majorminor
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2017
- Messages
- 96
Not knocking them but your ideas are a bit far fetched..
Yes they are. But go on any business course these days, and they will preach "thinking outside the box". They call it innovation.
It's simple. If you want a modern Les Paul built from the ground up like in 1959, you buy a replica.
I disagree. Folks who want a 59 Les Paul want a Gibson. That's why the THs continue to go up in price!
Also, you can X-ray a burst to find some of these invisible details. No need to destroy it.
So you have X-rays that can determine age and type of wood? And the composition of glues? Pretty cool!
I'm not saying that this is gonna happen. I am simply suggesting that it is possible.
To suggest it could not be done is, with respect, a little blinkered. There are millions of franchises out there that manage to make sure their franchisees do the job properly. How do they do that?
And how does, say, Apple make sure the Chinese sub contracters produce phones and computers up to the desired quality? It's not easy - but it IS possible.
Here's what Gibson could do:
1. Using third parties for anonymity, they send instruments to all the "makeover" guys, and order all the "improvements" that those guys offer.
2. When the guitars arrive back at Gibson, they are reverse engineered (a fancy way of saying ripped apart) and all the modifications are noted.
3. The Custom Shop produces prototypes containing ALL of the "makeover" modifications.
4. Gibson puts together a franchise package to be aimed at rebuilder/luthiers who have the best reputation. In return for a given fee, along with a % of each instrument, they will receive training at the factory, and a set of standards laid down, to which the franchisees would agree via a contract. All parts for the instrument would be supplied by Gibson. A quality control process would be created - I could go into far more detail on QC, but it CAN be done in various ways. In return for this, the franchisee will be able to advertise as say "A Gibson Accredited Luthier". Initially, maybe 2 in the US (East Coast and West Coast), 1 in the UK, 1 in Europe, 2 in Japan.
5. A new level of instrument would then become available. Call it what you will - "Ultra Historic", "Hand Built Historic", "Total Historic", whatever. It would be priced higher than the current THs - and would be available exclusively via the "Gibson Accredited Luthier" network. I think we all agree that these guys will do a better job than the factory.
I know it sounds far fetched, but if there are enough folks out there prepared to pay enough to keep the "makeover" guys in business, then there is no reason why Gibson shouldn't be able to bring that business back in house, and make money from it.
It could even free up enough factory space that they could bring the prices down on factory built instruments, and maybe even bring Epiphone production back to the US!
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