mr dave

sorry, i get confused when reading chat logs like that. i don't know why IM progs don't auto bold the users when saving a chat log.

back to the issue at hand, i still don't think it's specific to gibson or their buyers. when you can walk out of high school and into a call center for $12-$15 an hour to start, $1000 isn't 'that' big of a deal. yes, it's still serious cash, but consider how everything else in our modern economy has increased in price. LPs have been about $1000-3000 for as long as i can remember and i've been playing since 1993. the cost of manufacturing and distribution HAS gone up, and drastically in the last few years. i figure the distribution is what's really hurting them more than anything else, the increase in oil prices is going to increase the costs of obtaining materials, increase the base wage their employees will work for, and increase the cost of shipping the guitars for sale. the company has to turn a profit somehow, if the market is willing to accept it then the onus is on the consumer to determine whether or not the product is worthwhile to them.

i hate saying it but $1000 is what i consider the line where mid range starts to taper off and you start to see where high end begins.

i also wouldn't call the SG a popular design, aside from ESP's viper i don't ever recall seeing that design used by any other manufacturer.

like the 2 guys in that interview said, if you want a great guitar you're going to have to pay the price and wait for the luthier to do his work.

i have to ask it again though, WHY did your friend keep that explorer?

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