Gibson Files for Bankruptcy in Deal to Renew Guitar Business
Gibson Files for Bankruptcy
Beginning of the end. A good friend of mine is a world class repairman, and has told the quality of their guitars has been diminishing for years.
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They’ve been resting in their laurels for decades. Other companies are innovating and pushing the craft forward. Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
I would have to say it’s more about marketing than quality. I have a '96 Gibson J-60 that I would keep over my Collings if I could only have one guitar. I’ve also played some exceptional new Gibson guitars that were as good as any other top builder.
I wonder where Martin and Taylor would be if they hadn’t started building their cheaper line of guitars. Nothing against that, I just don’t think the big companies can make it strictly on high end instruments any more. To my knowledge, Gibson never really came up with a lower level, but still good quality guitar that sold well. I think their Songbird was a flop.
Taylor has their 100 thru 400 series line that are all pretty much under 1000.00 and Martin has their D and DN and I think a DX or something like that (I’m not a Martin guy) that are also under 1000.00.
But even with these cheaper lines, it’s very hard to compete with Blueridge and Eastman. They are great guitars, but they also are not American made.
So, yeah they could have come up with some better ideas which leads me back to marketing, but I do believe they were still making good quality instruments. Just my opinion.
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