fbpx
Wikipedia

Gibson Brands

April 19, 2024

Gibson Brands Inc. (formerly Gibson Guitar Corporation) is an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and professional audio equipment from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee. The company was formerly known as Gibson Guitar Corporation and renamed Gibson Brands Inc. on June 11, 2013.[7][8]

Gibson Brands, Inc.
Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis,
pictured in May 2009
FormerlyGibson Guitar Corp.
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusical instruments
Founded1894; 130 years ago (1894)[1] in Kalamazoo, Michigan
FounderOrville Gibson
Headquarters
Nashville, Tennessee
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Productselectric and acoustic guitars, basses, strings
Brands
List
ParentKKR & Co. Inc.[5][6]
Subsidiaries
List
Websitegibson.com

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.[1] 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.

Gibson sells guitars under a variety of brand names[9] 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,[10] and announced a restructuring plan to return to profitability by closing down unprofitable consumer electronics divisions such as Gibson Innovations.[11][12] The company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2018.[13][14]

In January 2020, the company launched Gibson TV, an online television network focused on guitars and music culture.[15][16]

History edit

Beginnings edit

 
Orville Gibson, founder
 
Gibson line of Mandolin orchestra instruments, early 1900s.
 
Harp guitar (c. 1912).

Orville Gibson patented a single-piece mandolin design in 1898 that was more durable than other mandolins and could be manufactured in volume.[17] 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.[18] 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).[17]

 
1924 F-5 mandolin (with f-holes)
 
1928 L-5 acoustic guitar
 
ES-150 electric guitar (1936–1957)
 
Prewar Gibson banjos: RB-1 (1933), RB-00 (1940), PB-3 (1929)

The following year, the company hired designer Lloyd Loar to create newer instruments.[18] 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.[19] 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:.[20]

"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 [that] put Gibson in a class by itself [and] 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".[21][22] In 2023, a 1943 Gibson Southern Jumbo was listed for sale with an asking price of $18,500.[23]

 
1953 Les Paul Goldtop
 
Les Paul Custom
 
Les Paul Standard
 
Les Paul Junior
 
L-5 CES
 
Byrdland
 
ES-350T
 
ES-335T
 
Explorer
 
Flying V
 
non-reverse (left) & reverse Firebird
 
SG

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.[24]

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.[25] 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.[citation needed]

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 edit

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.[26] 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.

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.[citation needed]

 
Gibson left Kalamazoo in 1984, and their previous factory became Heritage Guitars
 
Gibson Showcase at Nashville

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.[27] 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.[28] 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 edit

Gibson purchased Garrison Guitars in 2007.[29] In mid-2009, Gibson reduced its work force to adjust for a decline in guitar industry sales in the United States.[30]

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.[31] In June 2020, Cerwin Vega Inc. acquired Cerwin Vega from Gibson.[32] On May 21, 2021, Stanton was sold to inMusic.[33]

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.[34] 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."[35]

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.[36][37] 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.[38][39]

Bankruptcy edit

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.[40][41]

Later that year Juszkiewicz stepped down as CEO and assumed the role of consultant,[42] and a new management team was put in place.[43] The company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2018.[13][14]

Record label edit

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 upcoming fourth studio album from Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, 4.[44]

Legal actions edit

Origin of "lawsuit guitars" edit

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.[45]

In 2000, Gibson sued Fernandes Guitars in a Tokyo court for allegedly copying Gibson designs. Gibson did not prevail.[46]

PRS edit

Gibson also sued PRS Guitars in 2005, to stop them from making their Singlecut model. Initially successful,[47] 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.[48]

FWS raids & Lacey Act violation edit

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.[49][50] A second raid was conducted in August 2011,[49] during which the FWS seized wood imports from India that had been mislabeled on the US Customs declaration.[51][52] Gibson Guitar Corp. filed a motion in January 2011 to recover seized materials and overturn the charges, which was denied by the court.[53][54]

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,[52][55][56] 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.[56] Gibson argued in a statement the following day that authorities were "bullying Gibson without filing charges" and denied any wrongdoing.[51][57] 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.[58]

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.[59][60] 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."[61]

Gibson reclaimed some wood stock that was confiscated during the raids,[62] and produced a new series of guitar marketed to draw attention to the raids and seizures.[63]

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.[64]

Paper Jamz edit

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.[65][66] 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)[67][68][69] The case was dismissed with prejudice (dismissed permanently) January 11, 2011 by Federal Judge R. Gary Klausner.[70][71]

Kiesel Guitars edit

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.[72]

Warwick/Framus edit

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.[73][74]

Dean Guitars edit

Gibson sued Dean Guitars in 2019 over trademark infringement related to several guitar shapes and names.[75] 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.[76]

