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.
Let’s stay in touch. – dse
