So all of us pitch in and buy Gibson, then what?

[Mr Insane]

Someone suggested that we all pitch in and buy Gibson. After all we're done giving ourselves guitars, what would we do? how would you run the company?

 

[calibud]

Someone suggested that we all pitch in and buy Gibson. After all we're done giving ourselves guitars, what would we do? how would you run the company?

Yea, you will get your money when I am done collecting the gear I deem necessary to have...

 

[Deus Vult]

lower the prices for the most part. and make the Historics more vintage accurate....at least for a limited run. and charge a fortune for it. and since im a bigwig, i would get one of them for free of course.

 

[Gunner]

Someone suggested that we all pitch in and buy Gibson. After all we're done giving ourselves guitars, what would we do? how would you run the company?

After we got the axes we wanted we would probably run it into the ground.

 

[73roadrunner]

Lower the prices to more reasonable ones, build up Kramer, increase the QC for every part of the family of brands

 

[Mr Insane]

Do the best to get locally owned shops to start carrying the products.

 

[MATTM]

Do the best to get locally owned shops to start carrying the products.

 

[The_Sentry]

Someone suggested that we all pitch in and buy Gibson. After all we're done giving ourselves guitars, what would we do? how would you run the company?

I'd leave Nasville alone, tweak Epiphone, and start a 3rd division if it doesn't exist already.

The Gibsons should always be the top-of-the-line, made in the USA guitars. Period. I wouldn't touch their regular production line, or their prices. (Sorry folks, but that's my opinion on it.) In fact, I'd probably do away with a lot of the studio and faded models and the base, low-end guitar would be a regular SG, Explorer, or Flying V. The Standard would be the base model Les Paul. I'd also ditch the 10,000 flavors as well. And instead of this, I'd open it up for custom paint jobs and designs. I suspect overall Gibson sales would drop, but between keeping them occupied with Epiphone QC issues, I think it would be a step in the right direction.

I'd massively overhaul Epiphone though, and try to make it more of a marquee brand while putting the prices slightly under those of Gibson. I'd readjust their primary focus on archtops and top of the line Gibson clones. For those I would copy what Prestige guitars is doing now....wood selected and cut in the USA, then they would be shipped over to Korea or yes, even Qingdao for assembly, then they would come back to the US for final inspection and QC. The prices for the gear would remain relatively the same, but I'd also reduce the amount of models made and steamline choices as well with more LE runs with special graphics or color designs. Furthermore, I'd really go after the aftermarket modding crowd and ensure that Gibson/Pure parts fit directly into Epiphones with minimal effort by the customer (no hole drilling, and the rings, bridges, pickguards, and all components would be interchangeable between Gibson and Epiphone.)

And, for the cheap stuff (everything up to a glue-through Studio model), I'd start a third division that specialized in cheap guitars with a direct order online option. In this instance I would hope to compete with outfits like Rondo music in terms of prices...these guitars would be made exclusively overseas, and although some models would be available in stores, I would also allow mom and pop stores to carrry these and in return ask for a minimal return rate, and I would open up the aftermarket parts section.

In fact...that is where I would seek to expand business the most...aftermarket parts. I also know that there are a LOT of used Gibsons out there as well as Epiphones, and I would push for every opportunity to undercut all other aftermarket parts makers with Gibson/Pure parts if possible.

So, long and short...

1. Raise the marquee status of Gibson even higher....(bottom line: Gibson is the best electric guitar you can buy....)
2. Dramatically increase the quality of Epiphones...
3. Create a third division to sell student and budget guitars...
4. Make dramatic improvements towards sales and marketing with aftermarket parts and accessories.

 

[LiveOak]

after we got the axes we wanted we would probably run it into the ground.

+1 lol!

 

[VastHorizon]

3. Create a third division to sell student and budget guitars..

I think Gibson has this. It's the Baldwin series.

 

[The_Sentry]

I think Gibson has this. It's the Baldwin series.

Yeah, I knew they had "something", I just wasn't quite sure what it was. But in any case, I'd use that division to put Rondo music out of business. Hahahahah.....

 

[VastHorizon]

Yeah, I knew they had "something", I just wasn't quite sure what it was. But in any case, I'd use that division to put Rondo music out of business. Hahahahah.....

Hahaha. My buddy has one of those Baldwin LP's. Pretty decent. It comes with an amp too. It sold for $75 CAD. That's around $60 US.

 

[The_Sentry]

Hahaha. My buddy has one of those Baldwin LP's. Pretty decent. It comes with an amp too. It sold for $75 CAD. That's around $60 US.

Really?

co sign that Slash Emoticon! Sweet!

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

I only want the Customshop, I would sell Epiphone and the USA division to Walmart. I would keep the Montana and the Custom Shop division. I would limit Les Pauls to ONLY 1952-1963 reissues. I would make no more than 1000 Les Pauls total per year, and another 1000 various other Reissue style electrics, ES-335, Firebird, Explorer, Flying V, and some Jazz guitars. I would make about 2000 reissue style acoustics per year. I would increase prices accordingly. I would keep it a simple and as high quality as possible. I have no interest in the mass market. So then a total of 4000 guitars a year, none price less than $5000, and all the way up to $50,000.


