Misplaced Pages

Gibson, Inc.

Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis, pictured in May 2009
Formerly	Gibson Guitar Corp. and Gibson Brands, Inc.
Company type	Private
Industry	Musical instruments
Founded	1894; 130 years ago (1894) in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Founder	Orville Gibson
Headquarters	Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Cesar Gueikian (president & CEO)
Products	electric and acoustic guitars, basses, strings
Brands	List KRK Epiphone Maestro Kramer Steinberger Gibson Amplifiers Dobro Kalamazoo Original Orville Tobias
Owner	KKR & Co. Inc.
Subsidiaries	List Baldwin Epiphone Kramer KRK Systems Mesa Boogie Steinberger Tobias
Website	www.gibson.com

Gibson, Inc. (formerly Gibson Guitar Corporation and Gibson Brands Inc.) is an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and professional audio equipment from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Orville Gibson started making instruments in 1894 and founded the company in 1902 as the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. Ltd. in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to make mandolin-family instruments. Gibson invented archtop guitars by constructing the same type of carved, arched tops used on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars, used and popularized by Charlie Christian. In 1944, Gibson was bought by Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI), which was acquired in 1969 by Panama-based conglomerate Ecuadorian Company Limited (ECL), that changed its name in the same year to Norlin Corporation. Gibson was owned by Norlin Corporation from 1969 to 1986. In 1986, the company was acquired by a group led by Henry Juszkiewicz and David H. Berryman. In November 2018, the company was acquired by a group of investors led by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR).

Gibson sells guitars under a variety of brand names and builds one of the world's best-known guitars, the Gibson Les Paul. Gibson was at the forefront of innovation in acoustic guitars, especially in the big band era of the 1930s; the Gibson Super 400 was widely imitated. In 1952, Gibson introduced its first solid-body electric guitar, the Les Paul, which became its most popular guitar to date—designed by a team led by Ted McCarty.

In addition to guitars, Gibson offers consumer electronics through the Gibson Pro Audio division, which includes KRK.

On May 1, 2018, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and announced a restructuring plan to return to profitability by closing down unprofitable consumer electronics divisions such as Gibson Innovations. The company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2018.

In January 2020, the company launched Gibson TV, an online television network focused on guitars and music culture.

History

Beginnings

Orville Gibson patented a single-piece mandolin design in 1898 that was more durable than other mandolins and could be manufactured in volume. Orville Gibson began to sell his instruments in 1894 out of a one-room workshop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1902, the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co. Ltd. was incorporated to market the instruments. Initially, the company produced only Orville Gibson's original designs. The company moved into the Gibson, Inc. Factory and Office Building in 1917. Orville died in 1918 of endocarditis (inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and valves).

The following year, the company hired designer Lloyd Loar to create newer instruments. Loar designed the flagship L-5 archtop guitar and the Gibson F-5 mandolin that was introduced in 1922, before leaving the company in 1924. In 1936, Gibson introduced its first "Electric Spanish" model, the ES-150, followed by other electric instruments like steel guitars, banjos and mandolins.

Following Loar, Guy Hart was the next major figure to influence the company. Musician-writer Walter Carter called the next two decades "The Guy Hart Era" and spelled it out in his definitive history of the company:.

"Guy Hart ran Gibson from 1924-1948 -- the most important period in the company history since the debut of Gibson instruments at the turn of the century and, moreover, the period of greatest innovation for the guitar since the emergence of the six-string guitar in the late 1700s. As the guitar rose to prominence, so did Gibson. Under Hart's management, Gibson developed the Super 400 … still considered the best of their kind … the flattop line and the SJ-200 put Gibson in a class by itself Gibson's prominent place in the electric guitar market."

During the global economic depression of the 1930s Hart "kept the company in business and kept the paychecks coming for the workers," in part by introducing a line of high-quality wooden toys. "And as the country began its economic recovery in the mid 1930s, he ... opened new markets overseas." Then in the 1940s he led the company though World War II by converting the factory to wartime production, winning an Army-Navy "E" award for excellence. After the war he returned the factory to instruments before he retired.

During World War II, instrument manufacturing at Gibson slowed due to shortages of wood and metal, and Gibson began manufacturing wood and metal parts for the military. Between 1942 and 1945, Gibson employed women to manufacture guitars. "Women produced nearly 25,000 guitars during World War II yet Gibson denied ever building instruments over this period", according to a 2013 history of the company. This denial was contradicted by historical statements. Gibson folklore has also claimed its guitars were made by "seasoned craftsmen" who were "too old for war". In 2023, a 1943 Gibson Southern Jumbo was listed for sale with an asking price of $18,500.

