Yes and those are the years that shaped us. I just always found it offensive that you had to PAY for the Gibson name and the guitars sucked. So you had to try to find an old one that was actually "good" and those were even MORE money. It was like,,,, What the hell? What are the DOING? And why are they charging so much for this crap? And they never recovered from that in my eyes. And Fender was the same story. So when I discovered Tokai for the first time I was blown away and then I became a Fernandes endorser and later discovered Greco. I had heard about burny years before that but never bought one. Greco was my return to a Les paul which I hadn't been playing in a long long time. So yes I have played new Gibsons that I liked but they are too much money for what they are I refuse to pay for the name. I'm actually taking great pleasure endorsing the knock offs. In my eyes it's way cooler. when I took my Greco standard in to have it plecked the guys in the shop were like WOW! COOOOOL!!!! :>) Those guys know what's cool and what's not they see tons of guitars every day. It's not like I really care what anyone else thinks cause I don't but that was fun for me to get that response. And surprising. I usually get "what is THAT?" turned up noses. I'm looking forward to the Bacchus and promoting them. After I play it and I'm sold that is.