A Lesson in Marketing

The usual gripe I hear about Gibson is that they need to "get back to basics" and make good quality guitars at decent prices. I guess my point is that I think they are doing just that. If you look at the "Original Collection," it's 20 models, all priced about like you would expect - expensive, but not unreasonable. Then there's the "Modern Collection," 13 models, a little more basic and a little less expensive. If you stay out of the Custom Shop, they're really not overpriced.

My only real complaint is that they've all but abandoned the hollowbody market. If their website is accurate and complete (and maybe it isn't), then the only hollowbody they are currently making is the $10,000 Chuck Berry ES-350T. Kind of shocking. But I guess if there was a market for ES-175s, etc., they would be making them.

 

You clearly haven't listened to Mike Kerr of Royal Blood (who - until recently - played a Gretsch Electromatic G2210 Jet Junior bass through three amps), who burns it up on stage and in the studio.

 

Oh dear. It wasn't like that in my day.

 

I just had a look and you are right, the modern collection is actually priced reasonably well all things considered, the les paul specials are $999 and the tribute (not too sure what that is the same as in the original series as I'm not over Gibsons specs) is $1199 and that is just the RRP on their website so you could easily get a better deal on one, so I guess I will retract my statement about them not putting out affordable guitars but stick with my comment that they aren't marketed to the younger generation.

 

I was being ironic, dear.

 

Correct. Substitute "guitar" (or phone or TV channel/video platform or car or guitar pick or brand of coffee or...) for "guitar hero" in your statement, and that is where we are today. We have an abundance of products and services and internet influencers but not a lot of uniquely differentiated products or services. And, IMO, very few new and fresh ideas. We have this amalgamation of "stuff" and we are so overwhelmed with all of the options and variations that when we make a choice, it is somewhat anticlimactic and, as a culture, we've lost a lot of that "pride of ownership". Everything has become a commodity. I often find myself excited about some new widget in just the right color with all the bells and whistles. A few days or weeks later I realize that my new toy is not all that different from the simpler, original version after all.

My point, and my opinion, is that perhaps Gibson (and many others) should stick to the basics, build a great high-quality product, and quit trying to make every possible combination for every possible demographic in every possible product category.