Instruments edit

Further information: Gibson Guitar Corporation product list

Gibson also owns and makes instruments under brands such as Epiphone,[77] Kramer,[78] Maestro,[79] Steinberger,[80] and Tobias,[81] along with the ownership of historical brands such as Kalamazoo,[82][83] Dobro,[9] Valley Arts,[84] and Baldwin[9] (including Chickering,[84] Hamilton,[84] and Wurlitzer[9][84]). It also owned Slingerland Drum Company but it was sold to Drum Workshop in November 2019.[85] 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.[86]

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,[87] 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.[88] 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.[89] 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.).[90] An exception is the year 1994, Gibson's centennial year; many 1994 serial numbers start with "94", followed by a six-digit production number[citation needed]. As of 2006, the company used seven (six since 1999) serial number systems,[89][clarification needed] making it difficult to identify guitars by their serial number alone. The Gibson website provides a book to help with serial number deciphering.[89][90]

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.[89][clarification needed]

In 2003,[91] Gibson debuted its Ethernet-based[92] audio protocol, MaGIC, which it developed in partnership with 3Com, Advanced Micro Devices, and Xilinx.[91] Replacing traditional analog hook-ups with a digital connection to "satisfy the unique requirements of live audio performances".[92] This system requires a special pickup,[91] and cabling is provided by a standard Cat-5 Ethernet cable.[91][92]

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.[93] Under the tradename Min-ETune, this device became standard on several models in 2014.[94]

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[95] 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.[96][97]

Factories edit

 
Interior of Gibson, Inc. factory on Parsons Street. 1936

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 m2) to 48,000 square feet (4,500 m2).[98][99] The new expansion will be providing 100-200 new job opportunities in the area. The Factory itself has been in Bozeman since the 1980s.[100]

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:

Address Years of Operation Notes
114 So. Burdick, Kalamazoo, MI. 1896–1897 This was the "business location" of "O. H. Gibson, Manufacturer, Musical Instruments."[101]
104 East Main, Kalamazoo, MI 1899–1902 This was Orville Gibson's residence, and he built instruments on the 2nd floor of this location.[101][102]
114 East Main, Kalamazoo, MI 1902–1906 The "Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co, Ltd." was established in 1902.[101] This building, said to be infested with cockroaches, was probably the former Witmer Bakery.[103]
114 East Exchange Place, Kalamazoo, MI 1906–1911 Located quite close to the previous location, in Kalamazoo's business district.[104]
521–523 East Harrison Court, Kalamazoo, MI 1911–1917 Located about .5 miles from previous location. The building was next to the Michigan Central Railroad, and stood for many decades, until it came down in the late 20th century.[105]
225 Parsons St, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007 1917–1984 Also located next to railroad tracks, this facility had major expansions in 1945, 1950, and 1960.[106] Various brands were produced there, including Gibson, Epiphone, (1957–1970)[107][108] and Kalamazoo. During the depression of the 1930s, children's toys were produced there, and during WW2 it produced materials to support the war effort in addition to producing guitars.[109] Between 1974 and 1984 Gibson moved its manufacturing out of this facility to Tennessee. Most of this move happened in 1974, leaving only acoustic and some semi-acoustic production for this plant.[110] In 1985, Heritage Guitars began production, renting part of this facility.[111]
416 East Ranson, Kalamazoo, MI 1962–? Located six blocks south of 224 Parsons St., according to Julius Bellson's book, this building housed the Gibson Electronics Division.[112] The building is still standing as of 2020.[104]
Corner of Fulford and Alcott, Kalamazoo, MI 1964–1970 Located on the east side of Kalamazoo, according to Julius Bellson's book, this 60,000 sq. ft. building known as Plant 3 was the home of amplifier production, the String Division and pick-up production from 1964 to 1970.[112] The building is still standing as of 2020.[104]
521–523 East Harrison Court, Kalamazoo, MI 1911–1917 Located about .5 miles from previous location. The building was next to the Michigan Central Railroad, and stood for many decades, until it came down in the late 20th century.[105]
641 Massman Drive, Nashville, TN, 37210 1984–present This is Gibson's facility for production of their main solid body models, such as the Les Paul and the SG.
145 Lt. George W. Lee Av, Memphis, TN 38103 2000–2018 This was Gibson's facility for production of their semi-hollowbody electric guitars. This facility shared the same building as Gibson's Retail Shop and Beale Street "Showcase" location.[113]
1894 Orville Way, Bozeman, MT, 59715 1989[114]–present This facility is dedicated to acoustic guitar production.

