Gibson Quality Control Issues

MikeM · 2011-08-27T18:50:12+00:00

Hey guys ? Branching off from the Tokai thread, I'd really appreciate those with first hand experience to share their findings on Gibsons and their quality control. It's really nice to hear about these stories, especially if one plans to buy sight unseen (I have). Lets please keep discussion in this thread down to an absolute minimum I reiterate, please keep posts in this thread to first hand accounts of the quality Gibson guitars.

MattAttack

I used to work at a small Bothner's shop that has long since closed down.
Generally I only buy 2nd hand gear, but since I got (a very modest) staff discount, I bought somet gear new.

I bought a '07 Gibson Voodoo SG, swamp ash body, ebony fretboard, custom Gibson pickups, which retailed for R11K
I payed a couple of grand less, which was still more than retail price in UK and USA at the time.
(If I told you what the cost price of the guitar was, you'd shit your pants!

Overall quality of the guitar was okay, but comparing the guitar to the picture in the catalogue, however, was like comparing the pictures of McDonalds' burgers to the real thing.
The grain in the stained swamp ash body was very bland, however it still had an exotic appeal.
The pick-ups, while having a magnificent tone, weren't the most sturdy looking things. The winding was wrapped in black wax-paper, which is just an SG thing but I could see that it was already wanting to unravel.

My biggest disappointment was the nut. It was of very good quality, felt similar to a graphtech nut, but it was ridiculously high when I got it..
I mean the strings were 6mm above the fretboard, not even remotely playable (yes, I measured it).
You might argue that was intended to be adjusted by the player on purchase, but I'd never seen this before from any higher-end guitar before, and how would you play the thing in the shop if that were the case?

After that was sorted though, it was very playable, I was still ecstatic to own a Gibson .
IMO Gibson offers the appeal of Rock 'n Roll heritage that a copy can't match, irrespective of whether it's a better specimen or not. (impractical mindset thing)

Off topic: After having played other SGs I realised the Voodoo was the worst model going. Swamp-Ash Is a ridiculous choice of wood for a small guitar like an SG, a sponge would off had more sustain.
It really did feel like it just absorbed every note you played. I wish I'd got the SG special, I would probably still have it today.

sharonzaz

If I get huge discounts at the shops around I wonder why u as staff can't ?

MattAttack

Yeah I know.

My buddy who's band is currently endorsed by Bothners' get's pretty much 50% discount on any listed price.
That's way more than I ever got. He says every time he goes to buy something, the salespeople are always foaming at the mouth in anger.

Registered studio's and Churches get staff prices too, doesn't seem right.

giggsy

MattAttack wrote Registered studio's and Churches get staff prices too, doesn't seem right.

Can I just pick up on something there and steer this thread in a totally different direction a year down the line... how does the church discount work?

Tokai-SA

Giggsy wrote
MattAttack wrote Registered studio's and Churches get staff prices too, doesn't seem right.
Can I just pick up on something there and steer this thread in a totally different direction a year down the line... how does the church discount work?

Churches that spend hundreds of thousands of Rand may get a 40% discount, because they spend huge money.
I was in a music store the other day and two guys from a church in Africa walked into the store and spent R250,000 on a mixer, just the mixer.
I've seen a church spend R500,000 on a PA system and some other gear.
The music store most probably made between 5 and 10% on those sales...if they're lucky.

In other words, not every Church that walks into a music store gets huge discounts, some get 25% and some get 40%. ?

Alex-B-Broadway

Does this go for any church? ?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=electric%20church

MattAttack

Hahah!
Yeah, no.
But if you ever form a congregation, count me in =D

Let me just clarify this discount business in case anyone tries their luck:
Unless you're endorsed by them, you have to spend an average of X amount per month to qualify for this discount.
Well that's how it was beck then. Good luck.

Averatu

MikeM wrote
Jack Flash Jr wroteI have no idea what you mean when you ask people to share findings on Gibsons and quality control and at the same time ask that Gibsons and quality control not be discussed. Don't you want people to post anything at all? ???
I want people to post their experiences with Gibsons qc, not discuss their views and opinions on it.

I want this thread to be an archive that can benefit either, not another discussion on the topic. I'll ask a mod to remove your post and my reply

SIR YES SIR.

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