Gibson update...

Westerly Wood

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https://www.musicradar.com/news/ceo...ted-as-gibson-guitar-co-saved-from-bankruptcy

The company will now be run by bondholders, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Melody Capital.

Most significantly, CEO Henry Juszkiewicz is out of the picture, with him and co-owner Dave Berryman seeing their equity stakes cancelled. Bloomberg reports that both will receive a consulting agreement that bars them from making negative comments about Gibson.

“I will continue to aid Gibson for at least a couple more years, and my mission, really, is to pass on the knowledge and the tools to allow the next generation of management to really excel and bring the brand to a whole new level,” Juszkiewicz told Guitarist recently.


"We are musicians. We care deeply about the brand and we are going to protect it".

Board member Nat Zillkha
 
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adorshki

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ClydeTower

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Well, that's good news. Happy to hear Gibson will forge on with new management.
 

Westerly Wood

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"That's OK, Henry.
Stay home, relax.
Catch up on life.
We'll muddle through somehow"

LOL. exactly. "Pass on the knowledge and tools to allow the next gen to totally FUBAR this great company. Lord knows, I tried."
 

F312

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Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be. John Wooden

Ralph
 

PittPastor

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One of the biggest mysteries in all of guitar-dom is how Juszkiewicz kept his job for so long.

It would have been bad news if Gibson had gone under. Let's hope they can get the brand back where it used to be.
 

fronobulax

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One of the biggest mysteries in all of guitar-dom is how Juszkiewicz kept his job for so long.

Doesn't have to be a mystery. The landscape is littered with people who owned a company and thought their ownership made them qualified to run it.
 

PittPastor

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Doesn't have to be a mystery. The landscape is littered with people who owned a company and thought their ownership made them qualified to run it.

I confess I don't know how Gibson was/is structured, but I didn't think he had enough control to run it any way he wanted to. I thought he answered to a board and the shareholders. Long before the bankruptcy, things were a mess at Gibson. Although I guess I shouldn't complain too much. If it hadn't been for Henry, Ren Ferguson would have never gone to Guild.
 

shihan

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I know the employees at Gibson were very unhappy under Henry. I’ve read story after story from people that worked there about how poorly they were treated. The constant QC issues people have complained about have to be at least partly because of this. Guitar makers should be happy people! I hope the new management team realizes this, treats it’s employees well, and makes great guitars.
 

Default

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Glassdoor reputedly had Gibson ranked as the third worst company to work at. Herny J was by many accounts a capricious tyrant to work for.
 

adorshki

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Glassdoor reputedly had Gibson ranked as the third worst company to work at. Herny J was by many accounts a capricious tyrant to work for.
Henry J for president!
Is it true he was named after a car?

42141411-770-0.jpg
 

chazmo

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I don't really give much weight to Glassdoor stuff, Steve. It's always poisoned by folks with an axe to grind (and every company has those).
 

adorshki

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what kind of car is this? it is amazing looking!
That is in fact a Kaiser-Frazer "Henry J", says so right on the trunk lid.
1280px-1951_Kaiser_Henry_J_%282%29.jpg

I love the looks too.
1954HenryJCorsair-ja25c.jpg

1951-Kaiser-Henry-J-Front.jpg

And to this day they've got a loyal performance following:
henry-j-hyper.jpg


Kaiser-Frazer was ultimately acquired by American Motors who gave us another industrialist with presidential ambitions, George Romney.
 

Westerly Wood

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...to design a vehicle that in its base form retailed (including federal tax and retail delivery preparation charge) for no more than $1,300.00 (US$13,223 in 2017 dollars[5]). It was to seat at least five adults, be capable of going at least 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) for sustained periods of time, and available for retail sale no later than September 30, 1950.

To accomplish this, the Henry J was designed to carry the fewest possible components, and built from the fewest number of parts. To save body stamping costs, early Henry Js did not have rear trunk lids; owners had to access the trunk by folding down the rear seat. Another cost-saving measure was to offer the car only as a two-door sedan with fixed rear windows. Also lacking in the basic version were glove compartment, armrests, passenger-side inside sun visor and flow-through ventilation.

love it
 

richardp69

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That is in fact a Kaiser-Frazer "Henry J", says so right on the trunk lid.
1280px-1951_Kaiser_Henry_J_%282%29.jpg

I love the looks too.
1954HenryJCorsair-ja25c.jpg

1951-Kaiser-Henry-J-Front.jpg

And to this day they've got a loyal performance following:
henry-j-hyper.jpg


Kaiser-Frazer was ultimately acquired by American Motors who gave us another industrialist with presidential ambitions, George Romney.

I started my automotive career with American Motors in Milwaukee. Off the wall, wacky designs (think Gremlin, Pacer etc.) and ideas and no possible way to be there for the long term but a really wonderful and fun place to work. Fond memories for sure.
 

Nuuska

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Hello

First car in our family was Kaiser - I was small kid, and all I remember is that it was green - and one day someone decided to change lane while we were on next, so there was some screeching of side paneling. Was there a 4-door version? Or were they all 2-doors?

It was in mid 50:s and those days after war it was very difficult to get any car at all here.
 

Antney

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They can start by making only three versions of les pauls. I’d eliminate the Les Paul custom pro traditional hp deluxe standard weight relieved faded vintage reliced sunburst model first.
 
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