Gibson fires Randall Smith (Mesa Boogie)

[dodgechargerfan]

That's not surprising at all and pretty common in the whole product review biz where even if you're not getting paid by a company, being less than positive puts your access to future product in jeopardy.

There's a channel I follow that even puts a graphic onscreen for each product discussed to disclose if they were paid to review, given the product free for review, or bought the product with their own money to be completely transparent.

All he really did was confirm that Randy had been fired.

 

[GilmourD]

As if to rub it in Fluff's face, they're bringing back the RD and demoing it through some Boogies...

“This fiddle is Really Dope”: Cesar Gueikian all-but-confirms the return of the cult Gibson RD – an unsung build beloved by Dave Grohl and Ghost

One of the firm’s most obscure designs of the 1970s looks set for an unlikely return

www.guitarworld.com

 

[Lerxst]

That said, Fluff could have been very key in keeping Mesa/Boogie in the good graces of metalheads. He's got a fairly large following in those circles and having him on Gibson's side would have been a net positive for Gibson trying to say the new stuff is as good as the old stuff. Just from a basic business move it was dumb to cut him off.

Gibson has a habit of not seeing the forest through the trees and succeeding in spite of these things with products that basically sell themselves