Gibson Generation series

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
It’s all about the action points.

Since 2007, I been trying to prove quantity also counts.
's why they invented the baker's dozen. It may seem ironic but I actually never cared about post count and in fact often took measures to reduce it by multi-quoting replies in a single post, still do sometimes. I just have Poor Posting Inhibition and my job enabled my addiction tremendously.

You missed Yom Kippur, but Halloween needs about three posts per day, Thanksgiving a touch over two and Christmas just a hair more than one.
I was coming up with something like that myself.

Then I thought, "What if ya wanted to help a buddy out and gift him some of your points or even post count, could we make posts/points a sort of internal forum currency, like a Postcoin or something?"

Just spit-ballin' here.

Not that I have a dog in the fight or anything.
 

twocorgis

Venerated Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
13,923
Reaction score
6,520
Location
Lawn Guyland
Guild Total
18
Sandy, don't you have a WM-45 you really dig?
kind of like that...
Yes I do, and it's a flat out terrific guitar.

When I met Ren Ferguson at LMG 3, and mentioned I owned one and loved it, his eyes lit up, and he told me that it's "the smartest Gibson acoustic guitar that you can buy", and that's not faint praise coming from him! Of course, the whole "Working Man" line was his baby, and I think he was often at loggerheads with Henry J over it, with Henry J feeling that they cannibalized sales from their regular line of J45s. Needless to say, Henry J prevailed in the end, and if I had to guess, I'd think that contributed to Ren's departure from the brand.
 

Christopher Cozad

Senior Member
Platinum Supporting
Gold Supporting
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
2,415
Reaction score
1,426
Location
near Charlotte, NC
And they take credit for it - "original Gibson concept from the early 1060's"...
How interesting. 1060 was the year King Henry died... I had not stopped to think about but now it all makes sense! I heard that Henry had either started or overseen the startup of Gibson during his reign. According to legend, the "player port" was born when one of the Templar's dads, a knight himself (either named Port... something or other... or he had recently finished much Port - I don't recall the details)... regardless, he had just had enough of a minstrel banging on one of those early Gibson lutes (J-1 or J-2 ?). You know how they were a little hit and miss back then. And those moustache bridges! At the time they were way too French for a Knight of the Crown! According to the story, with his sword he opened up the lute, for certain (along with the minstrel, sadly. But the minstrel made it and went on to become a pretty decent player, in spite of his injuries - I think he later invented the flat pick).

(For posterity: 1060 was a leap year. The above, but for the part about the King's passing that same year, is utter fiction. Except, maybe, the part about the flat pick.)
 

walrus

Reverential Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
23,956
Reaction score
8,019
Location
Massachusetts
Oh, great post! LMAO! You got me - edit made and date fixed!

walrus
 

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,325
Reaction score
6,499
Guild Total
2
Yes I do, and it's a flat out terrific guitar.

When I met Ren Ferguson at LMG 3, and mentioned I owned one and loved it, his eyes lit up, and he told me that it's "the smartest Gibson acoustic guitar that you can buy", and that's not faint praise coming from him! Of course, the whole "Working Man" line was his baby, and I think he was often at loggerheads with Henry J over it, with Henry J feeling that they cannibalized sales from their regular line of J45s. Needless to say, Henry J prevailed in the end, and if I had to guess, I'd think that contributed to Ren's departure from the brand.
So I am correct then to assume the WM-45 only lasted a couple seasons cause the demand outweighed the J-45 demand itself? It was not economical for Gibson to keep making them? Damn.

See Ren’s heart was for the player. Never for the company.

This thus answers my own theory: Ren Ferguson would have loved the Br!
 

twocorgis

Venerated Member
Gold Supporting
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
13,923
Reaction score
6,520
Location
Lawn Guyland
Guild Total
18
So I am correct then to assume the WM-45 only lasted a couple seasons cause the demand outweighed the J-45 demand itself? It was not economical for Gibson to keep making them? Damn.

See Ren’s heart was for the player. Never for the company.

This thus answers my own theory: Ren Ferguson would have loved the Br!
I image Ren would love the BR, as he loves guitars that are meant to be played.

I think the Working Man line lasted a bit longer than a couple of years. I know the first models were in 1998, and the line consisted of the WM45, WM-180 (like a J-185, but mahogany sides and back), and the WM-00 (like an L-00). All three were great guitars, and the latter two are very scarce, being discontinued in 2000 I believe. My WM45 is from 2003, and that may have been the last year of production for them. I don't know if demand for the WM45 outstripped the J45, but the profit margin sure wan't as high, and the came off the same line as the pricier J45. Ren told me that they generally used better tops because of the natural finish, too.
 

mellowgerman

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2008
Messages
4,100
Reaction score
1,506
Location
Orlando, FL
A couple of years ago one of my acoustic jam buddies got a new G-45. I want to say it was in 2017. Not sure how his differs from these new ones, but it's really a great no-frills USA guitar. Very comfortable to play, powerful sound, and classy appearance. I debated buying one but ultimately prefer all-mahogany dreads.\
Can't speak on how it compares to vintage Gibson dreads as I've only played a handful.
 

Westerly Wood

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
13,325
Reaction score
6,499
Guild Total
2
I think there is one down at the local GC. I might go check it out. But 1199 is way high for me at this time...still, walnut is a great back/sides wood.
 

bobouz

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
2,228
Reaction score
1,827
So I am correct then to assume the WM-45 only lasted a couple seasons cause the demand outweighed the J-45 demand itself?
I purchased two new WM-45s back in the day - an early version with satin back & sides, and a later example with a full gloss finish. I also bought a new 2001 J-50, but couldn’t bond with it’s rather chunky neck. Gibsons from the early 2000s are always worth checking out, imho, as Ren really had things clicking & many seem to possess a stellar voice. The one roundshoulder that has stuck with me from this era is a 2002 J-45 Rosewood, sporting an ebony board & bridge. Tonally one of the finest I’ve ever had the pleasure to play (from any era!).

D6E0C49D-820C-4755-A33D-DDE55AF61E05.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Top