majorminor
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2017
- Messages
- 96
I'm amazed at the lengths we all go to get where we want.
Gibson is just trying to keep up with our desires, but always seems to make a mess of it--as a company.
There IS another aspect to this - and it is one where Gibson need take no blame whatsoever - but it is, nevertheless, a very potent force that we all deal with.
In fact, it could be that rather than blame Gibson for the constant striving for better collectable instruments, we should, in fact, be blaming ourselves.
Yes - us. The very people who view this site.
Because, as well as musicians, we are also collectors.
Now, if there is one thing that has changed the hobby of collecting - whatever the object of the obsession (and it IS an obsession) happens to be, then that thing is the Internet.
20/30 years ago, you could be a collector - stamps, model trains, butterflies, whatever - and you almost existed in a vacuum. If you were lucky, you might have a local club where you could meet a few other obsessives, but otherwise, your collection would be pretty well a private thing, for you alone.
But all that has now changed - the Internet means that, no matter how obscure your obsession might be, you can connect as often as you wish with practically every other like minded obsessive in the world - via a forum site like this.
Let me elaborate. As well as being a "Gibsonhead", I also collect "Workwear".
"Work what?", I hear you say......
Here's what it is. There are guys out there who love the clothes worn by say, 1930's/40's American working folk. Leather, Denim, Shirts, Jackets, Jeans, Overalls - all are avidly collected.
There are still original pieces to be had, now at huge prices - folks constantly scour ebay and other sites, along with charity shops, looking far a "find". Modern repos are now produced, and the market has largely been cornered by the Japanese, although US companies are fighting back - even pricing the stuff at the same eye-watering prices as the Japs.
Jap produced books about the best original clothes sell out as soon as they appear - even though they are in Japanese - the pics are so good.
US Army Air Force WW2 Leather Jackets are particularly prized. The originals were cheaply churned out in their 100s during the war, but now, folks will pay upwards of $2500 for a stitch-for-stitch repro, and wait 2 years for it to be made.
Notice the similarities in the hobby? Completely different products - but exactly the same passion.
Why? Very simple - as soon as you acquire the latest, very best bit of kit - you can take a pic of it, and post it on the Forum site of your choice, knowing full well that your post will be followed by lots of "Excellent", "Good score", and so on.....
Instead of "Play it in good health", you get "Wear it in good health". Instead of "Burst Porn", we get "Type 2 Porn" (that's a Denim jacket made by Levis from the 30's until 1963), or "A2 Porn" (the flying jackets I mentioned....)
Guys will pay $900 for a pair of jeans, that to you would look like any other pair of jeans, but he knows that the "details" are SO much better....
I have a room full of stuff - probably 40 or 50 Jackets, too many shirts to count, dozens of pairs of Jeans, and I can tell you why each and every one is special, but folks down at my local alehouse just think I wear casual gear.
There is even a guy in Austria called Florian who makes fabulous 19th Century shirts and jackets! Surely not the same guy?! :nut
Does all this sound a little familiar?
Well, it is all just what guys do. We have hobbies. But those hobbies are SO much more intense with the advent of the Web. The whole thing is fuelled by the web.
Even Joe B posts videos of his collection.
And the first thing we do with a makeover is post it one the Forum (I'm not knocking that - I'd do just the same).
So, maybe Gibson is just filling a need that WE demonstrate. Just like the guy who hand-makes the best Leather Flying Jackets in the world.....
No one to blame but ourselves......:rofl
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