Poisoning the Well

Just in time for Christmas and ...

in February... coming to an EBay near you ....

the same crappy guitars you saw in Best Buy/ WalMart /Costco in October.

Let the buyer beware.

I think it's a shame that Gibson & Fender would put out low quality guitars with their names on them. Some poor kid that gets one & realizes it's junk is going to assume that said company puts out junk & will be leery of ever getting one again. Just not right.

When I was 12, I won a BC Rich WARLOCK and a backstage pass to a "POISON" concert. I thought I had actually won something, but the first clue there was something wrong was when CC (the guitar player) walked into the eating area (for some reason they wouldn't allow me where all the naked chicks were at,) and the first words out of his mouth was "when did we become known for cheap a*s guitars?" He played BC Rich guitars, so I had no idea what he was talking about! I don't know why I didn't say "You got anything better!" I guess I was too busy drinking my beer...

P.S.

Does BC Rich put out real guitars, or are they all crap? I don't know. I think their all crap, so this little story might not be relevant.

From what I've seen recently, Wal-Mart is carrying the First Act Brand of musical instruments- everything from electric guitars and basses down to shakers. The have also made some kind of deal with Dickies ( Yes the workclothes manufacturer) for branding, carrying a line of dickies picks, string winders ect.
The local Targets are carrying the "Gibson" line, again everything from acoustics to electrics and basses and amps.
I pulled one of the acoustics out of the box (thoroughly pissing off the pimply faced 15 yr. old working the electronics counter in the process) and I have to say it was the worst piece of crap I have ever layed hands on.
Frets very poorly finished, hanging over the side of the fretboard far enough to make it painful, horrid finish, would not stay in tune for more than 30 seconds. The folks at gibson should be hanging their heads in shame :cry:

This is, in my opinion, fairly typical of the short-sighted, "get the money now" attitude that permeates many U.S. companies. I imagine there's some executive, or group of executives, at Gibson that gets paid based on sales volume increase. They'll do whatever they need to do to meet those short-term goals. What they fail to realize is that the Gibson name is the most valuable thing the company has. So they'll start pumping out high-volume, low-quality, low-price stuff, and in 5 years, the Gibson name will caryy far less prestige than it does now.

Meanwhile, Japanese and Chinese companies will continue to IMPROVE quality, while keeping prices low (or at least reasonable).

It's interesting to note that for most companies in the Western world, "long-range" strategic planning usually means 5 years out, while for Asian companies, long range means 50, or 100, or more years.

I also noticed there was an acoustic guitar advertized in the Aldi add last week. Let's see, I need flour, sugar, ketchup, oh yeah, a new acoustic!!

I also noticed there was an acoustic guitar advertized in the Aldi add last week. Let's see, I need flour, sugar, ketchup, oh yeah, a new acoustic!!

That's just downright scary.

I was in Target yesterday and I can help confirm that they now have guitars and that they are crap.

They actually had a Gibson LP copy, a Washburn Bass, Acoustic, and an electric acoustic. On the headstock of the Gibson it did not say Gibson it said Epoch but on the box was Epoch and Gibson.

Since they have them all behind plexi glass you can't take them down to try them. Nice touch and smart marketing. If you try it you won't buy it.

I did take the LP out of a box and tried it and it definitely felt cheap. Didn't even feel as good as the Epi Special II. Ironically the action was good and no buzz but the neck and tuners were awful. I would love to have taken an amp out of the box also but there was no electrical outlet near buy. Doesn't matter though since I got in trouble for taking the guitar out of the box. They said now they can't sell it as a closed box. Well, it wasn't sealed anyway.

They also now sell strings, winders, books, videos, drum sticks, etc. Not much selection. You either got 9's for electric or 12's for acoustic.

Looks like there are several models geared to different ages, based on the pictures of the kids playing them:

http://www.gibson.com/Products/GBME/

Maestro at the low end, then Epoch, Signature and Spirit.

Interestingly, I've seen Spirit guitars mentioned before - had no idea they were a Gibson product. They are being sold at Circuit City.