See also edit

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ a b . 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. Retrieved May 2, 2023 – via Benzinga.com.
  3. ^ "About Gibson". Gibson Brands. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  4. ^ Gisbon Brands at Gibson Press website 2014-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 10 Dec 2014
  5. ^ "KKR Portfolio". June 19, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "KKR to Gibson Bidders: 'We Own the Company' Until Debt Is Repaid". Bloomberg News. August 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  7. ^ "Gibson Brands, Inc.: Private Company Information". Bloomberg. from the original on June 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "Drop the guitar: Gibson rebrands". Memphis Business Journal. June 12, 2013. from the original on December 25, 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d Ayala Ben-Yehuda (April 9, 2007). "Gibson Guitar embraces China, Latin markets". Reuters. from the original on September 24, 2015.
  10. ^ "Gibson Guitars Files For Bankruptcy Protection". NPR.org. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "US guitar firm Gibson goes bust". BBC News. May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  12. ^ Mattise, Jonathan (May 2, 2018). "Gibson guitar maker sees a future with bankruptcy protection". CTVNews. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  13. ^ a b Resnikoff, Paul (October 2, 2018). "It's Over: Gibson Guitar Is Officially Exiting Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Digital Music News. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Gibson expects to emerge from bankruptcy next month". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ Release, Press (June 30, 2020). "GibsonG TV Releases New Documentary Series "The Process"". Mayhem Music Magazine. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  17. ^ a b . Siminoff.net. Archived from the original on February 25, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  18. ^ a b "Gibson Dusk Tiger". Gibson.com. June 24, 2008. from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  19. ^ Wheeler 1992, pp. 100–101
  20. ^ "Gibson, 100 Years of an American Icon" (General Publishing Group, Los Angeles, 1994)
  21. ^ Lister, Kat (April 23, 2014). . Feminist Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  22. ^ Thomas 2012
  23. ^ "1943 Gibson Southern Jumbo dreadnought acoustic from WWII listed on Reverb". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  24. ^ Hembree 2007, pp. 74–85
  25. ^ Duchossoir 1998
  26. ^ Hembree 2007, p. 110
  27. ^ Hembree 2007, p. 306
  28. ^ Miller, Bryan (March 13, 1994). "Saving Gibson Guitars From the Musical Scrap Heap". The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  29. ^ Baird, Moira (July 4, 2007). . The Telegram. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012.
  30. ^ Duncan, Walker (March 23, 2009). . NashvillePost.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  31. ^ "Gibson Guitar increases high-tech lineup with purchase". Tennessean.com. December 6, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  32. ^ "Cerwin-Vega Inc. Acquires Cerwin-Vega! Pro & Home Brands From Gibson". audioXpress. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  33. ^ . www.inmusicbrands.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  34. ^ . Gibson.com. January 4, 2012. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  35. ^ . November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  36. ^ Stennett, Desiree. "Gibson to move guitar production from Memphis to Nashville". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  37. ^ "Gibson moving headquarters to Downtown Nashville". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  38. ^ Maxwell, Jackson (January 22, 2021). "Gibson Unveils First Round of Murphy Lab Relic'd Guitars". Guitar Player. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  39. ^ "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. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  40. ^ Snyder, Eric (May 1, 2018). "Gibson files for Chapter 11 brankruptcy". Nashville Business Journal. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  41. ^ "Gibson files for bankruptcy in a deal to renew its guitar business". Bloomberg.com. May 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  42. ^ "Gibson Brands reaches global settlement and files amended plan of reorganization". PR Newswire. September 6, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  43. ^ 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.
  44. ^ Seah, Daniel (July 27, 2021). "Gibson Debuts New Record Label With Album From Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators". Guitar.com. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  45. ^ Fjestad, Zachary (June 16, 2010). "Ibanez "Lawsuit Era" Les Paul Custom Copy". Premier Guitar. from the original on November 3, 2013.
  46. ^ "Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property | Vol 4 | Iss 2" (PDF). Law.northwestern.edu. August 19, 2010. (PDF) from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  47. ^ Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, L.P., 325 2d 841 (M.D. Tenn. 2004). (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)
  48. ^ Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, LP, 423 F.3d 539 (6th Cir. 2005). (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)
  49. ^ a b 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.
  50. ^ Lind, J.R. (December 29, 2010). "Federal agent: Gibson wood investigation likely to result in indictments". NashvillePost.com. from the original on September 22, 2011.
  51. ^ a b . Gibson Guitar Corp. August 25, 2011. Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  52. ^ a b Trotter, J. (August 25, 2011). . WMCTV.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  53. ^ "Update: CEO's Outrage Gets Media Buzzing". Gibson Guitar Corp. August 26, 2011. from the original on September 13, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  54. ^ "Gibson Guitars fails to squash illegal wood investigation". Sound & Fair. January 19, 2011. from the original on April 2, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  55. ^ . Home Furnishings Business. July 6, 2011. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  56. ^ a b "Endangered species trafficking: What did Gibson Guitar know?". Mongabay.com. July 7, 2011. from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  57. ^ Stern, Andrew (August 25, 2011). "Gibson Guitar to fight U.S. probe of its wood imports". Reuters. from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  58. ^ Schelzig, E. (August 7, 2012). "Gibson Guitar Corporation admits to importing endangered wood". The Christian Science Monitor. from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  59. ^ Black, R. (August 6, 2012). "Gibson settles discord on timber". BBC News. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  60. ^ Clarke, C.; Grant, A. (May 4, 2011). "Are your wood products really certified?". Wri.org. from the original on May 8, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  61. ^ "Gibson Comments on Department of Justice Settlement". Gibson Guitar Corporation. August 6, 2012. from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  62. ^ "Gibson launches 'Government Series' guitars with tonewood seized in 2011 raid". The Washington Times. from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  63. ^ 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.
  64. ^ "Now the Gibson Guitar Raids Make Sense". www.investors.com. Investors' Business Daily. May 23, 2013. 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.
  65. ^ "Gibson Sues Over Paper Jamz". Guitar News Daily, November 25, 2010. November 25, 2010. from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  66. ^ Hachman, Mark. "Gibson Sues WowWee over Paper Jamz Guitars". PC Magazine, November 27, 2010. from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  67. ^ "Gibson Granted Injunction Against Paper Jamz Guitars". Premier Guitar, December 22, 2010. December 22, 2010. from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  68. ^ Hasselback, Drew (December 23, 2010). "Gibson obtains injunction against WowWee's Paper Jamz guitars". Financial Post, December 23, 2010. from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  69. ^ Biggs, John (December 28, 2010). "Gibson Forces WowWee to Pull Paper Jamz Guitars". TechCrunch, December 28, 2010. from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  70. ^ 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.
  71. ^ Roberts, Katie. "Wowwee/Gibson Guitars dispute settled". ToyNews, January 7, 2011. from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  72. ^ "Gibson sends cease and desist letter to Kiesel over Ultra-V and California Single models". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. February 20, 2020.
  73. ^ Parker, Matt (September 27, 2021). "Warwick/Framus declares victory over Gibson in Flying V legal battle". guitarworld.
  74. ^ "Meissner-Bolte: Press release Warwick". www.meissnerbolte.de.
  75. ^ Maxwell, Jackson (June 21, 2019). "Gibson Sues Dean, Luna Guitars". Guitar World. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  76. ^ Roche, Sam (May 30, 2022). "Gibson wins Dean trademark infringement case – but is awarded just $4,000 in damages". Guitar World. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  77. ^ "epiphone.com". Epiphone.com. from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  78. ^ kramerguitars.com 2008-12-18 at the Wayback Machine Kramer Official Site
  79. ^ Maestro by Gibson 2010-07-19 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
  80. ^ steinberger.com 2011-02-07 at the Wayback Machine Steinberger Official Site
  81. ^ Tobias 2011-02-02 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
  82. ^ 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.
  83. ^ . January 2, 2009. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  84. ^ a b c d "Gibson Brands Announces Intention to Acquire Cakewalk Inc". Gibson Guitar Corporation. September 23, 2013. from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  85. ^ "DW Buys Slingerland Drum Company from Gibson". DRUM! Magazine. November 26, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  86. ^ "Gibson Revamps Kramer with Original and Modern Series | NAMM 2020". reverb.com. January 3, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  87. ^ "Epiphone Les Paul Standard". Epiphone.com. from the original on February 18, 2012.
  88. ^ . Epiphone.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  89. ^ a b c d . Gibson. July 17, 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2011.
  90. ^ a b Blue Book of Electric Guitars. Sixth Edition: Gibson Serialization. Edited by S.P. Fjestad 2015-02-07 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
  91. ^ a b c d "The MaGIC of Gibson's Digital Guitars". Maximum PC. April 2003.
  92. ^ a b c This Is MaGIC 2010-01-16 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site
  93. ^ Yuri Kageyama (December 3, 2007). . Seattle Times. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2007.
  94. ^ . Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  95. ^ "Gibson Guitars Announces Government Series II Les Paul". guitarworld.com. from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  96. ^ "Gibson acquires Mesa/Boogie amps". guitarworld.com. from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  97. ^ 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)
  98. ^ Dore, Helena (March 4, 2021). "Gibson announces major expansion at Bozeman facility". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  99. ^ "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. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  100. ^ "Bozeman's Gibson acoustic guitar factory expands, grand opening". KBZK News. November 10, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  101. ^ a b c Wheeler 1992, p. 95
  102. ^ Carter 1994, p. 12
  103. ^ Spann 2011, p. 1.
  104. ^ a b c Spann 2011, pp. 1–2.
  105. ^ a b Spann 2011, p. 2.
  106. ^ Wheeler 1992, pp. 101, 151
  107. ^ Wheeler 1992, p. 144
  108. ^ Bonds 2004, p. 318
  109. ^ Thomas 2012, p. 3
  110. ^ Bonds 2004, p. 396
  111. ^ Bonds 2004, p. 406
  112. ^ a b Bellson 1973, p. [page needed].
  113. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 21, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  114. ^ Fjestad, S.P., ed. (2015) [1999]. (PDF). Gibson Serialization (Sixth ed.). Blue Book Publications, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 7, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2015.

