"New" Gibson Company: No More Mandolins?

[Paul Kotapish]

Forgive me if there is already a thread on this, but my search didn't turn up anything.

I've been getting bombarded with ads for the "New" Gibson under new leadership, so I finally followed the link:

Welcome to the New Gibson

Lots of Les Pauls, SGs, ESs, Firebirds, Flying Vs, Explorers, SJs, Hummingbirds, J45s, and L00s, but nary a mandolin in sight.

A Google search for Gibson mandolins brought up the old link to their mandolin-products page, but it resolves to the acoustic-guitar page.

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Acous.../Mandolin.aspx

Have they dropped the whole mandolin line? Is this old news? Last I checked (which is admittedly a while back), Gibson was still making some mandolins.

Anybody know the story? Have Gibson mandolins gone the way of Gibson banjos?

[Bill McCall]

Mandolins aren't listed under the 'Products' section of the front page. I'm sure the story will be out before long.

[foldedpath]

The new management after bankruptcy came in on November 1, 2018. Web sites always lag behind whatever is actually happening at a company, so it might be too early to tell what the fate of the mandolin division is.

[colorado_al]

The new management after bankruptcy came in on November 1, 2018. Web sites always lag behind whatever is actually happening at a company, so it might be too early to tell what the fate of the mandolin division is.

Hate to disappoint you but this is the site until this change listed mandolins. If they're still part of the product line I doubt they would launch a new site without them.

[cigman1st]

I noticed mandolins weren't listed yesterday so I called Gibson customer service. The rep I spoke with said they certainly were still producing mandolins and checked the webpage himself. When he confirmed they weren't listed he said he would notify IT about it along with several other issues they seem to have dropped the ball on. He was very frustrated.

[foldedpath]

Hate to disappoint you but this is the site until this change listed mandolins. If they're still part of the product line I doubt they would launch a new site without them.

Well, color me skeptical anyway (about the lag time). I used to own a web design and hosting company, and I know more than the average bear about how these things go with the way IT departments interface with management.

[rcc56]

The link that Paul posted is indeed the updated Gibson web page.
On their old webpage, they did not list mandolins among their projected 2019 products either.

Those who were familiar with Gibson's 2018 product line may notice that 2019's advertised product line is much smaller than that of 2018.
Also, the impending closure of their Memphis manufacturing operation was announced several weeks ago. They are down-sizing.

The NAMM show will be next week [Jan. 24 to 27]. We should have a clearer idea of Gibson's future intentions about mandolin production by the time the show is over.

I will mention that Gibson has built mandolins only in small numbers for the last several years.

Gibson has a huge hole to climb out of. They are going to have to significantly reduce their expenses to survive. Mandolins might or might not fit into the new picture. We will know soon enough.

[Luna Pick]

Eesh. And therefore no list of Gibson Mandolin dealers on their website.

If this is all true where's the best place to look for the remaining mandolins that may be straggling in to dealers, or in stock? The only dealer I'm aware of is The Mandolin Store.

[Mandobar]

I have to laugh about the IT comments from everyone. However, having been involved in a lot of business “rebuilds” I think we need to give Gibson’s new management some time to get organized. Very rarely do websites keep pace with company activities, especially in these types of situations.

[Astro]

I think this thread is suffering from premature eradication. David Harvey showed off a brand new Goldrush last week heading to The Mandolin Store. If mando eradication were true, I would think Harvey would have announced his departure already. I would think the dealors would be advertising "come get the last Gibson". Gibson has never been an internet driven company. Don't expect their internet presence to reflect everything going on there. It could happen. The whole company could disappear. But I wouldn't speculate based on their webpage.

[allenhopkins]

I think this thread is suffering from premature eradication...

Is there something you can take for that?

[Br1ck]

Assuming Gibson's new management has a list prioritizing profit centers, expect the topic of mandolin production to come up sometime in 2021.

[Mandolin Cafe]

Morgan Music has been a Gibson Mandolin dealer as long as we can remember. Guitar Center claims they sell new Gibsons, and maybe they do. Not sure Gibson needs more dealers than that. I'd say if some of you make your decisions on being informed if someone is manufacturing a certain instrument that it not be on the back of the company they've hired that builds and updates web sites--that's not a very good source for information. A quick Google search shows that whoever has been working on their site has left a huge trail of broken links and 404 pages.

[Bob Buckingham]

There are three Gibsons showing in stock at TMS. No Gold Rush. I spoke with Dennis there a couple of weeks ago and he did not indicate then that Gibson was going out of the mandolin business. He and Brian both extolled the virtues of the current models and the fine job Dave Harvey was doing.

[dhergert]

... A quick Google search shows that whoever has been working on their site has left a huge trail of broken links and 404 pages.

