Gibson Archtops returning 2026?

[Freddels]

. . . I played with George Van eps nephew for several years he told me George told him "whatever you do dont go into music" so he became a professor of mathmatics and happy part time bass player. Certain things pair nicely, money and music not so much...

This reminds me of when I was a student at NTSU back in the early to mid 80's. We had a class called "Visiting Artist Series" where the school would bring in musicians to speak, play, etc. Musicians like Dizzy, Tal Farlow, Ron Carter, Emily Remler, etc. One time it was Hal Galper. He was talking about how difficult it was to be a working musician. He told us "if you can do anything, ANYTHING, besides music to make a living, do it." That resonated with me. The school had just hired a saxophone prof (with a Ph.D.) for about $20k per year. There was also a theory position that had over 100 applicants and they hired someone with a photographic memory for music. I ended up choosing a different career path and playing music part time. Now that I'm getting close to retirement, I am spending more time practicing and learning a new instrument.

[jads57]

Hard enough just being an all around professional in music. But Jazz,no way!
You have to have a death wish ever since the mid 1960’s. Even the greatest guitarists barely made a living. And famous singer entertainers like George Benson,Glenn Campbell made serious money for their entertainment and being lead Vocalists.

And being a writer is an absolute must if you try and survive solely as a musician in Jazz. And probably all other styles as well.
A older musician freind of mine said when I was 17, music business is horrible at least 75% of the time,tolerable 20% of the time. It’s the last 5% that makes it hard to quit!

[Rickco]

Mingus was a postman..

[Rickco]

He should have done a record called "going postal"!

[stevo58]

where’s vw?

VW includes VW, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Skoda, and Seat. Take your pick.

Oh, and Bugatti, I forgot.

Skoda has been the most profitable in recent years.

[Gitterbug]

Skoda is also the sensiblest, winning test after test in Europe. Plus, Skodas have been built in the same location by successive generations of proud workers for over a century. The value for money is superior, and so is the reliability.

In my youth, I was passionate about sports cars in general and Italian vintage Pininfarina designs in particular (learned Italian from Quattroruote magazine; have owned a Lancia Flaminia 2.5 Berlina, Fiat 1500 Cabriolet and Fiat 1500 Coupé.) That side persona has been buried long ago. I've been a happy Skoda driver since 2008, after a succession of corporate Mondeos.

Now what has all of this to do with Gibson's eventual return to the archtop market? If one sticks to proven designs, the physical result is all about skilled and motivated people allowed to do their job properly. A proper balance between marketing hype and delivery. Prices to compete with second-hands. Is the know-how and hands-on skill still there? Should Gibson, as someone suggested, sub-contact their new archtops from Parson's Street? More questions than answers. We'll probably see a test relaunch - ES-125 would make sense in order not to tarnish ES-175. If people like us aren't ready to buy one, who is?

[2bornot2bop]

Hard enough just being an all around professional in music. But Jazz,no way!
You have to have a death wish ever since the mid 1960’s. Even the greatest guitarists barely made a living. And famous singer entertainers like George Benson,Glenn Campbell made serious money for their entertainment and being lead Vocalists.

Wait. Wasn’t George Benson criticized for singing on a Jazz record in 1976?!

[jads57]

Money Talks and …….. George was always a singer from the start.And have to say Leon Russell composes some great ballads.
If the audience was limited to Jazz guitarists listeners, George would be driving a Toyota Corolla,Lol!

[AllanAllen]

People criticize everything

[lawson-stone]

Wait. Wasn’t George Benson criticized for singing on a Jazz record in 1976?!

Kenny Burrell has been known to sing on a periodic track, as did Chet Atkins, once or twice.

[John A.]

Wait. Wasn’t George Benson criticized for singing on a Jazz record in 1976?!

Was he? I remember This Masquerade and On Broadway being big hits, but I honestly don't remember whether there was any grumbling about that. My first recollection of GB is watching him do This Masquerade on SNL, scatting and soloing at the same time and being astounded, and then gradually become aware of his broader career. I don't remember any negativity toward his dual career until the internet got going 20+ years later and sour grapes became a way of life for legions of people with nothing better to do.

[Stringswinger]

GB is a great singer and a great guitarist. Anyone putting him down for his talents is way off base. Like Wes before him, GB found a way to monetize his talents. Good for him!

[SierraTango]

I've got a lot of respect for this guy. I have to admit that I sing and play. 3 sets of purely instrumental music just doesn't get it around here no matter how good you are.

[AllanAllen]

Kenny Burrell has been known to sing on a periodic track, as did Chet Atkins, once or twice.

Well you see, Kenny Burrell didn't commit the sin of having break away success singing.

[nyc chaz]

Was he? I remember This Masquerade and On Broadway being big hits, but I honestly don't remember whether there was any grumbling about that. My first recollection of GB is watching him do This Masquerade on SNL, scatting and soloing at the same time and being astounded, and then gradually become aware of this broader career. I don't remember any negativity toward his dual career until the internet got going 20+ years later and sour grapes became a way of life for legions of people with nothing better to do.

I can remember a bunch of guys at the time saying he sold out.Didn't matter to me,i was never one of those guys that thinks it's selling out to actually make money and appeal to a larger audience.I still know guys who laugh at me if i tell them i like the Bird with Strings album as though Parker sold out making that record.