I clicked that link. Oh the irony. That one of the charities that some of the money from these cheap, crappy, instruments will be donated to is: VH1's Save The Music.
:shock: :lol: :lol:

I work loss prevention for Farm and Fleet here in Illinois. Not a big chain but we have some of the First Act acoustics. My boss knows I play and asked me what I thought of them. I told him basically that if it had a bit more real wood in it we might be able to use it for a fire starter. :x :twisted:

Anyone taking bets that by spring we'll be able to pick up several of these for $5-$10 at garage sales this spring/summer? :lol:

Although what this sounds like is a marketing ploy to foster "branding."

The thinking being if they can get a Gibson/Fender in their young hands now, that later on they'll remember this and that's the brand they'll choose when they decide to get another guitar. Like several of us use certain household products because that's what mom/dad used and we grew up with it. So we buy it more from habit than from a cost/effectiveness point. (Think Tide)

Although, this may well blow up in their faces. Which means they may be facing even stiffer competition from companies like Schecter, et. al. That put out good products at reasonable prices.

I clicked that link. Oh the irony. That one of the charities that some of the money from these cheap, crappy, instruments will be donated to is: VH1's Save The Music.
:shock: :lol: :lol:

I work loss prevention for Farm and Fleet here in Illinois. Not a big chain but we have some of the First Act acoustics. My boss knows I play and asked me what I thought of them. I told him basically that if it had a bit more real wood in it we might be able to use it for a fire starter. :x :twisted:

Anyone taking bets that by spring we'll be able to pick up several of these for $5-$10 at garage sales this spring/summer? :lol:

We have an FnF about 2 miles from me. Grrrr if I'd a known about them selling guitars I could have saved a bunch of money. :roll:

Although, this may well blow up in their faces. Which means they may be facing even stiffer competition from companies like Schecter, et. al. That put out good products at reasonable prices.

I don't see how it can't blow up in their faces.

All these kids with Gibson and Fender products will have friends who will have Ibanez, Schecter, BC Rich's, and other low and mid-cost guitars that will be worlds better than the crap their playing. So when it comes time to save up the milk money, do you think they're going to look for a Gibson or Fender or are they going to look to the brands that they've come to view as "good" -- which will be the next tier up and which has no Gibson or Fender products worth mentioning in it?

This is just plain dumb and short-sighted.

This is just plain dumb and short-sighted.

What is?

Sure, this is a drag if you are a Gibson/Fender fan, but I can't help but think that smaller manufacturers are happy as clams with this development.

When I was buying my first guitar, I looked at Mf, SamAsh et al, and all I looked at were the EPi's, Squires, and such. I had never heard of Oscar Schmidt (the best sub-$500 guitar on Earth, IMHO), Schecter, or Tribute by G&L (also INCREDIBLE stuff for the money). I am glad I didn't get one of the cheapo big names. But, I was lucky enough to have a friend in the business who steered me into an amazing guitar for $300 (a Godin SD). The more I play it, the luckier I feel! If I had purchased a cheesy knockoff of an expensive guitar I may have given up from the frustration of learning on an unplayable axe.

I feel sorry for the kid who is really interested in the guitar and gets one of these for Christmas. His parents probably won't know any better, but chances are they will recognize the Gibson brand and think that it is therefore good. And it'll suck, not stay in tune, the intonation will be nonexistant and he will have no idea why gitar is so hard and he can't sound any good...

Doesn't this also demonstrate a lack of caring for "guitar as art" on the part of the biggest instrument companies? I mean, sure, there are thousands of people who buy and instrument and then give it up, and they don't want to sink thousands in gear only to have it gather dust in the closet---BUT, if you do spend more money won't you be more likely to stick with it? And don't those of modest means deserve quality, too?

Don't all the big companies already make decent entry-level guitars (Squire, Epi, etc)? And don't they have the big name on them, too (Squire by Fender or the like)?

Of course, Caveat Emptor...

The only big name guitar I will probably ever own is the '52 reissue Tele at this point. And even then, the GAS I had for that is wearing off the more I go down to the store and play the G&L I'm getting instead.

One of my favorite guitar stores , when I was in town, was Dave's Guitar; la Crosse Wisconsin.
eearly this year or the end of last year Gibson pulled all thier guitars out. Daves no longer could sell them. Gibson had a new marketing strategy.

this thread is alarming.

I am reminded of a neil Young song...

"saw it in a store when I got it home it was a piece of crap'"
tried to save a tree, used a plastic bag......the bottom fell out
it was a piece of crap"

Neil Young is an oracle.