References edit

  • 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.[ISBN missing]
  • 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 edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gibson Guitar Corporation.
  • Official website  
  • Gibson Guitars Database

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

April 19, 2024
gibson, brands, formerly, gibson, guitar, corporation, american, manufacturer, guitars, other, musical, instruments, professional, audio, equipment, from, kalamazoo, michigan, based, nashville, tennessee, company, formerly, known, gibson, guitar, corporation, . Gibson Brands Inc formerly Gibson Guitar Corporation is an American manufacturer of guitars other musical instruments and professional audio equipment from Kalamazoo Michigan and now based in Nashville Tennessee The company was formerly known as Gibson Guitar Corporation and renamed Gibson Brands Inc on June 11 2013 7 8 Gibson Brands Inc Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis pictured in May 2009FormerlyGibson Guitar Corp Company typePrivateIndustryMusical instrumentsFounded1894 130 years ago 1894 1 in Kalamazoo MichiganFounderOrville GibsonHeadquartersNashville Tennessee United StatesArea servedWorldwideKey peopleNathaniel Zilkha Chairman Cesar Gueikian President amp CEO 2 3 Productselectric and acoustic guitars basses stringsBrandsList Dobro Kalamazoo Original Orville Tobias 4 ParentKKR amp Co Inc 5 6 SubsidiariesList Baldwin Epiphone Kramer KRK Systems Mesa Boogie Steinberger TobiasWebsitegibson com 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 1 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 Gibson sells guitars under a variety of brand names 9 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 10 and announced a restructuring plan to return to profitability by closing down unprofitable consumer electronics divisions such as Gibson Innovations 11 12 The company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2018 13 14 In January 2020 the company launched Gibson TV an online television network focused on guitars and music culture 15 16 Contents 1 History 1 1 Beginnings 1 2 Modernization 1 3 Since 2007 1 4 Bankruptcy 1 5 Record label 2 Legal actions 2 1 Origin of lawsuit guitars 2 2 PRS 2 3 FWS raids amp Lacey Act violation 2 4 Paper Jamz 2 5 Kiesel Guitars 2 6 Warwick Framus 2 7 Dean Guitars 3 Instruments 4 Factories 5 See also 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External linksHistory editBeginnings edit nbsp Orville Gibson founder nbsp Gibson line of Mandolin orchestra instruments early 1900s nbsp Harp guitar c 1912 Orville Gibson patented a single piece mandolin design in 1898 that was more durable than other mandolins and could be manufactured in volume 17 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 18 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 17 nbsp 1924 F 5 mandolin with f holes nbsp 1928 L 5 acoustic guitar nbsp ES 150 electric guitar 1936 1957 nbsp Prewar Gibson banjos RB 1 1933 RB 00 1940 PB 3 1929 The following year the company hired designer Lloyd Loar to create newer instruments 18 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 19 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 20 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 that put Gibson in a class by itself and 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 21 22 In 2023 a 1943 Gibson Southern Jumbo was listed for sale with an asking price of 18 500 23 nbsp 1953 Les Paul Goldtop nbsp Les Paul Custom nbsp Les Paul Standard nbsp Les Paul Junior nbsp L 5 CES nbsp Byrdland nbsp ES 350T nbsp ES 335T nbsp Explorer nbsp Flying V nbsp non reverse left amp reverse Firebird nbsp SG 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 24 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 25 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 citation needed 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 edit 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 26 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 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 citation needed nbsp Gibson left Kalamazoo in 1984 and their previous factory became Heritage Guitars nbsp Gibson Showcase at Nashville 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 27 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 28 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 edit Gibson purchased Garrison Guitars in 2007 29 In mid 2009 Gibson reduced its work force to adjust for a decline in guitar industry sales in the United States 30 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 31 In June 2020 Cerwin Vega Inc acquired Cerwin Vega from Gibson 32 On May 21 2021 Stanton was sold to inMusic 33 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 34 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 35 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 36 37 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 38 39 Bankruptcy edit 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 40 41 Later that year Juszkiewicz stepped down as CEO and assumed the role of consultant 42 and a new management team was put in place 43 The company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2018 13 14 Record label edit 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 upcoming fourth studio album from Slash feat Myles Kennedy amp The Conspirators 4 44 Legal actions editOrigin of lawsuit guitars edit 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 45 In 2000 Gibson sued Fernandes Guitars in a Tokyo court for allegedly copying Gibson designs Gibson did not prevail 46 PRS edit Gibson also sued PRS Guitars in 2005 to stop them from making their Singlecut model Initially successful 47 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 48 FWS raids amp Lacey Act violation edit 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 49 50 A second raid was conducted in August 2011 49 during which the FWS seized wood imports from India that had been mislabeled on the US Customs declaration 51 52 Gibson Guitar Corp filed a motion in January 2011 to recover seized materials and overturn the charges which was denied by the court 53 54 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 52 55 56 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 56 Gibson argued in a statement the following day that authorities were bullying Gibson without filing charges and denied any wrongdoing 51 57 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 58 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 59 60 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 61 Gibson reclaimed some wood stock that was confiscated during the raids 62 and produced a new series of guitar marketed to draw attention to the raids and seizures 63 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 amp 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 64 Paper Jamz edit 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 65 66 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 67 68 69 The case was dismissed with prejudice dismissed permanently January 11 2011 by Federal Judge R Gary Klausner 70 71 Kiesel Guitars edit 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 72 Warwick Framus edit 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 73 74 Dean Guitars edit Gibson sued Dean Guitars in 2019 over trademark infringement related to several guitar shapes and names 75 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 76 Instruments editFurther information Gibson Guitar Corporation product list Gibson also owns and makes instruments under brands such as Epiphone 77 Kramer 78 Maestro 79 Steinberger 80 and Tobias 81 along with the ownership of historical brands such as Kalamazoo 82 83 Dobro 9 Valley Arts 84 and Baldwin 9 including Chickering 84 Hamilton 84 and Wurlitzer 9 84 It also owned Slingerland Drum Company but it was sold to Drum Workshop in November 2019 85 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 86 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 87 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 88 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 89 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 90 An exception is the year 1994 Gibson s centennial year many 1994 serial numbers start with 94 followed by a six digit production number citation needed As of 2006 the company used seven six since 1999 serial number systems 89 clarification needed making it difficult to identify guitars by their serial number alone The Gibson website provides a book to help with serial number deciphering 89 90 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 89 clarification needed In 2003 91 Gibson debuted its Ethernet based 92 audio protocol MaGIC which it developed in partnership with 3Com Advanced Micro Devices and Xilinx 91 Replacing traditional analog hook ups with a digital connection to satisfy the unique requirements of live audio performances 92 This system requires a special pickup 91 and cabling is provided by a standard Cat 5 Ethernet cable 91 92 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 93 Under the tradename Min ETune this device became standard on several models in 2014 94 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 95 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 96 97 Factories edit nbsp Interior of Gibson Inc factory on Parsons Street 1936 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 m2 to 48 000 square feet 4 500 m2 98 99 The new expansion will be providing 100 200 new job opportunities in the area The Factory itself has been in Bozeman since the 1980s 100 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 Address Years of Operation Notes 114 So Burdick Kalamazoo MI 1896 1897 This was the business location of O H Gibson Manufacturer Musical Instruments 101 104 East Main Kalamazoo MI 1899 1902 This was Orville Gibson s residence and he built instruments on the 2nd floor of this location 101 102 114 East Main Kalamazoo MI 1902 1906 The Gibson Mandolin Guitar Manufacturing Co Ltd was established in 1902 101 This building said to be infested with cockroaches was probably the former Witmer Bakery 103 114 East Exchange Place Kalamazoo MI 1906 1911 Located quite close to the previous location in Kalamazoo s business district 104 521 523 East Harrison Court Kalamazoo MI 1911 1917 Located about 5 miles from previous location The building was next to the Michigan Central Railroad and stood for many decades until it came down in the late 20th century 105 225 Parsons St Kalamazoo MI 49007 1917 1984 Also located next to railroad tracks this facility had major expansions in 1945 1950 and 1960 106 Various brands were produced there including Gibson Epiphone 1957 1970 107 108 and Kalamazoo During the depression of the 1930s children s toys were produced there and during WW2 it produced materials to support the war effort in addition to producing guitars 109 Between 1974 and 1984 Gibson moved its manufacturing out of this facility to Tennessee Most of this move happened in 1974 leaving only acoustic and some semi acoustic production for this plant 110 In 1985 Heritage Guitars began production renting part of this facility 111 416 East Ranson Kalamazoo MI 1962 Located six blocks south of 224 Parsons St according to Julius Bellson s book this building housed the Gibson Electronics Division 112 The building is still standing as of 2020 104 Corner of Fulford and Alcott Kalamazoo MI 1964 1970 Located on the east side of Kalamazoo according to Julius Bellson s book this 60 000 sq ft building known as Plant 