Who is your favorite builder?

[Rmz76]

Who is your favorite guitar builder (big or boutique) and describe for someone new to guitar what you love about the company and their guitars? I want to hear stories! I love many builders, but I think Gibson stands out as my favorite with C.F. Martin a very close second. Some reasons for this with a few comparisons thrown in:

Quality, sound and tone:
Guitars become icons for a reason. Gibson builds a few of the most iconic models. The J-45 is a songwriters secret weapon. For the company's best selling acoustic to have been able to hold on to this niche for so long is an admirable thing

Variety
Gibson is the only big builder to have highly respected electric and acoustic guitars lines.

Commitment to traditions
Even the $1300 Gibson J-15 uses hide-glue in the construction process. Gibson flat tops are tap-tuned. This is a painstaking manual process when the lutheir purposely uses inconsistent scalloping technique when carving the braces to get optimal tone out of the specific top he's carving. The rational is that no two pieces of wood are going to be identical. Their competitors either do not tap tune at all or they reserve it for special custom shop models.

Made in the USA
While Martin and Taylor have been forced to cease using the Made in the USA stamp, Gibson continues to meet the necessary government requirements (or at least they claim they do ) and they continue to proudly stamp Made in the USA on every guitar with the Gibson logo on the headstock... I believe Martin now stamps "Made in Nazareth, PA" and Taylor uses "Assembled in the USA". Although I own my fair share of guitars built outside the US for me Gibson deserves a certain level of respect for meeting the guidelines.

Refusal to sell out their high-end brand
In the last 15 years we've seen C.F. Martin transition to putting their iconic (formally high-end exclusive) brand on budget guitars built in their foreign factory in Mexico. In fact, the plant in Mexico continues to grow faster than their USA plant. There are a lot of reasons behind this and I'm not saying it's entirely a bad thing Martin is building a successful product line in Mexico. But there's a level of respect I feel for Gibson for not selling out the name on the headstock.

The best value in budget options
Although Gibson doesn't produce value guitars, they continue to own Epiphone and through their Epiphone brand they produce in my opinion, better value options than the other two big builders. In fact if you account for inflation the Gibson J-45 introduced in 1942 that cost $45 USD should cost around $650 in 2016. While obtaining a USA hand-built guitar for $650 is out of the question (materials alone would likely be more than that) Epiphone is delivering the closest thing with foreign built all solid wood guitars inspired by traditional Gibson models. In 2016 the counterpart to the 1942 J-45 in terms of market placement/retail price is the Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ45ME. With that model they are doing things no one else in the industry is for the price point (hide-glue neck joint), it's the same tone woods as the iconic J-45 as well. Not a perfect J-45 replica but the core elements are there. While cost on Gibson's brand name iconic models has increased (even accounting for inflation, they've gone up) through the Epiphone line the spirit the company was founded on lives on and makes sense in the globalized economy we live in today. I respect that they achieve this while distinguishing out their USA brand-name from a lower end, foreign built line of guitars. This has allowed for Epiphone to earn it's on brand credit. When a company takes a high-end brand and puts in on budget product it always devalues the high-end brand a bit.

Lore & History:
Gibson came along over 70 years after Martin. To put the timeline in context, Orville Gibson was born in 1856. It's likely his parents were small children when C.F. Martin was founded, if they had even been born yet. By time Orville founded Gibson, the C.F. Martin company was already well established having gone through three eras of leadership, founder C.F. Martin to his son C.F. Martin Jr and then to Frank Henry Martin. C.F. Martin migrated to the United States from Germany. In Germany he was a skilled carpenter who we believe trained as a luthier under master luthier Johann Stauffer. Orville was a first generation American and a self-taught lutheir, innovator and inventor. There's something about great products coming from the high-motivated self-taught that I've always found appealing.

The story of the Kalamzaoo Gals associated with the banner era guitars is unique and reveals a rebel spirit that ran through the company even in it's early days. Then you have the legend of Robert Johnson and his Crossroads, pact-with-the-devil Gibson L1 guitar. In 1944 when Woody Guthrie showed up at the recording studio in NYC to track with Moe Asch (what would be become the famous Asch Recordings) he had a new Gibson Southern Jumbo in hand. He laid down all the tracks with his Southern Jumbo including his most famous iconic recording of This Land Is Your Land. When the J-45 was introduced in 1942 it sold for 44% less than it's competitor the Martin D18. In today's currency, that 44% difference would equate to over $1000 difference at retail. Today the D18 and J45 cost about the same, but Gibson's at that time were marketed as no-frills, ornamentation stripped, working musicians instruments. They were tools of the trade, while Martin produced fine guitars they were also the go-to brand for elite players like Gene Autry. Gibson's brand was about being the work-truck, not the Luxury Sedan.

