-
A new Gibson factory tour was just posted by Long and Mcquade, at 30:20 in he says they are redeveloping their archtop line and we'll see that process in 4-6 months:
-
12-16-2025 11:39 PM
-
Always great to see Archtops from Gibson. But I would imagine actual carved top and back L-5 or Citations would be seriously expensive and not profitable for Gibson.
Probably more laminate ES-175 would be in the works.
-
I would imagine that more laminate ES-175s would be seriously expensive and highly profitable for Gibson.
-
Given that they can base a new price on those that sell used Id say they can crank them out and make a bundle. The market for premium brands (like selmer for saxophones) is a luxury market. Gibson fills the bill for that in guitars. They can charge what they want and people still line up to buy them.
-
Gibson is not a luxury brand. Gibson makes stringed musical instruments, as do many other manufacturers. If Gibson tries to sell its products at excessively high prices, Gibson will lose potential customers to its competitors.
-
$10,000 for a guitar isn’t luxury to you?
Originally Posted by Litterick
-
Im gonna disagree. Gibson does have budge lines but on the whole Gibson has generally positioned themselves above other sellers. Im not saying it wasnt earned. You can call it what you like but it fits the basic definition.
If it comes out of the Gibson shop you can pretty much guarntee it will carry a higer price point than other similiar items and people will pay a premium to have it. In terms of price my guess is that it will be Heritage prices plus a healthy 25 percent (at a minimum).
If they actually do it and do it well I wonder if the used (not super vintage) market will contract a bit in pricing. I wasnt watching when prices went through the roof on Gibson archtops but I wonder if part of the fuel for that fire was Gibson no longer making them and earlier a dramatic drop in production. Stopping producton pretty much put every Gibson archtop in the category of vintage.
Id love to have a carved top Gibson but there is no way at my level of playing can I begin to justify dropping 10K plus on a guitar. Unfortunately, economic and history shows that prices are very resistant to falling. I will just be happy with what Ive got
-
Gibson has been saying that they’re working on bringing archtops back in videos like this for several years now. I don’t want to go so far as to say “I’ll believe it when I see it” but I am skeptical of the timeline.
-
Earlier this year I was in a GC picking up a Guild I had ordered and spent a good deal of time talking to "my guy" about how nice it was to see so many Gibsons on the wall finally. Noticing that I was buying an archtop he said that their Gibson rep had told them that "Archtops" were coming back in 2026. He didnt have any other info (where they would be made, what models would be made, prices, etc.) so I chalked it up to the rumor mill and went about my business.
Glad to hear that it *might* be a possibility!
-
And if there's enough margin in those prices, it's more profitable for them to target the smaller number of customers willing to pay them. I mean Rolexes tell time, but that doesn't mean they aren't luxury goods, or that Casio put them out of business by undercutting them with a cheaper product that tells time better. To be fair, Gibson is not ENTIRELY a luxury brand. They have a diverse product line including less expensive guitars that compete well in terms of quality and musical utility with others at similar price points. But to imply that they're not a luxury brand at all is to misperceive what Gibson is and what the guitar market is. Originally Posted by Litterick
-
Not necessarily higher than, say, Collings, Benedetto, or PRS. Originally Posted by Sigmund451
Gibson archtop prices probably did start increasing due to their going out of production. But this was a continuation of something that was going on before that (the market running out of Les Pauls for collectors to bid up), and accelerated by COVID price craziness, so it's hard to know exactly what caused what. As far as the future goes, anything new will someday be old, and guitar enthusiasts have an amazing ability to decide that something they once thought sucked now has vintage mojo. At the same time, collectible guitar prices are affected by the economy as a whole, so I think we'll always see ups and downs, and it will probably be hard to measure a clear and consistent effect of Gibson returning to the archtop market (if they even do that). Originally Posted by Sigmund451
For me, it's a spectator sport. Somebody's gotta buy these things, or else there's nothing to watch. Originally Posted by Sigmund451
Id love to have a carved top Gibson but there is no way at my level of playing can I begin to justify dropping 10K plus on a guitar. Unfortunately, economic and history shows that prices are very resistant to falling. I will just be happy with what Ive got
-
I am glad that I have all the Gibson archtops that I want or need. Somehow, I am not worried that the reentry of Gibson into archtop production will hurt the value of the 6 Gibson archtops that I own. I do however see changing demographics as a threat to their value, but as I enjoy owning them, I am not too worried about it.
