From: richard@purch.Columbia.NCR.COM ()
Subject: Re: Gibson's sales policy
Organization: NCR Corp, E&M-Columbia, Columbia, SC
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 92 20:37:50 GMT

In article <92282.075109WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> <WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> writes:
>A very strange thing happened to me yesterday.  I went into a local guitar
>emporium (Gelb Music in Redwood City, CA) with intent to check on prices and
>availability of Les Paul Customs.  I yearn for a Heritage Cherry sunburst LPC
>with three pickups.  Strange I know, but I am the strange one.  So, I figure
>I'll go in, ask if a triple pickup Custom is available as a special order item
>and what the damages might be.  If it is a no go, then what do the garden
>variety HCSB Customs fetch in today's slumping retail market.
>
>At this point the salesperson, who I know to be wise in the ways of the music
>biz, informs me that Gibson is limiting the number of Les Paul Customs to
>dealers who will commit to a set number of L-5s, Super 400s, Byrdlands and the
>like.  I figure the clerk isn't just blowing hot air my way as a quick perusal
>of the store's stock reveals plenty of Les Paul Standards, 1960 reissues, Les
>Paul Studios and an ES-335 or two BUT NOT A SINGLE CUSTOM.
>
>I don't know about you but my circle of guitar players doesn't include anyone
>who even wants a Super 400 much less could afford the $5,000.00 or so bucks
>they cost.  I also have NEVER met a guitarist who EVER yearned after a Byrdland
>and its shortened scale length.  It is also true that I only know one serious
>jazz player and he plays an Epiphone Howard Roberts anyway.
>
>So what in the wide, wide world of sports is Gibson doing anyway.  Are they
>seriously thinking of using one of their best selling instruments to lever
>dealers into stocking some of their worst selling instruments?  Do they imagine
>they can forcibly create a market where none exists?  Are raindrops falling on
>my head?
>
>Has anyone else in netland run up against this marketing ploy?  Or is Gelb just
>trying to whine away the reason they don't have a LPC in stock?  Inquiring
>minds want to know.
>
>As a corollary, does anyone out there have a triple pickup Les Paul Custom for
>sale?  It doesn't have to be Heritage Cherry sunburst but it would be nice if
>it was...
>
>Brian Waugh                       |    "What's for dinner?"
>WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU    |        Mary Ford


If it makes you feel even worse I believe that Super 400s are going for about
$11,000! Unless you want natural then they are more. I believe that what you
were told is true. Gibson has restructured their sales strategy to include
standard sellers and preferred sellers. (These may not be the correct terms)
The standard sellers will only stock the non custom instruments like LP
standards, SG standards, cheaper 335s, ES-165, etc. These same stores will
also stock the epiphone stuff (LPs, Joe Pass model, Sheraton, etc.). The 
preferred dealers will stock this stuff plus the custom stuff, LP custom,
SG custom, BB King Lucille model, Super 400, L5s, L4s, ES 175/575s, etc. Right
about the same time that Gibson picked this new strategy they raised their 
prices. I was considering buying an L4 which is currently an ES-175 with a
spruce top and gold h/w. Almost overnight the L4 went from about $1300 to about
$2300. This was about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago. 

As a side note, while you may not know anyone wanting to buy a Super 400 or
other archtop guitar, the vintage guitar market has gone outrageous. It's sad
but true that people are treating these guitars as art and not instruments and
as a result collectors are "investing" in them. At the top end D'Angelicos are
going for as much as $40k-$50k. Also, Gibson was smart enough to leave much of
the equipment used for the archtops in Michigan when they moved to Nashville.
Many of the old craftsman stayed in Michigan and formed Heritage Guitars. As a
result, many of the custom archtops that Gibson makes are basically handmade.
(At $11,000 does it sound like they want to make any?) Anyway, my point is that
it appears that Gibson is taking advantage of the collectors that are out there
and also pushing around the dealers a little. You don't have to sell too many
at their inflated prices to make bucks which is what they are really interested
in.

Call Heritage for a quote. Same machines as used on the original and reissue
Les Pauls of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Same woods. Same craftsman. Different name.
Cheaper price. (616)-385-5721

Richard.Maxwell