Help with choosing Les Pauls

JofZ wrote:

The amount of product GC, Walmart and Costco order dwarf the other guys, including Sweetwater, MF, etc...
GC in 2005 had 1.4 Billion in revenue, so they can afford to give the stuff away and still make a profit. Basically, the GC wholesale price is much lower then the next guy due to the amount they buy. So the next guy has no chance when it comes to a price vs price purchase. The little guy has to beat them on trade in value, customer service, hours and set up.

GC has settled more lawsuits out of court then you can shake a stick at!
GC has a class action suit in court now that they are probably not going to win! The case demonstrates many violations, check it out online at any lawyer site.

Walmart will not haggle, but Costco will and they sell the high end stuff

Gibson is just trying to hand cuff the small dealers because they can't order the amount of guitars they need to in order to compete with Gibson's best customers. It really is not a favortism thing, it is just business. Buy 10,000 guitars and Gibson will let you do what you want
I have no problem with the Gibson rules as a buyer, why?
Most people who are into Gibson high end know it is a competition to not only locate the good stuff, but to then get a good price on it. By not allowing the liitle guys to advertise I can call them up and find out what they have by sweet talking them. There is always something sleeping in a corner. Always something coming in. Most people are lazy!!!!!!
Things have changed, the globalization in the economy has changed the markets that have the cash to buy things like guitars. If Gibson didn't have rules, all the US guitars would be bought by the Japanese and you guys would have nothing to even look at.
I suggest you look at the bittersweet side to this and stop complaining, it is not going to go back to the old days, in fact it is going to get worse!

The smaller boutique builders will have the same restrictions soon enough. Some of these guys wont sell a guitar to you unless they get DNA first LOL

At the end of all of this you do have the option to buy used and if you really hate corporate America then buy used, but I have news for you, most companies are GOOD! Don't believe the hype.

Pacomc79 wrote:

Oh I agree with a lot of that, I have beef with gibson for a variety of reasons somewhat unrelated to the price, but then go to my house and there's a Les Paul right there. I just think gibson or no gibson small dealers can still do ok in the right market. LA, Atlanta, Chicago, NY, Nashville They'll do ok. I don't want it to go back to the old days either where you can't walk into a store and play anything and you have to haggle for 30% off list. Believe me I know how it works. I understand it from both sides.

You're absolutely correct, if you've got the savvy and the change, you'll be able to locate the good stuff and get a good price on it, most music buyers are somewhat lazy anyway. Not only that, most people aren't serious. If you develop a good relationship with a few guys, they'll set stuff aside for you, I know, because I did it. My friends still work at GC so I buy most stuff from there anyway and the local shop near work. The other store has crappy hours and it's too far away so I don't make it there very often. I understand that it's just business, I love lots of gibson guitars, I mean really if I had endless income I'd have a good old ES-125T, ES-335, PTSG, Murphy R9, (a gold top as beautiful as yours) and a J160E. I love Gibson but I understand why dealers who have been selling them for 60 years are pissed off they can no longer afford to offer them as long as I can still go to GC and find them it doesn't bother me as a consumer, I just wish GC was into buying stuff I wanted, unfortunately my stuff isn't cool right now.

Believe me I'm not entirely anti corporation, just anti corporate bullshit and I don't like substituting poplar sides on what is supposed to be a 5 ply maple guitar

Hell if I had my way we'd already be under the fair tax system.

Pacomc79 wrote:

wow? seriously 1 Billion? what is the suit about?

GC is a good general store especially when people get paid on commission because they actually had to train people and or hire people who knew what they were talking about. Please NOT BEST BUY?!!! Best Buy is only medium to low end anyway and none of their people know anything beyond the product description. That sucks. GC may turn into Mars, that means finding the rare Eternity or Baby Blue in the effects counter may go the way of the dodo and everything will be Boss and Digitech.

pearlwax wrote:

http://muziek.2dehands.be/markt/muz_instr/elektrische-gitaar/15276476-james-trussart-steel-deville-les.html

and ask him if he's selling his amps as well. Maybe he'll cut you a deal...