Why New Bands Don't Play Gibson Guitars

My Gibson is over 20 years old. I’d rather by LTD’s now though 🤷🏽‍♂️

It’s really about money. Younger buyers don’t have as much money.

You can get fenders with humbuckers now. Who needs gibson for thousands more?

Fenders are great. I have a bunch, but Gibson is a Gibson and it’s how it should be. It’s just a different level of craftsmanship, they don’t have to bow down to selling more guitars, cheaper, and shittier.

Ive always had fenders and fender clones until recently when i picked up an LP cheap clone. For the first time i am really connecting with a guitar. Maybe im stuck in the 70s, but it just has the tones im looking for. I also like the thicker neck.
I'll never own a real Gibson because i wont sink that kind of money into a hobby at this point in life.

good stuff

They should go after Steve lacy

Gibson needs to reintroduce the LP double cutaway. The standard LP is way too heavy to play. I own a few Gibson and Epiphone instruments. They are difficult to maintain. They are cumbersome and faulty. I’ve purchased 2 Fender Basses and 3 Fender guitars in the last 8 months…Gibson never came to mind. Their colors are old, they weigh too much, and their wiring/pickups fail far too frequently. Just my experience and opinion.

I've played a US Gibson Les Paul Studio with original pickups since I was a kid in 1993. It's 30 years old and no other guitar I've ever played sounds like it. I've tried plenty of other brands, but I always go back to this beat up old Gibson for the feel and the sound. I like the heft, the neck, the specific way the tone knob changes the sound, the uncommon difference in sound between the neck and bridge pickups, just everything. Loud quiet, distorted, clean, I think I sound better playing that guitar. Maybe it's just habit, being used to it, used to the tones, but other brands have always felt like something was missing in the sound. Gibson used to do a lot of things right and there was a time when the extra cost to own one was worth it. Maybe not so much anymore. Anyway, PRS guitars are fantastic, but they are overpriced too. Fenders are for smashing on stage.

They're terrible, they don't stay in tune, they are too heavy, they only have one sound, Marshall valve amps are the only good amp

They need some new bass guitar designs

I can get a jackson soloist with a set neck binding and arch top for 600 bucks and it has 24 frets and plays better than a les paul

Gibsons are for collectors, not working musicians who want a well playing instrument at a fair price.

When Gibson started suing everyone, I thought yay, don't want anything to do with this company. Sold the 2 Gibsons I owned and moved on.

Probably late to comment, but 2010's Gibsons are terrible. The new generation (me) can't find a affordable Gibson that is as good as a affordable Fender

That’s OK because nobody listens to any of these bands

I don't get it because to me the hypest rock band on earth rn is King Gizzard and they've got multiple Flying Vs on stage at any given time

I would LOVE to own an actual Gibson Les Paul BUT I own a Sire L7V that I bought for $650 and the playability is up there with the best. At that price point and quality, I can wait for a Gibson Les Paul. I'm 27, born in 1996. Idk where I fall into this conversation but thats my experience!

Gibson still hasn’t overcome the history of poor quality, over priced, out of tune guitar. Who the hell wants to take that risk when there are so many better options at attainable prices.
Gibson is just a status symbol guitar for middle aged and older men. Nobody wants to be part of a labeled group of people.

So people would rather play what their GRANDFATHERS were playing, like that '61 pre CBS Fender Strat that my dad had.

Coachella sucked in 2023. Blondie stole the show.

Gibson has the same problem that harley Davidson has, they market to the old guys who wanna relive the glory days. But those customers who have the money to buy those guitars are dying off, and gibson is gonna be left in the dust. Especially when Gibson came out a few years ago talking about "authentic", and "we're looking out" regarding other brands that make guitars. You know what, youre a snobby company and ill never buy any of your products 👎🏼

I feel like Les Pauls oversaturated the music world ten years ago. Every show I went to, the guitarist always had a Les Paul. I was like; come on, there's more to the Gibson catalog than just that. Fender has done a good job with the variety and price accessibility.

If you can ... build your own ... for what fender charges for a guitar with decent parts is ridiculous. Paying for a "brand name" like fender or gibson is like paying 600 dollars for a pair of jeans ...you get a name on a headstock, but it wont get you better quality in most every case - but it will drain your wallet. There are so many smaller companies that build great instruments. Reverend, PRS, and Schecter have excellent build quality, better than, or at least on par with Fender or Gibson for less cash when compared part to part.

They dropped the Firebird at a reasonable pricepoint, I don't think this is a good decision.

For 20 years, Gibson was selling WAY overpriced, poor quality control, instruments. You didn't know what you were getting from guitar to guitar. Why would I pay $2000 for a middle of the road Les Paul when I could pay $1000 for a real high quality Fender. The Fender stays in tune all day long while the Gibson goes out of tune if the temperature in the room drops half a degree.

Bocchi made the weebs want black les pauls at least

And yeah I sold guitars in the 80s. And Gibson quality was down and Hamer had great Gibson style stuff and they were on top of the cool, new players like Andy Summers and Honeyman Scott. And yup, if not Slash they would not have kicked out in the 90s PLUS up here near Seattle the grunge, distorted guitar thing helped a bit.

