Gibson's First Authorized Boutique Builder

[nauc]

Bank

er

 

[OldBenKenobi]

What's the point of going through all of the licensing hassle if you're just going to build the exact same shit Gibson already does? Why make yet another boring '58 Explorer instead of doing something badass and a little more out of the box, like a Hamer Standard.

 

[stephan_l]

I dont get it. Gibson allows other builders to build guitars that they dont build but for what "we" are still waiting: '58 Korina Explorer' s and V' s. They still make them "wrong" and go on with that.
I understand, now they can knock on "design thief" doors. What a joke.

 

[AJK1]

I don’t get it either ?

 

[Jaysonholt26]

Hey guys it's been a while since I was on here but I was trying to find out something on my 76 Les Paul custom deluxe yeah you heard correct lol. My father bought the guitar in 76 or 77 from a music store in Cleveland Ohio and we have had it every since so I'm 100% positive it came this way. It is a 76 Les Paul custom but on the back where serial# is and yes it starts with 00 it also says Les Paul deluxe lol now I know these are to different guitars but how could this have happened? And could it effect the value to +or-. Maybe someone can help me on this one?

 

[CrazyCory]

Not to be "that guy" here, but this is ridiculous. These guitars are only built per order, and they cost on par as a Gibson anyway. Gibson as a company should know better than to do what they're doing (and they've been doing it for a long time now).

Honestly, Epiphone is probably the only thing keeping Gibson in business.

 

[brokentoeswalker]

I'm waiting for "Lawyer" Gibson authorized guitars.

 

[jaycoyoyo]

Hey guys it's been a while since I was on here but I was trying to find out something on my 76 Les Paul custom deluxe yeah you heard correct lol. My father bought the guitar in 76 or 77 from a music store in Cleveland Ohio and we have had it every since so I'm 100% positive it came this way. It is a 76 Les Paul custom but on the back where serial# is and yes it starts with 00 it also says Les Paul deluxe lol now I know these are to different guitars but how could this have happened? And could it effect the value to +or-. Maybe someone can help me on this one?

You need to post this in the Norlins forum.

 

[radiomatts]

It may as well say 'douchebag'.

That applies to Chicago Music Exchange too.

 

[D.K.]

I just wonder how much Gibson would charge guys like ESP/Navigator, Tokai, The Heritage etc, who can really hurt them with quality and production numbers? Some prohibitive fee, I guess...

Once the whole „official headstock shape“ and body cutaway arguments get obsolete there is even less help to stay „special“ and you need to prove/earn it in a free market space, and that‘s where Gibson have struggled mightily for quite some time. It’s so sad to see them go the next step towards extinction by trying to milk a cow which is not even there anymore.

 

[morbidalex666]

I am aware that the licencing part goes strictly to the shape.
But it would make more sense to me if it said Gibson on the headstock and the builder's name on the back.
And that because it would maybe satisfy the attatchment people tend to have to branding and origin of manufacture (which to me is totally illogical - but then again logic comes second when it comes to luxury items I guess).

 

[Frankie S.]

The body shapes are not my cup of tea any longer, but that's just me.. Personally, I think it's a great idea. I haven't played one, but I'm guessing his guitars are closer to the 58's then the Gibson reissues that Gibson is selling. Personally I could care less what name is on the headstock as long as it's a great guitar.

 

[MikeyTheCat]

It's just a ploy to appear to be less litigious, but at the same time making money.

Sour note: Scarinci Hollenbeck’s Bienstock is challenging guitar giant Gibson over body-shape trademarks | ROI-NJ

Gibson Guitars is one of the largest and best-known guitar manufacturers in the world. But Ron Bienstock — one of the most influential lawyers in the music business — is not afraid of a challenge. Especially since Bienstock, a professional bass player, is an expert on guitars himself. “I...

www.roi-nj.com

“I think there is an attempt to get the best public relations out of this new company that they can, but the ultimate road Gibson is on is the same as the old company, which is to eliminate competition and to attempt to try to get people not to make instruments in these incredibly popular and generic shapes,” Bienstock said.

A coalition of guitar brands, including ESP, Peavey and Collings, have continued to band together with Bienstock to challenge Gibson’s upgrade of its ES-335 trademark.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"They’ll say they’re looking for collaboration, but I don’t see that,” Bienstock said. “I hear talks of license deals, but that effectively means they are not collaborating.”

In the end, Bienstock said he wants what is best for his clients and the guitar industry as a whole.

“Our clients have been making and advertising these guitars for many years and want to continue to be able to be free and clear to do that, which I think is their right,” he said."

Wait, a company is trying to eliminate its competition? Holy cats, what next!

 

[Scream And Fly]

“Gibson authorized boutique builder”? What the heck is that? Why would any guitar builder need Gibson’s authorization for anything other than using their brand name?

 

[bungle]

Pass

 

[Chicago Music Exchange]

Pic I took earlier -David A

 

[Adinol]

I guess I'll be the first to say that I like this. And I really hope no one jumps at my throat for saying so

I'm surprised there's so much negativity in these posts about this. This is an American builder that probably loved Gibson and he probably puts more love into making these guitars than the average Gibson employee.

I'm also surprised, as I've recently read a thread about Eastman Guitars... how people on htis forum love those. The Eastman guitars lack authenticity and I find them to be completely sterile. I see them as copies of Gibson guitars that are slightly changed so that they can get away with it. But in doing so they create guitars that bother my eye. Looking at those Eastman guitars are like looking at fake Verneer paintings. They kind of look like Vermeers but not quite, so something looks off. Like a human that's not quite human. When I first saw an Eastman at a guitar shop something really bothered me about it and I didn't even know they were made in China.

I personally don't think it's important where guitars are made, but I like the idea of American guitars being made in the US and Spanish guitars being made in Spain, etc. The Banker boutique brand started something new and they guy is probably doing his best to make these guitars up to specs that players expect (and often don't get from the actual Gibson factory).

I give the Banker guy thumbs up and look forward to seeing what else comes out of his boutique. And I'm also a big supporter of US manufacturing.

 

[ehb]

A Lester is a 'Spanish Guitar'....

 

[1969 weatherman]

wonder what pickups are used here. anybody has a clue? sounds wonderfull

 

[Johnny Breeze]

I have one simply question: why don’t they build these guitars not themselves ffs!?!? The originals are the most expensive Vintage Gibson guitars. Those should be the last models for a sellout. What a blunder!!