In spite of always being the underdog and having their best selling acoustic model (J-45) essentially retired from 1969 to 1984. The company continued to move forward. Countless singer-songwriters continued to seek out the steady, clanging thump of the "workhorse". While C.F. Martin's brand and guitar lines have enjoyed the security of family pride and a consistent factory on the historic site in Nazareth, PA., Gibson's story has had much more drama. Gibson doesn't have a rich family history of ownership, Orville's company sold to CMI (Chiacgo Musical Instruments) in 1944 then to Norlin in 1969 and finally to current owners 30 years ago in 1986. Their historic factory moved to a different state, with a few passionate former employees buying the old Kalamazoo factory to form Heritage Guitars in 1985. In spite of the Gibson brand being saved from bankruptcy several times, "tyrannical leadership" and cost-cutting designs that tarnished the product, the iconic models like the J-200, J-45 and Hummingbird have persevered thanks to passionate working class men and women who have kept the brand alive. To me that's the spirit I see in the Gibson acoustic line, it's not a high-society brand, it's a brand that's been ripped apart and put back together a few times. The best vintage Gibson's I've played have had battle scars. You don't see many mint condition vintage Gibson's because they were bought to be played. The brand on the head stock says as much as the clothes on your back. It's not the full story, but it's the first-sight opinion sitter. When I see a player with a Gibson I see someone who's going against the grain and going with a survivor's brand.

Leadership
He doesn't always make the wisest decision. But there's an old school Capitalist in CEO Henry Juskiewicz that has conservative qualities I admire. He's been bashed for being hard on employees with vacation time on the holidays (although it was revealed to be stated company policy employees knew about when hired and really about keeping the factory open to stay competitive, forcing high-paid executives to work because if the factory workers had to be there he felt executives should be there working as well). He was also bashed publicly for and raided by the Federal Government for violating the Lacey Act for wood procurement (settled, see video below)







Mr. Juskiewicz's response on the anti-holiday leave new story
http://animalnewyork.com/2014/gibson...defends-honor/

I don't see a tyrannical leader, but a CEO doing his best to run an American company at a competitive, global level in 2016. Some reports show they aren't in the best place financially but that's probably more due to some aggressive acquisitions than their top brand products. With Gibson it seems the company is always being knocked down and always getting back up saying "is that all you got for me?". Who doesn't love a fighter?

[AmericanEagle]

I gotta go with Taylor

[Mr. Paul]

Although I've never even had my grimey mitts on one, from everything I can tell, judging by recordings and others comments, if every single luthier on the planet were in one room, I would seek out Kathy Wingert first.

[hardycreek1]

Thanks for the great write-up. I have to agree. My Gibson J-15 is the sweetest sounding guitar with a booming voice and most balanced articulate tone I've ever heard.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

bashed and raided by the Federal Government for violating SITES (latter fully exonerated and found to be wrongfully accused)

This is not correct. Gibson settled with the government and was found to have violated certain laws, notably the Lacey Act, not CITES (not spelled SITES) as far as I know.

the DOJ notes that Madagascar is a country that has a major problem with illegal logging, and that its ebony is particularly threatened, which prompted the government to ban the export of unfinished ebony products in 2006. Importing those products would be considered illegal both under Malagasy law and under the Lacey Act, the 2008 US law that requires US importers to follow applicable domestic laws in purchasing wood products. [...]
Gibson purchased “fingerboard blanks,” consisting of sawn boards of Madagascar ebony, for use in manufacturing guitars. The Madagascar ebony fingerboard blanks were ordered from a supplier who obtained them from an exporter in Madagascar. Gibson’s supplier continued to receive Madagascar ebony fingerboard blanks from its Madagascar exporter after the 2006 ban. The Madagascar exporter did not have authority to export ebony fingerboard blanks after the law issued in Madagascar in 2006.
[...]
In 2008, an employee of Gibson participated in a trip to Madagascar, sponsored by a non-profit organization. Participants on the trip, including the Gibson employee, were told that a law passed in 2006 in Madagascar banned the harvest of ebony and the export of any ebony products that were not in finished form. They were further told by trip organizers that instrument parts, such as fingerboard blanks, would be considered unfinished and therefore illegal to export under the 2006 law.
[...]
After the Gibson employee returned from Madagascar with this information, he conveyed the information to superiors and others at Gibson. The information received by the Gibson employee during the June 2008 trip, and sent to company management by the employee and others following the June 2008 trip, was not further investigated or acted upon prior to Gibson continuing to place orders with its supplier. Gibson received four shipments of Madagascar ebony fingerboard blanks from its supplier between October 2008 and September 2009.

