From: Cgray2@kc.pb.rr.com   
      
   On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 13:32:56 GMT, rck    
   wrote:   
      
   > The Gibson instruments of today are no better than a dozen other brands,   
   > so   
   > they no longer have the clout they had 20 years ago.   
   >   
   Yes and no, in that order.  They still sell as many dobros as they can   
   make, despite producing, at best, a mid-range instrument at prices second   
   only to Beards and Scheerhorns.   
      
   I've no doubt they sell all the F-5s and F-12s they can make, at prices   
   that reflect a premium.   
      
   Their Pauls still command a hefty price, and their 335s and 347s get an   
   amount they should feel shame at even suggesting.   
      
   They've got all their clout left, largely because their mystique still   
   attracts the newer people, who wouldn't buy a Chief banjo or a Beard reso,   
   or a Tom Rosa mando because the only one of those makers they'd ever even   
   heard of is Sonny.   
      
      
   --   
   Lane Gray   
   And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Gen   
   2:25   
   remove the .lead from my address   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)