The 100% accurate R9 would be $40,000 STREET PRICE. In fact if any dealer sold a new Les Paul for LESS than the MSRP, they would lose their dealership.

 

[Sinmastah]

Well now we know who we don't want to run the company.

 

[LongBeach]

I Wanna Be The Boss, or, I'm Not Contributing

Or, at least management, &, Axe has to be my MINION! n

 

[Tuxedo Kaz]

If I ran Gibson....

1. QC. I would divert every available penny into QC and making the product right the first time. I'd switch over guitar production to a JIT production model except for first-runs of new models. That way most of the factory attention is focused on A) wood prep and B) making only the needed amount of guitars at any time, making it possible to spend more time on the much-needed QC.

2. Increase product value. This would involve better wood selection and sourcing (possibly green friendly and working with third party ecological groups to plant trees for every one cut down in the sourcing of Gibson wood to ensure a future supply of raw materials) to improve the overall material quality of each and every instrument, from the Melody Maker on up to Gibson Custom Historic Reissues.

3. Elimination of extraneous models that take away from the core product line and dilute the core value of each instrument (less extra instruments to make that require finding more wood or cheaper wood to keep pace with, less instruments hanging on shelves waiting to ship--JIT model--and less instruments hanging in stores that don't get sold. This reduces supply slightly but increases overall demand for the core models). This allows for easy retooling of production lines so Gibson can produce each instrument better and faster.

4. Retire the body duplicators used since Kalamazoo and replace with CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) routing and body blank cutting machines. These will improve the overall quality of work on the body blanks, reduce sanding time requirements, and ensure tighter instrument-to-instrument tolerances (improves consistency from instrument to instrument). This will also allow all USA LPs to have historically accurate top carves as well.

5. Reclaim market dominance through increased presence and affordability. With the money saved on these changes (especially through the JIT model and new wood sourcing partnerships) the company can now focus on regaining brand reputation for quality and lower overhead costs---passing the savings onto the customer. Prices for all main guitars will be lowered to a standard.

Gibson USA SG Special - $1,100.99
Gibson USA SG Standard - $1,250.99
Gibson USA Explorer - $1,275.99
Gibson USA Flying V - $1,250.99
Gibson USA Les Paul Studio - $1,375.99
Gibson USA Les Paul Standard - $1,999.99
Gibson Custom Les Paul Custom - 2,799.99

Possibly use these prices to introduce a standard, across the board pricing arrangement with Gibson dealers similar to Mesa/Boogie's "Pro Net Pricing" index (All stores must sell for the same price or possibly lose dealership rights). This will make it easier for M&P stores to compete with larger chains that can afford to undercut them to get them to close their doors (once closed these large chains jack up their prices again).

6. Make it easier for M&P/independent, locally or family owned stores to carry Gibson and the Gibson Family of Brands. This, coupled with price reduction will make Gibson more accessible as a brand (and more competitive) to customers.

7. Someone else said this but expand the aftermarket parts availability to compete with brands like Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, Tone Pros, etc. This makes it easier for customers with vintage or used Gibsons to work on them and improve them and increase their brand loyalty and appreciation. Possibily dedicate funds to expansion of the pickups & accessories department to provide a wider range of pickups for Gibson Guitars.

8. Options. More special-order (at no extra upcharge) color options and base options (BurstBuckers or 57s, etc). All LPs will also now have solid bodies whenever possible (see the wood sourcing bit above).

9. Open the custom shop to direct from retailer custom orders for customers. Almost every major company now has a custom order process that you can get a completely handmade, custom shop instrument for around 2k-4k within 6-12 months (PRS takes substantially longer due to a backlog).

10. Aggressive A&R campaign to put Gibson in the hands of emerging artists that make an impact on evolving genres of music, especially in the hard rock and metal communities which are currently dominated by competing brands Schecter, ESP, Dean & Ibanez.


I think these 10 steps are a good start.

 

[Deus Vult]

i agree with Sentry on some if not all points. i would cut the number of available models of each guitar. for example, the "production" LPs would be the Junior or Special (gotta have a p90 LP), Studio, Standard and Custom. i like the idea of the Studio. but i would make the Studio mirror the Standard minus the binding and burst finish. but it would have the same hardware/electronics. no faded finishes or anything goofy like that (even though i had a sweet Std Faded).

tightening QC would be a top priority. The CS could still make RIs, but they would be true to the originals- ie R6s would always be goldtops, no Burst finishes.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

Well now we know who we don't want to run the company.

Everyone talks about how they want vintage accuracy. I would give it to them. I have no interest selling $300 Epis to kids. Or to market to people who say "What is the difference between a Standard and a Historic?" I have no patience for this crap.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

Hey, but if I owned GM, I would only be selling $50K-$250K Cadilacs too! I would sell of the rest, and make my cars truly competitive with BMW, Porche, and Mercedes. More hand-built and number one in QC. Only the best. I would rather sell ONE item at $1Mil, than a million items at $1. I have no interest to appeal to the mass market nor do I like the "American" idea, that everyone should be able to have it. I would want my company to appeal to the well heeled, extremely discriminating, elitists.