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Thread: Gibson Post Mortem

  1. #26
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    This leads me to epiphone. I take it the higher end epiphone aren’t being made? (Mm50e and mm40L?

    Or have they just taken them offline?

  2. #27
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Who knows? I could look it up on Guitar Center's website, but I'm not going to take the time.
    I shouldn't have to hunt for a company's products.
    There are other alternatives that are easier to find.

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  4. #28
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    I don't see any reason for any attitudes.

    Gibson does not list mandolins in their on-line catalog, and hasn't listed them for at least a couple of years.

    Only one or two brick and mortar stores have any in stock. And most of the listings that come up are "out of stock," or "on order" with a future delivery date.

    If you go to Google and type "new Gibson mandolins," the first "people also ask" question that comes up is "Does Gibson still make mandolins?," and the answer that comes up states [wrongly, because the info is from a 2008 article] that the instruments are being made in Bozeman.

    It was a legitimate question worthy of a civil answer. The answer is not so obvious if you don't already know where to look for it.

    Especially considering the absence of current information from the Gibson company itself, and the number of "out-of-stock" or "limited availability" listings that appear on the websites of Guitar Center, Sam Ash, and yes, TMS.
    Thanks for the response, rcc56. The first thing I did check was the Gibson website. Then a few stores that I know used to sell Gibson and they listed none. Did some searching and did find conflicting information. I have not been after on this forum for many years and came back to ask this question. Based on some of the responses, including those from the admin, I think I will take another five year absence.

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  6. #29
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    It should be noted that since the Gibson F5 was introduced in 1922 it has always been a "custom" ordered model. A dealer would have to order one based on someone putting a deposit down at the dealer. In the 50's and 60's even the F12 was custom ordered. In 1966 in my seeking out a new F5 I went to our local dealer and was told there was a 2 year "delivery" date, so I decided to not put the deposit down (I think it was 25%) and look for a used one. Later I would find out that Gibson only produced 26 in 1964, 15 in 1965 and only 11 in 1966. No wonder they had a long wait list. They were the only people making an F5 style mandolin. I look at buying a new mandolin like buying a new car. You need to drive it around the block a few times before buying it. And like cars today, you have several dozens of makers to choose from.

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  8. #30
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    It should be noted that since the Gibson F5 was introduced in 1922 it has always been a "custom" ordered model. A dealer would have to order one based on someone putting a deposit down at the dealer. In the 50's and 60's even the F12 was custom ordered. In 1966 in my seeking out a new F5 I went to our local dealer and was told there was a 2 year "delivery" date, so I decided to not put the deposit down (I think it was 25%) and look for a used one. Later I would find out that Gibson only produced 26 in 1964, 15 in 1965 and only 11 in 1966. No wonder they had a long wait list. They were the only people making an F5 style mandolin. I look at buying a new mandolin like buying a new car. You need to drive it around the block a few times before buying it. And like cars today, you have several dozens of makers to choose from.
    This really puts their current output into perspective. Thanks for posting this insightful information.
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  10. #31

    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    <violates forum posting guidelines. Welcome to take your time elsewhere.>
    Last edited by Mandolin Cafe; Mar-01-2020 at 5:56pm.

  11. #32
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    It should be noted that since the Gibson F5 was introduced in 1922 it has always been a "custom" ordered model. A dealer would have to order one based on someone putting a deposit down at the dealer. In the 50's and 60's even the F12 was custom ordered. In 1966 in my seeking out a new F5 I went to our local dealer and was told there was a 2 year "delivery" date, so I decided to not put the deposit down (I think it was 25%) and look for a used one. Later I would find out that Gibson only produced 26 in 1964, 15 in 1965 and only 11 in 1966. No wonder they had a long wait list. They were the only people making an F5 style mandolin. I look at buying a new mandolin like buying a new car. You need to drive it around the block a few times before buying it. And like cars today, you have several dozens of makers to choose from.
    IMO, that is one of the best posts here in many a coon's age -- that's some good perspective. I came into this Gibson mandolin story in about 1972 so that is good info to me. Too bad Gibson apparently did not have a clue about the demand for their F-5 mandolin product?
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  13. #33
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Try before you buy...that was their credo and encouraged. The well-known ad for the 20's catalog had a slip one could fill out, send in and receive an F-5 to try. What a deal.

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  15. #34
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    While F-5's may have been special order instruments in the old days, at least they were in the catalogs.

  16. #35
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie Daniel View Post
    ... Too bad Gibson apparently did not have a clue about the demand for their F-5 mandolin product?
    To be totally honest, the demand for the F5 didn't really come until decades after the primary production. It was a specialty product for decades as Tom's numbers above show.
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  18. #36
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    I look at buying a new mandolin like buying a new car. You need to drive it around the block a few times before buying it.
    That's what I know.

    Mick
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  19. #37
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    I'm just happy that all the bad managers at Gibson have paid so little attention to mandolins that they are still around building good ones. They sure have screwed up every other facet of their business. I say let them be ignored to do their thing.
    Disagree. I've played and owned numerous Gibson flattops over the last 15 years and they have been good. I consider the Advanced Jumbo to be the most guitar for the money out there that I know of.

    Cheers,
    Z
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  20. #38
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandolin Cafe View Post
    Worthy question, but an exceptionally poor title, that regardless of intent, inflicts potential harm into a company. That's not what the Mandolin Cafe is about. I'm not a particular fan of the company's management, and I'm not beyond calling them out when they do something wrong, which they've openly acknowledged, but the people working there have always been decent and deserved our respect. The mandolin division has always been present here on this forum, David Harvey included.

    Pronouncing a company dead, ie., "post morten," in the water when you don't know the answer is simply inappropriate. Better wording and acceptable would have been "is Gibson still manufacturing mandolins?" I stand by my criticism of the opening title, not the question.

