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Gibson & Barnes: A Word Of Caution

Jaydee

New Member
Generally I am happy with them and their service, but I have a few observations. The price on the HH Mark 43 A-2 seems to have changed without notice. It is listed at $538 on both their site and catalogue they sent me. It is now $568. Also the jacket doesn't just run big, it runs really big. I wear a 40, I ordered a 38, Still too long in the arms and torso. So it's down to a 38 Short, we will see if that is going to fit. With the price increase and the sizing mistake, I am now out $50 more than I expected. Ouch!
-Jay
 

les_garten

Active Member
Jaydee said:
Generally I am happy with them and their service, but I have a few observations. The price on the HH Mark 43 A-2 seems to have changed without notice. It is listed at $538 on both their site and catalogue they sent me. It is now $568. Also the jacket doesn't just run big, it runs really big. I wear a 40, I ordered a 38, Still too long in the arms and torso. So it's down to a 38 Short, we will see if that is going to fit. With the price increase and the sizing mistake, I am now out $50 more than I expected. Ouch!
-Jay

This is Modus Operandi for G&B. Make 'em give you your $50 back. They've done this before. The size mistake is yours. They are notorious and well know for being HUGE, about two sizes from everyone else.
 

Jaydee

New Member
Really? You heard of this happening before? I already told them they overcharged me $30 and they came back with "The price has changed, it's wrong on the internet." Would they flat out lie for $30 you think?
-Jay
 

Hamsterbear

Member
They used to be such a great company, but lost something along the way. Heck- they haven't even updated their website in years, so how are you supposed to know what the price is?
Here is a company review off the internet:
-15 Overall
Pay -5
Respect -5
Benefits 0
Job Security -5
Work/Life Balance -5
Career Potential/Growth 0
Location 5
Co-worker Competence 5
Work Environment -5
El Cajon, CA 06/08/2007: Pay: Below industry for every position except a few managers who have snowed the President and they are actually way above industry standard according to Monster calculations. Did I mention the .10 raise every 1000 hours ?
Respect: What kind of respect when there are cameras on you all day ?
Benefits: Better than none at all. No HR or employee relatiions department and you can be sure that your personal information is not private here.
Job Security: None, if they don't like you - they figure out how to make you quit or fire you. Management routinely gloats at the success of not paying unemployment.
Work/Life Balance: Well Saturdays can be assumed as a work day as there is always short staff. Illness is no excuse for absence and will be held against you, as well as Dr's appts and other things that are part of your life.
Career Potential/Growth: No career potential here, they could care if stay or not. This is a great training to go on to a great paying job somewhere else.
Location: Great, in the area of lowest per capita income in San Diego County. Most staff live within a short commute.
Co-worker competence: Greatest I have ever seen. Everyone is there for their own reasons. We aplaud those who have gone on to bigger and better companies. Their gain and Gibson & Barnes loss. Too bad the President doesn't realize that if he treated the staff better both with environment and compensation his bottom line would increase substantially.
Work Environment: If they think that a clean remodeled building keeps people happy, think again. Factory workers on their feet all day with no AC, come on it's a 100 degrees in the summer in El Cajon. The factory lunch area is a joke and now it is to be taken so a money generating project can be attempted. In the office - cameras... come on, is that to make sure to catch people not doing their job or are they paranoid that something may be stolen ?

Hopefully more staff will rate this company and maybe the President will get wind and try to make it better.


:cry: Oh, BTW, no more alterations or other personalized service. All sales final if custom ordered. I think they still repair jackets if defective, but as for normal wear and tear? I dunno....
 

zoomer

Well-Known Member
After all these years I can only conclude that it is now pretty much impossible to make quality clothing at competitive prices in the USA unless you nickel and dime your work force half to death.
 
I had heard such great things about their jackets and customer service. Now it seems this is no longer the same company. There are a few people who still can get custom work done by them, but theses are from long time customers. I think French is one of those. I tried contacting them several times about one of my G-1's to have the knits and liner replaced with no success. The price difference on the web site and actual price have been an issue for at least 2 years, so what does that tell you? I do not own nor have I ever seen one of their jackets in person, so I can not commit on the quality. With G&B prices creeping towards Aero, GW and Eastman though, I think I know where to place my money. I do own an Aero Long Half Belt, and it is a awesome jacket to say the least. I can only imagine what their A-2's are like.

