Re: JamMan Rumors

[kflint@annihilist.com (Kim Flint)]

At 3:41 AM 1/5/97, Dr M. P. Hughes wrote:
>Kim said:
>
>>Gibson gave me a great perspective on this. While I was working there,
>>Gibson celebrated its 100 year anniversary. That company was creating
>>legendary products long before companies like Lexicon even existed, or 
>for
>>that matter, before their founders were even born. At Gibson, it was 
>always
>>understood that some things just take time to develop. And at that 
>company,
>>there were plenty of examples that waiting can pay off big. Less than 
>2000
>>Les Pauls were sold in the first year of production. Now, decades later,
>>they sell far more than that each month. What if companies like Gibson 
>and
>>Fender had bailed on electric guitars after the first few years when 
>market
>>acceptance was slow?
>
>I thought they dropped the Les Paul after 8 years because of low sales,
>hence the SG model?

They dropped the Les Paul and put out new guitars that were supposed to be
improvements. They were still essentially the same thing, just redesigned
to hopefully appeal better to the more "modern" tastes. (The SG had the
nice addition of another cutaway and a body design that weighed less than a
typical house.) It would be like if Lex were killing the Jamman to make way
for the JamSon (with stereo loops!) or something.


>Certainly, there were only 2000ish Sunbursts (now
>known as Standards) made between 1958-1960, hence the fact that they now
>cost more than a typical house.

It didn't take Gibson too long to notice this. That's why they can now
charge whatever they like for the reissue versions and still be backordered
for a year. Not a bad business....

kim

______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                   | Looper's Delight
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