News – Page 6 – Dan Steven Erickson

What’s the Problem with Gibson Guitars?

If you follow my YouTube Channel, you know I’ve been having some issues with my one-year-old Gibson L-00. The glue between the binding and the body started to melt and come out. That leads to the question:

What’s the problem with Gibson Guitars?

If you do a Google search on Gibson quality and customer service, you’ll likely find a lot of negative feedback about their modern products and service. Many people have had trouble with quality. The newer Gibsons have been said to be overpriced for what you get.

In fact, if you do your research, you’ll also discover that the younger generations, (most anyone below boomers), are turning to other brands. They say Gibsons are overpriced and for old people. I might agree.

I’m a boomer/generation X crossover baby, and I’m seeing the light. Unless you own an older classic-era Gibson, which I do, new Gibson products have lost their appeal and their value.

I’ve owned cheaper guitars for 10 years without having any issues.

First, I’ve probably owned around of 25-30 acoustic guitars over 40 years. I’ve owned Fender, Ovation, Martin, Breedlove, Tacoma, Larrivée, Yamaha, Seagull, and others. I’ve owned some guitars for as long as 10-15 years. I’ve owned new guitars and guitars dating back to the 1940s. My 2024 Gibson L-00, with a $3000 price tag, is the most expensive new guitar I’ve ever bought.

But after almost exactly one year of ownership, the glue between the binding and the body started coming out. I’ve never had that issue with any other guitar, even the vintage models.

Shit happens.

I understand that it’s not a perfect world and guitars may have issues due to weather and wear. I get that. But what I don’t get is a company that seems to be making it hard for people to address their issues and get quality customer service.

I emailed Gibson the day I took my guitar out the case equipped with an internal humidifier in a climate-controlled apartment and found glue melting. I mentioned it had been only a year since I bought the guitar and that I’d owned many guitars of lesser value that had no issues like this over 10-year time periods. I requested either return, exchange, or repair.

The Gibson representative asked for photos of the damage and my original receipt. I could easily photo the damage, but I bought the guitar in Maine and my receipt was still up there. I currently live 20 minutes from Nashville, home of Gibson Guitars. I thought maybe, for a guitar that’s only a year old, they might make an exception about the receipt. Nope. I get it. It’s corporate America.

I went to Maine for the receipt.

So, I had a trip to Maine scheduled and I got the receipt. “Now it should be simple,” I thought. Nope. They want me to ship the guitar to them even though I live 20 minutes away from their facility. Sure, they said they’d provide a label, but there was nothing said about packaging. Not only that, shipping guitars is a nerve-racking event for any guitar owner. Gibson knows that.

I called the company and they hid behind “policy.” So, I asked to speak with a manager. I’m waiting for a callback.

That’s my story, but there’s a greater message.

I own a Filson coat. After 20 years the cuffs started wearing out. Filson repaired the coat at no cost to me and no questions asked. A shirt I ordered from Filson recently was lost in the mail. Filson reimbursed me and resent the shirt at no cost. That’s the kind of company loyalty I can buy into. And guess what? I bought another shirt form them yesterday. Gibson might learn a lesson from this.

I know guitars and clothing are different products. I understand that there are many factors involved with damages to guitars. But I had hoped that a $3000 product with about one year of mild, in-home-only use might be a no-brainer for a company that might want to uphold their dying reputation. Apparently, they are not very concerned.

So, what’s next?

I suppose I’ll wait a week to see if I get a call from a Gibson manager. If not, I’ll likely trade that L-00 in for another brand of guitar.

So, back to the question at hand: What’s the problem with Gibson Guitars?

From my humble view, the company is too full of itself. They once made some of the best guitars in America. They were a staple of Rock & Roll. But sometime in the 1970s they started mass producing instruments of a lower quality. They traded their soul for a buck. They had to declare bankruptcy more recently. Younger artists have started turning away from the brand.

It’s sad to say, but perhaps Gibson is just dying along side of its beloved bedfellow, Rock & Roll. – dse

A Week in Maine

Old Orchard Beach Maine – Photo by Dan Steven Erickson

I’m back in Maine for a week. Well, I have three days left here now. What’s that got to do with songwriting and creativity? Quite a bit, actually.

I didn’t bring a guitar. I haven’t written any lyrics or poetry. But I’m refueling.

How? Hikes. Drives. Mountains. Oceans. Coffee. Books.

This refueling between creative output is very important. It’s part of the creative process.

