Cloud 9 stats

[CR9]

I didn't know where to post this, so here it is. This is not meant to be spam. I have had so many questions about how many Cloud 9's were made and what tops, that I just posted the numbers to answer as many of you as I could at one time. http://www.cloud9guitars.org/stats.htm
Cloud 9 Stats

If you haven't tried a Cloud 9, you may be missing one nice Les Paul. I have owned a bunch and sold some of them that just weren't right for me. I was about to sell my CR58 and then though maybe I'd try swapping the pickups because I loved the huge neck and awesome top. I put in a set of Lollar Imperials. Wow! That 58 isn't going anywhere now. Jason gave me the PAF tone I wanted. I'm sure there are other pickups that could have doen it, but the Lollars are Great and Jason spent a bunch of time emailing me and then talking on the ohone about what I wanted. He decided that the stock Imperials would do it. The Lollars are great in a chambered LP.

 

[fast ricky love]

Howdy, I'm interested if a CR8 (tobacco burst), can you steer me in the right direction? (Maybe best to email me... thanks)

 

[Willie Mctell]

I wouldn't mind picking up a used one, but don't see many around at a fair price. Did these ever go full production, or just a limited run?

 

[CRAMER]

Cloud9: Very cool! I like what you are doing.

 

[CR9]

As far as used ones go, I think Marks' Guitar Loft has had more used Cloud 9's than anyone. Check the Dealer section of the forum for Marks.

There are very few (15 I think) new ones left between Dave's, Music123 and Wildwood. The closest to a tobacco burst would be called a darkburst and there was only one made assuming that the 4 I don't know about are some other color. The chambered burst, which is an allman burst, and the ice tea may be easier to find by not the exact color.

The closest thing to full production is the new Frampton which uses a similar, if not the same, chambered body as the Cloud 9's. I just can't deal with that third pickup.

It would be nice for those of us that are players if Gibson would continue the Cloud 9's, but it could hurt the value of those that are just collecting them.

 

[SFLP]

A Gibson dealer (not affiliated with the Cloud 9 series but who claims to know Henry well) told me today that what angered Henry was not the idea of producing a chambered historic but, rather, that the dealers who ordered them obtained a trademark for "Cloud 9" without getting Henry's approval first. He said that Henry did not like it that the dealers would attempt to market a Gibson product in a way that drew attention away from Gibson itself and as something special belonging to the dealers. He also said that it was this event that caused Henry to begin imposing all of the other restrictions, including the photo policies, so that Henry could show dealers "who is boss."

I have no idea if that is true and am not attempting to say anything negative about the Cloud 9 series or the dealers. I have owned a Cloud 9 myself and thought it was very nice.

I have read other people (on this forum) who said that Henry had not been told about Gibson making a chambered historic and blew his lid when he found out. However, the story I was told today suggested it wasn't the production of a chambered historic that bothered him, but rather, the way the guitars were marketed by the dealers and, in particular, the attempt to register a "Cloud 9" trademark on a Gibson product.

If this is correct then it would seem possible that Gibson might again produce a chambered historic once the original Cloud 9s are all sold but under a different name.

 

[fast ricky love]

Do you Cloud 9 fans find that C9's have a smoother, more rounded high end than a comparable Historic R8,9 etc? Or like any other guitar does it depend...?

 

[LesterP]

Would just like to thank forum member Cloud9 for the great website he's put up. It obviously took some great research and a lot of time to do this, and it's much appreciated.

I've played a few Cloud 9's, and must say they are some of the best Les Pauls ever produced.

 

[ABBFan1969]

I agree with LesterP's comments about the super work on the Cloud9 website. I really appreciate your efforts!

Michael

 

[CR9]

Thank you for all the nice comments. It is my first attempt at a web page. I want to thank the dealers involved along with Chris that runs the Johnny A Guitar web page for his help and Steve D at Wildwood for all of his time giving me tips. It is fun to try to capture all the true history and a pain trying to weed out all the gossip. I will do my best to keep it up to a high standard. Thanks to all the LPF members that have registered or sent me information. I love the LPF.

 

[C-4]

Yes, Thank you for a great job to Cloud9 for all your work in establishing the Cloud 9 site!

I have had 3 Cloud 9's including the CR9 that I still have, a '54 wraptail sunburst with hummers, and a '58 blistertop in a Stanley burst with hummers.

The CR9 is my fave of all of them and the reason I kept it and let the others go. It is the most acoustically alive, plays the best and sounds righteous in a totally stock format.

As for henry loosing his cool, "Fuck you HJ!" (wish I had an icon of "the finger" to insert here.)
His dealers went in on the order due to the size of the order. The guitar was selling well, but because henry had to let us know just how massive his ego is, all he did was cut off his nose to spite his face. He should have been happy that his dealers were so into Gibsons and kept coming up with new ideas every year. Instead, his anger has made it harder for us to now buy guitars that we may find online that give us G.A.S.

I don't blame the dealers here, as they were totally into Gibson. Just because someone at the company cannot come up with every single idea should not preclude the dealers from being able to think of an idea and carrying it out. As far as the name "Cloud 9" goes, it was their idea, their investment, and their crap shoot as to whether it would succeed or fail, so why shouldn't they be able to come up with a name to market their idea?! All it does is continue to make Gibson more money.