They need a jangley clean, surfy, guitar.

REALLY a great subject man! Thank you! Gibson has been sleeping. Also I think you are right Re: roots and all. But they need to realize that they USED to innovate (Firebirds, etc.). They need to hit the indie folks. Interesting things like 335 are attractive but they don’t get them out there. Again thanks. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 You have insight. Hope to see ya at NAMM!

Even though I am 40 year old, even to me, gibson was always somehow the least cool brand. I don't know why really, but even 25 years ago, it was the boomers guitar. Even though I like the look and the sound has it's uses too. Back in the day I tried finding a good epiphone lp as that brand was just.. cooler. I can't really put my finger on it why, perhaps because gibson is kinda like a cadillac of guitars and in my neck of the woods, that would not be considered a compliment. Poorly designed, heavy museum pieces that refuse to die is more the vibe. Not really overpriced as in terms of what went into the product, just not worth the money. And "rocking out" with such an unnecessarily costly, middle aged, bloated beer belly type of guitar just seems a bit wrong, even when middle aged and beer bellied.

The boomers are gonna die out. We’ll see how they pivot to a the new market. These kids are shackled financially atm. They just want to make music. Nobody cares so much about brand names anymore. ESPECIALLY when you’re talking about a price tag in the thousands.

Gibsons are expensive, heavy, and to me harder to modify vs Fender. Now based on my experience, Fender also sounded better vs a Gibson and also felt better to play in my hands. Mileage may vary but that was my experience as a millenial.

I agree with your with your logic. But epiphone is the affordable gibson. They cab be in the hands of younger guitar players. Reasons for the high price of gibson is, exclusivity, and high resale value. They're an investment in a way and hold their value.
Yamaha is an interesting brand. And also not used by many folks in general

They need to start pushing Epiphone to young guitarists. The use Gibson as the upscale brand you move to later. Like Honda -> Acura or Toyota -> Lexus.

Maybe if Gibsons were cheaper younger people would buy them.

I do think Gibson is doing a fantastic job with the newer Epiphone guitars.
As an owner of a 22 Epi LP Custom and a recently purchased IBG Epi Bird, they are wonderful looking, playing and sounding guitars! Attention to detail is all there, playability is fantastic and I am very pleased to say the least.
Having said that, are the Epi's Gibson quality? No, but in no way (at least for me) is there a couple thousand dollar difference between the two. I do understand that Gibson guitars are specially crafted by top tier luthiers through and through and they source choice woods and materials to create the masterpieces they do. It is truly an art form so for that I understand the price tags, but i do wish they werent so far fetched. Until I can afford a Gibby (maybe never) ill stick to my IBG's. Dont let the name on the headstock fool you. Use your ears not your eyes, they do not dissapoint!!!

Like Pete Townshend sayed, the music must change.
People don't want a guitar for 50 year old, old people.

Went to a sweetwater store and was guided through the store to find the right guitar for me. after some playing around with some guitars that were aestetically interesting, i found a love for the PRS Custom SE 24 in a Turquiose finish. I am a gemstone collector and i listen to all kinds of music from southern gothic to djent, but i dont listen to much country. Versatility was a major focus that needed to be addressed and it was addressed properly with my needs as a beginner guitar player. I dont have it yet, but once i get my financial aid back, im going to pick it up at the location and get to work with it. I am really hyped and excited and i cant wait to delve deep into the world of guitars. I think my AD(H)D can appreciate it as well.

Gibson's not in trouble.....yet.

Give it time. Want to see an example of a company that kept catering to it's old base? Look at Harley Davidson, and who's riding those.

Historically, companies that don't continually capture a youth client base tend to die out.

Derek Trucks might have been their white whale, as he plays SGs, but he's aging out of the view of youth. So who knows?

Working in tech, I feel a bit frustrated. Everything around me develops, companies innovate, incorporate research, usability, etc.

But guitars - so vintage dominated, it becomes annoying. You still need to re-solder the tones to be able to adjust bridge tone.

I’d really love to see meaningful innovations in pickups, scales, form factors, etc.

Nothing to do with being a dads guitar or boomer guitars. . Just the fact kids can't afford them.fenders are cheap ( & quite tinny sounding) also stop using" boomer". It refers to 80 year olds. Stop calling people In their 30s,40s & 50s a boomer.

Companies like Maybach, Edwards, Navigator and Eastman are making great Les Paul esque guitars at less than half the price. Go check out the Maybach Lester 72. Amazing!

I've always liked Fender, and never liked Gibson. It's the shape of the neck; Fenders fit my hand, while Gibsons give me a cramp.

Did you actually say that Clapton started playing stats in the 80s? LOL. He switched in like 1970.

New bands play guitars?

I'll never get over their cringey "Play Authentic" campaign.

I'm a boomer with the coin for Gibson guitars. I own one. And well over a dozen Fenders. The argument about the expense of making a Gibson falls flat when you consider that SG's cost as much as Les Pauls, and that Washburn et al make excellent semi-hollow bodies for a fraction of the price of a 335. Gibson is the H-D of guitars. Not to mention, most of the true greats played Strats (Jimi, Stevie Ray, EVH, Gilmour, Clapton, etc.)

Gibson sucks ;)