Help wanted: Gibson R. and D.

[brutus]

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A new Robot Guitar. I think the SG robots were selling for less than half price last time I checked. I don't think this thing will help sales. What are they smoking?

[Veenture]

I have not followed Gibson history at all but ever since Gibson's Jimi Hendrix Strat "copy" hit the news the name has left a bad taste in my mouth. Always wanted to add a LP to my humble collection at one time but I am now acutely aware of some very good clones out there...immensely cheaper and more often, better!
The distasteful products of today's designers at Gibson's and the nasty attitude of it's boss will surely kill that once so respectable guitar name. Just my opinion

[brutus]

I think that pickguard is way over the top...... even for Semi

[FritzCat]

That whole guitar should be covered with a mistake plate.

[101Volts]

I don't think it's bad. Then again, I have a taste for oddball guitars.

Austin

[oipunkguy]

this thing looks closer to a DiPinto, then a LP. The Les Paul was my first love, before I discovered Mosrites, and this thing doesn't do it for me. The problem with Gibson is right now a marketing guy is running the show, instead of a guitar guy. I would consider right now is Gibson's "CBS" period, when you compare them to CBS fenders. Ironically, in my opinion, Fender's product is the best that I've ever been, And to me is the best guitar company in the world right now.
I like that Gibson wants to try new things, which is actually kinda cool with their limited edition releases, but the first robot guitar really sucked. really. I think what gibson really needs is some new designs to put out there, instead of raping the design of the les paul and SG over and over again. For a company that made at one time possibly the greatest guitar ever made, I think it's kinda sad to see this happen.
just one person's humble opinion....

[Strat-o-rama]

Guitar aesthetics is such an "eye of the beholder" situation. Personally, I think that thing is horrible, but Gibson has always turned out the occasional "What were they thinking" type design...starting with the McCarty bizarros that are now accepted designs; Think Explorer and Flying V.
Some of their marketing has come off as less than genius lately, but I do like those new Historic '55 Les Pauls they just put came out with...a gold top and a Black Beauty type Custom offering "transtional features" in unusual combinations. Very workable IMHO, but too expensive.

[oipunkguy]

Agreed. all the VOS models kick butt, except the price. When does a guitar no longer is consider a custom shop model? Cuz to me the only reason these are more expensive then a typical LP is because it has a custom sticker on the pick guard.
Honestly, I think I would like this guitar a lot more if they just didn't put the retarded pick guards on it. But did anyone see that sammy hagar guitar? now that thing sucks.

[LOSTVENTURE]

I have to wonder what market they are targeting here. Other than the blind (no offense intended).
Don

[jfine]

Gibson is an icon in the guitar business, but it seems like the current management has lost their way lately. The Robot/Dark Fire/Dusk Tiger (who comes up with these names, anyway?) is just the tip of the iceberg. How about that god-awful Zoot-Suit SG? Not to mention the recent debacle with the Jimi Hendrix Gibson Chinese Strats! You'd think that if Gibson wanted to do a Hendrix guitar, they'd do an SG Custom or a Flying V--Jimi actually played those Gibsons. What are they smoking down there in R&D? I agree with oipunk that the VOS and Custom Shop stuff is very cool, but who can afford 'em? And at the last NAMM shows I attended (2003 and 2005), only authorized Gibson dealers were allowed in their exhibit room. I managed to sneak in in '03--in '05 they wouldn't let me in at all, and, yes, I did have a NAMM badge. Apparently they didn't care that I bought my first Gibson new in '67, and quite a few others in years since. This year they didn't even have a booth--what's up with that? I'm not buying any more new Gibsons until they realize that the end user is the customer, not the dealer. Yes, they need to cater to their dealers, but the dealers wouldn't sell anything if they didn't have customers.