In 1944, Gibson was purchased by Chicago Musical Instruments. The ES-175 was introduced in 1949. Gibson hired Ted McCarty in 1948, who became president in 1950. He led an expansion of the guitar line with new guitars such as the "Les Paul" guitar introduced in 1952, endorsed by Les Paul, a popular musician in the 1950s. The guitar was offered in Custom, Standard, Special, and Junior models.

In the mid-1950s, the Thinline series was produced, which included a line of thinner guitars like the Byrdland. The first Byrdlands were slim, custom built, L-5 models for guitarists Billy Byrd and Hank Garland. Later, a shorter neck was added. Other models such as the ES-350T and the ES-225T were introduced as less costly alternatives. In 1958, Gibson introduced the ES-335T model. Similar in size to the hollow-body Thinlines, the ES-335 family had a solid center, giving the string tone a longer sustain.

In the 1950s, Gibson also produced the Tune-o-matic bridge system and its version of the humbucking pickup, the PAF ("Patent Applied For"), first released in 1957 and still sought after for its sound.

In 1958, Gibson produced two new designs: the eccentrically shaped Explorer and Flying V. These "modernistic" guitars did not sell well initially. It was only in the late 70s when the two guitars were reintroduced to the market that they sold well. The Firebird, in the early 60s, was a reprise of the modernistic idea, though less extreme.

Modernization

In the late 1950s, McCarty knew that Gibson was seen as a traditional company and began an effort to create more modern guitars. In 1961 the body design of the Les Paul was changed due to the demand for a double-cutaway body design. The new body design then became known as the SG (for "solid guitar"), due to disapproval from Les Paul himself. The original Les Paul design returned to the Gibson catalog in 1968.

Gibson's production mix in the 1960s had to respond to a changing buyer's market. In 1969, Gibson executive Julius Bellson noted that "Four years ago, electric guitars account for almost 70 per cent of our guitar sales. Today their sales are below 50 percent."

On December 22, 1969, Gibson parent company Chicago Musical Instruments was taken over by the South American brewing conglomerate ECL. Gibson remained under the control of CMI until 1974 when it became a subsidiary of Norlin Musical Instruments. Norlin Musical Instruments was a member of Norlin Industries which was named for ECL president Norton Stevens and CMI president Arnold Berlin. This began an era characterized by corporate mismanagement and decreasing product quality.

Between 1976 and 1984, production of Gibson guitars was shifted from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee. The Kalamazoo plant kept going for a few years as a custom-instrument shop, but was closed in 1984; several Gibson employees led by plant manager Jim Duerloo, plant superintendent Marv Lamb and J.P. Moats established Heritage Guitars in the old factory, building versions of classic Gibson designs.

The company was within three months of going out of business before it was bought by Henry E. Juszkiewicz, David H. Berryman, and Gary A. Zebrowski in January 1986. Gibson's wholesale shipments in 1993 were an estimated $70 million, up from $50 million in 1992. When Juszkiewicz and Berryman took over in 1986, sales were below $10 million. New production plants were opened in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as Bozeman, Montana. The Memphis facility is used for semi-hollow and custom shop instruments, while the Bozeman facility is dedicated to acoustic instruments.

Since 2007

Gibson purchased Garrison Guitars in 2007. In mid-2009, Gibson reduced its work force to adjust for a decline in guitar industry sales in the United States.

In 2011, Gibson acquired the Stanton Group, including Cerwin Vega, KRK Systems and Stanton DJ. Gibson then formed a new division, Gibson Pro Audio, which will deliver professional grade audio items, including headphones, loudspeakers and DJ equipment. In June 2020, Cerwin Vega Inc. acquired Cerwin Vega from Gibson. On May 21, 2021, Stanton was sold to inMusic.

Gibson announced a partnership with the Japanese-based Onkyo Corporation in 2012. Onkyo, known for audio equipment and home theater systems, became part of the Gibson Pro-Audio division. In 2013, Gibson acquired a majority stake in TEAC Corporation. In 2014, Gibson acquired the Woox consumer electronics brand from Royal Philips. In October 2017, Gibson announced plans to relocate its Memphis operations to a smaller location and plans to sell the Memphis property. Gibson opened its Memphis facility 18 years before, which occupies just a portion of a massive 127,620 square foot complex. According to the Memphis Daily News, Gibson plans to search for a new facility for its Memphis operations and will stay in the current spot for the next 18 to 24 months. The facility, which sits across from the FedExForum along South B.B. King Boulevard, is expected to list for $17 million.

Since its opening, the Gibson Memphis shop mostly focused on building hollow and semi-hollowbody guitars, such as the famed ES series. Presumably, this shuffling of assets was meant to address Gibson's well-publicized financial troubles.

