Gibson Acoustic Guitars

[William2]

I was wondering if anyone on this site has played or owns a Gibson acoustic guitar. I never really considered Gibson due to the quality and comments like " they are great guitars if you can find a good one" that I've seen on AGF LOL!!! And the binding issues of Martin have made me dismiss them also. But I have to say the new Gibson Century series has made me take notice. I love the satin finish, the case, and a short scale at a great price. Anyone have thoughts on Gibson and are these AGF true?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmD2IXGaPPs

[Queequeg]

I think that their transition from Kalamazoo to Nashville in the mid '70s was not a particularly easy move for them. Several of the old timers stayed in Michigan and started up the Heritage Guitar Company in the original Gibson factory facilities building electric archtops utilizing much of the old Gibson shop equipment.
Gibson struggled financially after the move.
Then in the mid '80s Henry Juszkiewicz sat in the CEO chair. He was an extremely unpopular CEO and faced widespread criticism for trying to pivot Gibson into a "music lifestyle" consumer electronics company, alienating core guitar purists and facing backlash from both fans and dealers. Prices went up and quality went the other way.
Only one Gibson guitar (1960 LG0) ever had a home here at my place and I was never able to get a good sound from it. No sustain, low volume. Nothing. We parted ways before too long.
Lots of country musicians favor Gibson acoustics, and justified or not, I do make that association with their guitars. Maybe it's the Nashville connection; I don't know. Although as I understand it, all of the acoustic guitars are built in Bozeman, Montana now.

I can't speak to the quality today, since it has been too long since I've played one.

[B0WIE]

 If I were to buy a factory guitar that wasn't a Larrivee, it would be a Gibson and it isn't even close. They have a sweetness to the sound that calls back to so many old recordings. IMO, the "good one" conversations online are largely one of those things that people like to parrot (and AGF is 90% parroting if I may be so rude). I remember, in the early days of the internet, you'd rarely see that. But, it just grew over time, despite Gibsons actually becoming better in recent years. Yes, they absolutely did have times of QC issues, just as Fender did. They also used some really goofy bridge and bracing designs in the distant past. But, the "good one" concept as a whole is largely overblown in terms of modern US-production guitars. If I waked into a GC and played a J45, as I've done many times, its' probably going to be a great instrument.

 There's just something that Gibson does really well with their instruments that sounds "like music". Again, I think it's the familiarity because we've heard those sounds on so many recordings, be it a J45, a LesPaul, etc. I own 1 acoustic that I inherited, and one LP that I was gifted so I'm not really a Gibson fanboy, but I do respect they make really good sounding instruments.