Eastman vs Gibson - Is the tone gap as small as the price gap (audio comp'n)?

[Archie]

No one is going to invest in jazz guitar factories

One of us is prepared to. The one with the least sense.

I’m trying to start a jazz guitar manufacturing facility on a small over crowded island, with the highest taxes since WWII and the most expensive energy rates in the world.
Not to mention Import and export duties.
I've to move 3 times in 4 years simply because workshops are unaffordable and non existent. I'm currently operating out of an old turkey shed on a farm.

It's worth it. Jazz guitars are one of the most beautiful things ever made and I want to contribute in any way I can.

[Doctor Jeff]

Benson, Metheny, Scofield, Pisano - some of the greatest jazz guitarists in the last half century, don’t just play Asian guitars because they are paid to, but because the guitars are great. Gibson can still make great guitars, but (as far as I can see) don’t want to fully engage with the jazz community. The sole luthiers can make great guitars too, some with long waiting lists, some not so lucky.

Jazz used to be 95% American, but now is played all over the world. Gibson dropped the ball, lowered their engagement. Had they fully engaged with the emerging global jazz community, things might have worked out differently.

All the above used American guitars early in their careers, though. They went with Asia guitars because they had good support for R&D and marketing and good endorsement deals. Same with Joe Pass. Too bad Gibson didn't see the benefit in endorsing these musicians and marketing signature models for them.

As I recall, they dropped the ball in some ways with Johnny Smith and Barney Kessel, maybe others I can't remember right now.

[Rob MacKillop]

And they're dropping the ball now with the next generation of great players, such as Kurt Rosenwinkle, Lage Lund, Jesse van Ruller, who are all with Westville, and others.

[Archie]

And they're dropping the ball now with the next generation of great players, such as Kurt Rosenwinkle, Lage Lund, Jesse van Ruller, who are all with Westville, and others.

I think we’re behind the times. The next gen of players are these two (among others). I think the top most popular and influential guitarists don’t play Gibson.
But Gibson just need 1 Slash and lots of Taylor Swifts.

Eric Gails - Fender/Custom
Mateo Mancuso - Yamaha
Antoine Boyer - Collings
Pasquale Grasso - Trenier
Yamandu Costa - Classical
Tim Henson - Ibanez
Marcin - Ibanez
Lage - Collings (and sometimes old Gibsons)