Is Gibson Losing its artist?

Tom Wittrock said:

I can positively say [and prove] that this isn't true. :ganz

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I disagree, at least where I lived, they sure didn't sell. If a guitar didn't have a pointy headstock or a Floyd, they gathered dust on the rack. I liked Les Pauls, so it was a great time for me!

Billy Porter said:

I worked in a music store on the UK mid 80s and it was pretty much all pointy headstocks and locking twems - hard to sell LPs, teles and even Strats.

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Dave P said:

I disagree, at least where I lived, they sure didn't sell. If a guitar didn't have a pointy headstock or a Floyd, they gathered dust on the rack.

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My experience was somewhat different, here in Springfield Missouri and at the giant Texas guitar shows. I had plenty of demand and sales of all types of Les Pauls then, including a strong market for Bursts and everyday Standards and Customs. :hmm

Tom Wittrock said:

My experience was somewhat different, here in Springfield Missouri and at the giant Texas guitar shows. I had plenty of demand and sales of all types of Les Pauls then, including a strong market for Bursts and everyday Standards and Customs. :hmm

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I'm sure it was. Where I lived LPs were very expensive whilst an Ibanez S Type with twem was relatively cheap. I'm sure a store in London or the South East of England would have totally different experience / memories.

.Apples and pears

Tom Wittrock said:

My experience was somewhat different, here in Springfield Missouri and at the giant Texas guitar shows. I had plenty of demand and sales of all types of Les Pauls then, including a strong market for Bursts and everyday Standards and Customs. :hmm

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Oh yes. I remember walking into Guitar Trader in R%ed Bank, N.J. and seeing multiple bursts on the the walls, usually in the $8000 range IIRC. Also, al wall of at least 30 single cut TV Specials that went from the front to the back of the store.

I remember buying a '59 grovered Junior for $450 (maybe 500) and a beautiful single cut 59 Melody Maker for $250.

I still have the junior......

Those were the days.

I met my friend Timm Kummer there and still do biz with him to this day.

I also met my buddy Richie Friedman at We Buy Guitars on 48th street NYC where there were always plenty of vintage guitars....Les Pauls and Custom color strats. If one had the scratch, you could walk out of stores on 48th Street with most any model guitar you wanted......including Korina stuff.

Great days indeed. But those prices were still out of this world considering the wages we made back then...
Oh well

I wasn't looking at who played them back then. Although I knew who did.
I just know I feel in love with everything about the Les Paul when I played one.....:jim

I don't think Gibson needs Endorsements to keep it in business. As much as I prefer the oldie production guitars, they are a staying force. That's like asking if Ford is going under without endorsements, IMO.