It doesn't stop Gibson from building more and making their profit on their end of the deal. It's a name, and nothing more. Gibson can call them anything they want, so long as they sell. henry (and I type his name in small letters to show no respect at all to him) needs to spend the time making his guitars more accurate in the details the playing public want from the Historic LP's, and finish the job the company started. If Gibson cannot think of anything further to improve upon in their Historic guitars, maybe they should read this forum more often and consult with people who know exactly what they are talking about, rather then the builders who get less pay then they are worth and are pushed to move more product in a hurried fashion out the door with the less then quality fret work, real spec detailing, etc.

henry doesn't do this because his bottom line is the money, not the guitars. He would make even more money then he does now with just a few changes and improvements to the historic line, but his brain stops where his wallet begins and he doesn't really know what his public wants from historic guitars, or these minor changes would have been made already. Minor changes like hide glue, no truss rod condom, correct top dishing, professionally done fretwork, and maybe a couple of other things to get the historic line of LP's into the "ballpark" of correctness.
I only hope that one day this comes back to bite him in the ass so hard that he never is able to sit down ever again.

Sorry to those of you who feel differently about henry, but it was his actions that have caused me to feel this way. Yes, it's his company and he can do what he wants to with it, but it doesn't change my feelings.
Stephen

 

[CR9]

I agree with C-4 that the CR's are the best and also with the other comments. The dealers copywrited the logo and the ad, not the guitar. In this case, there were people in Gibson that knew about the order and the marketing plan but probably chose not to share the information with Henry. The ad ran a month before it should have, and was a surprise to the dealers as well. The extra month may have given them time to inform Henry. What is different about marketing and buying a "Guitar Center R0" than a Dave's R9, or Music Machine R8 or Wildwood R6? Nothing other than they could not market it with that long string of names and chose to use a generic name and copywrite their advertisement.

One previous statement that said that Henry blew his lid when he found out about the chambered LP marketing is exactly the story that was told to me by several Gibson employees while visiting ther in 2004. He was upset by the marketing.

Come on now, 3 dealers contracted Gibson to make a product, so that makes Gibson a sub-contractor. Gibson doesn't give credit to all the sub-contrators that make components of that Les Paul or we would know which farm grew the tree for that maple top.

The only statement I have heard from Henry himself when I asked him about the "chambered Les Pauls" (and I never mentioned a "Cloud 9") was that his "marketing people couldn't even figure out how to sell a hamburger." My feeling is that the frustration at Gibson with not developing new markets for the Les Paul and 3 dealers hitting a grand-slam marketing campaign coupled with everybody asking Gibson about the guitars and calling them a Cloud 9 embarrassed them to the point that they had to prove to the world that they still held the marketing power.

We should rewind the clock to say, 2002, and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Les Paul. Or at least get this all straight so we can celebrate as one happy family again in 2009 for the 50th of the 59. Yes we want photos! In this age of instant everything it is the dealer that get us the product fastest, if all other factors are equal, that will be at the top. You can't do that without email, web pages and PHOTOS. Maybe this is a true historic step, going back to sales the way they did it in 59. You have waste our precious gasoline driving to a Custom Shop dealer to look at his inventory. Assuming you can find a dealer, but the Gibson Custom web page won't help as it is way behind on updates as to who is a dealer. Open up "News& Events".... Warren Haynes, Feb.28, 2005. You mean that the Custom Shop hasn't had any news since Feb. 28? If it wasn't for the fine work of their forum admin, no one would even check the site. They do not want to spend money/time on this site. Where has the Custom Direct program gone this year? It is past time for restructuring. Admit the changes in marketing the last year or 2 was wrong, get back to making fantastic guitars and go mess with Gibson USA and let us have our Custom Shop back.

Sorry to vent.....

The employees at the Custom Shop Rock!!!

 

[Willie Mctell]

I think they should let everyone with a registred Historic cast a vote. That would let them know how to make the customers happy and get us buying new LP's again.

it cant be that hard.

 

[CR9]

It seems like all large corporations, they decide what we want by their bottom line. If things sell well, then that's what we wanted and if they didn't sell they we, as consumers, are called stupid. It would be nice if the DID do a survey or pole to see what we want and then go that direction. GM, Ford, and most of the big car manufacturers do surveys, but I don't see them making 34 Fords again. They have finally started making cars with some of the retro things we want. Gibson Custom Shop has actually done a good job of making the late fifties reissues for us and are trying to improve each year. Their marketing and dealer relations is what really sucks.

My vote as an owner would be to remake the 77/78/79 Custom with the maple fretboard in the natural finish. That would make me happy. I have tried to order one from the Custom shop, but it is $1100 more than a Zakk Camo. That would be $1100 to NOT paint a bullseye on it...... no other changes from the standard production Camo, just no bullseye.

Maybe I will work on a survey on my web page for us...... Then again, look what happened to the 3 dealers that tried to do some thinking.

 

[Kossoff_Fan]

Hello Cloud 9,

Just wanted to say "thanks" for the Cloud9 Stats page and the work you've put into the registry. I think these guitars are really groovy. I will be registering mine very soon. I love my C9. :salude

I think it's really cool to see the stats on these. I really would love to get another C9 someday...

Great guitars!

all best,

James
Kossoff_Fan

 

[class5lp]

Hi Guys,
There is some truth to your thread but the trademark was not for a Gibson product and the patent was applied for way before any Cloud 9 guitars were ever ordered. They only have the name "Cloud 9" patended and not a Gibson guitar of any sort. Dealers as we speak have chambered reissue guitars on order that are being filled but Gibson just cant call them a Cloud 9. This is sticky stuff I know but never the less they are great guitars and Gibson made them.