Gibson issued a press release about the move, with former CEO Henry Juszkiewicz stating:

"We are extremely excited about this next phase of growth that we believe will benefit both our employees, and the Memphis community. I remember when our property had abandoned buildings, and Beale Street was in decline. It is with great pride that I can see the development of this area with a basketball arena, hotels, and a resurgent pride in the musical heritage of the great city of Memphis. We continue to love the Memphis community and hope to be a key contributor to its future when we move nearby to a more appropriate location for our manufacturing based business, allowing the world the benefit of our great American craftsmen."

In December 2017, the Gibson Guitar Factory building in downtown Memphis was sold to Somera Road, an investment company in New York. Two years later Gibson closed the Memphis factory and moved hollow-body production to Nashville. It also moved its Nashville headquarters to Cummins Station in 2019. Gibson also started shipping Murphy Lab guitars through its Murphy Lab Division of the Gibson Custom Shop in March 2021. The opening of this division was announced in December 2019.

Bankruptcy

On May 1, 2018, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of its debt restructuring, the company closed and liquidated the unprofitable Gibson Innovations division, which was focused on selling audio equipment outside of the U.S., allowing Gibson to focus on its most profitable ventures, such as musical instruments. The production of Gibson and Epiphone branded guitars was not interrupted by the bankruptcy. Additionally, $135 million was provided by existing creditors to provide liquidity to maintain existing operations.

Later that year Juszkiewicz stepped down as CEO and assumed the role of consultant, and a new management team was put in place. The company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2018.

Record label

In July 2021, Gibson announced the launch of Gibson Records, a record label focused on releasing "guitar-centric music, across genres", with its first album being the fourth studio album from Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, 4.

Legal actions

Origin of "lawsuit guitars"

In 1977, Gibson sued Hoshino Gakki/Elger Guitars for copying the "archtop" headstock. The lawsuit was settled out of court, and Ibanez replaced the headstock with a revised design.

In 2000, Gibson sued Fernandes Guitars in a Tokyo court for allegedly copying Gibson designs. Gibson did not prevail.

PRS

Gibson also sued PRS Guitars in 2005, to stop them from making their Singlecut model. Initially successful, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the lower court's decision and ordered the dismissal of Gibson's suit against PRS.

FWS raids & Lacey Act violation

Gibson's factories were raided in 2009 and 2011 by agents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). In November 2009, authorities found illegally imported ebony wood from Madagascar. A second raid was conducted in August 2011, during which the FWS seized wood imports from India that had been mislabeled on the US Customs declaration. Gibson Guitar Corp. filed a motion in January 2011 to recover seized materials and overturn the charges, which was denied by the court.

The United States Department of Justice found emails from 2008 and 2009 in which Gibson employees discussed the "gray market" nature of the ebony wood available from a German wood dealer—who obtained it from a supplier in Madagascar—as well as plans to obtain the wood. It filed a civil proceeding in June 2011, the first such case under the amended Lacey Act, which requires importing companies to purchase legally harvested wood and follow the environmental laws of the producing countries regardless of corruption or lack of enforcement. Gibson argued in a statement the following day that authorities were "bullying Gibson without filing charges" and denied any wrongdoing. Arguing against the federal regulations and claiming that the move threatened jobs, Republicans and Tea Party members spoke out against the raids and supported Juszkiewicz.

The case was settled on August 6, 2012, with Gibson admitting to violating the Lacey Act and agreeing to pay a fine of $300,000 in addition to a $50,000 community payment. Gibson also forfeited the wood seized in the raids, which was valued at roughly the same amount as the settlement. However, in a subsequent statement Gibson maintained its innocence with Juszkiewicz claiming that "Gibson was inappropriately targeted" and that the government raids were "so outrageous and overreaching as to deserve further Congressional investigation." Juszkiewicz continued to state, "We felt compelled to settle as the costs of proving our case at trial would have cost millions of dollars and taken a very long time to resolve."

Gibson reclaimed some wood stock that was confiscated during the raids, and produced a new series of guitar marketed to draw attention to the raids and seizures.

In the midst of the controversy, commentators stated that the raid was a politically motivated act of retaliation by the Obama administration, as Juszkiewicz had frequently donated to Republican politicians. Chris Martin IV, the CEO of Gibson competitor C.F. Martin & Co., had donated over $35,000 to the Democratic National Committee and Democratic candidates in the same time period. Though Martin featured several guitars in its catalog made with the same Indian wood as Gibson, but with correct documentation filed, the company was not subjected to a raid.

Paper Jamz

Gibson filed a lawsuit November 18, 2010, in Federal court, the Central District of California, against WowWee USA and its Paper Jamz battery-operated guitar toys, charging trademark infringement. The lawsuit claimed the Paper Jamz toy guitars copied the looks of some of Gibson's famous guitars, the Gibson Les Paul, the Gibson Flying V, the Gibson Explorer, and the Gibson SG. On December 21, 2010, Gibson was granted a request for an injunction against WowWee and retailers in the United States which were selling Paper Jamz guitars: Walmart, Amazon, Big Lots stores, Kmart Corporation, Target Corporation, Toys "R" Us, Walgreens, Brookstone, Best Buy, eBay, Toywiz.com, and Home Shopping Network (HSN) The case was dismissed with prejudice (dismissed permanently) January 11, 2011 by Federal Judge R. Gary Klausner.

