Gibson is a bad Company - This is a Thank You for informing me

[2banon]

Thank You .rog. for providing me and others for the valuable and pertinent factual links exposing the back drop on the questions I had when posting Why Gibson? Why Armed Swat Teams? Why shut down this small, but vital company? yesterday.

( For reference: posts #32, #62, and #74 )

Your efforts to better inform myself and others were done respectuflly sans questioning my "progressive credentials" ..

I care very much about the environment. I simply wasn't aware of what Gibson was doing with regard to their sourcing wood products, nor was I aware of their bad labor policies. I had assumed they moved to Nashville for proximity purposes, which seemed logical.

Needless to say, it's going to be a challenge in "shopping" around for the next guitar. If there are any good websites, blogs that can help sus out which makers to look for in terms of labor and environmental policies, that would be extremely valuable..

To others, please don't flame/insult those of us who are behind the information curve on this matter. My question was sincere, and now I have been informed but only thanks to those such as .rog. (and others)who treated the matter with respect and sincerity.

just sayin'... there are better ways to enlighten others on issues of concern, rather then calling them "stupid" or "right wingers" etc..

Thanks again to .rog.

[librechik]

1. this makes me sad. i so love Gibsons

fact is i only love the old ones though. they should be ashamed of their current practices

[2banon]

2. I have an emotional attachment myself

With a 1905 circa Mandolin. The tone is just pure honey..

I used to have an old Martin mandolin circa 60's something, but it got stolen, that's when i found this mandolin i could afford at the time.

I also play fiddle, but play a century old American made, no label. looking to upgrade, but the criteria in my search is certainly going be enhanced.. it's just more challenging now, unfortunately.

[BeHereNow]

15. Me too- 2 '57's here and a jumbo 72.

Best guitars ever!
Sad too hear the company has become another bastion of corporate evil.
To hell with them- the old Kalamazoo guitars are far superior, so everyone
should try to buy vintage and boycott the nash-trash.
BHN

[2banon]

18. "Nash-Trash" ... I'll gonna have to remember that one! n/t

[panader0]

3. Yikes. I've been out of the loop on this story.

I own a Gibson ES 335, I bought it new in 72 or so. I also have a 1939 Martin 00-17 acoustic.(among several others) I'll be following this story to see how it plays out.

[2banon]

5. please do check out info linked in op..

it will help catch you up like it did myself. sheesh. I had no frigging idea.. :shrug: :sad:

[mmonk]

4. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Gibson has the Les Paul Smartwood

Guitar which is certified by the http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/">Rainforest Alliance which receives some of the proceeds.

[2banon]

6. Looks like an electric.. what about acoustic?

[rog]

9. Just curious if you're after archtop or flattop.

I have a 1990 L-5 electric that I bought used. It's a great sounding and great playing (after a lot of work) guitar, but it's not a great L-5. It works fine, but the top seam opened up shortly after I got it (or maybe it was open a little and I didn't notice until it opened up more that winter) and the rim is bulging out. Not so bad in the summer, worse in the winter, but open all year 'round. This is a custom shop guitar, but many folks I've talked to about this are not surprised, due to Gibson's quality control record around this time.

Anyhow, I'd like to get a really good archtop some day. I don't think I'd buy a new L-5, especially now. I wouldn't be afraid to buy a good vintage Gibson, if I could afford it, but if I'm going to pay that kind of money, I'd also consider smaller independent luthiers. There are some astounding builders out there ... most of them seem to be great folks, who would likely give you straight talk on their wood sources.

I appreciate your interest in this. I'm just getting up to speed on this myself. One of my students ... who happens to be a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, but still a pretty nice guy ... brought me the Wall St. Journal article when it came out. It seemed pretty one-sided, so I wanted to find out more about the situation. Like you, I was surprised, disappointed and sad.

Of course this hasn't even gone to court yet. I'm going to be following the story with great interest. Maybe Gibson is on the up-and-up, but apparently a judge ruled that there was probable cause for the search and investigation.

Too bad.

.rog.

[2banon]

12. Sad and very disappointed. Now I will be searching with a different perspective

If I had the money I would seek out the old Martin D-28 model, but it appears that they're re-producing this model and I'm not sure but it appears they may be using similar materials..

There are luthiers here, but I don't have that kind of funds on hand. Several years ago I acquired an unlabeled accoustic, which I gave to my daughter because i was focused on learning the fiddle.

last month I borrowed that guitar from her for a month, got totally hooked, played it every morning and evening before and after work. Had to give it back to her, and so now looking to acquire something i can afford, but in playable condition, has a nice sound. Steel string so my calluses got really developed, (now they're disappearing again) I don't know the sound differences between arch top or flat top, except in a fiddle. I need a narrow neck and smaller to average body.

[mmonk]

10. Here are some of both which are eco friendly:

http://www.wired.com/listening_post/2008/08/save-the-world/

[2banon]

13. thanks for the link! n/t

[mmonk]

19. You're quite welcome.

[Lizzie Poppet]

Fender (and G&L) fan here, but you may want to look into these brands:

If you're looking for a set-neck, mahogany/maple alternative to a Les Paul (and don't care for Paul Reed Smiths), you might look into Giffin, Heritage, or one of the other "boutique" makers. Not really any price difference from the Gibson Custom Shop stuff, and you can probably find out more about where the materials come from. Also, the EVH Wolfgang Set Neck model has that type of construction (and, ironically, is actually made in the Fender Custom Shop!).

[2banon]

8. thanks! n/t

[Lizzie Poppet]

7. (duplicate deleted)

Oops!

[morningglory]

11. A lady at work gave me a parakeet in a pretty cage. It ate

an entire cuttlefish bone in 2 days. I went to the feed store to get a bunch more. Feed store lady said they are going extinct. They are being fished out of existance for the budgies. I put the bird on the porch for some air and a coon ate it. That was an accident, but I was glad to be rid of something that was going to wipe out a species on this planet. Just sayin...
The bluegrass music blogs are going insane about their instruments being confiscated at the Canadian border. My son is a fiddle player in a band that went to Canada last weekend. He said they didn't even look in their cases. More interested in contraband cigarettes.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Poor keet

my conures have never eaten any cuttlefish... but one of them likes to drink milk,

If anybody gives you another bird, parrot, PM me... I will gladly give you some pointers, Suffice it to say... my guys do not eat any commercially made food for birds... or cuttlefish.

[mulsh]

16. If you're looking for a new mandolin I highly recommend Pomeroy

It's a father and son team of luthiers. they live and build in Colorado. Their instruments tone is outstanding and they keep them priced so average musicians can afford them.

http://www.pomeroyinstruments.com/

I own F-5 #132

BTW those old Gibson mandolins are nice but the ones made in the past few years that I've played all have had serious flaw. I wonder why they bother making the "relic" models.

As far as guitar makers go there are lots of fine makers who's business practices and environmental practices are exemplary. Both Martin and Taylor come to mind.

[2banon]

17. F models are Beautiful instruments!

The Mandolas sound and look nice, he's also a Fiddle maker, I'm looking at those..

thanks for the link!