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Super 400 and L5s still seem to be available at Thomann. .. at 15k, and 10-12k for an L5. I wonder why no musician is buying one..
As great as they are, i don't think these guitars can command the prices Gibson had been asking. Most interested buyers will only buy used. I can't think of another brand where customers don't feel the guitar is worth their money as much as a new Gibson.
On top of that, I literally don't know any musician that considers brand new Gibsons better than the older ones (anything before 2000, not just vintage stuff, which, in hollow bodies often comes with many age issues). Fender for example doesn't seem to have that problem.
I think the previous CEO did huge damage to the company, and they have a long way to go in order to rectify that.. if they can. Looking at the new owners, I'm not really that optimistic about it..
And I'm writing all that loving the guitars they make
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01-23-2021 03:48 AM
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NOOOoooooooooooo! I miss Henry J. and I want him back! Henry J at least kept the doors of the archtop department open for business. The last time Gibson threatened to close it was in 1989 but Henry persevered.
This sickens me no end. I really should have bought the L5CESN from Cincy2.
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I find solace in Archtop Tribute laminated guitars. There's always Benedetto Savannah...
Japan has a healthy market for Gibson archtops. Gibson may do well to revisit that decision before the skills are forgotten. License the tailpieces and forms out to Jim Triggs, Mark Campellone, et alia. JC need not shut the archtop department down completely.
Stupid and shortsighted. Guitar types go in and out of fashion.
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Originally Posted by Alter
my impression was that their high end archtops were built like their semi acoustics, which is to say well, but solid and heavy
Obviously I didn’t try all of their guitars, I’ve tried far more vintage Gibson archtops, because that’s what cats actually play, and laminate or carved they all have a lightness and resonance to them.
I’m also aware dealers were often accepting a loss for guitars they couldn’t sell. That can’t be good .
Jazz guitarists haven’t been choosing new Gibson archtops for a while. 335’s maybe.Last edited by christianm77; 01-23-2021 at 05:19 AM.
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Some talented luthiers are now carrying the tortch
I'm so glad I met Daniel Slaman in 2015.Last edited by Fred Archtop; 01-23-2021 at 02:03 PM.
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Originally Posted by Fred Archtop
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Who can afford a $10,000 guitar?
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Just curious ... how many prominent CURRENT jazz guitarists can you all name who play a Gibson archtop. Lee Ritenour is the only one I can think of off hand. (And Tuck, but I think his are over 50 years old)
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Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
Anyways I digress .. some of my favorite Ritenour stuff is him and his L5, but he also does spend a lot of his time playing his Les Paul (or back in the day the 335)
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Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
In Europe, Martijn Van Iterson, Philip Catherine.Last edited by grahambop; 01-23-2021 at 10:13 AM.
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Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
The jazz club scene has closed down for about a year. There and in the orchestra pits are where I'd expect to see the greatest use of traditional archtops. Even in those venues I'll bet that less than 5% of the audiences would appreciate the differences between a L-5 and a 335. But it's those few who can tell, plus you and your band mates, that put a smile on your face.
Just be sure when you leave the gig late at night you go out into a well lit parking area with a bunch of guys with you, if you want to bring your axe back home.
Here's a current "jazz" player on a L-5. It happens!
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Originally Posted by Lobomov
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Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
Thanks for the heads up. I've missed that release
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Originally Posted by Marty Grass
Can we think of any professional players using a Gibson archtop made in the last 10 years? You do see Gibsons in the hands of younger players, but they tend to look like vintage guitars.
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This thread has made me a little sad I must say.
But, one thing is for certain. The company that created the benchmark that I judge all guitars after has done what they had to do to survive. If I owned a company that made cameras or calculators or even GPS devices and no one was buying them any more, would I continue to manufacture them just to please the few people who still buy them? Or would I just start building smart phones?
Same deal here, should Gibson continue to make 175’s and L5’s for the 200 or so people here on the forum, when only (let’s face it, because it’s true), only one or 2 (Vinny and somebody else I couldn’t think of) is willing to pay the price for a new one? You be the judge.
One last thing I’ll say. I am SOO glad I got my L5. I played it this morning and it is LIGHT YEARS better any other guitar I own. Endless sustain, effortless playability - its a bank vault versus everything else which are Tupperware containers. My L5 punches you right in the ear and my Emperor Regent tickles me underneath the balls. Sorry ladies. (Oh yeah, no ladies here read my posts)..
The Gibson I love will always rest in a warm place in my heart. Still the only guitar I really want to buy but I won’t buy a new one anyway, because I’d rather save the money (for my Jetski) and find a good deal on one that was made 10 years ago.
JD
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Originally Posted by Max405
Yeah ... We can all agree on the fact that Gibson archtops are stellar, but I suspect that no more than a handful of people here bought new Gibson's even 10 years ago before their prices started skyrocketing (unless they where on deep sale that is .. Plenty did a bit of buying at the CME sale)
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Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
I too miss Henry J. IMO, the best Gibson archtops ever happened under his watch.....
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It’s unfortunate to some extent , but the Asian manufactures have taken over most of the market when it comes to affordable factory production of traditional Archtop guitars and derivatives. The offerings are endless - and most have excellent build quality. As for future collectibility- it’s non existent - just too many Asian guitars flooding the market.
For example - if you look at the Asian built D’Angelicos - the company offers numerous models , with a continued focus on keeping a traditional aesthetic , while at the same time spinning off modern looking guitars for young players. Many You Tube videos I’ve seen actually do have young people playing Asian built guitars. Why .....they are affordable and this younger generation, (besides having little disposable income) , has no allegiance to traditional Gibson Archtop guitars - only to Les Paul , to some extent.
Even though I’m hearing sadness about Gibson’s decision to stop new Archtop production - I doubt more than a few people would be buying them new anyway. Our brains, and perhaps our budgets, will always reflect back to the routed prices of a few years ago. And for those who were on the fence about buying - but waiting for more price contraction - are likely now feeling regretful.
But no despair - there are tons of used Gibson’s on the market - so it’s not like they all vanished overnight. Its just that the current used asking prices - in many cases are higher than some “nos “ prices of just a few years.
It’s like missing out on buying Apple stock on the way up. It’s never too late to buy in to something which is perceived as quality / value.
So if the sadness is overwhelming - buy a nice used Gibson Archtop , and when you look back in a few years, you’ll likely be glad you did.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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Originally Posted by QAman
I saw a live stream with a younger player recently, where he was asked why he played a korean guitar, his reply was just:
Hey an L5 is nice, but the thing is I gig and I go to jam sessions and thus it's unavoidable that my guitar gets a few knocks here and there. I've played expensive archtops, but I feel that once you go over €2000 you don't get enough extra to justify the larger price.
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Originally Posted by Lobomov
You get one trip through life, if you can afford it, why not go first class?
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Yeah .. That is the catch .. if you can afford it ... Which usually means not being young
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Originally Posted by Gitpicker
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Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
RIP Nick Gravenites
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