Kiesel Guitars

Gibson sent a cease and desist letter to Kiesel concerning two models that Kiesel makes—the ultra V and the 'California Singlecut.' According to Jeff Kiesel, Vice President of Kiesel, the letter claims that Kiesel's design infringes upon the Flying V design of Gibson.

Warwick/Framus

German manufacturer Warwick was sued by Gibson with the claim that one of the models sold under the 'Framus' brand imitated the Flying V and that customers were being misled due to this. Gibson sought a stop on the sales of these guitars and also stated that "Warwick was unfairly exploiting the reputation of Gibson Guitars." The Hamburg regional court initially ruled in favour of Gibson in 2017. However, successive judgements from the Higher Regional Court and the Federal Supreme Court in November 2020 and September 2021 dismissed Gibson's lawsuits.

Dean Guitars

Gibson sued Dean Guitars in 2019 over trademark infringement related to several guitar shapes and names. The ruling in 2022 found that the Dean V, Dean Z, and Dean Gran Sport body shapes, as well as the Dovetail headstock design and the "Hummingbird" and "Moderne" names were infringing on Gibson's designs. The judgement awarded Gibson $4,000 in damages, far short of the $7 million alleged by Gibson.

Trump Guitars

In November 2024, Gibson sent a cease-and-desist letter to Alabama-based 16 Creative, the marketers of Trump Guitars, which had recently announced a line of electric and acoustic guitars endorsed by the former president. Gibson claims the guitars infringe on their trademarks, including their classic Les Paul.

Instruments

Gibson also owns and makes instruments under brands such as Epiphone, Kramer, Maestro, Steinberger, and Tobias, along with the ownership of historical brands such as Kalamazoo, Dobro, Valley Arts, and Baldwin (including Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer). It also owned Slingerland Drum Company but it was sold to Drum Workshop in November 2019. Gibson relaunched Kramer Guitars at Winter NAMM 2020 on January 16. Icon, Baretta, Pacer, Focus, and SM-1 are in the original collection with the modern collection including Assault, Striker, Nite-V, and Bass. The artists collaborations for the relaunched Kramer Guitar includes Tracii Guns 'Gunstar Voyager,' the Charlie Parra 'Vanguard' and the Dave Sabo 'Snake-Baret.

Gibson has long made authorized copies of its most successful guitar designs, under the Epiphone brand name. They are less expensive than those bearing the Gibson name. A former competitor, Epiphone, was purchased by Gibson in 1957 and now makes competitively-priced Gibson-styled models, such as the Les Paul and SG, sold under the Epiphone brand, while continuing to make Epiphone-specific models like the Sheraton, Sorrento, and Casino. In Japan, Orville by Gibson once made Gibson designs sold in that country. Gibson has sought legal action against those that make and sell guitars Gibson believes are too similar to their own.

In 1977, Gibson introduced the serial numbering system in use until 2006. An eight-digit number on the back shows the date when the instrument was produced, where it was produced, and its order of production that day (e.g., first instrument stamped that day, second, etc.). An exception is the year 1994, Gibson's centennial year; many 1994 serial numbers start with "94", followed by a six-digit production number. As of 2006, the company used seven (six since 1999) serial number systems, making it difficult to identify guitars by their serial number alone. The Gibson website provides a book to help with serial number deciphering.

In 2006, Gibson introduced a nine-digit serial number system replacing the eight-digit system used since 1977, but the sixth digit now represents a batch number.

In 2003, Gibson debuted its Ethernet-based audio protocol, MaGIC, which it developed in partnership with 3Com, Advanced Micro Devices, and Xilinx. Replacing traditional analog hook-ups with a digital connection to "satisfy the unique requirements of live audio performances". This system requires a special pickup, and cabling is provided by a standard Cat-5 Ethernet cable.

The Gibson "self-tuning guitar", also known as a "robot model", an option on some newer Les Paul, SG, Flying V and Explorer instruments, tunes itself in about two seconds using robotics technology developed by Tronical GmbH. Under the tradename Min-ETune, this device became standard on several models in 2014.

In 2013, Gibson introduced the Government Series of Les Paul, SG, Flying V, Explorer and ES-335 guitars which were constructed solely of tonewood the US government seized but later returned to Gibson after the resolution of the company's Lacey Act violation in 2011. The guitars were finished in "government grey" and also featured decorations which intended to draw attention to the issue of government. A year later in 2014, Gibson released the Government Series II of guitars, which were essentially the same as the first series, only finished in a new color: "government tan".

