Well Premier Guitar is quickly becoming one of my favorite magazines and I suggest anyone who has not checked out a copy yet to do so as there is good hardcore topics and articles then the average 5 tab full of adds magazines.

Well they were starting a new feature called -Go Ahead And Ask in which the readers would get to interview industry notables. The idea is readers submit questions for the interview of the month-a notable company, builder or artist-via website and they facilitate the interview choosing the 10 best questions. They chose Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz for there first installment because of the historical importance of the company and because Gibson guitars graced the cover of the 09 issues more than any other company, but there multiple request to have the questions answered have been declined till further notice.

Now this is where this magazine makes itself diferent from any others. As they state "In addition of being fans of Gibson, we are also journalist and know that there are times when we must set our affinities aside. Sometimes people and companies in our industry become newsworthy and it is our job to provide information about these happenings, and to seek many different sides of a story. Wow when was the last or first time you heard a gear mag talk like this or even use the word journalist.lol.

Well here are a few of the 10 questions they had for Henry.
#8 Are Les Paul Standards going to go back to a regular neck shape any time soon.

#6 What would you like Gibson fans to know about the raid in Nashville and what has been described as an investigation into possibility of illegal wood trafficked via Europe?

#1 Last year I bought my dream guitar a brand new 1958 reissue #881407 it weighed 8.7 lbs. If not weight relieved , how can it be so light?

#9 Mr Juszkkiewicz, Gibson recently had what appeared to be a misstep with the announcement of the Hendrix line of guitars. Can you tell us what happened to arrive at the decision to make and then pull back the line of Strat-looking guitars and accessories.

#7 Why does Gibson use those tall narrow frets? I bought a Les Paul double-cutaway AAA and the frets were uncomfortably high.(The warranty will not cover having them lowered. I sold the LP)

#4 So, what's the deal with the Moderne? What can you confirm? We've been dying to know for a few decades now.

Premier goes on to say they reached out to various higher ups who all deferred to take part in the interview either by phone, email or in person. They then finish by listing the questions they had and stating 'We take great pride in being the magazine that goes after the stories you want to read, despite commonly observed industry practices of tip-toeing around certain issues".

This is one magazine that I would actually believe there gear reviews.lol
By the way Line 6 was thrilled to do the Q&A with them next month.

Love that magazine!!!

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I remember a day when people and companies had pride and would try to answer any question. Now from sports to movies to big business all we get is lies and denials or worse yet the infamous "no comment". You gotta love what the world has turned into.

Can't fault Gibson for not answering stupid questions. Here some of the questions you posted followed by what I think of each.


Well here are a few of the 10 questions they had for Henry.
#8 Are Les Paul Standards going to go back to a regular neck shape any time soon

Why would they answer this? It would be something to come out at shows.

#6 What would you like Gibson fans to know about the raid in Nashville and what has been described as an investigation into possibility of illegal wood trafficked via Europe?

Why would they answer this while it has not been settle yet legally.

#1 Last year I bought my dream guitar a brand new 1958 reissue #881407 it weighed 8.7 lbs. If not weight relieved , how can it be so light?

Why would they lie if it is or not, there are ways you can tell.

#9 Mr Juszkkiewicz, Gibson recently had what appeared to be a misstep with the announcement of the Hendrix line of guitars. Can you tell us what happened to arrive at the decision to make and then pull back the line of Strat-looking guitars and accessories.

Poor business to tell others why or how you come about business decisions.


#7 Why does Gibson use those tall narrow frets? I bought a Les Paul double-cutaway AAA and the frets were uncomfortably high.(The warranty will not cover having them lowered. I sold the LP)

Show me any warranty that covers filing some ones new frets to where they like them. Don't like tall narrow you should not buy.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

id love to see that and the firebird VII back

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Pixies

Off we go people. We are walking!!!!

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Yeah, the way the company or CEO responded does not surprise me at all...What will surprise me is if you see a company like Gibson reduce or entirely stop advertising in a particular magazine...then, and only then, would I think Gibson was upset, ticked off, or offended by a particular magazine...

