Echo Park Guitars Building Gibson’s Now

[freebyrd 69]

Just saw an interesting article about this. Apparently Echo Park Guitars is now licensed to build Gibson flying bees and explores here in Michigan. Interesting… Gibson licensing another builder to produce their guitars. Things are changing.

Detroit-based Echopark Guitars signs licensing deal with Gibson

Nashville-based guitar maker Gibson Brands Inc. signed a multi-year licensing deal with Detroit-based Echopark Guitars. Under the agreement, Echopark is licensed to use Gibson trademarks, including the iconic Les Paul body design, as well as other guitars models such as the Explorer, Firebird,…

www.crainsdetroit.com

 

[DotStudio]

Wonder if Heritage was considered. That would have been logical and garnered a lot more good will with the hide glue crowd.

 

[Brians Evil Twin]

A $20,000 handmade Gibson-sanctioned knock off.

What a concept.

 

[toymaker]

Wow...just wow.

So G is finally just giving in and going the path of least resistance, licensing.

No overhead to maintain, no need to worry about maintaining a custom shop staff for the higher end stuff...just license the name to an outside provider, let them do all the legwork and await the license check in your manhattan office each month...while “managing” America’s greatest name in musical instruments....

Guess you could see it coming for years. They milked the CS for what they could with the Made to Measure line - and found few willing to shell out the premium. Those that did were split amongst the other builders and didn’t drink the company kool-aid.

Seriously, how like no until the “regular” CS is being built in Fullerton under license? The regular US line too...and everything else by a Korean firm with Epiphone in China/Philippines/Mexico or whatever exotic locale was low bidder this quarter.

Gibson bought how many “brands” from Phillips just to license a name familiar to Americans from yesteryear - only to have it produced by someone else....that went so wonderfully....let’s take the whole damn company and do that now. Why produce something when you can license it?

Feels like the first step into admitting defeat at the hands of a 2 sided war. Corporate greed and consumers demanding higher quality and more hands on production. If you can’t win - surrender to the high bidder.

 

[JTM45]

They look like they do really nice work, I hope it works out well for both of them

 

[MSB]

I can only imagine the for sale ads now in 15 years. And I thought "good wood era" was as bad as it could get. #facepalm

 

[Seven]

My Echopark Guitars Nightmare

Ordered a custom Echopark J direct from Echopark last year. Gabriel promised me 6 months, but took 2 years. The guitar was horrible in my opinion...

www.thegearpage.net

 

[fleahead]

Over the years Gibson has had people who were authorized by Gibson to build Gibson instruments elsewhere. There was a builder in L.A. and a very interesting (quirky?) Englishman who lived in Germany and I know for fact that they would build instruments for an artist if needed.

 

[Malikon]

Gross

 

[fleahead]

This completely falls in line with what even HJ wanted and that was to eliminate pesky things like manufacturing and be content to oversee, license and market the brand - after all, they ARE known as Gibson BRANDS now.....

 

[Tone deaf]

I just listed my pre-Echo Park Studio for $2K.

 

[Who]

HenryEraGibson™

 

[rabidhamster]

I’ve never even heard of echo park guitars. Sounds like a car dealership

 

[Who]

Sounds like a Line 6 delay pedal

 

[DotStudio]

My Echopark Guitars Nightmare

Ordered a custom Echopark J direct from Echopark last year. Gabriel promised me 6 months, but took 2 years. The guitar was horrible in my opinion...

www.thegearpage.net

I try to find the positive in most situations, but that guitar is an absolute shit show.

 

[45WinMag]

They need to offer Frank a licensing deal for octave guitars.

 

[Dun Ringill]

Just saw an interesting article about this. Apparently Echo Park Guitars is now licensed to build Gibson flying bees and explores here in Michigan. Interesting… Gibson licensing another builder to produce their guitars. Things are changing.

Detroit-based Echopark Guitars signs licensing deal with Gibson

Nashville-based guitar maker Gibson Brands Inc. signed a multi-year licensing deal with Detroit-based Echopark Guitars. Under the agreement, Echopark is licensed to use Gibson trademarks, including the iconic Les Paul body design, as well as other guitars models such as the Explorer, Firebird,…

www.crainsdetroit.com

It is great for Michigan and telling for Gibson. Gibson is not confident enough in their business or they wouldn't outsource the work. I do respect that they chose to outsource within the US!

 

[Bill Hicklin]

It is great for Michigan and telling for Gibson. Gibson is not confident enough in their business or they wouldn't outsource the work..

Or Gibson isn't confident enough in its trademark claims holding up in court

 

[Dun Ringill]

That could be part of it as well.

 

[Dave_W]

I try to find the positive in most situations, but that guitar is an absolute shit show.

It's not just that guitar. Many other examples in that thread, as well as a good insight into what the owner is really like.