[Rev Roy]

I appreciate your thoughtful post, rmz. It's a good read. I traveled through high-end Martins and Taylors before even giving Gibson a try. Kept hearing about QC problems. But as you can see in my sig, these days I'm all in Gibson. Still, Martin and Taylor put out fantastic guitars and are run by a couple of great guys. So for me the Big Three are pretty much equal in my admiration.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

This is not correct. Gibson settled with the government and was found to have violated certain laws, notably the Lacey Act, not CITES (not spelled SITES) as far as I know.

Corrected it. Thank you!

[SprintBob]

I admire Taylor a lot for their value and innovation. I've not owned one of their guitars I was not happy with. I've not pulled a new Gibson off a wall that lit my fire but in fairness it always seemed they had old tarnished strings on them (similar problem with a lot of new Martin's I have tried). I did play a used SJ-100 once that was very nice. I also like Collings a lot being an owner. They are pricey but I think their product is outstanding and my experience with their customer service so far has been outstanding.

[Kupuna50]

No question - - - - - -COLLINGS!!

[hatchettjack]

Martin! Because all the music I love sounds better to me on a Martin!


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[Silly Moustache]

Hi, an interesting question :

"Who is your favorite guitar builder (big or boutique) and describe for someone new to guitar what you love about the company and their guitars?"

Obviously you are very committed to Gibson throughout their different owners, ethos(es) and periods.

Certainly, both Gibson and Martin must be at the top of the list as far as innovation and development during the fast changing demands of popular (esp. American) music in the first half of the 20th Century. I would say that National and Dobro should also be in there somewhere.

Martin was slower to respond to demands and kept to their ethos more than Gibson, but both made enormous contributions.

The electric guitar business was not a success for Martin, and a great success for Gibson, and Fender etc., but not being an electric player - that aspect doesn't interest me so much.

To answer your question directly, I would have to say Collings. A relative newcomer to the market, with most models emulating and improving on both Martin and Gibson designs, but (in my opinion) superior in fit and finish.

Of course, as they don't attempt to emulate the tonality of either Martin or Gibson, they are very much their own tonal quality - and that's when it becomes subjective.

I have spoken of my observations of Gibson acoustics and upset some. All I can say is that the examples I've seen lately have disappointed me - both in fit and finish and in tonality. Doubly disappointing as I have a yen for an L-00 at present.

Originally Posted by rmz seventy six

Who is your favorite guitar builder (big or boutique) and describe for someone new to guitar what you love about the company and their guitars? I want to hear stories!

I've gotta say Gibson, followed very closely by Kazuo Yairi. Most of my reasoning behind choosing Gibson is my own heritage with the maker as a player through 4 decades. I started with a B-25 in about 1971, and played my way through several different models (both borrowed and owned) through the years up to my current Hummingbird Pro. What would I say to someone new to guitar? I would probably tell stories of my experiences with the brand.

I've owned and played a Kazuo Yairi Conquistador from when I traded a Gibson J-50 for it in early 1978 - which means I've had it for 38+ years. I still play it from time to time, although the Gibson is much more practical for what I do musically. The quality of build and the tone of my Yairi are wonderful. I would tell a Noob about the innovative double-layer tonewood laminate used on the B&S, and show him/her the YooToob video tour of the K Yairi factory in Japan. If there's such a thing as a "price-to-tone" ratio, I would put K. Yairi at the top.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

While Martin and Taylor have been forced to cease using the Made in the USA stamp, Gibson continues to meet the necessary government requirements (or at least they claim they do ) and they continue to proudly stamp Made in the USA on every guitar with the Gibson logo on the headstock... I believe Martin now stamps "Made in Nazareth, PA" and Taylor uses "Assembled in the USA". Although I own my fair share of guitars built outside the US for me Gibson deserves a certain level of respect for meeting the guidelines.

About that 'proud' Gibson logo on the headstock ...

Gibson is also doing what Martin and Taylor do, building guitars in less-expensive countries.
Instead of putting Gibson on the headstock they just bought rights to put Epiphone there, and even call the Epi models Les Paul, SG etc.
This gives the appearance of keeping the Gibson name chaste and pure and only making guitars in the USA, well ... at least to those who don't look behind the curtain.

Someone might even respect Martin and Taylor more for their more-honest marketing strategies.
At least they aren't pulling the wool over anyone's eyes.

[redir]

When you say 'guitar builder' I think of one person, a luthier, who builds a guitar from planks to finish in a one man shop. And having a favorite one of them is sort of like asking, "what's your favorite rock band?"

As for Gibson, I like their electric guitars a lot, Their CEO not so much at all Mike Huckabee notwithstanding.

I have to go with Taylor for their clarity and focused bass.