Gibson Guitars get's the last laugh, gives Feds the finger......board

As many of you know, Gibson guitar company was targeted by the US Federal Government for using wood from India. This resulted in their factory being raided in 2011 and the wood confiscated causing a great deal of financial devastation to the company.

What some might not know is that competing guitar manufacturer C.F. Martin & Co uses the exact same wood and was not bothered by the Fed's.

Why? You ask. Because Henry Juszkiewicz (owner of Gibson) is a staunch supporter of the Republican party whereas CEO Chris Martin of C.F. Martin & CO. is a major supporter to the Democrat party.

After the Feds dropped the case in 2012, GIbson demanded the $3 million dollars worth of imported wood to be returned to them.

Now back in it's rightful place, Gibson is making a special addition guitar line made from this wood and they are calling it "The Government Series II Les Paul"

This will be a constant reminder of the Feds trying to over reach and attack political opposing financial backers.

For those that love guitars and love the Gibson brand....this might be something to look into as they are limited but only start at $1000.

link:
www.bizpacreview.com...

Nice guitar. I've always like the Les Paul style. Me? I have a Stratocaster knock-off by Peavy. Sadly, it never gets any use

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


Should I? What the hell…

One day someone is going to kick down the Feds door and spank their wood.

I hope I am in earshot.

I want to hear all the girly men wail like badly tuned Gibson Les Pauls.

At the time of the raid, I was actually a Musician's Friend/Guitar Center Employee.
If I remember correctly, they didn't target the wood, rather the means that Gibson obtained the wood.
Something about illegally shipping it, or exporting it.

I'm not a fan of charging more for a guitar just because they want to send a message though.

Nice ! WTG - GIBSON - I might have to get the new version of Les Paul.

I'm more of a strat man, myself, even though I've been playing my EBMM EVH a lot lately(which is very Gibson LP-like), However, I do have an LP and an SG. Political attacks shouldn't happen on either side. Whoever orchestrated this should be banned from politics forever.

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


No wonder Gibson quality has suffered in recent years. Some look cheaper than Epiphones .

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


I would love to own a Gibson Les Paul Standard some day or their Korina Flying V. But unfortuantely these fine guitars are a little beyond my budget....these days. Maybe God will help me out if I pray for one of the government guitar-line. Would it help reducing the price if I told Gibson I am a democrate supporter...and republican party crasher?

Tone Woods????? TONE WOODS???????...
They would have been as well burning that Schitt. Mahogany and Maple and ebony or go home.
Henry may have increased the profits but he's ruined the Gibson name.

Soloprotocol
Tone Woods????? TONE WOODS???????...
They would have been as well burning that Schitt. Mahogany and Maple and ebony or go home.
Henry may have increased the profits but he's ruined the Gibson name.

Uh....everyone you just named there are "tonewood"...it's a generic term meaning wood used to make musical instruments .... not wood from the elusive "Tone" tree

en.wikipedia.org...

UxoriousMagnus

Soloprotocol
Tone Woods????? TONE WOODS???????...
They would have been as well burning that Schitt. Mahogany and Maple and ebony or go home.
Henry may have increased the profits but he's ruined the Gibson name.

Uh....everyone you just named there are tonewoods...

en.wikipedia.org...

if they sell those instruments under the name "tonewood"...i'll guarantee not one of those woods i mentioned will be used in the main construction of a LP say ...it's becoming common in guitar manufacturing. Yamaha, Ibanez etc..

Anyway....Gibson still not the company they used to be. Bend it and send it attitude.

Soloprotocol

UxoriousMagnus

Soloprotocol
Tone Woods????? TONE WOODS???????...
They would have been as well burning that Schitt. Mahogany and Maple and ebony or go home.
Henry may have increased the profits but he's ruined the Gibson name.

Uh....everyone you just named there are tonewoods...

en.wikipedia.org...

if they sell those instruments under the name "tonewood"...i'll guarantee not one of those woods i mentioned will be used in the main construction of a LP say ...it's becoming common in guitar manufacturing. Yamaha, Ibanez etc..

Anyway....Gibson still not the company they used to be. Bend it and send it attitude.

I will have to take your word on it....I myself love guitars but can't play and don't know much about them. My youngest son wants to start playing. I thought Yamaha made pretty good stuff?

UxoriousMagnus

Soloprotocol

UxoriousMagnus

Soloprotocol
Tone Woods????? TONE WOODS???????...
They would have been as well burning that Schitt. Mahogany and Maple and ebony or go home.
Henry may have increased the profits but he's ruined the Gibson name.

Uh....everyone you just named there are tonewoods...

en.wikipedia.org...

if they sell those instruments under the name "tonewood"...i'll guarantee not one of those woods i mentioned will be used in the main construction of a LP say ...it's becoming common in guitar manufacturing. Yamaha, Ibanez etc..
Anyway....Gibson still not the company they used to be. Bend it and send it attitude.

