From: tb@offthehk.lk   
      
   For those who have loved Gibson instruments, this you won't like.   
   From an article in Vintage Guitar it appears Gibson sent a letter to all   
   its dealers last fall, announcing some new policies:   
      
   -Only four dealers (Elderly, Guitar Center, and 2 others) will now be   
   allowed to sell new Gibsons on the Internet, and they also will be the   
   only dealers allowed to advertise their inventory of new Gibsons in any   
   kind of national advertising (including guitar magazines), AND they will   
   be the only dealers allowed to sell new Gibsons at guitar shows.   
      
   -Gibson will be able to demand that a dealer stock other (non-Gibson   
   branded) Gibson products, and if the dealer refuses Gibson can cancel   
   the dealer's contract.   
      
   Needless to say, dealers are pretty angry. Several major dealers have   
   announced that they won't be participating in guitar shows this year   
   because of Gibson's action. Others have placed all their Gibson   
   inventory on closeout sales, in effect saying that they no longer care   
   to be Gibson dealers.   
      
   Interesting, since all these dealers are largely responsible for helping   
   Gibson regain its credibility as a maker of high quality instruments.   
   Doesn't seem very smart to me! It sort of reminds me of Taylor's stupid   
   move a couple of years ago, when they told all their dealers they were   
   forbidden to advertise any used Taylor guitars. (I guess they thought   
   that would make everyone think they had to buy a new one.)   
   --   
   Yours,   
   Tom   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)