FIREBIRD X!!!

Couldn’t they donate those to a music school or something?

Sounds like "ding dong the witch is dead" to me. The witch, of course, being HJ.

Anyway, here's Gibson's response:

UPDATE, 6:10 pm:
Gibson has release the following statement in response to this video.

“The Firebird X destruction video that surfaced months ago was an isolated batch of Firebird X models built in 2009-2011 which were unsalvageable and damaged with unsafe components. This isolated group of Firebird X models were unable to be donated for any purpose and were destroyed accordingly.

“Gibson recently announced its re-launch of the Gibson Foundation. Since 2002, the Gibson Foundation has provided thousands of guitars and donations to schools and charities in excess of $30 million. As a starting point, Gibson has committed to giving a guitar-a-day away over the next 1000 days. 100% of donations to the Gibson Foundation go directly towards giving the gift of music, re-affirming Gibson’s commitment to giving back, helping under-served music education programs, empowering music culture and encouraging the creation of music.”

With due respect to Gibson, I can't believe that as bad as the Firebird X was, that these guitars were all inoperable/unsafe. And there were other discrete ways to destroy those guitars other than to film them in a straight line, being run over by a bulldozer! Obviously done for publicity sake. :hank

Defective instruments get stripped and run through the band saw. You don't just trash hundreds of pickup/bridge/tuners/controls that take seconds to remove which you could use in other products. The old two-face PR statement right there, or what the laymen call a "lie."


I'm pretty sure it was figured out that these were unsold overstock and the destruction had something to do with the bankruptcy. There was a "zero" type version of a Les Paul at a local pawn shop for a while and it got down to at least $900 before selling, lots of switches & 3 pickups too IIRC. It'd probably be considered a nice guitar had it not been a Gibson.


As for it possibly being a publicity stunt, I could see someone in that company thinking the masses would applaud the destruction of a guitar that was considered a failure. Again, as goofy as the guitar might have seemed it would almost be an "acceptable" PRS or Reverend etc..

This made me want to puke and this video is confirmation of all of the naysayers of Gibson and the HJ era . Great PR job and ditto for Gibson Marketing . The most dumbest and disrespectful thing ever done to a Gibson guitar ever period . To the hierarchy that came up with this stunt I say -why not donate them to inner city school programs for less privileged kids that are growing up dirt poor . The way that I grew up with my parents who immigrated to this country because of WW 2 and I was a product of public schools who learned to play the violin first at 1st grade and then I moved on to the Cello and when I noticed Girls I started playing the guitar and my very first electric guitar was a Gibson Les Paul Custom in 1977 which I still have and play . Also 4 Gibson Les Paul's , A Gibson Firebird V , A Gibson Korina Flying V and 3 more Gibson Les Paul's on there way as well ( a total of 5 Custom Shop Les Paul's ) 6 Fender's and a Martin and another Guitar on the way as well (which the herd is 12 now and will climb to 17 by the end of August ) My point is ( are you listening Gibson ) that I love Gibson Les Paul's and because of being a inner city kid growing up poor and a product of public schools and there music programs is that I love Gibson's Les Paul's and now that I have a modest income I pursue my passions aggressively and I love Gibson Les Paul's . Just saying instead of destroying perfectly good guitars because HJ has egg on his face doesn't mean that they should go to waste because that poor inner city kid going to public school just might take up the guitar and then become a fanatical Gibson fan and spend like a drunken sailor on shore leave buying pricey hookers !!!!!!!!!!!

According to Gibson


Exactly what components on a guitar that could be considered "unsafe" is not clear.

The other thing about being "destroyed accordingly" is not clear as well.

Reminds me of a recent quote I read

"Monkeys performing brain surgery."

These guys just don’t get it....

If they are so unsafe, why haven't the they been recalled?

J T said:

According to Gibson

"Gibson said in an official statement that the video footage was of “an isolated batch of Firebird X models built in 2009-2011 which were unsalvageable and damaged with unsafe components. This isolated group of Firebird X models were unable to be donated for any purpose and were destroyed accordingly.”

​

Exactly what components on a guitar that could be considered "unsafe" is not clear.

The other thing about being "destroyed accordingly" is not clear as well.

Click to expand...

They probably put in a faulty Cyberdyne Systems chip, watched it become self-aware and trying to kill mankind.
After the bulldozer ran em over you could hear them softly whisper "we'lll be back" with a german/austrian accent.

Unsafe?? Maybe 'cause they're so butt-ugly, little children were having nightmares...the ones at the orphanage...that they were going to give them to...

Ah, I see my extensive collection of Firebird X's just went up in value!!!

GotTheSilver said:

Ah, I see my extensive collection of Firebird X's just went up in value!!!

Click to expand...

:ha