In 2021, Gibson acquired the iconic electric guitar amplifier brand, Mesa Boogie.

Factories

All Gibson-brand guitars are currently made at two facilities, depending on the type of guitar. Electric guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul, Gibson ES-335, and the Gibson SG are made in Nashville, Tennessee. Until 2019, Semi-acoustic guitars, such as the Gibson ES Series, were made in Memphis, Tennessee, but that operation moved to Nashville during the company's restructuring as they emerged from bankruptcy protection.

Full acoustic guitars such as the Gibson J Series are made in Bozeman, Montana. In 2021–2022, Gibson expanded the Bozeman facility from 23,000 square feet (2,100 m) to 48,000 square feet (4,500 m). The new expansion will be providing 100-200 new job opportunities in the area. The Factory itself has been in Bozeman since the 1980s.

While all Gibson branded guitars have always been built in the United States, either at these two or other prior facilities, other brands owned by the Gibson corporation may be made in other facilities, such as Epiphone-branded guitars, which are mostly built in a facility in Qingdao, China.

Below are some of the facilities used to produce Gibson instruments, along with years of their operation:

See also

• David Harvey (luthier)
• Eden of Coronet guitar
• Jim Triggs (luthier)
• Lloyd Loar (luthier)
• List of Gibson players

Footnotes

1. ^ "Gibson History". Gibson Corporate Press Kit. Gibson Guitar Corp. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
2. "Gibson Brands Announces CEO Transition". PR Newswire. May 2, 2023. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023 – via Benzinga.com.
3. "About Gibson". Gibson Brands. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
4. Gisbon Brands at Gibson Press website Archived 2014-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 10 Dec 2014
5. "KKR Portfolio". June 19, 2014. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
6. "KKR to Gibson Bidders: 'We Own the Company' Until Debt Is Repaid". Bloomberg News. August 2018. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
7. "Gibson: Private Company Information". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017.
8. "Drop the guitar: Gibson rebrands". Memphis Business Journal. June 12, 2013. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014.
9. Koe, Crystal (March 28, 2024). "Gibson Brands Inc. is now just Gibson again, to reflect its "focus and objective to make the best guitars in our history"". Guitar.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
10. "About Gibson". Gibson. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
11. ^ Ayala Ben-Yehuda (April 9, 2007). "Gibson Guitar embraces China, Latin markets". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
12. "Gibson Guitars Files For Bankruptcy Protection". NPR.org. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
13. "US guitar firm Gibson goes bust". BBC News. May 2, 2018. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
14. Mattise, Jonathan (May 2, 2018). "Gibson guitar maker sees a future with bankruptcy protection". CTVNews. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
15. ^ Resnikoff, Paul (October 2, 2018). "It's Over: Gibson Guitar Is Officially Exiting Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Digital Music News. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
16. ^ "Gibson expects to emerge from bankruptcy next month". www.bizjournals.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
17. January 2020, Jonathan Horsley 08 (January 8, 2020). "Gibson just launched its own online TV network". guitarworld. Retrieved April 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
18. Release, Press (June 30, 2020). "GibsonG TV Releases New Documentary Series "The Process"". Mayhem Music Magazine. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
19. ^ "Orville H. Gibson, 1856–1918". Siminoff.net. Archived from the original on February 25, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
20. ^ "Gibson Dusk Tiger". Gibson.com. June 24, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
21. Wheeler 1992, pp. 100–101
22. "Gibson, 100 Years of an American Icon" (General Publishing Group, Los Angeles, 1994)
23. Lister, Kat (April 23, 2014). "The Forgotten Women of Kalamazoo". Feminist Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
24. Thomas 2012
25. "1943 Gibson Southern Jumbo dreadnought acoustic from WWII listed on Reverb". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
26. Hembree 2007, pp. 74–85
27. Duchossoir 1998
28. Hembree 2007, p. 110
29. "Gibson Strings Customers Along" (AP story). Hillsdale (MI) Daily News, 2 October 1969, 8.
30. Hembree 2007, p. 306
31. Miller, Bryan (March 13, 1994). "Saving Gibson Guitars From the Musical Scrap Heap". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
32. Baird, Moira (July 4, 2007). "Garrison Guitars sold to Gibson". The Telegram. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012.
33. Duncan, Walker (March 23, 2009). "Sources: Gibson adds to layoff tally | Make and Buy | NashvillePost.com: Nashville Business News + Nashville Political News". NashvillePost.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
34. "Gibson Guitar increases high-tech lineup with purchase". Tennessean.com. December 6, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
35. "Cerwin-Vega Inc. Acquires Cerwin-Vega! Pro & Home Brands From Gibson". audioXpress. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
36. "inMusic – Home of the world's premier music industry brands". www.inmusicbrands.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
37. "Gibson Expands Pro Audio Division". Gibson.com. January 4, 2012. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
38. "Gibson Set to Sell Memphis Guitar Factory – Reverb News". November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
39. Stennett, Desiree. "Gibson to move guitar production from Memphis to Nashville". The Commercial Appeal. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
40. "Gibson moving headquarters to Downtown Nashville". www.bizjournals.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
41. Maxwell, Jackson (January 22, 2021). "Gibson Unveils First Round of Murphy Lab Relic'd Guitars". Guitar Player. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
42. "Gibson creates the Murphy Lab, a division of the Custom Shop dedicated to creating historically accurate guitars". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. December 10, 2019. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
43. Snyder, Eric (May 1, 2018). "Gibson files for Chapter 11 brankruptcy". Nashville Business Journal. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
44. "Gibson files for bankruptcy in a deal to renew its guitar business". Bloomberg.com. May 2018. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
45. "Gibson Brands reaches global settlement and files amended plan of reorganization". PR Newswire. September 6, 2018. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
46. Rau, Nate (October 23, 2018). "Gibson taps JC Curleigh as CEO to lead iconic guitar company out of bankruptcy". Nashville Tennessean. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
47. Seah, Daniel (July 27, 2021). "Gibson Debuts New Record Label With Album From Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators". Guitar.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
48. Fjestad, Zachary (June 16, 2010). "Ibanez "Lawsuit Era" Les Paul Custom Copy". Premier Guitar. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013.
49. "Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property | Vol 4 | Iss 2" (PDF). Law.northwestern.edu. August 19, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
50. Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, L.P., 325 2d 841 (M.D. Tenn. 2004), archived from the original. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
51. Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, LP, 423 F.3d 539 (6th Cir. 2005), archived from the original. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
52. ^ Wadhwani, A.; Paine, A. (August 25, 2011). "Gibson Guitar raided but lips zipped". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
53. Lind, J.R. (December 29, 2010). "Federal agent: Gibson wood investigation likely to result in indictments". NashvillePost.com. Archived from the original on September 22, 2011.
54. ^ "Gibson Guitar Corp. responds to federal raid". Gibson Guitar Corp. August 25, 2011. Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
55. ^ Trotter, J. (August 25, 2011). "Endangered lemurs could be connected to Gibson raid". WMCTV.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
56. "Update: CEO's Outrage Gets Media Buzzing". Gibson Guitar Corp. August 26, 2011. Archived from the original on September 13, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
57. "Gibson Guitars fails to squash illegal wood investigation". Sound & Fair. January 19, 2011. Archived from the original on April 2, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
58. "Gibson/Lacey Act Update". Home Furnishings Business. July 6, 2011. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
59. ^ "Endangered species trafficking: What did Gibson Guitar know?". Mongabay.com. July 7, 2011. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
60. Stern, Andrew (August 25, 2011). "Gibson Guitar to fight U.S. probe of its wood imports". Reuters. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
61. Schelzig, E. (August 7, 2012). "Gibson Guitar Corporation admits to importing endangered wood". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
62. Black, R. (August 6, 2012). "Gibson settles discord on timber". BBC News. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
63. Clarke, C.; Grant, A. (May 4, 2011). "Are your wood products really certified?". Wri.org. Archived from the original on May 8, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
64. "Gibson Comments on Department of Justice Settlement". Gibson Guitar Corporation. August 6, 2012. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
65. "Gibson launches 'Government Series' guitars with tonewood seized in 2011 raid". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
66. Faughnder, Ryan (February 15, 2014). "Gibson guitars made with government-seized wood are sold out". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015.
67. "Now the Gibson Guitar Raids Make Sense". www.investors.com. Investors' Business Daily. May 23, 2013. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018. According to C.F. Martin's catalog, several of their guitars contain 'East Indian Rosewood,' which is the exact same wood in at least 10 of Gibson's guitars. So why were they not raided and their inventory of foreign wood seized? Grossly underreported at the time was the fact that Gibson's chief executive, Henry Juszkiewicz, contributed to Republican politicians...By contrast, Chris Martin IV, the Martin & Co. CEO, is a long-time Democratic supporter.
68. "Gibson Sues Over Paper Jamz". Guitar News Daily, November 25, 2010. November 25, 2010. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
69. Hachman, Mark. "Gibson Sues WowWee over Paper Jamz Guitars". PC Magazine, November 27, 2010. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
70. "Gibson Granted Injunction Against Paper Jamz Guitars". Premier Guitar, December 22, 2010. December 22, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
71. Hasselback, Drew (December 23, 2010). "Gibson obtains injunction against WowWee's Paper Jamz guitars". Financial Post, December 23, 2010. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
72. Biggs, John (December 28, 2010). "Gibson Forces WowWee to Pull Paper Jamz Guitars". TechCrunch, December 28, 2010. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
73. Gibson Guitar Corp. v. WowWee USA, Inc. et al (Central District of California 2011) ("That this action is dismissed with prejudice without costs or attorneys fees; That the funds deposited by plaintiff to secure the preliminary injunction be returned to plaintiff."), Text.
74. Roberts, Katie. "Wowwee/Gibson Guitars dispute settled". ToyNews, January 7, 2011. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
75. "Gibson sends cease and desist letter to Kiesel over Ultra-V and California Single models". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. February 20, 2020. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
76. Parker, Matt (September 27, 2021). "Warwick/Framus declares victory over Gibson in Flying V legal battle". guitarworld.
77. "Meissner-Bolte: Press release Warwick". www.meissnerbolte.de. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
78. Maxwell, Jackson (June 21, 2019). "Gibson Sues Dean, Luna Guitars". Guitar World. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
79. Roche, Sam (May 30, 2022). "Gibson wins Dean trademark infringement case – but is awarded just $4,000 in damages". Guitar World. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
80. "Gibson issues cease and desist to Trump Guitars over $12k Les Paul lookalikes". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024. a cease and desist has been issued against 16 Creative as the design infringes upon Gibson's exclusive trademarks, particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape.
81. "Trump's Latest Product Hawk Encounters Big Problems". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
82. Meiselas, Jordy (November 25, 2024). "BREAKING: Trump Guitars Owner Gets Cease and Desist for Scammy Guitars". MeidasTouch News. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
83. "epiphone.com". Epiphone.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
84. kramerguitars.com Archived 2008-12-18 at the Wayback Machine Kramer Official Site
85. Maestro by Gibson Archived 2010-07-19 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
86. steinberger.com Archived 2011-02-07 at the Wayback Machine Steinberger Official Site
87. Tobias Archived 2011-02-02 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
88. Ken Achard (1996). The History and Development of the American Guitar. Bold Strummer. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-933224-18-6. Also during the mid to late thirties, Gibson produced a range of cello and flat top instruments under the Kalamazoo name and at inexpensive prices.
89. "Gibson Kalamazoo". January 2, 2009. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
90. ^ "Gibson Brands Announces Intention to Acquire Cakewalk Inc". Gibson Guitar Corporation. September 23, 2013. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
91. "DW Buys Slingerland Drum Company from Gibson". DRUM! Magazine. November 26, 2019. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
92. "Gibson Revamps Kramer with Original and Modern Series | NAMM 2020". reverb.com. January 3, 2020. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
93. "Epiphone Les Paul Standard". Epiphone.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2012.
94. "Epiphone: A History – Epiphone and Gibson". Epiphone.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
95. ^ "Gibson Serial Numbers: What a serial number can and can't tell you about your Gibson". Gibson. July 17, 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2011.
96. ^ Blue Book of Electric Guitars. Sixth Edition: Gibson Serialization. Edited by S.P. Fjestad Archived 2015-02-07 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
97. ^ "The MaGIC of Gibson's Digital Guitars". Maximum PC. April 2003.
98. ^ This Is MaGIC Archived 2010-01-16 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
99. Yuri Kageyama (December 3, 2007). "World's first robot guitar takes care of the tuning". Seattle Times. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2007.
100. "You take care of the playing – we'll handle the tuning". Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
101. "Gibson Guitars Announces Government Series II Les Paul". guitarworld.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
102. "Gibson acquires Mesa/Boogie amps". guitarworld.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
103. January 2021, Jackson Maxwell 06 (January 6, 2021). "Gibson Announces Acquisition of Mesa/Boogie". Guitar Player. Retrieved April 2, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
104. Dore, Helena (March 4, 2021). "Gibson announces major expansion at Bozeman facility". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
105. "Gibson Completes Massive Expansion of Acoustic Facility in Bozeman, MT; Demand-Driven Expansion Doubles the Size of Machine Shop and Acoustic Factory". All Music Magazine. November 21, 2022. Archived from the original on December 31, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
106. "Bozeman's Gibson acoustic guitar factory expands, grand opening". KBZK News. November 10, 2022. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
107. ^ Wheeler 1992, p. 95
108. Carter 1994, p. 12
109. Spann 2011, p. 1.
110. ^ Spann 2011, pp. 1–2.
111. Spann 2011, p. 2.
112. Wheeler 1992, pp. 101, 151
113. Wheeler 1992, p. 144
114. Bonds 2004, p. 318
115. Thomas 2012, p. 3
116. Bonds 2004, p. 396
117. Bonds 2004, p. 406
118. ^ Bellson 1973, p. .
119. Fjestad, S.P., ed. (2015) . "Blue Book of Electric Guitars" (PDF). Gibson Serialization (Sixth ed.). Blue Book Publications, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 7, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
120. "Gibson Guitar Memphis Factory Tour Directions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 21, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2014.