    Being "current" would only take a cursory look at the Classifieds and home page where new Gibsons show up frequently. A new one was posted yesterday and immediately sold, ad removed. Two were actually posted yesterday. How current someone needs to be may be an opinion. How difficult it is to find the truth in an appropriate fashion is not.
    I would like to find a reason to disagree with you for once ---but I can't !

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  22. #39

    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by mingusb1 View Post
    Disagree. I've played and owned numerous Gibson flattops over the last 15 years and they have been good. I consider the Advanced Jumbo to be the most guitar for the money out there that I know of.

    Cheers,
    Z
    I’ll agree as to consistency, but the only guitar I’d want to own would be the J45 vintage. All the others were good but not great, with one nice exception being one Sheryl Crow. But on two or three visits to a dealer that was supposed to be special, I forget the marketing term they are using, they never once had a J 45 or a J45 vintage. They had a wall of artist models and special editions. Ever see the Donovan J 45, or a rosewood J45? When I asked why no plain J 45s, I was told the store owner said they had to sell what they had in stock before they could order any more Gibson’s. What they had was guitars that were forced down their throats by Gibson, including a $10,000 Bob Dylan J200. Did they have a regular one? No.

    What you won’t find these days is a 50% dog rate. So I really do think the mandolin shop is so insignificant that the corporate guys leave them alone. This is a good thing.IMHO
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  23. #40
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    I had a Southern Jumbo that I loved the way it looked. That's all I'm going to say about that.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  24. #41
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Seem to be alive and well.....

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  25. #42
    Registered User mingusb1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    IÂ’ll agree as to consistency, but the only guitar IÂ’d want to own would be the J45 vintage. All the others were good but not great, with one nice exception being one Sheryl Crow. But on two or three visits to a dealer that was supposed to be special, I forget the marketing term they are using, they never once had a J 45 or a J45 vintage. They had a wall of artist models and special editions. Ever see the Donovan J 45, or a rosewood J45? When I asked why no plain J 45s, I was told the store owner said they had to sell what they had in stock before they could order any more GibsonÂ’s. What they had was guitars that were forced down their throats by Gibson, including a $10,000 Bob Dylan J200. Did they have a regular one? No.

    What you wonÂ’t find these days is a 50% dog rate. So I really do think the mandolin shop is so insignificant that the corporate guys leave them alone. This is a good thing.IMHO
    I haven't been shopping at brick-and-mortar for a new Gibson in a long time but that sounds like a bummer. The Guitar Center by my old office (Raleigh) used to keep a 45 in stock most of the time, but that was years ago. You can regularly see used AJs and 45s here on the classifieds and at umgf, and a quick check of reverb shows about a dozen used AJs coming in at about 2k or less. And there are many more 45s on there, even a few True Vintage models. But then you have to buy (or at least hold) without playing and have it sent to you. I'm not crazy about that but have done it. I have a great 1946 J-45 and the new Gibsons I've had, while different of course, compare pretty favorably.

    Cheers,
    Z
    Member since 2003!

  26. #43

    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandolin Cafe View Post
    Worthy question, but an exceptionally poor title, that regardless of intent, inflicts potential harm into a company.
    That's hilarious

  27. #44

    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    I want to clarify my previous post. Gibson guitars give most folks what they want. A warmer lush tone, just like the post 2012 D 18. But what I want is an earlier dry thumpy clear vintage tone, and the J45 vintage does just that very well. But that might not be the tone you are after. I’d say from the business of running a company, Gibson is more likely to be right than I. So is Martin.

    A friend has two 39 D 18 authentics, both really wonderful guitars, but I’d probably take a ‘57 or ‘65 if I found the right one.
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  28. #45
    Registered User Frankdolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    I'm waiting for them to register "Authentic". They've changed the way we interpret the word forever.

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  30. #46

    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    I was a torrification skeptic until playing the J 45 vintage. But still, it wasn’t a banner but closer than I’d have expected.

    I ended up with a ‘65 Epiphone Texan. IMHO, something good happens to wood thirty to forty years on.
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  31. #47
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    If what you want a Gibson for is that old vintage sound, why not just get a nice old one? All the Boomers are dying like flies, or selling off their collections, so it's not like they can't be had. Who cares if new Gibsons that you like are not available? It's not like the world is running out of good old guitars.

    Plenty of good mandolins out there in the wild, by a bunch of talented makers, as well. Even some nice used Gibsons.

  32. #48
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob A View Post
    ............All the Boomers are dying like flies, or selling off their collections, so it's not like they can't be had.................
    Many of us geezers maintain our good health just to infuriate the younger working stiffs
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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  34. #49
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    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    . . . and do not plan on dropping any time soon. Some of us can even still play pretty good, and if we decide to let a good old instrument go, we might add a 20% surcharge when we smell contempt, depending on our mood. Or maybe even 30%, if you want the instrument bad enough.

    And some of us can even tell you why the modern "vintages" and "authentics" will never sound like the old ones. And no, it ain't magic wood, and it ain't magic glue. It's not decades of vibration, either.
    Huh??

    If you're nice we might drop you a hint.
    Here's one: It's not rocket science either.
    Here's another: An ancient three word saying that sounds like an oxymoron but is not.
    Last edited by rcc56; Mar-15-2020 at 1:00am.

  35. #50

    Default Re: Gibson Post Mortem

    Ain’t nothin’ like geezer rage is there? I for one plan to go out drinking the last of the twenty year old scotch, not floating belly up in someone’s soup.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Ain’t nothin’ like geezer rage is there? I for one plan to go out drinking the last of the twenty year old scotch, not floating belly up in someone’s soup.
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