough for a Gibson you didn't have to do anything to it but show it off and smile at the sky as you played it. Plus, having the humbuckers on them standard, they were high-output fiddles that would teach any amp you plugged them into a lesson about who was boss.

As their quality dropped off and the price rose, it opened up the market for easy competition. With all we've learned from their mistakes coupled with modern machinery, it's tough to get a bad guitar these days, and quality has gotten consistent enough that you can actually buy guitars sight unseen and not worry too much. That was another thing about those older instruments - they were as individual as snowflakes. No two were the same. You could sit down in a well-stocked store and play 10 of the same model and get 10 different feels and sounds. It was frustrating, and is why some people will tell tearful stories about the "magical" guitar they let get away, and others will say they'll never buy a [insert model here] again, and both will be talking about the same model and year instrument.

 

[AGWAN]

I get that.

but sawblade frets on a guitar that price is insane, clearly they had the time to install those frets and shape them.. so why the massive overhang.

it wasn't even cold here today.

so I can't blame shrinkage.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

The Firebird X and the Robot guitar both had stuff that could be useful, but I think was marketed poorly.  In the Robot's case, sure it was a Les Paul but they made the 1st run so darn ugly, who'd want to play it?  With the Firebird X, new technology in a guitar but they make the guitar hideous.  Atleast when Fender did the VG Strat, it was a Strat with the VG thing added.  No new body style or color.  It was the same Strat you knew and loved, now with an addition.  Gibson is asking it's customers to make 2 leaps of faith, Fender just one.

 

[reinhold]

Well the VG part of the strat you didn't even have to use, the Gibson stuff is being forced on the user.

 

[Jusatele]

I can honestly say the 2003 Strat is the best Strat I have ever owned, and I can go into the store and play one just like it, that is CNC.
You take CNC and add a quality finish job and first class hardware and you have a good guitar, Fender is doing that now in the American Standard and Deluxe series, The MIM stuff is Nice stuff, no longer is looked at as a downgrade, It does not use the same hardware, but is CNC and assembled by guys who know their job and has a nice finish.
Gibson needs to look at that. Look at how solid the neck joint looks even if it is a bolt, Look at the act that there is no glue eeking out of here or there and never got dealt with. Look at the quality of finish, And most of all look at the fact that it is not that much harder to set a neck than bolt it. Then step in and start a QC program.
I mean they once were the premiere American guitar maker, now they are soon to be the GM of the instrument world.
In stead of stupid new product, what is needed is to look at Fenders history, Fender if you remember in the 70s was turning out crap, You will not see anyone go buy a 78 strat because it was a great guitar, they sucked, and they almost lost everything in the 80s even though by then they were making good stuff again, It took into the 90s before they started making solid gains with the players again. I do not think that the 80s big hair days of Ibenez, kramer, jackson, BC Rich and the likes could have ever happened if Fender was making an axe you could bee seen with and not be made fun of. But no one respected them back then, Now look, they are the wonder child of guitars, You almost can not say you are a guitarist if you do not own at least one.
There is a huge lesson to learn there Gibson, We do not Dis you because we want to, we do it because you have let us down.

 

[ptirman]

Well the VG part of the strat you didn't even have to use, the Gibson stuff is being forced on the user.

Only if you buy it. Choose one of the many alternatives with features that you want is one potential solution.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Well the VG part of the strat you didn't even have to use, the Gibson stuff is being forced on the user.

Yes, but it is still a Strat with the same options.  The Robot and Firebird X are unlike anything else in the Gibson line.  If you want it for the technology, you have to buy the ugly guitar around it.  The Robot automatic tuning and the blue tooth wireless system are not available on say a Les Paul Standard whereas the VG is on an American Standard Strat.  Fender used the crossover aspect of putting a new technology on a familiar favorite so it wasn't as big of a leap to accept it, even use it.  Fender didn't put the VG stuff on a reverse Fender body or put it on a weird color with an unusual hardware finish like Gibson did.  That's the point I was making.

 

[jwl68th]

Evidently, Gibson has no drug testing policy in place.

 

[OzziePete]

I get that.

but sawblade frets on a guitar that price is insane, clearly they had the time to install those frets and shape them.. so why the massive overhang.

it wasn't even cold here today.

so I can't blame shrinkage.

I suspect if you asked about a fret dressing etc. the people at Gibson would argue that they do that for their Custom Shop models and you pay for the privelege... :icon_thumright:

Evidently, Gibson has no drug testing policy in place.

Thery should implement it straight away and start at the CEO....next stop those dingbats who thought people would like a mongrelled up Firebird. I have seen no positive comments about this Firebird X and that's even on the GIbson website!

 

[hannaugh]

Gibson's next idea will look like this, and will glow in the dark:

However, it will come with a button that allows you to time travel, so everyone will buy it so they can go back to a time when Gibson still made great stuff. 

 

[AGWAN]

...My eyes... THEY BURN.

 

[OzziePete]

Notice something wrong about this linked Gibson product page??

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Archtop/Gibson-Custom/Byrdland-Florentine.aspx :sad:











(An iconic model and even THEY stuff up the spelling! It is sooooo symptomatic of what is going on there.)

 

[Hbom]

Hey guys this is America!
You take a slab of wood stick on a neck.
Splash a little paint around the edges.
Write G I B S O N on the headstock
and poof it's 5 grand!
Isn't that why we al ended up here?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Notice something wrong about this linked Gibson product page??

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Archtop/Gibson-Custom/Byrdland-Florentine.aspx :sad:
(An iconic model and even THEY stuff up the spelling! It is sooooo symptomatic of what is going on there.)

Reminds me of this:

When confronting his staff, "Welcome to you are doom?", they replied, "You signed off on the proofs."

 

[Panthur]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but looky here...

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/firebird-update-1202/

The comments are the best  :laughing11:

 

[AGWAN]

"Once our R&D team truly delved into the seven microprocessors and three operating systems onboard this monster, they just couldn’t help themselves. Over the past few months, they’ve found even more ways to improve the guitar, with more features than we ever expected."

Yeah, thats Gibson code for the Firebird X has had an AI issue, in which the guitars have started killing our R&D guys. We put to much crap in them. One hauled off and shot an intern the other day. We need to stop them from trying to take over the world, so until then hold off on getting that second mortgage on your home. Trust us, the HD TV that comes included in the back panel of this guitar is well worth it. You'll be watching Blurays in no time.

And remember, We'll make you pay whatever price we want because you know you want it.


LMAO!

 

[Jusatele]

Love the commwnts
Gibson is about to lose it big time

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Love the commwnts
Gibson is about to lose it big time

Just wish it was sooner.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

This was my favorite comment:  "Sounds like they didn't understand what they built in the first place."

 

[Firebird211]

The aesthetics of that guitar are terrible...redonkulous controls...horrible layout. It looks like they are trying to color code...really? What a big expensive piece of ... :tard:.  Any one of us could pick a better theme layout for knobs and switches than that.  Great job Gibson, instead of glorifying one of your greatest guitars, you just destroyed it.  The better bird is from Warmoth.  With seven microprocessors it should be able to sweep the floor like a rumba, then go get me a beer.  It's the first guitar that's "self-aware" that it is a disappointment.  They should change the name to Cyber-turd before people mistake it for a Firebird.