• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Gibson Memphis selling direct?

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
AFAIK, Gibson has shut down Memphis. All the guitars left were bought by CME and sold in a huge sale over the last few weeks. They're pretty much gone now (look for things labelled "floor model"). So, no, I don't think you can order a guitar from Memphis any more.
 

The Shifter

Active member
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
3,397
As far as I know, Gibson Memphis isn't shut down. They are moving production to a new location that isn't attached to a crap venue with a bunch of wasted "event space"
 

wmachine

Active member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
303
I don't think what you're seeing is Memphis only. Just checking out the site, links error out all over the site. Possibly "under construction".
 

Thundermtn

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
548
Screenshot_20180113-221216-576x1024.png
[/url][/IMG]

This is what it had the day I posted.
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
I've talked to two people "in the know" who say that CME bought all the guitars that Memphis had, and that the plant is shut down. Whether there'll be a different plant to produce the hollow body guitars depends on what happens with Henry's $500m interest payment and some bond issues later this year. So, at this point, despite the "buy" tab, I'm pretty sure you can't buy a Memphis guitar direct. I'm happy to be proved wrong, someone order one!
 

Thundermtn

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
548
I could never get to a pay screen, it would always time out or not load.

I just couldn't ever remember seeing this button on a Gibson site before. Has it been there for a while and I just don't look at Memphis stuff very often?
 

sonar

New member
Joined
Jan 10, 2003
Messages
3,589
I've talked to two people "in the know" who say that CME bought all the guitars that Memphis had, and that the plant is shut down. Whether there'll be a different plant to produce the hollow body guitars depends on what happens with Henry's $500m interest payment and some bond issues later this year. So, at this point, despite the "buy" tab, I'm pretty sure you can't buy a Memphis guitar direct. I'm happy to be proved wrong, someone order one!


CME bought plenty of stock, that's for sure. There'll be "Used" and "Floor models" available for awhile. (psst... avoid the 335 Studios).

Word on the street (unconfirmed) is a new Memphis facility won't happen until a sale of the old building is complete. Some believe that this is just talk and that the Memphis Gibson era is over.

Gibson has more or less separated from Guitar Center brick and mortar, so when that eventually blows up Gibson should be safe. Stay tuned.
 

Thundermtn

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
548
I sure don't see many Memphis guitars anywhere. Eastman's pretty much dominate the ES style around here.

The guitar center thing..... the two closest to me have been pretty lacking in LP's, with zero CS stuff. Makes a person wonder for sure.
 

Uncle Gary

Active member
Joined
Oct 15, 2006
Messages
2,431
AFAIK, Gibson has shut down Memphis. All the guitars left were bought by CME and sold in a huge sale over the last few weeks. They're pretty much gone now (look for things labelled "floor model"). So, no, I don't think you can order a guitar from Memphis any more.

So after the current stock is sold, there will be NO MORE ES-3X5 guitars? That's what I'm hearing here.
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
Well, until things get sorted out, whatever direction Gibson takes in the future. I don't see any ES guitars for several months at least.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
They will have direct sales. It will just be drive thru service though...
 

Don

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
Screenshot_20180113-221216-576x1024.png
[/URL][/IMG]

This is what it had the day I posted.

AFAIK, Gibson has shut down Memphis. All the guitars left were bought by CME and sold in a huge sale over the last few weeks. They're pretty much gone now (look for things labelled "floor model").

I've talked to two people "in the know" who say that CME bought all the guitars that Memphis had, and that the plant is shut down.

In October I bought a "floor model" 2017 Memphis ES-335 figured cherry from CME for less than half this price. Awesome guitar!
 

GibsonGuy

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
110
AFAIK, Gibson has shut down Memphis. All the guitars left were bought by CME and sold in a huge sale over the last few weeks. They're pretty much gone now (look for things labelled "floor model"). So, no, I don't think you can order a guitar from Memphis any more.

Gibson Memphis has not shut down. The Memphis factory is still building new ES guitars and you can still take a factory tour and purchase from the onsite retail store. Direct sales of Gibson guitars online began a couple of weeks ago, includes models from Memphis, Custom, Acoustic, and the USA line; http://store.gibson.com/.
 

Thundermtn

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
548
Thank you!

It is pretty new and you can buy LP's this way as well.

Does this help explain why so many dealers dropped them? Is it modernization to compete with fender?
 

reddeluxe

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
82
Gibson factory is still up and running, but they are looking for a smaller, more efficient property, still in the Memphis area. The projected move won't occur for about two years, and is contingent on selling the current property/real estate. You may be confused, because Gibson Memphis always stops production of current year models approx. 8 weeks before the calendar new year, to make the changes to tooling and machinery for changes to ramp up for the new model year production. AFAIK, production never ceases entirely. CME has purchased ALL of the leftover current models for the past few years.....nothing new about that.
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
Thank you!

It is pretty new and you can buy LP's this way as well.

Does this help explain why so many dealers dropped them? Is it modernization to compete with fender?

I think most of the dealers I've talked to, who dropped Gibson, did it because of changes to the "buy in". It's always been expensive, but in the past you could order your $150k of guitars, but trade around stuff that wasn't selling for stuff that did (so, for example, if you ordered 10 Les Paul "flavor of the day" models and they didn't sell, you could change your order for the next delivery to SGs or whatever). The deal offered this year was: order all your guitars in December and, no matter what happens you can't change the order later.
 
Top