Gibson Guitar "Government Series"

[TrickyNicky]

No you've got the gist of it, the seller just needs to lay off the crack pipe is all.

[E4 No More]

Gibsons tend to be pricey. I haven't seen the specs on this one or played one. You can get an Epiphone which is owned by Gibson cheaper with nearly as much quality. Some say more. Check out Musicians Friend online and check out the prices. There are some good guitar stores around Murfreesboro and Nashville too.

I'd say they're wrong. In the interest of total disclosure, my wife works for Gibson in the corporate office. The big difference is that Epiphone is designed for mass production which makes it easy to fix. Gibson has the parts custom fit. I don't know if I think the difference is important to me when it comes to price, but there's a reason that you see more Gibsons on TV than Epiphones.

[E4 No More]

I don't pay real close attention to guitar markets, but Made in USA Gibsons (and Fenders) seem to sell in the $1000 MINIMUM price range.

 

A lot of Gibson and Fender product can be had cheaper, which is manufactured somewhere else. There is an absolutely gigantic geetar factory in S. Korea, Samick. Unless things have recently changed, that company makes a lot of the Epiphones (gibson) and non-USA Fenders. The quality control of the Korean geetars is real good compared to the price.

 

Back in the old days, you had to pay a goodly sum to buy a geetar that was at all playable. The bad old days of Woolworth geetars that were near impossible to play. But one good thing about the last decade or two, is that there are a lot of low-priced, not made in usa geetars, that might not be comparable to thousands of dollars gibsons, fenders, guilds, taylors, martins-- But they are damned good easy to play axes nonetheless.

In many case production is spread out. There is Gibson and Epiphone factories here in Nashville. There are other factories in Asia as well.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

In many case production is spread out. There is Gibson and Epiphone factories here in Nashville. There are other factories in Asia as well.

 

Thanks, didn't know there are still USA-made epiphones.

 

Making no claim to expertise, the korean geetars almost seem to have "quality control on steroids". For instance, when overdubbing acoustic geetars, especially if recording a fella who plays "almost too precise", one wants to have different-sounding geetars for the different tracks, or you end up having a sound of one big guitar rather than two or more guitars playing together.

 

So one time we had access to a bright takamine and a "clear transparent sounding" antique small body martin, but I wanted something "in the middle" for another color, so went playing acoustics in stores all over town, looking for "a certain tone" rather than other specifics.

 

The playability of the korean epiphones and other brand "mid-price" acoustics was good and the tone was "OK", but it seemed that regardless the design of the guitar, they all sounded near-identical. The small-body korean acoustics sounded about the same as the dreadnaught and jumbo korean acoustics, to me. It was like, sure it is a nice guitar for the money, but there is no need to get more than one, whichever body style you like because the tone seemed virtually identical between the models. I was even wondering how such a thing could be possible, because a jumbo, due to the laws of physics, ought to naturally sound different from a dreadnaught with a different body shape.

 

But I was also playing the guilds, gibsons, martins, etc. I could hear the tonal difference between a guild or a martin, and hear the tonal difference between different models within a brand. So in that case, it would be worth having more than one USA model, because you get different tones for your money.

 

Maybe my ears were way out of whack when I was doing that research, but that is as best I recall.

[Mariner]

I can't remember if it was Gibson that used to have a finishing store in the old Opry mills mall before the flood. Me and the wife stopped in and she was holding a mandolin she liked for 100 dollars, or so she thought. I looked at the price then carefully took it away from her and gently hung it back up. She seemed to have missed 2 zeros, and they weren't after the dot. I was sweating while hanging up a beautiful 10,000 dollar mandolin. I did not even know their was instruments that high in price on display for everyone to touch.

[E4 No More]

Thanks, didn't know there are still USA-made epiphones.

Making no claim to expertise, the korean geetars almost seem to have "quality control on steroids". For instance, when overdubbing acoustic geetars, especially if recording a fella who plays "almost too precise", one wants to have different-sounding geetars for the different tracks, or you end up having a sound of one big guitar rather than two or more guitars playing together.

So one time we had access to a bright takamine and a "clear transparent sounding" antique small body martin, but I wanted something "in the middle" for another color, so went playing acoustics in stores all over town, looking for "a certain tone" rather than other specifics.

