It really comes to something when a brand as iconic as Gibson Guitars cant stay afloat!

Gibson has been severely mismanaged for over a decade.  Bad business decisions after even worse business decisions can destroy a company.  Getting rid of your best guitar craftsmen, auto-tuning guitars, expansion into lifestyle electronics along with massive private equity debt are some of the actions that sank Gibson.  The bankruptcy is an attempt at reorganizing, but if it fails and Gibson truly dies it really isn't that bad.  The value of the old Kalamazoo instruments will surge which is a good thing for the musicians who own them.

Since they plan to "wind down" their consumer electronics groups, the bankruptcy bodes an ill wind for Esoteric.

American workers are OK .
American management is world's worse.

I would have to agree that both Gibson and Fender have been overpriced new compared to some of the competition.
I have tried many at various guitar shops and tbh not one have I wanted to take home.
My axes include Schecter, ESP, PRS and Ovation right now.

A great article on this subject came out a year ago in the Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/the-slow-secret-death-of-the-electric-guitar/...

The modern day guitar hero? Taylor Swift.