Posted on 02/24/2018 7:23:02 AM PST by rktman
Rock n' Roll. The soundtrack to rebellion. Across the decades, the motif has held, and the mythology of the rebellious rocker striding into the political arena to shatter the establishment with some deftly played power chords still stirs the imagination.
Sadly, the new world might not be ready for the revolution, because this week, after 116 years in business, and following years of attacks, fines, and losses incurred by federal bureaucrats, Gibson, the legendary manufacturer of electric guitars, revealed that it could face bankruptcy in July.
.......the feds claimed was a violation of the Teddy Roosevelt-era “Lacey Act”, which was passed in 1900, and originally banned import of certain wildlife if the capture, killing, or export of that wildlife was prohibited by the nation of origin. In 2011, in what some writers have wisely speculated appears to have been a political move made to ensnare people like the GOP-backing Juszkiewicz, the Lacey Act was amended to include flora – alive or dead.
(Excerpt) Read more at mrctv.org ...
I recall that they were actually raided twice.
If only Juszkiewicz would have paid the Obama Extortion ring, paid to some liberal cause
all this would have gone away,
until the next election cycle, or the next enviro-weenie colluded crisis. !"
Here’s my prediction - it will be taken over by some “hedge fund” armed with massive low interest debt. With its ruthless “efficiency” it will engage in massive job cutting and shipping out much of the work to India or China. The guitars will not be as good, but they’ll spend on a good media marketing campaign, and once they have fully destroyed the Gibson brand, they’ll shut it down.
Won’t fix it.
Look at Eric Johnson’s Strats.
You can minimize it but you can’t completely get rid of it.
Lower the bass side of the neck pickup so the cover is about the thickness of a pair of heavy picks from the scratch plate.
What you’ll lose in output isn’t worth worrying about.
Just read you’re post and have a question.
Ive played for 50 years and bought a Taylor 800 series about 10 years ago. Was wondering what guitar you’d recommend? I love my Taylor, easy action, nice neck and it’s matured to a better sound. Was wondering what other acoustic has the sustain and easy neck/ fret action?
I’m older now, so my Fender Strat is the only electric I’ve had even though I’d love to get my paws on a Les Paul. Just very little need for electric anymore.
LOL! Well, I like my strats and I like my old Epi with the minis on it. Since Joe Bonamasa and Eric Johnson aren’t worried about me (well not much anyway), I’ll just keep pickin’ away at local jams 3 nights a week. (I did notice that neither one of them has a booking in town though.) ;-)
That's probably what gives them that trademark kick-ass dry sound.
Ford...Gibson....same thing.
Gibson Brands, Inc. troubles began with an illegal federal raid upon its factory in 2011 and now it faces bankruptcy; I strongly-urge all those who find offense at the government’s weaponizing a 100 year-old law (Lacey Act) against a corporation for political purposes to rally behind Gibson and fix this egregious injustice.
Pertinent quote regarding the Lacey Act amendment:
“That’s a blank check for bureaucratic abuse.”
The Lacey Act was amended as a component of the 2008 “Farm Bill” passed by the 100th Congress’ Dem supermajority on the Hill, followed with a Presidential veto by GW Bush henceforth overridden by the supermajority Dems.
The Obama administration then weaponized the Act against Gibson - for obvious political reasons; its head was a Republican supporter - in turn potentially-ensnaring every single Gibson guitar owner under the “due care” provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill amendment.
In essence, if your Gibson guitar contains wood which falls under the still-sealed warrant under which Gibson was wrongfully-persecuted, you have a problem.
All Gibson guitar owners & Gibson supporters (Conservatives in general) should put on their activist hats and seek to rescind the Lacey Act (a distinct possibility under Trump) and give consideration for the taxpayers (federal government) to bail out this fine company as recompense for the damage wrought by criminal acts ordered by the Obama administration.
Footnote: It is truly shameful that in this era we must rely upon bloggers to report facts.
DOH! LOL!
Also, the company should have been able to recover as their guitars are some of the finest ever crafted.
While Gibson has a long history of fine instruments, in the last few years, many instruments shipped from the factory have been of lower quality. There have been a lot of YouTube videos and blog reports of people paying thousands of dollars for a Gibson guitar that needed complete setups or even major repairs.
Mark
Speaking of travel, a late friend of mine hand carried a 53 Gold Top to Turkey in 71. He’d paid $200 for it in a pawn shop. Some Turk offered him $400. Since it wasn’t on his customs declaration, he sold it. Didn’t let him forget it till the day he died.
Yup. I’ve heard that before. Also how they screwed the local independent music stores over the last 15-20 years in favor of Musician’s Friend/Guitar Center and the other big boxes.
LOL!! That is so true.
Yes. One can never have too many guns or guitars... one never knows when you’d have a use for a J-200, Dove, FJN, or maybe a LP Custom, SG, strat, tele, Jazz Master or even an old Marauder.
Thanks for that info. My view was based on experiences of decades back. Sounds like Gibson needs new management and new talent. With the Trump corporate tax cuts, they should have no excuse for reinvesting in themselves to restore their reputation.
IIRC, it involved the importation of certain wood from Madagascar. Just another example of pure lawfare, felonies committed by the DOJ under color of law.
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