IMO, the iconic models (L-5, Super 400 and ES-175) should all be in production as long as Gibson is making guitars and there is demand for those models. Assuming they actually do make these models again, I predict that new 175's will start at 6K, the new L-5's at 12K and the new Super 400's at 15K. (MSRP of course, they will actually sell for less to those with reasonable negotiation skills).
-
If it actually happens I think the prices will make sense in the context of Gibson's product line. Someone said marginally higher than Heritage but less than Collings, etc. and I'd agree with that. That's pretty much where their comparable solid bodies fall on the price scale. They're not budget instruments but generally aren't priced stupidly high unless you get into the Murphy's Lab or custom shop stuff.
Don't forget with a Gibson you'll usually be able to use the ubiquitous 15% off coupons most retailers offer throughout the year. I feel like I've been hearing these Gibson archtop rumor for the last 10 years but I'm pretty optimistic about them if they come to fruition.
-
Maybe they'll make a single pickup broadway too. Something I can feel comfortable taking to a gig that pays $50.
-
I heard the same thing at a GC, they'll be back in 2026. Doesn't mean it will happen!
The salesman also claimed that values on used L5's will escalate. ???
-
So if the come back what will the actual manufacturers selling price be?
I don’t think they can make them and the factory gets less than 12-15k$.
-
I posted about this 5-6 years ago--heard it from a music store owner friend of mine, who heard it from a Gibson rep. Will believe it when I see it.
Even well before COVID, Gibson archtops were 30-40% higher than expected due to inflation, compared to 30-40 years ago. We discussed it a lot--you could call it the collector's tax or whatever. Like a Gucci bag or Harley motorcycle (during their heyday) or Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, some things are priced much higher than a reasonable cost due to their desirability by collectors and boomer nostalgists and whatnot.
Sure it was supply and demand, but it was also Gibson saying let's price this L5 $5000 more in relative terms than we used to charge because there's an old fart out there with minimal skills but a lot of $$$ who wants to pretend he's Wes Montgomery.
I'd be glad to have them bring archtops especially the ES175 back, but I doubt I would get a new one. I have no idea what they'll charge, but it likely won't be reasonable, and there are a lot of other great guitars out there that will fit the bill for everyone who's not a 1 percenter.
-
I guess the real question aside from resale value. Would anyone buy a 2026 Gibson carved Archtop at a higher price than say a bespoke luthier like Mark Campellone, or John Buscarino.
I say that since these luthiers build the entire instrument as opposed to a team.
Dont get me wrong, I love the more recent Phillip Wharton and Jamie Culbertson builds.And feel they are up there with some of the best. But who knows who is still at Gibson is capable,or has any track record of carving skills needed?
Sure will be interesting that’s for sure!
-
Hopefully, they don't "Murphy Lab" them.
-
I am all set on Gibson archtops. But if they released an ultra light relic murphy lab Wesmo, I'd be all over it.
I know what people will say. I don't like relics either. But the nitro that Gibson uses on murphy lab looks, feels, smells like my 50s Gibsons. You can't beat that direct sensation.
-
They don't need to "Murphy Lab" them to use nitro. I just don't want aged, reliced, etc. on a beautiful archtop. I guess it would be one way of hiding any the QC issues.
-
If they did a Murphy Lab without the cracking, I'd buy that. Equivalent of fender customer shop NOS. Unfortunately they don't offer that.
-
Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aging doesn't result in any lacquer checking. The next levels up do. I just sold a Custom Shop MLULA 1964 ES-335 Reissue and have seen many others -- That level of aging results in a barely-perceptible haze in the lacquer. It just doesn't quite polish up to the same showcar sheen of a new Gibson USA counterpart. The most notable visual cue is the mild oxidation haze on the pickup covers and some possible minor corrosion on the TOM bridge. The tuners seem unaffected. The finish feels thinner than the mass production counterparts, quite vintagey. There seems to be some sonic benefit to the aging process on the pickups. Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
I think MLULA hollowbodies could be quite desirable, if all the underlying craftsmanship is right.
Beyond Ultra Light Aging, no higher level of relic'ing interests me.
Phil
-
Yes it does. I have owned 4 of them. You can find countless examples here.Gibson Custom Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Guitars Originally Posted by 213Cobra
-
Hmm...I wonder if that's a new thing. I last looked at MLULA guitars in early 2024 and earlier, so now most recently almost two years ago. Never saw any lacquer checking on any of dozens, though it was common on the next level up ("ML Light Aging?"). Yet there are several at your link that are clearly cracked. If that's today's reality, you're right, and I wouldn't want it. -Phil Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
Reply With Quote
Recommandations for Hollowbodies for $600 and under?
Today, 05:20 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos