jbow
...
If Gibson will just make a good and affordable LP Standard, SG Standard, ES-335, Brydland, Hummingbird, Dove etc... GOOD QC and keep the price down and they will recover. No one wants to spend big bucks on an instrument that may or may not be well finished. Gibson has let their QC slip to the point where people half expect for the fit and finish to not be what it should be. There is NO excuse for that. IT's hard to recover a good reputation once it is tarnished. I wish them well.
...

 
I don't know the quantum mechanics of the design and things, but what is weird to me, is seeing the "new models" each year on Guitar Center or Sweetwater, or wherever and ... they all look the same ... and I can't imagine me owning one and thinking ... these are the same ... why are they "better"? And the price keeps going ... Fender will run into this soon as well is my bet!
 
I mean ... the only design that had me hooked in the past 5 years is the Stratus Graphite headless bass and I want A 5 string of those ... just for the heck of it. It looks far out and finally ... not shaped like everyone else's guitar!

You can have my alts when you pry them from my cold dead posting hands.

Moshkito

jbow
...
If Gibson will just make a good and affordable LP Standard, SG Standard, ES-335, Brydland, Hummingbird, Dove etc... GOOD QC and keep the price down and they will recover. No one wants to spend big bucks on an instrument that may or may not be well finished. Gibson has let their QC slip to the point where people half expect for the fit and finish to not be what it should be. There is NO excuse for that. IT's hard to recover a good reputation once it is tarnished. I wish them well.
...

 
I don't know the quantum mechanics of the design and things, but what is weird to me, is seeing the "new models" each year on Guitar Center or Sweetwater, or wherever and ... they all look the same ... and I can't imagine me owning one and thinking ... these are the same ... why are they "better"? And the price keeps going ... Fender will run into this soon as well is my bet!
 
I mean ... the only design that had me hooked in the past 5 years is the Stratus Graphite headless bass and I want A 5 string of those ... just for the heck of it. It looks far out and finally ... not shaped like everyone else's guitar!

I don't want a new design. I'm vintage....I like vintage. Give me a '58-59 LP any day. How do you improve a 59 LP? I agree with Julien, stick to the basics that got you there. A Studio and Standard is all you really need of each model. Give me quality in a Studio and a Standard. Nicer color options on the Studio's would improve their sales greatly. More along the lines of some of the classic bursts.

Keep in mind that they may be trying to sell to repeat customers, so therefore they might purposely create a whole bunch of variations that are just different enough.

Below is what my goal was with my custom guitars.  All would have similar body styles, neck radii and lengths (except as noted).  The idea is similar to a good set of golf clubs: Cover several requirements with something that, generally, feels the same to use.
 
1) 25" scale guitar - H/H with Variax circuitry - no trem - covers acoustic needs (had this, but was forced to sell)
2) 25" scale guitar - S/S/H Classic Rock tones with trem and TONS of tonal options (had this, but was forced to sell)
3) 25" scale guitar - S/S/H Modern tones with trem and extra tonal options (paid for, but on hold for now)
4) (Future) - 28" scale baritone guitar - H/H (probably modern tones)
5) (Future) - 30" scale short-scale 6-string bass - S/S/S (similar to Fender's)
6) (Future) - 25" scale 12-string guitar - ?/? Classic Rock tones

Repeat Customer would be … Black, Vintage Sunburst, Ice Tea, Honey Burst, Cherry Sunburst, Light Burst, Desert Burst, Transparent Red.....

That gives me about 30k worth to collect and I haven't scratched the surface.

I only have two Gibsons, both LPs, both bought shiny new.  My '99 '57 Historic Black Beauty (2 pup) and a '14 Studio Pro, fireburst I think it's called.
 

 
This is before the SD pup swap in the Studio
 

dmbaer A generation ago, he said, at least one guy in ten wanted to be a guitarist or drummer.  These days, interest among the pre-teen/teenage generation has dramatically declined over the last couple of decades.

well my five-year-old wants to be a "rock guitarist" when he grows up :-) (as well as a train driver, tram driver and pilot)

slartabartfast
 When a herd of rappers with a drum machine backup becomes a super-band, why would you want to practice a difficult to acquire skill in your spare time. Heck, why even learn to mutter in the background while walking around a stage, when you can become a DJ and not have to create anything from scratch except the occasional scratch that is.

this is a massive over-simplification of both rap and dj "genres" (god i hate that word) - personally, i consider both of these (as well as others) to be modern folk music - people making music with the tools they have available, it's just that these days people are more likely to have a computer than a ****ing banjo knocking about the place
/fwiw

pwalpwal

slartabartfast
When a herd of rappers with a drum machine backup becomes a super-band, why would you want to practice a difficult to acquire skill in your spare time. Heck, why even learn to mutter in the background while walking around a stage, when you can become a DJ and not have to create anything from scratch except the occasional scratch that is.

this is a massive over-simplification of both rap and dj "genres" (god i hate that word) - personally, i consider both of these (as well as others) to be modern folk music - people making music with the tools they have available, it's just that these days people are more likely to have a computer than a ****ing banjo knocking about the place
/fwiw

This is a very good point, IMO.