The next time you bring your Gibson guitar to one of their warranty service centers, you may want to exercise caution. A recent telephone discussion with Gibson’s Warranty Services Coordinator, revealed – what to me – are two pieces of shocking and disappointing information: Gibson certifies the music store or repair shop to perform warranty services, NOT the technician, and Gibson is Not authorizing any new warranty service centers (nation wide) for the foreseeable future.
Why is this disappointing, and how does it concern you?
1. When a store is authorized to perform warranty services instead of a specific technician, this means that when you bring your instrument in for a warranty repair, the tech that performs the work might have little to no experience and may not have the skills required to perform a quality, reliable repair befitting of your Gibson.
2. When the store is authorized instead of the technician it means that the tech you know and have come to trust with your instrument, might lose his ability to perform warranty repairs for you, should he decide to leave his current shop – even if he has done Gibson warranty work in the past.
3. The reason Gibson isn’t authorizing any new stores to perform warranty repairs is because they have recently certified all of Guitar Center’s stores that have a technician (around 250). This means that any new, independently owned music retailers and repair shops that go into business, will be excluded form being able to generate revenue from performing Gibson warranty repairs, and will possibly not gain, or even lose clientelle as a result of this – which has nothing to do with the caliber of the shop or the skill of its technicians.
This seems to call into question Gibson’s commitment to quality, warranty repair services, and it suggests that they no longer need/care about independent retailers and repair shops. They don’t care who performs the repair, as long as he works for an authorized store; and now that they have Guitar Center they don’t need anybody else.
Not too cool.
This is one technician’s perspective.
What are your thoughts?
Ian
Sep 12, 2013 -
I’m not surprised by this at all. To me as a player i think that Gibson has really not held up their original standards in the construction of their guitars. standards they most certainly had in the 50 and 60s. I think they still make decent guitars but I have never been overly impressed with a new one, even custom shop. I have played some vintage Gibson’s (69 sg, 85 Les Paul custom etc) and have always been blown away by there sound and play-ability. But their newer guitars seldom impress me and think they are very over priced and lack quality tone wood. Like seriously!! Baked maple!! and Rich lite!! Why would anyone pay $3000 or more for les paul with a fake ebony board.?? This is why I have always chosen PRS as my axe of choice. Superior quality, play ability and tone wood and at a reasonable price.