Rumor or truth:Gibson Custom Shop closed?

[xcycle]

Has anyone tried to order from the Gibson custom shop lately?

I spoke with a music store owner and was told that apparently Gibson is slowing things way down and is not producing anything custom right now, with the hopes that they will be able to clear out some of their inventory.

Layoffs were also mentioned.

Just looking for some solid info.

Cheers
Eric

[WahmBoomAh]

could be a great chance to get those 6k les pauls at the steal of a deal 5.5k

[guitgator]

they laid off 4-500 people so far this year at the Nashville plant.

[JohnK24]

they laid off 4-500 people so far this year at the Nashville plant.


More like 50 ...

and 120 world wide this year...

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/06/29/daily5.html?ana=from_rss

[xcycle]

Thanks for info...I googled but didn't get anything.

Eric

[daddyo]

20% drop off in sales. Seems to match Martin's sales drop. Maybe they'll shelve the Robotuner BFG Jonas Brothers Les Paul they're working on and focus on fundamentals.

[jtm622]

...Maybe they'll shelve the Robotuner BFG Jonas Brothers Les Paul they're working on and focus on fundamentals.

Whoa... a guitar like that could turn Gibson's fortunes around... :)

[Jahn]

The should hire one guy down there to hunt for wood that they don't need to swiss cheese. This guy will then stockpile enough so that it will satisfy not just the orders for the Reissues, but the Standards and Traditionals - in fact, no more need for a Traditional after that! But hey, Standards and Traditionals aren't Custom Shop guitars so...screw them.

[Radax]

Sign of the times. Just surviving is an accomplishment but the layoffs suck.

Mike

[PedalFreak]

Rumors...Just ordered a bunch of guitars from the Custom Shop, and just got an email on some really cool models they are working on right now :aok

[Tadams]

Rumors...Just ordered a bunch of guitars from the Custom Shop, and just got an email on some really cool models they are working on right now :aok

Ok, what are they working on??

[gag halfrunt]

Ok, what are they working on??

Making the same old guitar, but more expensive :)

[84Bravo]

Rumors...Just ordered a bunch of guitars from the Custom Shop, and just got an email on some really cool models they are working on right now :aok

I'm sorry, yet more rumor unless substantiated by fact, or, short of that, something hanging on the back wall in your store. File this one under "Still taking orders...."

[Trandy]

I'm sorry, yet more rumor unless substantiated by fact, or, short of that, something hanging on the back wall in your store. File this one under "Still taking orders...."

Geez....lighten up guys.

Somebody says they "heard" something and all of a sudden it's treated it as a fact, with nothing to back it up.

Then PedalGeek, whose a dealer, posts that it's not true and you suddenly demand proof.

Sort of a double standard, eh?

BTW....I am a Gibson Custom Shop dealer and they are unequivocally not closed. Things have slowed down a bit....but it's that way everywhere right now.

[semi-hollowbody]

who the hell can afford an off the shelf Gibson, let alone a Custom shop gibson these days??

[84Bravo]

Geez....lighten up guys.

Somebody says they "heard" something and all of a sudden it's treated it as a fact, with nothing to back it up.

Then PedalGeek, whose a dealer, posts that it's not true and you suddenly demand proof.

Sort of a double standard, eh?

BTW....I am a Gibson Custom Shop dealer and they are unequivocally not closed. Things have slowed down a bit....but it's that way everywhere right now.

Well, my apologies to pedalgeek--I don't want to put the onus on him, but on the other hand, when my Chrysler or GM dealer assures me one week that he's gonna be around...well, my point is simply that sometimes the dealers themselves are being mislead. Look around.

[xcycle]

Thanks for all the replies guy's...I posted partly because I knew that if a shop owner was hearing this from alledged employees of Gibson that there was a rumour mill already grinding and this would be a good place to put some of it to rest.

Eric

[whitehall]

Can't imagine why you would think you would get an answer about Gibson here. . Now if it was Agile I'm sure you would......

[Trandy]

I "am" a dealer....and the guys at the Gibson Custom Shop think this thread is pretty funny....I just talked to them an hour ago.






Well, my apologies to pedalgeek--I don't want to put the onus on him, but on the other hand, when my Chrysler or GM dealer assures me one week that he's gonna be around...well, my point is simply that sometimes the dealers themselves are being mislead. Look around.

[GreenKnight18]

Can I order a Gibson custom shop robot guitar?

(sarcasm)

[Nashville Slim]

I "am" a dealer....and the guys at the Gibson Custom Shop think this thread is pretty funny....I just talked to them an hour ago.

I bet they found it hysterical when you told them about the Internet too, and guitar forums, and people called "customers" who actually BUY the guitars after the Custom Shop sells them to the dealers.

I bet it was a total laff riot over there.

Good times.

[Trandy]

I bet they found it hysterical when you told them about the Internet too, and guitar forums, and people called "customers" who actually BUY the guitars after the Custom Shop sells them to the dealers.

I bet it was a total laff riot over there.

Good times.

What would lead you to such a conclusion? No such thing was ever said or implied.

They thought it was bizarre because they're so backed up with work.

[Nashville Slim]

Oh, I'm just poking fun at the Gibson Custom Shop. No offense meant at all. I hope all is well over there, cause the people who build the guitars there are great and the last thing Nashville needs is more job losses.

[Shnook]

who the hell can afford an off the shelf Gibson, let alone a Custom shop gibson these days??

The folks over at LPF.

[Groovey Records]

I do believe Gibson was bought or has Joined hands with a Northern European Music conglomerate less then 6 months ago. The name escapes me.


Lay offs are typically part of the corporate merger playbook.


I just was sent pictures of 6 new 59 Historic reserved Flame Tops for hand picking

The CS dealers seem to be alive I'd say and the CS factory seems to be alive and very well.

[John Thigpen]

I followed that link to the Nashville Business Journal and note that it says that Gibson has 2,800 employees in Nashville. That's a very big employer for a city the size of Nashville. I wonder how many they have in Memphis.

John

[tim gueguen]

I do believe Gibson was bought or has Joined hands with a Northern European Music conglomerate less then 6 months ago. The name escapes me.



Gibson and Denmark's TC Electronics talked about a merger last year, but ultimately were unable to agree to terms.

[guitgator]

More like 50 ...

and 120 world wide this year...

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/06/29/daily5.html?ana=from_rss

my bad....that's what I get for listeining to the local news....120 worldwide so far plus 50 local...sounds like more to come though

Guitar manufacturer Gibson confirmed its intention to lay off 50 at its Nashville headquarters.
This is the second (or third, depending on how you count) round of layoffs for the guitar manufacturer this year. In March, the company laid off 120 people (http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2009/3/23/sources_gibson_adds_to_layoff_tally) from its worldwide operation in two segments in less than a week