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RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

HAHA!! +1

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"If it's planned, it's boring." - Freddie Mercury

Like, cv said, they wouldn't be able to answer most of those Q's.

But the Moderne, well does anyone really want that mystery solved? It's more interesting this way.

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Those questions were asked with the knowledge that most would not be answered. It would be foolish to answer some of them and for someone to think they should be answer don't know business, especially questions on open legal matters an future product changes before there time.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I'm sorry I see most of those questions as relevant to any business that wants to keep their customers happy. Ok some of them are designed to provoke, but the customer base has a genuine intrest. Alienation of the customer base seems to be the gibson ceo's (cant be bothered to spell his insignificant name) modus operandi.

Lets have a look at those questions in the cold light of day and what I strongly suspect to be his answer?
1, Last year I bought my dream guitar a brand new 1958 reissue #881407 it weighed 8.7 lbs. If not weight relieved , how can it be so light?

A, well people aren't inclined to drill holes in £3k guitars, tapping the body doesnt work, thick maple cap ontop, solid bit of mahog round the back. Ultrasound would work but ssshhhh dont let on.


4, So, what's the deal with the Moderne? What can you confirm? We've been dying to know for a few decades now.

It never existed as any kind of run. We made one as a prototype but the V and Explorer did poorly in 58, so we never released the moderne. It was likely carved into a SG, but were not going to admit that as intrest is good advertizing.

6, What would you like Gibson fans to know about the raid in Nashville and what has been described as an investigation into possibility of illegal wood trafficked via Europe?

Well I'd just like to restate the company's innocence in all this.
(whether that innocence is through being lied to, or simply not investigating suppliers enough, we'll never know. It's all gone very quiet hasnt it).

7, Why does Gibson use those tall narrow frets? I bought a Les Paul double-cutaway AAA and the frets were uncomfortably high.

Listen buster we have an unhealthy obsession with keeping everything the same as it was in 52. Theres no chance we will ever admit that those guitars could be improved on in any way shape or form. Thats why we feel so threatened by competitors.

8 Are Les Paul Standards going to go back to a regular neck shape any time soon.

Do you think I'd ever do anything to hint that not everyone likes the asymetrical neck shape?

9 Mr Juszkkiewicz, Gibson recently had what appeared to be a misstep with the announcement of the Hendrix line of guitars. Can you tell us what happened to arrive at the decision to make and then pull back the line of Strat-looking guitars and accessories.

See every answer above except no1.

Yep I reckon that wouldnt be too far off if we pumped him full of sodium pentothal.

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No no and no

I agree Ninja. Some questions about legal issues are obviously off base but why can't they say that and then answer some questions about other things? This practice of ignore and go away isn't right.

Here's a good question, Why after a year is the case to my Custom completely falling apart? Handle is coming off and the outside is pealing away.

Pretty sloppy Roscoe!

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10-4 good buddy, over and out!

I will admit there were some rough questions but as stated by a few on the boars I found them to be relevant. And especially in this day and age where you are more than likely deemed guilt until proven innocent, he could of at least tried to clear the air on some issues. Since he has been CEO he has just about run the companies reputation into the ground. Well I doubt it will not be but a few issues till it is Fenders turn at bat, but for some reason I dont for see them pinch hitting. Maybe this one I left off was the one that really got under Henry's skin

#3 Gibson was recently singled out as the worst place in America to work in a highly publicized online compilation of data that included 11,000 companies.Why do you think so?=OUCH

I can understand exactly how difficult some of those questions would be to answer for any company. Others though would be a brilliant opportunity for self promotion.
Example
Q: Why did you ditch the Hendrix estate guitar?
A: We heard the feedback and how dissapointed our fans were with the thing and thought, we cant do this to em. Our customers pay top whack for what we believe is top shelf product. I didnt want to sully our range with that instrument that our customers felt so strongly about.
Sounds a lot better than sheer refusal to be questioned or 'no comment' doesnt it. Now thats just something I thought up in 3 seconds, Gibson have a multimillion dollar PR company to advise/devise these answers for them.
The refusal to answer the questions asked tells me a lot about Henry Jabberwocky's arrogance and blatant disregard for the guitar buying public.

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No no and no