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Why did Gibson close down the "Collectors Choice" line?

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F-Hole

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Sep 2, 2015
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2,174
deytookerjaabs said:
Okay, of all the things stated here this would piss me off to no end.
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Indeed.

Gibson don't do irony either. Shortly after the Chap. 11 was court approved, I got a call from Gibson A&R asking me about the royalty strcuture Fender use for signature models.

The answer given, "Fender actually pay their royalty bills".......
 
JPP-1

JPP-1

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Jul 11, 2006
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1,336
That is a hell of a nice looking Les Paul, Tom. Very unique top as well.

Your advice to play a bunch until one speaks to you is also the most constructive post on this thread not to mention truly the best way to find an inspiring guitar.

Reading this entire thread, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of erroneous information that can be spread on an Internet forum, from inaccurate build specs to an inchoate and baseless rant against Gibson’s quality.

While I share the outrage of people unjustly getting stiffed and other bad corporate behavior. There is no corollary between that and the quality of Gibson’s product. Gibson by most metrics is producing some of the best guitars since their golden age.

With regard to the longevity of the CC line, I would think there are only a reasonably limited number of Bursts that warrant being memorialized in such a fashion along with a relative handful of signature/artist guitars. What significant Bursts are left?

I do wish Gibson would do an inspired by a moment in history line. Historic renditions of all the great Bursts during the time they were actually played. Like Duane’s cherryburst with the covers still on, Peter Green’s Burst before the accident, Jimmy’s #1 without any push pull knobs, etc. While I don’t need a special limited edition COA or any other superfluous collateral, I’d love to get a Jimmy’s #1 or a Greeny Burst with accurate neck and top carves and a reasonably similar aesthetic.



Tom Wittrock said:
Just play any you come across and if one speaks to you, go for it.

I have completely fallen in love with my Donna copy [#5] and have played it at almost every gig for about a year now.
It is exceptional! :yah

normal_DSCN5088.JPG


DSCN5088.JPG



And of course, the pickguard sticker is off it. :ganz
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A

asapmaz

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Jun 19, 2003
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303
Have to admit, the CC line was a great concept when it initially came out. Props to Gibson for coming out with it.
It was a great way to keep the interest in the Reissue line and sell pretty much the same guitars for a $2-3k upcharge.
But, instead of taking their time and doing it slowly and well, Gibson pretty much blew their wad right away and diluted the hell out of the concept.
 
O

omni43

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Feb 2, 2016
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50
hanban said:
I know the past couple of years has seen the True Historic line and Collectors Choice line discontinued

So what's really the reason for closing down the CC line

Obviously they did not sell well. no one stops doing something if it makes them money. but were there others reasons?

From what I gather quality wise its your normal historic line (pre 2015 CC did not even have true historic features which comes standard in 2018-2019 historics) , at 10-12k. so you pay the extra 6k for the work they put in making it look like the original relic/top wise?
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Just seemed to be a money grab.
 
ff1337

ff1337

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Apr 12, 2016
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375
Not too long ago I was able to pick
up a CC #24 and absolutely love it. I sold a 2015 TH to help fund it and am very happy I did. The CC line to me was a great concept. I feel that with these, Gibson was able to make an attempt at replicating existing examples in hand, whether the CC replicated the respective guitar as close as possible idk, I’ve never held NICKY, but from what Charles has written these come pretty close. That’s good enough for me. I guess what I am simply trying to say is that I feel that these come closer to originals because they were based upon originals that were actually available to be examined.
 
LeonC

LeonC

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Aug 30, 2002
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I got to play a CC (#14) and a/b it with my old 335. Of course, they didn't sound the same...but they both had the clarity that I look for in humbucker-equipped guitars (and often don't find). The CC neck pickup sound was even clearer and more articulate to my ears. I bought the CC on the spot. Love neck taper and the fact that you can use it with the Bigsby or with a stop tail. I wasn't looking for a CC per se or a relic of any sort...but I liked that idea that I wouldn't worry about picking up a ding or scratch playing it in clubs. And the guitar was set up beautifully and played really well. I dug the weight too. That quenched most of my thirst for a great Les Paul...but I did kinda want another one with a larger neck as well.

