Gibson production

[fiddler37]

Thankfully, Gibson has pretty well covered mandolins and guitars, but I have not heard or seen anything on the banjos. While somwhat off of the topic of mandolins, does anyone know what the future is for the Gibson Mastertone and high end banjos? There are lots of mandolin players who "graduatated" from banjos or who are multi-instrument and/or banjo players.

[Links]

What Joe is so politely saying is, most of us independent builders are (for the most part) un-employable now. Could you imagine a half dozen or so independent builders, who are all accustom to doing things "their way", being thrown into an environment where they are told what and how to do things? Talk about personality clashes!

Dude

Lynn - I met you last year at the xxxxxathon and you are neither unemployable, nor would your personality clash with anyone! I do think I know which independent luthiers that you are referring to however. When you get a chance would you please list them here!

[MikeEdgerton]

...There are lots of mandolin players who "graduatated" from banjos or who are multi-instrument and/or banjo players.

Keep that quiet, you don't want to ruin their reputations.

[Lynn Dudenbostel]

Hi Links! It was good meeting you last January. Actually, I'm referring to myself when I talk about the un-employable! I think I top the list, and I'll leave the rest to everyones imagination... we are an independent lot! HA! I've been at this full time for 13 1/2 years now and can't imagine having a 9 to 5 job again. Employer subsidized health insurance would be nice though. <G>

Dude

[hank]

Thanks Tom and Dave for taking the time to update us on the solutions and direction Gibson OAI is taking after the flood. It's hard for most to imagine without first hand experience what it's like to have your place of business or home flooded. My hat is off to you and your fellow Gibson employees for your positive attitude and pride in Gibson instruments. Again I wish you the very best.

[Andy Fielding]

BTW, does anyone from Gibson ever poke their head in here? I can't remember ever seeing anyone... Since this is the Web's Mecca of mando activity, don't you think they would drop by time to time? Or do they figure they don't have to?

[MikeEdgerton]

When Big Joe worked for Gibson he was here all the time (still is). Dave Harvey and Danny Roberts as well as a few Gibson execs and PR people are in now and then and they do post. By the way, you might want to read message 48 in this thread.

[TonyP]

These kinds of threads are always very interesting to me because you can see how people think and how it "should be done".

There's was also the interview with the "big guy" head of Gibson(I can never remember his name,starts with a J, but I'm that way about corporate folks) thanks to Mike. Like Big Joe, I agree there's probably only one way this thing can go. Every time the visionary that got them to pull their heads out of their rears, after fighting for years, goes away or is taken out, the production overall slumps back to this mediocre level. That's a reflection of the "management team" IMHO.

I think it's interesting that another one of these visionaries was not mentioned here. Roger Siminoff. IMHO since he was on the team to turn that mediocre beast around and start building like Loar did, he would be the one I'd turn to right now. He's still at it, and teaching others how to do it, while he makes all the basic parts. God knows we could use the work here in CA right now.

The other thing that strikes me is how with a proven track record of dismal performance, "management team" is still relied upon. One of the major drags on production in this country is this model. They come out of MBA school, only know to make profit by squeezing the very person you NEED to make a good product. So they drive them off as they can't make a living, replacing them with "you get what you pay for" kinda folks. I've witnessed this in every trade I've ever been in. We who know how, end up being a "lead person" on barely function workers, trying to QC their work, for little or no compensation. I bring this up to illustrate why the slide.

And trying to prop up this so called management team, who for the most part don't produce anything except strife while you are trying to start up an operation IS daunting. They are the ones who cost to much, not the guy who's actually producing the product.

If you would like to see how this translates you should watch the documentary "the Take". It chronicles the demise of manufacturing in Argentina in the 90's when capital decided to just flee in the middle of the night, literally. What arose is kind of like a co op model. The workers went back in, occupied the plants, started them back up, and started producing the product they always had. The major difference was no management. Personally I think all you need is a sales staff, an accounting dept. and a production dept. I wish all those guys who were making those instruments could band together and keep making what they always did, under a different name of course. But if they are making that same product, I personally don't care what the peghead says. Living proof is Weber. There are others.

[Bill Halsey]

There's was also the interview with the "big guy" head of Gibson(I can never remember his name,starts with a J, but I'm that way about corporate folks) thanks to Mike.

That would be Henry Juszkiewicz, who with Dave Berryman & Gary Zebrowski, purchased Gibson in January 1986.

[Dieter Zanger]

Are there any news concerning the Gibson mandolin production?

[Andy Fielding]

The homepage at The Mandolin Store says "Gibson Mandolins Are Trickling Back in Stock."

[Dieter Zanger]

o.k. That´s fine! but where are they built? Is there a Showroom or a workshop again like it was in Nashville?

[MikeEdgerton]

Someone (Big Joe if I recall) mentioned they are being built in the Custom Shop at Nashville. The Opry Mills location was a very small shop compared to their main Nashville facility.

[Kevin K]

The Opry Mills location is no more...

[MikeEdgerton]

The flood done washed it away.