R/ Dave
 

les_garten

Active Member
Jaydee said:
Really? You heard of this happening before? I already told them they overcharged me $30 and they came back with "The price has changed, it's wrong on the internet." Would they flat out lie for $30 you think?
-Jay

This pricing problem started a long time ago. The fact they still haven't changed it after a few years is mind boggling! The price is not on the "Internet", it's on their freakin' website. A catalog can be outdated, a website can be changed in 30 seconds with no cost basically. They've known about this issue for a LONG TIME. They should honor their website price. There is NO EXCUSE for it being wrong. If they don't somebody should call them A$$Holes to their face.

That being said, I have one of their 422a's that I bought from Bill French and it's a Nice jacket. A G&F Clone. I'm sure their A-2's are nice also if you are looking for a "Nice" Jacket. Not accurate, just Nice, and cut Roomy, by a lot.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I try to not bad mouth a jacket maker until I have one of their jackets in my hands. Some of you have other standards or perhaps an agenda. No excuse for the price problems at G/B. I get great service from them and find their jackets long lasting and well made. Not 100% but good value. (Yes they run big, so order a try on model-how hard is that?) Posters on this site all have their favorites but I think it goes without saying you should at least have had your eyes on their product before you talk shit about it. I talk to Rene Hunter, she is very helpful and has been there a long time. Call her if you have a problem.
 

Jaydee

New Member
Good point WN. By the way I did recieve the jacket today (A full week earlier than promised) and I have no complaints with the quality. Stitching is solid and the horsehide is nice, and even has some pretty grainy panels. It's not all the same smooth HH I have seen on some of their jackets, but actually has a lot of varience in grain from one panel to the other. Looks to be built like a tank and should last a very long time. So some aspects of the company may be slipping, but according to this jacket the quality is still there. The 38 Short I ended up with fits a lot like a Wartime Star 40 I once had.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Glad you like your A-2 jaydee. BTW the zipper has a lifetime repair/ replace policy.
 

indigo_junkie

New Member
They tried to charge me $756 for a B3 when their website priced it at $688. I complained about it, and Rene gave it to me at the website price. They're pretty good with the customer service, and all of my emails were answers. Some prompt, some not, but they were all answered. In the end, I wasn't happy with the quality of the shearling or the outer coating. I've seen shearling on $300 jackets with comparable quality to the GB one. I sent it back for a refund which with shipping to the US both ways, put me out about $150. But I would have lost that much if I tried to sell the jacket on Ebay. I got the cost of the jacket back and was saving for a Eastman redskin before the AUD lost 7 points on the GBP. Guess that's going on the 'to get 2+ years from now' list. I may buy a $300 shearling jacket later on if the AUD firms against the US in the following year.
 

les_garten

Active Member
Jaydee,
Lessen learned on the size, ehhh? Every manufacturer makes em different. I wear different sizes in Aero's, ELC's, LW's, G&B, etc. You have to know your measurements and go from there. You'll still get "caught" occasionally though when you are dealing with someone who doesn't know how to measure a jcket correctly. I always make them explain how they measured the Jacket when i talk to a seller/vender.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Good point. Size is relative to the jacket maker. G/B run big.
 

zoomer

Well-Known Member
Generally true, but a word on the '422A: true to Navy jacket style, it's unusually tight at the waist for its size. Mine's a 40 and fits like a 42, except thru the waist. The collar is pretty tight when latched, too (another Navy tradition I think - some units even unauthorize the use of the latch).
 

les_garten

Active Member
zoomer said:
Generally true, but a word on the '422A: true to Navy jacket style, it's unusually tight at the waist for its size. Mine's a 40 and fits like a 42, except thru the waist. The collar is pretty tight when latched, too (another Navy tradition I think - some units even unauthorize the use of the latch).


Pencil necked, Skinny AZZ Squidz!!
 

Chandler

Well-Known Member
This old story again. I've had a FS horsehide A-2 Historical and still own a goat A-2 Historical, both in 44 and both fit me great in the shoulders and chest, if not slightly baggy at the waist (which slack the knit takes up), but not to a point of looking like some modern jacket -- very square shoulders too. The goat is probably 5 or 6 years old and the HH was around the same vintage. I suppose the tailoring could have really changed, but I have to wonder why.

Chandler
 

RAYMUNDO

New Member
I have a Civil A-2 goatskin jacket from G&B. It is a size 40 and fits me perfect. The arm length is right on as is the body length, shoulders and chest. I sent back the 42R that was sent first. The measurements on the size 40 would fit a 42-44 jacket size by other manufacturers. The arms and chest in a 40 are not baggy on me and the jacket has a more trim appearence when I wear it. A very nice jacket at a good price with very grainy goatskin that will last a lifetime. I have always been satisfied with their products and customer service. For the money they beat the imports.

Ray
 
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