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Lefty Gibsons Special Order in 2019??

LP007

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Jun 19, 2019
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18
Hey all, especially the lefties out there...over here in the UK standard production Gibson electrics are now special order only - the major retailers only seem to have acoustics and unsold 2018/19 guitars in stock. Is this the same in the USA or in other countries?

With Gibson trying to turn the business around I can understand why they’ve reduced production of lefties as the cost per guitar is probably slightly higher. Is now a good time to pick up a lefty Gibson, before stock dries up?
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
Hey all, especially the lefties out there...over here in the UK standard production Gibson electrics are now special order only - the major retailers only seem to have acoustics and unsold 2018/19 guitars in stock. Is this the same in the USA or in other countries?

Essentially yes.

My thoughts, YMMV -

As I understand it, no USA lefties at least for now. They are pushing production of their new models first, understandably so.

Dealers make special runs, but I'll wager even these are either being prioritized after new model / product line production, and the line may have been altered. I think after the HJ phase of mucking about with dealers, Gibson is studying what they want to do with dealers/stock quota, internet sales, etc. so the leverage may change.

I would imagine there's a point where old stock dwindles, and there's enough new rightly rationalized product line available they get back to lefty runs, probably concurrent with or after special dealer runs. I was thankful to get a P-90s Classic, Flying V and Explorer from the 2018 run. They are great, finished with no QC issues.

X factor here will be the used market. Given USA line price drops, glut of oddballs i.e. High Performance, etc. I think there won't be pressure from mainstream dealers to stock lefties as they were once doing right away. There will need to be a pressure build from customer demand. This may be offset by owners who are thinning the herd of from the last few years of HJ to grab something from the new lines...

Memphis still in flux, that doesn't help things much! They were on a roll for lefties, e.g. limited runs for '63 Block ES-335s, Figured 335s, ES-275s, etc. I wish I saw more of the stud 335s, Standard 275s.

Custom Shop will still produce, and M2M, but not seeing US dealers doing much here... yet. I saw a handful of CS lefties inbound to a UK dealer, so it may be a matter of time.

:salude
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
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5,276
Here's the UK dealer with Custom lefties: Peach. No affiliation, I just was keen on the video! :salude

 

high_lander

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
56
As usual, lefties have to run to the used market, or pickup older unsold stock. That's fine since i picked up a new 2018 Studio for a great price and it has binding on the neck and the 57 Classics, but the 2019s went back to the 490/498 combo. I am just glad they did a run of lefties to begin with.

Side note, though. At the Dallas show last month the Gibson panel I attended, I spoke to the Gibson rep and he stated that lefties will be available on all USA line guitars (as far as he knew).
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
Side note, though. At the Dallas show last month the Gibson panel I attended, I spoke to the Gibson rep and he stated that lefties will be available on all USA line guitars (as far as he knew).

For more than one year, Gibson [under HJ] press-announced all USA models would be available as lefty. I have NEVER seen this come to pass. Elephant Talk!

So, take what a rep says with lots of Morton's...

Here's hoping for some :salude
 
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