3 was the home of amplifier production the String Division and pick up production from 1964 to 1970 112 The building is still standing as of 2020 104 521 523 East Harrison Court Kalamazoo MI 1911 1917 Located about 5 miles from previous location The building was next to the Michigan Central Railroad and stood for many decades until it came down in the late 20th century 105 641 Massman Drive Nashville TN 37210 1984 present This is Gibson s facility for production of their main solid body models such as the Les Paul and the SG 145 Lt George W Lee Av Memphis TN 38103 2000 2018 This was Gibson s facility for production of their semi hollowbody electric guitars This facility shared the same building as Gibson s Retail Shop and Beale Street Showcase location 113 1894 Orville Way Bozeman MT 59715 1989 114 present This facility is dedicated to acoustic guitar production See also editDavid Harvey luthier Eden of Coronet guitar Jim Triggs luthier Lloyd Loar luthier List of Gibson playersFootnotes edit a b Gibson History Gibson Corporate Press Kit Gibson Guitar Corp Archived from the original on April 29 2012 Retrieved May 20 2012 Gibson Brands Announces CEO Transition PR Newswire May 2 2023 Retrieved May 2 2023 via Benzinga com About Gibson Gibson Brands Retrieved May 3 2023 Gisbon Brands at Gibson Press website Archived 2014 07 05 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 10 Dec 2014 KKR Portfolio June 19 2014 Retrieved January 6 2021 KKR to Gibson Bidders We Own the Company Until Debt Is Repaid Bloomberg News August 2018 Retrieved January 6 2021 Gibson Brands Inc Private Company Information Bloomberg Archived from the original on June 25 2017 Drop the guitar Gibson rebrands Memphis Business Journal June 12 2013 Archived from the original on December 25 2014 a b c d Ayala Ben Yehuda April 9 2007 Gibson Guitar embraces China Latin markets Reuters Archived from the original on September 24 2015 Gibson Guitars Files For Bankruptcy Protection NPR org Retrieved May 3 2018 US guitar firm Gibson goes bust BBC News May 2 2018 Retrieved May 3 2018 Mattise Jonathan May 2 2018 Gibson guitar maker sees a future with bankruptcy protection CTVNews Retrieved May 3 2018 a b Resnikoff Paul October 2 2018 It s Over Gibson Guitar Is Officially Exiting Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Digital Music News Retrieved March 22 2021 a b Gibson expects to emerge from bankruptcy next month www bizjournals com Retrieved March 22 2021 January 2020 Jonathan Horsley 08 January 8 2020 Gibson just launched its own online TV network guitarworld Retrieved April 20 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Release Press June 30 2020 GibsonG TV Releases New Documentary Series The Process Mayhem Music Magazine Retrieved April 20 2021 a b Orville H Gibson 1856 1918 Siminoff net Archived from the original on February 25 2011 Retrieved January 28 2011 a b Gibson Dusk Tiger Gibson com June 24 2008 Archived from the original on January 20 2011 Retrieved January 28 2011 Wheeler 1992 pp 100 101 Gibson 100 Years of an American Icon General Publishing Group Los Angeles 1994 Lister Kat April 23 2014 The Forgotten Women of Kalamazoo Feminist Times Archived from the original on June 27 2014 Retrieved September 15 2014 Thomas 2012 1943 Gibson Southern Jumbo dreadnought acoustic from WWII listed on Reverb Guitar com All Things Guitar Retrieved June 8 2023 Hembree 2007 pp 74 85 Duchossoir 1998 Hembree 2007 p 110 Hembree 2007 p 306 Miller Bryan March 13 1994 Saving Gibson Guitars From the Musical Scrap Heap The New York Times Retrieved October 8 2018 Baird Moira July 4 2007 Garrison Guitars sold to Gibson The Telegram Archived from the original on April 7 2012 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 Gibson Guitar increases high tech lineup with purchase Tennessean com December 6 2011 Retrieved December 6 2011 Cerwin Vega Inc Acquires Cerwin Vega Pro amp Home Brands From Gibson audioXpress Retrieved April 2 2021 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 Gibson Expands Pro Audio Division Gibson com January 4 2012 Archived from the original on February 9 2012 Retrieved February 9 2012 Gibson Set to Sell Memphis Guitar Factory Reverb News November 7 2017 Archived from the original on November 7 2017 Retrieved October 8 2018 Stennett Desiree Gibson to move guitar production from Memphis to Nashville The Commercial Appeal Retrieved March 22 2021 Gibson moving headquarters to Downtown Nashville www bizjournals com Retrieved March 22 2021 Maxwell Jackson January 22 2021 Gibson Unveils First Round of Murphy Lab Relic d Guitars Guitar Player Retrieved April 13 2021 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 Retrieved April 13 2021 Snyder Eric May 1 2018 Gibson files for Chapter 11 brankruptcy Nashville Business Journal Retrieved May 2 2018 Gibson files for bankruptcy in a deal to renew its guitar business Bloomberg com May 2018 Retrieved May 2 2018 Gibson Brands reaches global settlement and files amended plan of reorganization PR Newswire September 6 2018 Retrieved September 25 2018 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 Seah Daniel July 27 2021 Gibson Debuts New Record Label With Album From Slash ft Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators Guitar com Retrieved August 10 2021 Fjestad Zachary June 16 2010 Ibanez Lawsuit Era Les Paul Custom Copy Premier Guitar Archived from the original on November 3 2013 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 Gibson Guitar Corp v Paul Reed Smith Guitars L P 325 2d 841 M D Tenn 2004 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original on January 15 2014 Retrieved November 26 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Gibson Guitar Corp v Paul Reed Smith Guitars LP 423 F 3d 539 6th Cir 2005 