[AKA]

Wait. Wasn’t George Benson criticized for singing on a Jazz record in 1976?!

If Benson hadn’t had that silky smooth voice that allowed him to tap into a huge market [compared to straight-ahead jazz] he’d probably be a forum member commenting on this thread, noting how difficult it was to make a living as a jazz guitarist.

AKA

[AKA]

I can remember a bunch of guys at the time saying he sold out.Didn't matter to me,i was never one of those guys that thinks it's selling out to actually make money and appeal to a larger audience.I still know guys who laugh at me if i tell them i like the Bird with Strings album as though Parker sold out making that record.

“Bird With Strings” is one of my favorites!!!

AKA

[jads57]

[AllanAllen]

“Bird With Strings” is one of my favorites!!!

AKA

Coincidentally, it's also Benson's favorite. He talks about pulling lines from that album over and over in his autobiography.

[Rickco]

His playing on "First Light" is still my favorite George but I thought his pop tunes were great!

[bluejaybill]

Hard enough just being an all around professional in music. But Jazz,no way!
You have to have a death wish ever since the mid 1960’s. Even the greatest guitarists barely made a living. And famous singer entertainers like George Benson,Glenn Campbell made serious money for their entertainment and being lead Vocalists.

And being a writer is an absolute must if you try and survive solely as a musician in Jazz. And probably all other styles as well.
A older musician freind of mine said when I was 17, music business is horrible at least 75% of the time,tolerable 20% of the time. It’s the last 5% that makes it hard to quit!

All true, it was shifting to writing and producing that saved my bacon in the music business. I watched players far better than me struggle, and ultimately leave the business. I was very lucky, especially to have a supportive working wife to help through my (many) slow periods.

I have often wondered how Bensen would have made out had he never started his singing career. He was quite a star in jazz already before that, but I still think it possible that we would be seeing him in small half-empty clubs more than we would like for his awesome talent level. Or he may have been able to ride the same wave that Herbie Hancock did, hard to say.

My friends who had children interested in pursuing the music biz used to bring them to me, partly to help evaluate them and partly (I think!) to discourage them. I could usually tell in 5 minutes what my advice would be, often before hearing their music. People who should go into music are people that are so driven, so obsessed, so bloody -minded that they just have to do it. Very few have that kind of mindset. And then after that, the level you should probably be at musically before you leave high school- the truly successful ones are already great by then for the most part. Metheny, Pat Martino, Bensen, most of them were already ridiculous. I saw Stanley Clarke with Chick, he was 19 IIRC. There are exception that prove the rule. For the others, I would gently say "get a college education, you can always keep practicing and give it a shot after you have a degree". Some actually thanked me later, and their parents definitely did!

[Gitterbug]

My modest gigging experience suggests that whenever there's a vocalist on the stage, no matter how mediocre, she/he gets all the applause. As pointed out by Bluejaybill, singing is not a guitarist's only way out of misery. Remember Andreas Öberg, the Swedish jazz and manouche guitar virtuoso. He's made it, apparently pretty big time, as a composer and producer. I don't know his current whereabouts, but about ten years ago he became a factor in K-Pop (Korea) and sold huge numbers in Japan, too. Those Viking looks and zero fat might have brought some tailwind in Asia.

[Christian Miller]

My modest gigging experience suggests that whenever there's a vocalist on the stage, no matter how mediocre, she/he gets all the applause. As pointed out by Bluejaybill, singing is not a guitarist's only way out of misery. Remember Andreas Öberg, the Swedish jazz and manouche guitar virtuoso. He's made it, apparently pretty big time, as a composer and producer. I don't know his current whereabouts, but about ten years ago he became a factor in K-Pop (Korea) and sold huge numbers in Japan, too. Those Viking looks and zero fat might have brought some tailwind in Asia.

The Swedes have the cheat codes for pop music. I was wondering what happened to him.

[Stringswinger]

My modest gigging experience suggests that whenever there's a vocalist on the stage, no matter how mediocre, she/he gets all the applause. As pointed out by Bluejaybill, singing is not a guitarist's only way out of misery. Remember Andreas Öberg, the Swedish jazz and manouche guitar virtuoso. He's made it, apparently pretty big time, as a composer and producer. I don't know his current whereabouts, but about ten years ago he became a factor in K-Pop (Korea) and sold huge numbers in Japan, too. Those Viking looks and zero fat might have brought some tailwind in Asia.

I have performed with Andreas and count him as a friend. In addition to his musical accomplishments, he was also (in his younger days) the Tennis Champion of Sweden. If you look up the word driven in a dictionary, you might see his picture.

[Archie]

For years me, Joe D., Stringswinger, Gitpicker, QAman, (we are all good friends) have been hoping for a Joe Pass ES175 model like the custom one Gibson made him in 1992. John Pisano got that guitar when Joe died. Gitpicker was a good friend of John Pisano and got to play that axe when ever he hung out with John.
Thinner, 5 piece neck like a L-5, single pu up against the neck like a L-4, and gold hardware. IMO - the perfect jazz box.
Hope springs eternal

Def on my list but I’m not Gibson

I also have another Pass model in the works. One even more special than that.