If you saw the quality of the Gibson guitars hitting Australian shores back in the late 70's @ early 80's, you would know why they got a bad name, the inlay and fretwork particularly.

Not on all models mind you, it varied year to year, which come to think of it, would of been when Gibson's new owners wanted to move from Kalamazoo [ which had Union labor] to Tennessee, and open a new factory that didn't have union labor.

Subsequently Gibson lost 85% of it's old QA staff, when that big a change happens, things are bound to hit the fan.

The only time they would get a run of a particular model right, if it was the first one, all others varied from the original spec'd...Why this happened.... well self evident really.
You have accountants running a Instrument making company, it's bottom line is the end result that matters in their eyes.... Staff moral, which in turn effects staff pride in what they are building, just creates a ever downward spiral of lesser quality instruments.

The brand suffers as a consequence, the people that caused the demise don't see it as their fault, they recommend further cuts to retain profit margin, consequence is things slip even further into a ever downward spiral.....that's what happened when the corporate raiders ran things into the ground during the 90's

Put the #####$#'s up against the wall, and while your at it, I've got a few names of some Bankers that need to be lined up as well.
I will happily cast the first stone.