The playability of the korean epiphones and other brand "mid-price" acoustics was good and the tone was "OK", but it seemed that regardless the design of the guitar, they all sounded near-identical. The small-body korean acoustics sounded about the same as the dreadnaught and jumbo korean acoustics, to me. It was like, sure it is a nice guitar for the money, but there is no need to get more than one, whichever body style you like because the tone seemed virtually identical between the models. I was even wondering how such a thing could be possible, because a jumbo, due to the laws of physics, ought to naturally sound different from a dreadnaught with a different body shape.

But I was also playing the guilds, gibsons, martins, etc. I could hear the tonal difference between a guild or a martin, and hear the tonal difference between different models within a brand. So in that case, it would be worth having more than one USA model, because you get different tones for your money.

Maybe my ears were way out of whack when I was doing that research, but that is as best I recall.

I actually prefer the tone of the Martin over Gibson, Yamaha, or Takamine.

My wife just corrected me, ( imagine that, huh?), Epiphone is made in only in China whereas Gibson is made only in the USA. The Epiphone HQ is in Nashville which I confused with the factory.
Gibson is now Gibson Brands having bought, and continuing ti buy, various music/sound companies.

My Schector Riot 4 was made in Korea via CNC machines. Edited February 17, 2014 by SWJewellTN

[E4 No More]

I can't remember if it was Gibson that used to have a finishing store in the old Opry mills mall before the flood. Me and the wife stopped in and she was holding a mandolin she liked for 100 dollars, or so she thought. I looked at the price then carefully took it away from her and gently hung it back up. She seemed to have missed 2 zeros, and they weren't after the dot. I was sweating while hanging up a beautiful 10,000 dollar mandolin. I did not even know their was instruments that high in price on display for everyone to touch.

It was Gibson. The store was lost in the flood. The only "showcase" store remaining is in Memphis.

[TrickyNicky]

I'd say they're wrong. In the interest of total disclosure, my wife works for Gibson in the corporate office. The big difference is that Epiphone is designed for mass production which makes it easy to fix. Gibson has the parts custom fit. I don't know if I think the difference is important to me when it comes to price, but there's a reason that you see more Gibsons on TV than Epiphones.

Incorrect. IMO.

1. Gibsons parts aren't made to be custom fit. Their made for mass production same as epiphones. They are made to slightly different specs out of slightly different materials, but not custom made or fit by any means.

2. Epiphones these days are VERY tough to beat for the money. There will be some epis that go head to with gibsons and win and vice versa. The Epi elite line from the FugiGen factory in Japan puts out an exceptionally fine instrument easily on par with Gibson USA stuff.

3. If you keep your eyes peeled you'll see just as many epiphones on TV as gibsons. In fact most of the time unless they've payed for the product placing, the name is blocked out anyway. If you know your guitars you can still ID them off the headstock shape.


The one major area Gibson tend to excell over their Epi counterparts are internal electronics, and higher quality nitrocellulose finishes. Some if them don't even come high gloss anymore.


Keep I. Kind this all from the guy what has owned 2 epiphones (and one doesn't count, its a 1960's model from when gibsons and epiphones were made at the same plant by the same builders in Kalamazoo) and no les than 10 Gibsons. On average they're "better" guitars, but again that's just on average.

[TrickyNicky]

I actually prefer the tone of the Martin over Gibson, Yamaha, or Takamine.
My wife just corrected me, ( imagine that, huh?), Epiphone is made in only in China whereas Gibson is made only in the USA. The Epiphone HQ is in Nashville which I confused with the factory.
Gibson is now Gibson Brands having bought, and continuing ti buy, various music/sound companies.
My Schector Riot 4 was made in Korea via CNC machines.

Actually, (here we go again ;) ) there were epiphones guitars build in the USA fairly recently, the epiphone John Lennon had versions made here, china and I'm stretching, but I believe Japan as well.

I'm sorry, I'm a guitar nerd and can't help myself.


Lester, a couple of things probably came into play with your acoustic experience. China/Korea do have excellent quality control, when the American companies want and pay for it anyway. Their instruments are very similar sounding for a few reasons. The biggest contributer IMO for an acoustic and to a degree an electric, is the finish. Epis and most import guitars are coated in a polyurethane finish that fills the wood, restricts vibrations, and mutes the natural tone of the instrument.

Most gibsons martins etc use a nitro based finish witch moves with the wood better and dries out with age becoming thinner and more brittle, which again translates into better movement which again translates into an opener, airier sound.

Now there are again, exceptions, and there are some builders using very thin poly finishes that sound great. Just not many.