I will have to take your word on it....I myself love guitars but can't play and don't know much about them. My youngest son wants to start playing. I thought Yamaha made pretty good stuff?

China now make Yamaha.....if you can get yer hands on a Jap Yamaha...Red Label...fire in.

Edit...Maybe i'm just old school.... i know a good sounding and well built instrument when i HEAR one. ;-)

Whatever the case on this side issue of "tone-wood" vs. other wood?

I'm glad to see they got everything back together after the feds tried to 'punish' them for whatever it is that pissed off the IRS (Or..White House Enforcement Division..as it's coming to be these days).

I wish I had a spare $1,000. I can't pick a string to save my life and would send even cats running for their lives and precious ears ...but I'd love to have a Government Model hanging on my office wall. Just something about the statement it will make, fits perfectly for me. Indeed...

In fact, I'd want a little flush can light in the ceiling to give the guitar a soft highlight that could be turned on whenever I may expect visitors from any 'Official' agency. Nothing like setting the right tone, right from the open...eh? (sly grin)

A conversation piece like that would do wonders, to be sure.

Go Gibson!

Guitars should be used for one thing...making music...not political statements for profit...

One thing about Henry, he doesn't miss a trick no matter who's forest was cut down.
And that's what this was all about...buying illegal forested woods of which Gibson payed a fine for.

The reason why Gibson got raided and Martin didn't is rather simple. Martin was smart enough to apply for the proper permits that allowed them to import the wood. It had nothing to do with one giving money to one political party or the other. Gibson is just whining because they have stupid people running it almost as stupid as anyone willing to pay a grand for this Les Paul. It's been at least 12 years since Gibson made a decent Les Paul.

reply to post by UxoriousMagnus


What's funny is that they're only making this guitar because the president of Gibson is a republican and Obama is a democrat. They're not just "sticking it to the powers that be" as so delicately stated on their webpage, they're sticking it so democrats. And why? Why waste all of that precious wood that caused such controversy in the first place by making a god awful looking and sounding edition? The Government II Series? Seriously? I would NEVER want to own any piece of material tainted with the presumptuous energy of political bias. Music is pure and non-political. It shouldn't be about these distractions. That wood was seized because it is precious, and yes I'm sure it had something to do with corrupt political overtones, but the point is there is alot of value to those trees because they are rare and precious sounding, and that is why Gibson, the best guitar company in the world, wants them for its instruments. So now they're just wasting it on a mockery of the government because the president of GIbson is a whiney little bitch? How many badass 2014 Gibson Custom Les Pauls could that have made? What about just donating the seized wood to little kids, in the form of free guitars, and turn something negative into a positive thing that never would have happened unless the government seized the wood.

Soloprotocol

UxoriousMagnus

Soloprotocol
Tone Woods????? TONE WOODS???????...
They would have been as well burning that Schitt. Mahogany and Maple and ebony or go home.
Henry may have increased the profits but he's ruined the Gibson name.

Uh....everyone you just named there are tonewoods...

en.wikipedia.org...

if they sell those instruments under the name "tonewood"...i'll guarantee not one of those woods i mentioned will be used in the main construction of a LP say ...it's becoming common in guitar manufacturing. Yamaha, Ibanez etc..

Anyway....Gibson still not the company they used to be. Bend it and send it attitude.

Well , my 2cents as a decades long guitarist and part - time luthier ... I ndian Rosewood ( if that ' s what we 're talking about ... is an excellent ' tonewood '. However , remember it's not ' rosewood ' at all ( it was called that for PR purposes , as the ' real ' rosewood ( Brazilian ) had been culled to near extinction.

It's a really good tonewood , but - replaces an even better one ...

Anyway good on Gibson to laugh in the inquisition ' s face .

Les Pauls were the sh** , that is - until I got about 30 , and all that mahogany and maple got too heavy .

Grateful S/F.

reply to post by rangerdanger

If I remember correctly, they didn't target the wood, rather the means that Gibson obtained the wood.
Something about illegally shipping it, or exporting it.

Sounds right to me but I wish everyone would get back to linking their sources.

Wadda thought.

Wrabbit2000
Whatever the case on this side issue of "tone-wood" vs. other wood?

I'm glad to see they got everything back together after the feds tried to 'punish' them for whatever it is that pissed off the IRS (Or..White House Enforcement Division..as it's coming to be these days).

I wish I had a spare $1,000. I can't pick a string to save my life and would send even cats running for their lives and precious ears ...but I'd love to have a Government Model hanging on my office wall. Just something about the statement it will make, fits perfectly for me. Indeed...

In fact, I'd want a little flush can light in the ceiling to give the guitar a soft highlight that could be turned on whenever I may expect visitors from any 'Official' agency. Nothing like setting the right tone, right from the open...eh? (sly grin)

A conversation piece like that would do wonders, to be sure.

Go Gibson!

edit on 3-2-2014 by Wrabbit2000 because: (no reason given)

THank you Wrabbit....

and that is the real point here is it not