Finally, I’m sorry Tennessee, but you’ve got nothing on Maine.

I think I’d rather live in the beauty of Maine and forgo any illusions of performing music and getting songs published in Nashville.

That said, don’t be surprised if I move back to Maine in 2026.

Here are a few more photos taken this week. – dse

Scarborough Marsh – Photo by Dan Steven Erickson

Saco River – Photo by Dan Steven Erickson

How I Feel About My YouTube Channel After Eight Months

If you’ve been one of the few people who follows me on the Interwebs, you know I started a YouTube Channel in January. So, let’s talk about how I feel about that eight months later.

Here’s my latest video.

I’m glad a started the channel.

First, I don’t regret starting a YouTube. I’ve been sitting on hundreds of songs for years. Only a few people have ever heard most of them. I won’t live forever. So, I think creating a space to catalog and store some of my work was a good idea.

I’m also glad that I’m putting a few other topics occasionally into the mix. That was not my initial idea, but it’s something I did in case I decide to take the channel into another direction in retirement. I wanted to include a slight variety now so it would not seem like a huge reach if I switch gears later.

I’m still not upgrading any equipment.

This is purposeful. As I still have a full-time job and a life beyond social media, I’ve made a conscious decision to keep this channel very simple and low cost.

I’m still only using an iPhone for both video and audio. I don’t have special lights, special mics, or even a special space. I’m currently working form a walk-in closet.

I also have not made any attempt to learn to edit or add any bells and whistles to my videos or the channel. Again, this is to limit the amount of time I put into it. It’s also because I want to learn to master the art of recording and delivering content in a natural and impromptu style. And finally, my goal is primarily to catalog songs for now. I don’t care about perfection or followers.

What do I think I’ll do in the future?

Part of me would like to focus more on the channel when I retire from full-time work. It could give me a life purpose as I get older. I might actually update equipment, create a more dedicated space, do more outdoors and travel posts, etc. I could customize the channel, promote it more. That will be partially dependent on where I live.

Another part of me wonders if it’s all worth my time and energy. Perhaps, it would be better to give up social media and to live out my retirement simply enjoying life without broadcasting it. As usual, only time will tell. – dse

Bill Callahan at the Whirling Tiger, Louisville KY

Last night I had the pleasure and the privilege to see Bill Callahan and his band perform at the Whirling Tiger in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s the second time I’ve seen Bill. The first was June 21, 2019 in Portland, Oregon.

Bill Callahan – Photo by Dan Steven Erickson

If you’re not familiar with Bill Callahan, I recommend you stop reading right now and go find his music and listen. He’s a musical artist unlike any I know, and last night through a set of unusual circumstances I was able to meet him and tell him how much I appreciate his work.

Last night’s show was a little mellower than the show I saw in Portland. Bill’s music has a great sense of space. It’s less formulaic than most music you’ve likely ever heard. He is clearly in the singer-songwriter genre with elements of Americana, country, rock, and blues, but there’s more. I can’t quite explain. Go listen.

At the venue, the people in the crowd were all friendly and social. I met other fans and we talked about how Bill’s music overflows with poetic emotion. We agreed that it was almost like he’s untouchable, beyond comparison, just pure honesty in musical artistry.

And then, as we were leaving, a newfound friend said, “look, there he is.” Sure enough, Bill was standing by a door as the crowd all made their way out. We stopped and talked and he was kind enough to let us each get a photo with him. Then he went in the door. I’m not sure anyone else talked to him. It was an unusual moment for me, almost surreal.

I let Bill know that I think his work is some of the best songwriting around today. Of course, he was graceful. But I continued to tell him that I am a life-long songwriter and that what he does is beyond what most songwriters do. I said, “my songs are so structured.” Let me explain.

What makes Bill Callahan one of the best songwriters I’ve ever known is that he is able to weave in and out of traditional songwriting and into something that is almost free of traditional song form. His band helps to create a flow, a waxing and waning. Again, it’s hard to explain because there is no one else who does quite what he does.

Bill played for two solid hours. If you know his music, he played selections from some of his greatest works, clear back to his music with the band Smog. If you don’t know his music, here’s his discography via wikipedia. – dse

Something Is Changing

Changing leaves in NH – Photo be Dan Steven Erickson

You ever feel like you’re on the verge of a change for the good? I often get that feeling. On the other hand, I often feel like the world, and my life, are going to hell. The truth is we are always on the verge of something new. Something is changing.