References

• Achard, Ken (1989). The History and Development of the American Guitar. Westport, CT: Bold Strummer Ltd. ISBN 978-0-933-22418-6.
• Bacon, Tony (2002). 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-879-30711-0.
• Bacon, Tony (2009). The Les Paul Guitar Book: A Complete History of Gibson Les Paul Guitars. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-879-30951-0.
• Bacon, Tony (2011). Flying V, Explorer, Firebird: An Odd-shaped History of Gibson's Weird Electric Guitars. Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-617-13008-3.
• Bacon, Tony (2012). The History of the American Guitar: From 1833 to the Present Day. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-617-13033-5.
• Bacon, Tony (2014). Sunburst: How the Gibson Les Paul Standard Became a Legendary Guitar. Montclair: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-617-13466-1.
• Bellson, Julius (1973). The Gibson Story. US: self-published.
• Bonds, Ray (2004). The Illustrated Directory of Guitars. New York: Barnes and Noble. ISBN 978-0-760-76317-9.
• Carter, Walter (1994). Gibson Guitars: 100 Years of an American Icon. Los Angeles: General Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-881-64939-7.
• Carter, Walter (2007). Gibson Electric Guitar Book – Seventy Years of Classic Guitars. Backbeat Books: New York. ISBN 978-0-879-30895-7.
• Day, Paul; Carter, Walter; Hunter, Dave; Verheyen, Carl (2011). The Ultimate Gibson Guitar Book. New York: Metro Books. ISBN 978-1-435-13756-1.
• Duchossoir, A. R. (1998). Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-0-793-59210-4.
• Duchossoir, A. R. (2008). Guitar Identification: A Reference for Dating Guitars made by Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, and Martin (4th ed.). Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-1-423-42611-0.
• Duchossoir, A. R. (2009). Gibson Electric Steel Guitars: 1935–1967. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-1-423-45702-2.
• Erlewine, Dan; Whitford, Eldon; Vinopal, David (2009). Gibson's Fabulous Flat-top Guitars: An Illustrated History & Guide. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-879-30962-6.
• Fjestad, Zachary R.; Meiners, Larry (2007). Gibson Flying V. Minneapolis, MN: Blue Book Publications. ISBN 978-1-886-76872-7.
• Fox, Paul (2011). The Other Brands of Gibson. Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Publications. ISBN 978-1-574-24271-3.
• Gruhn, George; Carter, Walter (1993). Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments: A Photographic History. San Francisco: GPI Books. ISBN 978-0-879-30240-5.
• Gruhn, George; Carter, Walter (2010a). Electric Guitars and Basses: A Photographic History. New York: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-879-30974-9.
• Gruhn, George; Carter, Walter (2010b). Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars: An Identification Guide for American Fretted Instruments. New York: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-879-30422-5.
• Hembree, George (2007). Gibson Guitars: Ted McCarty's Golden Era 1948–1966. Austin, TX: GH Books. ISBN 978-1-423-41813-9.
• Ingram, Adrian (1997). The Gibson L5: Its History and its Players. Anaheim, CA: Centerstream Pub. ISBN 978-1-574-24047-4.
• Ingram, Adrian (2007). The Gibson 175: Its History and its Players. Anaheim, CA: Centerstream Pub. ISBN 978-1-574-24223-2.
• Marx, Wallace (2009). Gibson Amplifiers 1933–2008. Minneapolis, MN: Blue Book Publications. ISBN 978-1-886-76890-1.
• Spann, Joe (2011). Spann's Guide to Gibson: 1902–1941. Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Pub. ISBN 978-1-574-24267-6.
• Thomas, John (2012). Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of Extraordinary Women & Gibson's 'Banner' Guitars of WWII. Franklin, TN: American History Press. ISBN 978-0-983-08278-1.
• Wheeler, Tom (1992). American Guitars: An Illustrated History (rev. and updated ed.). New York: HarperPerennial. ISBN 978-0-062-73154-8.

External links

• Official website
• Gibson Guitars Database

36°07′48″N 86°43′33″W / 36.1298758°N 86.7257458°W / 36.1298758; -86.7257458

• Gibson Brands
• Banjo manufacturing companies
• Guitar manufacturing companies of the United States
• Bass guitar manufacturing companies
• Guitar amplifier manufacturers
• American companies established in 1902
• Manufacturing companies established in 1902
• 1902 establishments in Michigan
• Manufacturing companies based in Tennessee
• 1902 in music
• Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018
• Mandolin makers
• Companies based in Nashville, Tennessee
• Companies based in Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Companies based in Memphis, Tennessee
• Kohlberg Kravis Roberts companies
• Music of Nashville, Tennessee