Then, maybe three months later, after doing more research and watching a slew of Wildwood videos, I realized that the guitar in one of my favorite Koch demos was being re-sold by Wildwood. This was a #28 (STP Burst/Montrose). Snapped it up. It was every bid as impressive as my earlier acquisition in terms of play-ability and sound. And I LOVE the feel of the neck. I've not owned any real bursts though I've owned plenty of old Gibsons. These are clearly not the same as old guitars. It's crystal clear to anyone with a little experience. But damn...they are REALLY great Les Pauls! I love them and have used one or the other on every gig I've played since I got them. :dude:

As to the OP...yeah...my impression is simply that they over-did it. People like the idea of buying something rare/hard to obtain...so if the marketing of this line was that these were "rare/special" ... then it seems like Gibson kinda blew that perception. In terms of how they treated the original owners, sub-contractors, anyone else involved...I have no personal knowledge. But I do recognize there are generally two sides (or more!) to most stories we hear on the internet (just like offline).
 
surfreak

surfreak

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May 6, 2002
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1,115
I think there are 2 issues on the long term feasibility of the CC run:

- They don't look like accurate replicas of the original.

I might not have a sufficiently trained eye but, not considering any specific tell-tale attributes (say, mismatched knob types, particular wear ptterns, different hardware etc) virtually all CCs I have seen look like regular Historics, and their top figuring in particular is very different from the original.

- The transient nature of original ownership. Many original specimens that were considered for the CC run are now, or may be in the future, in different hands.

Celebrity players lend their name to iconic guitars by virtue of the music they made, and the association between the player and the instrument continues even after the guitar changes hands.

Collectors in many cases are temporary custodians, and this in my opinion does not create a particularly meaningful legacy for the general guitar-buying community.
 
Wambemando

Wambemando

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May 4, 2018
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First off, I'd like to apologize for my snarky attitude a while back.
I am surprised that nobody has mentioned the "repurposing" of some of these CCs.
I happened upon one by chance, and it is my first Historic guitar. My goal at the time was to "move up" to the Custom Shop by way of trade (at a reputable dealer), and it worked out well.
I knew of the CC line at the time, so when I was told that the "R8" I was playing was actually a CC29 - it kinda blew my mind. It was explained to me that Gibson was going to "throw them in the chipper", but a deal was made to "repurpose" them into limited runs of Historic Standards.
2017 was a mess... even the advertising for the line was incorrect: "all hide glue construction". Well, that may have been true for some of them, but surely not on a CC29.
I wasn't going to split hairs though, because I still feel like I made out like a bandit.
I was asked not to talk about the repurposing because "it might rock the boat" if Gibson knew that the cat was out of the bag. As you can imagine, this level of intrigue was a bit above my head at the time - so I was actually worried about mentioning it anywhere. Well, that changed when I googled it and saw that it was a well-known practice.
Having read this thread, I can only guess that the repurposing of these guitars would hurt the collectors and artists that owned the originals.
I was told that Gibson would never admit to any of this, and I could see why.
 
B

BadCat

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I have two of them: A Nicky and a Happy Jack.
Couldn`t be more happy with both of them. Feels like christmas every time i open the case and play them :). I have compared them to a load of other Gibson`s including the 60th anniversary, which i find very appealing too. I would buy these 2 guitars again in a heartbeat. They are a definite upgrade with regard to tone, feel and aesthetics to what i had earlier on and i am sure JD Simo didn`t exaggerate with his appraisal of the Nicky. :salude
 
B

BadCat

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ff1337 said:
Not too long ago I was able to pick
up a CC #24 and absolutely love it. I sold a 2015 TH to help fund it and am very happy I did. The CC line to me was a great concept. I feel that with these, Gibson was able to make an attempt at replicating existing examples in hand, whether the CC replicated the respective guitar as close as possible idk, I’ve never held NICKY, but from what Charles has written these come pretty close. That’s good enough for me. I guess what I am simply trying to say is that I feel that these come closer to originals because they were based upon originals that were actually available to be examined.
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This is exactly my experience and the reason why i sold 2 guitars, one a TH to finance my Nicky which i perceive as a major upgrade in every respect.
 
Trans-Am

Trans-Am

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Gibson wanted to cater to the peeps that can only afford such highly priced instruments, so if you had the moolah to be able to even sell your left sack to get one of these baby's then your in good hands down the road.:peace2

Another model will come up soon, you just watch it and make sure you still have the balls.:salude
 
El Gringo

El Gringo

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Tom Wittrock said:
Mine were done in house. Never heard a mention of them being done elsewhere. :ganz
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I have been meaning to ask you in your CC Donna , the one that took so long for you to get (the one in the photo in this thread ) , what pickups are you using in her ? Some Vintage PAF's ?
 
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