Gibson get raided

[chip]

You may know about this already.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/02/smallbusiness/gibson_guitar/

[Migs]

It wouldn't happen to Fender.  They stopped using elephant tusk inlays and tuning pegs years ago.

[SdC]

Gibson claims the US government is acting on a complaint by the Indian government over un-processed rosewood. If the rosewood had been processed/finished in India by Indian workers, it would have been all legal.

[64Guitars]

Looks like Gibson's case has finally been settled.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19153588

[SdC]

Wow that makes me really angry, and I'm not even American. They lied in all their PR since the raid, they were guilty as hell and now only get a slap on the wrist and continue to blame government over-regulation. I was already boycotting, this only strengthens my resolve.

[Migs]

It's a bit of a disgrace on their part.  I thought we had moved on from thinking these sorts of things are ok.  Clearly not.

[64Guitars]

Here's what the U.S. Department of Justice said about it.

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/August/12-enrd-976.html

[T.C. Elliott]

I don't like, buy or use Gibson guitars but as far as I'm concerned they have (or will have) paid more than enough for their actions.

[64Guitars]

Gibson was a great guitar company in the sixties and seventies when they were priced in the same ballpark as Fender and Rickenbacker. But then they started jacking up their prices to ridiculous amounts that only collectors and rich rock stars can afford, abandoning the average player. Gibson no longer makes guitars for guitarists, they make guitars for the wealthy.

I've owned a few Gibsons. I still have two; one from the sixties and one from the seventies. They're great guitars and I'll never part with them, but I'd never buy another Gibson because of the price. There are many other guitar companies making guitars as good as Gibsons, if not better, for reasonable prices. So I'd be foolish to waste money on a Gibson.

What a shame that a once-great company has come to this. Greedy businessmen always ruin everything they touch.

[chip]

Yep bad news for Gibson.. I thought they got off light though.

I have recently sold my 1991 LP, not because of the scandal but because I have now got two guitars equal to Gibson quality and change for a host of other stuff. These gutars are very good and as 64 say's there are plenty of guitar makers out there who make very nice, high quality instruments at a fraction of the cost of a new Gibson.

I sold the Gibson for the price I wanted, also my guitarist has one and we aint Thin Lizzy and I prefer The Italia.

That said.. They did make some great guitars back when they were, shall we say," A moral company".
I had my Gibson time but will not get another one after reading the judgement and others should think twice too.