Henry's latest bright idea

[Dave W]

Burstdriver Les Paul

$5699 for a Les Paul with a built-in overdrive. This is "innovative" although it wouldn't surprise me if Les had experimented with something like it 50 years ago.

What's next? Will Henry come up with something revolutionary like putting a preamp in a bass?

[Grog]

So far, all of the comments have been negative. I bought a Les Paul Studio last summer with a 10db boost set up the same way. The push button tone pot seemed cheap & crackles. I ended up pulling the battery & using it as a kill switch which seemed more useful.

[Dave W]

A built-in boost circuit was innovative 55 years ago when Gibson introduced the EB-0F. Not now.

Not surprising that all the comments are negative. Henry still thinks Gibson fans don't know what they want.

[Alanko]

Henry needs removed. This is a daft idea, and a wholly unoriginal one. So I'm playing my Les Paul onstage and I want to take a solo, so I flip it over and adjust a cheap, poorly disguised trim pot with a small screwdriver? In front of a paying audience? Utter nonsense.

At least for $5699 they throw in a 9 volt battery.

[doombass]

Oh, and three new to me hot variants of Gibson bursts. The Smoky Quartz Burst (looks like Tea Burst to me). Havana Fade Burst (yyeah I get it, cigars=tobacco). Amber Ale (uhmm where's the ale). Now I can't wait to see Citrus Splash Gin & Tonic Burst  and Good Old Sundae Topsitter Burst

[Alanko]

Smoky Quartz burst is to get your (3rd) trophy wife, with embarrassing New Age tendencies, onboard with your purchase. For example she's against vaccinating children, so it is just as well you got that vasectomy and got her to sign a prenup. Am I right fellas?

Other colours, just around the corner, are Penny Loafer burst, On The Golf Course burst, Yacht Club Blues burst, Vasectomy burst...

Class envy is alive and well here in Alanko Towers, but part of it is my perpetual disappointment in where Gibson is going at the moment, and who they are marketing their stuff at. They should get back to making musical instruments, not instrument-like products marketed only to old white men who vaguely remember seeing Cream back in 1968.

[Highlander]

At least Henry got them to mount it (the gadget) on the back-plate so if I get given one I can rip it out and put a standard plate on... not that I'm known for disposal of built in electronics in Gibson's...

And as for the Vasectomy-Burst, I'll raise you with a Cyst-Burst or for the Python contingent, Oh-My-God-My-Brain's-Burst...

[Alanko]

  Aye very good!

A backplate-sectomy would work. I assume this overdrive unit is in series, after the 3-way switch, before the jack. It wouldn't be too hard to chop it out, and rewire the guitar back to normal specs... but I presume there is a premium on that drive unit!

[Highlander]

Greedbay for it...

[Dave W]

....

Class envy is alive and well here in Alanko Towers, but part of it is my perpetual disappointment in where Gibson is going at the moment, and who they are marketing their stuff at. They should get back to making musical instruments, not instrument-like products marketed only to old white men who vaguely remember seeing Cream back in 1968.

Hey! I resemble that remark!    But if Gibson is aiming their marketing at me, they've really miscalculated.

Few customers of any generation seem to be buying their gimmick versions. It must somehow satisfy Henry's ego to keep offering them.