Yup. I've been looking at their website related to various instruments for decades and it has never been up to date. I think their web administrator must have been their catalog designer in a previous life.

That said, I always have received good, valid information from their phone support people. I'd suggest checking there before giving up on anything.

[Astro]

There are three Gibsons showing in stock at TMS. No Gold Rush. I spoke with Dennis there a couple of weeks ago and he did not indicate then that Gibson was going out of the mandolin business. He and Brian both extolled the virtues of the current models and the fine job Dave Harvey was doing.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gibso...pw-S0&fref=tag

[Ivan Kelsall]

Personally,i feel that IF Gibson were to cease mandolin production,then we'd have heard some news that would negate any 'speculation' on the matter,either from Gibson as a Co.,or from Dave Harvey maybe. We have to face the fact that despite our penchant for 8-string 'mini-guitar looking items',real guitars were / are Gibson's 'main event',so we can't blame Gibson for flagging those up first. If their guitar sales go down too much,expect mandolins to follow pretty quickly !,
Ivan

[Frankdolin]

I think if Gibson stopped making mandolins, it would then justify the ridiculous prices on these things.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

I think if Gibson stopped making mandolins, it would then justify the ridiculous prices on these things.

Frank, I appreciate your effort to stand shoulder to shoulder with us mandolin geeks here in the MC. However, my I humbly ask how you know that Gibson prices are, indeed, ridiculously high (assuming by "ridiculous" you do not mean ridiculously low), and that Gibson makes more than just a little bit of money on mandolins?

[jaycat]

That would indeed be sad. I guess I'd just have to console myself with one of these.

[dhergert]

I think if Gibson stopped making mandolins, it would then justify the ridiculous prices on these things.

I really haven't seen prices go up or even stabilize with the banjo or Dobro market since Gibson discontinued them, so I sort of doubt that it would happen with any of Gibson's other discontinued instruments. If the company were to disappear altogether, maybe in 10 to 20 years there might be a price upturn, but I really don't think that Gibson is going to disappear. Gibson has had, and still has the capability to flood the market, and they've done so in many cases.

[slimt]

Gibsons prices have gone up since the 90s..doubled and then some.. But then again so have Martins prices and Taylors.. in Canada what you see on the U.S Gibson.com sight as a List price.. is what those sell for here in Canada.. .. .. 6400 U S list is 64 Canadian selling. not worth it. on any of those.. quality and product is Just not there..

back in 89 up til 1999 . I averaged buying 1 Guitar a week.. it was either Gibson or Martin Acoustic. 4 True Custom shop Gibson Acoustic a year on top of those.. in the Mid 90s. what I see offered now for what there asking..

No Thank you.. No interest at all..

[jeff_75]

Gibsons prices have gone up since the 90s..doubled and then some.. But then again so have Martins prices and Taylors.. No Thank you.. No interest at all..

Well, sure. A quick internet search indicates a median household income in the mid-90s was maybe $34K, today it's around $63K. A gallon of gas was averaging $1.15 in the mid-90s, a gallon of milk maybe $1.75. A stamp was what, $0.30? An adult could get a one-day pass to Disney for maybe $40 in the 90s, now it's well over $100. I graduated from college in the 90s - tuition at my school is now between 2 or 3x what it was then (a bargain compared to what some college rates have done.)

You know this drill. Can you think of anything that hasn't gone up significantly in the last 20-30 years? Why should Gibson, or any musical instrument maker, not keep pace? Especially for items such as their high-end mandolins, which remain handmade in the United States.

[Paul Kotapish]

Thanks for the replies, all. Seems like it's all speculation at this point and only time -- or NAMM attendees -- will tell.

[Bernie Daniel]

Gibsons prices have gone up since the 90s..doubled and then some.. But then again so have Martins prices and Taylors.. in Canada what you see on the U.S Gibson.com sight as a List price.. is what those sell for here in Canada.. .. .. 6400 U S list is 64 Canadian selling. not worth it. on any of those.. quality and product is Just not there..

back in 89 up til 1999 . I averaged buying 1 Guitar a week.. it was either Gibson or Martin Acoustic. 4 True Custom shop Gibson Acoustic a year on top of those.. in the Mid 90s. what I see offered now for what there asking..

No Thank you.. No interest at all..

I don't claim to be a guitar expert but I have owned a number of Gibson guitars starting with a 1960 Hummingbird, a bunch of J-45s from the 60s to the 80s and couple of J-50s, a J-55, a '92 J-60, a '74 Dove (maple) and now a 2006 AJ reissue. I don't see how one can make the case the Gibson guitar quality has slipped since the 90s? I think in has probably improved? And certainly Martin guitars with all the "Authentic" and "Golden Age" etc. series are better than ever? Of course the prices have gone up -- everything else has too!!!