The factory strings also play a large part. If the epis were all fresh from the crate they all had factory strings. As stupid as it sounds some guitars like a brand or gauge of string like some guns like a certain brand of ammo.

There's also something to be said for ear fatigue. If you go out and play 12 guitars for 3 minutes each, by the time I hand you # 13 your ears are shot and the tones are all running together. Even when you think that's not happening, it most likely is. Edited February 18, 2014 by TrickyNicky

[E4 No More]

Actually, (here we go again ;) ) there were epiphones guitars build in the USA fairly recently, the epiphone John Lennon had versions made here, china and I'm stretching, but I believe Japan as well.

I'm sorry, I'm a guitar nerd and can't help myself.


Lester, a couple of things probably came into play with your acoustic experience. China/Korea do have excellent quality control, when the American companies want and pay for it anyway. Their instruments are very similar sounding for a few reasons. The biggest contributer IMO for an acoustic and to a degree an electric, is the finish. Epis and most import guitars are coated in a polyurethane finish that fills the wood, restricts vibrations, and mutes the natural tone of the instrument.

Most gibsons martins etc use a nitro based finish witch moves with the wood better and dries out with age becoming thinner and more brittle, which again translates into better movement which again translates into an opener, airier sound.

Now there are again, exceptions, and there are some builders using very thin poly finishes that sound great. Just not many.

The factory strings also play a large part. If the epis were all fresh from the crate they all had factory strings. As stupid as it sounds some guitars like a brand or gauge of string like some guns like a certain brand of ammo.

There's also something to be said for ear fatigue. If you go out and play 12 guitars for 3 minutes each, by the time I hand you # 13 your ears are shot and the tones are all running together. Even when you think that's not happening, it most likely is.

No offense intended, but since my wife pays the bills for them and is on the phone with the Japan, China, and Europe locations regularly, I'll take her word for it. :) Besides, I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't defend her. :(

 

Repair for Epiphone is a lot easier because of mass production specs; repair for Gibson requires being sent to Gibson because of the part being hand fitted.

 

John Lennon's Epiphone is considered a custom guitar: therefore, the Gibson Custom Shop here in town makes them for Epiphone. So it's a Gibson with an Epiphone brand on it The ones made in China are the run-of-the-mill Epiphones.

 

Since the wife works for Gibson we watch the guitars on TV closely and see far more Gibsons than Epiphones. Some of this is product positioning, but the wife says that Gibson is far more popular outside the US than inside.

[E4 No More]

Ha! I couldn't see it either, but I doubt it's an employee. Is the serial # in the listing or pics? Bigtime no-no for us to sell our guitars within 12 mos of purchase. Henry has successfully prosecuted some folks, and they watch for that kind of thing.

Yep! Wife knows of this happening, but she was told that it cannot be sold while she works for them. Afterwards they can go pack sand - although I doubt the prosecution thing. It isn't a crime.

[E4 No More]

http://www.epiphone.com/History.aspx#EpiphoneAndGibson

 

"They were in Korea working with Samick in the 80’s. We still work with Samick but not in Korea. See attached time line for Epiphone."

[Dolomite_supafly]

I have a HUGE problem with what the government did because it is nothing more than extortion. Claiming something is illegal, seize it then give it back after you agree magine taking this same concept and applying it to every day things. Someone gets caught with illegal drugs then the cops give it back after you agree to pay them.

 

If something is illegal it should never be returned and if it is returned then it should have never been seized in the first place.

 

It is extortion.

[E4 No More]

I have a HUGE problem with what the government did because it is nothing more than extortion. Claiming something is illegal, seize it then give it back after you agree magine taking this same concept and applying it to every day things. Someone gets caught with illegal drugs then the cops give it back after you agree to pay them.

 

If something is illegal it should never be returned and if it is returned then it should have never been seized in the first place.

 

It is extortion.

That isn't the half of it. The government claimed that the wood violated the law of the country of origin; not the US, even though the country of origin said that it was legally harvested and that no laws were broken. And the government did it TWICE; not just once. They went after Gibson and not after Fender who gets their wood from the same country and middlemen. The difference between the two? Gibson contributes to the Republican Party and Fender contributes to the Democratic Party.

[Steelharp]

Looks like someone (maybe an employee?) for $4,000.

 

http://www.gunownersclub.com/listings/firearms/other/281574.html

The ad has been taken down.