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original on November 10 2014 Retrieved November 26 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link a b 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 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 a b 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 a b 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 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 Gibson Guitars fails to squash illegal wood investigation Sound amp Fair January 19 2011 Archived from the original on April 2 2011 Retrieved September 1 2011 Gibson Lacey Act Update Home Furnishings Business July 6 2011 Archived from the original on October 5 2011 Retrieved July 10 2011 a b 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 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 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 Black R August 6 2012 Gibson settles discord on timber BBC News Archived from the original on August 7 2012 Retrieved August 6 2012 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 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 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 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 Now the Gibson Guitar Raids Make Sense www investors com Investors Business Daily May 23 2013 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 amp Co CEO is a long time Democratic supporter 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 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 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 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 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 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 Roberts Katie Wowwee Gibson Guitars dispute settled ToyNews January 7 2011 Archived from the original on February 3 2018 Retrieved February 2 2018 Gibson sends cease and desist letter to Kiesel over Ultra V and California Single models Guitar com All Things Guitar February 20 2020 Parker Matt September 27 2021 Warwick Framus declares victory over Gibson in Flying V legal battle guitarworld Meissner Bolte Press release Warwick www meissnerbolte de Maxwell Jackson June 21 2019 Gibson Sues Dean Luna Guitars Guitar World Retrieved August 20 2022 Roche Sam May 30 2022 Gibson wins Dean trademark infringement case but is awarded just 4 000 in damages Guitar World Retrieved August 20 2022 epiphone com Epiphone com Archived from the original on May 9 2012 Retrieved May 9 2012 kramerguitars com Archived 2008 12 18 at the Wayback Machine Kramer Official Site Maestro by Gibson Archived 2010 07 19 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site steinberger com Archived 2011 02 07 at the Wayback Machine Steinberger Official Site Tobias Archived 2011 02 02 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site 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 theKalamazooname and at inexpensive prices Gibson Kalamazoo January 2 2009 Archived from the original on November 30 2011 Retrieved February 4 2013 a b c d 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 DW Buys Slingerland Drum Company from Gibson DRUM Magazine November 26 2019 Retrieved April 2 2021 Gibson Revamps Kramer with Original and Modern Series NAMM 2020 reverb com January 3 2020 Retrieved April 2 2021 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Epiphone com Archived from the original on February 18 2012 Epiphone A History Epiphone and Gibson Epiphone com Archived from the original on November 4 2015 Retrieved February 22 2012 a b c d 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 a b 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 a b c d The MaGIC of Gibson s Digital Guitars Maximum PC April 2003 a b c This Is MaGIC Archived 2010 01 16 at the Wayback Machine Gibson Official Site 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 You take care of the playing we ll handle the tuning Archived from the original on November 29 2014 Retrieved November 24 2014 Gibson Guitars Announces Government Series II Les Paul guitarworld com Archived from the original on September 26 2015 Retrieved April 27 2018 Gibson acquires Mesa Boogie amps guitarworld com Archived from the original on September 26 2015 Retrieved January 6 2021 January 2021 Jackson Maxwell 06 January 6 2021 Gibson Announces Acquisition of Mesa Boogie Guitar Player Retrieved April 2 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Dore Helena March 4 2021 Gibson announces major expansion at Bozeman facility Bozeman Daily Chronicle Retrieved April 2 2021 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 Retrieved December 31 2022 Bozeman s Gibson acoustic guitar factory expands grand opening KBZK News November 10 2022 Retrieved January 14 2023 a b c Wheeler 1992 p 95 Carter 1994 p 12 Spann 2011 p 1 a b c Spann 2011 pp 1 2 a b Spann 2011 p 2 Wheeler 1992 pp 101 151 Wheeler 1992 p 144 Bonds 2004 p 318 Thomas 2012 p 3 Bonds 2004 p 396 Bonds 2004 p 406 a b Bellson 1973 p page needed Gibson Guitar Memphis Factory Tour Directions PDF Archived from the original PDF on August 21 2013 Retrieved March 24 2014 Fjestad S P ed 2015 1999 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 References editAchard 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 ISBN missing 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 amp 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 amp 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 edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gibson Guitar Corporation Official website nbsp Gibson Guitars Database 36 07 48 N 86 43 33 W 36 1298758 N 86 7257458 W 36 1298758 86 7257458 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gibson Brands amp oldid 1219650695, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.