As a writer, songwriter, and artist, I purposefully attempt to occasionally go outside of the boundaries created by culture and genre. I think that makes one a better creator. Then there are other times when change just seems to come on its own.

We are living in unique times.

With all the political uncertainty in the United States today, we are living in unique and scary times. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say something is changing in this regard. The problem is that we are in a very uncertain place. As of now, it seems those changes are for the worse. However, remember, the darkest hour is right before the dawn.

Technology has also changed the way we live, the way we communicate, the way we isolate ourselves like we never have before. Most of us get stuck in loops, whether we endlessly scroll social media, work online, watch porn, or create content, it begins to feel like a repetitive and negative cycle.

I’m moving toward something new.

I’m tired of working 9-5. But I’m also tired of creating content that doesn’t seem to reach many people. It all starts to feel in vain. I keep doing the same things over and over. Of course, I work for the money, the need to survive. Creating content likely works in a similar fashion, I do it for the need to express myself. It’s also therapeutical.

But I often wish that my content could manifest itself to be more helpful to more people. I’m a teacher at heart. In fact, I hope to retire from academic advising and teach part time as soon as it feels financially doable.

But what if my content could reach more people and I could teach others things that might be life changing? I often think about this, and often feel like something is leading me in a direction where that could happen. I just don’t know exactly where.

On the other hand, I’ve played this blogging-writing-songwriting game long enough to know that there is no magic. You can’t gain a larger audience without a lot of work or a lot of luck.

That said, I enjoy creating content, other than the fact it can feel like another endless loop. If I could actually reach more people and help others change their lives, I would. I’m just not sure it’s going to happen.

So again, there is no finality.

Like many of my short essays, I’m not sure exactly what the point is. Futility? There is no finality. I don’t know what I’ll be doing in five minutes or five years. For now, I’ll continue working my day job, writing here, and posting songs on my YouTube channel.

But something is changing. I feel it. I just hope it’s changing for the better. – dse

Becoming Who You Are

Ozark Scenic Riverways, Missouri – Photo by Dan Steven Erickson

When I started this website in 2021, my first post was called, Restart. Over the next couple of years I’d have Restart 2, 3, and 4. The latest was Restart 5 in 2023. That’s a lot of restarts.

Don’t worry, I doubt I’ll ever write a Restart 6. Why? Because in September of 2022, I wrote what has become one of my most read posts: Becoming. That post was a reflective piece on life and creativity. It was written during some of the most difficult days of my life. And it still rings true.

But there’s more to it. Becoming was a short essay reflecting on finding one’s own path, both creatively, and in life itself. In that post I was reflecting on where I might want to live out my remaining years. I had four interests: Missouri, Kansas, New Hampshire, and Maine. I wound up in Maine. I also had just added my Songs page to the website. And you might wonder why this matters?

The point of the post was that we are always evolving as human beings and creators. But there’s something more. That constant change is leading us to a special place. It’s leading to the authentic you.

Let me explain. When I started the process of sharing my life’s work of songwriting and moved to Maine, I was essentially becoming myself. That’s something that usually only happens after a lot of years of life experience. Rather than always trying to create a life you love, or create your next masterpiece, you simply become.

Leonard Cohen explains it well.

I found that things became a lot easier when I no longer expected to win. You abandon your masterpiece and sink into the real masterpiece. – Leonard Cohen

There’s a funny thing that happens as you become yourself after years of trying a little too hard to be something more than yourself. You stop caring about what other people think of you. You stop dreaming of money and fame. You just sink in and do what you do. And even if you never again create something that the public and the critics think is a masterpiece it no longer matters. You’ve found the masterpiece simply in being.

But life isn’t perfect. Since moving to Maine in 2022, I wound up moving again. This time to Tennessee for full-time work in my field of academia. I might have retired at 61 and stayed in Maine, but I didn’t feel quite ready to do that. And life circumstance lined up to allow me to move while keeping my home in Maine. I’ll likely go back to Maine within the next year or two.

But I am also open to other possibilities. That’s all part of the point of becoming. It’s not about the future. It’s not about where we live. It’s not about the art we make. It’s about now, the present moment, and finding yourself at ease wherever you are, and with whatever you’re doing.

It’s not easy. I still have my share of days where I am unhappy or unfulfilled. I still have times where I want to chase the elusive dream of success. But deep down I know there is more freedom in simply becoming who I am. – dse