The year is 1902. The place is Kalamazoo, Michigan. The man whose name continues to be intermixed with the sound of popular music is Orville Gibson.
In that year The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd is born to make mandolins. Over the next two decades, the company’s direction focused on manufacturing guitars.
These are hollow body guitars with the warm sound that lends itself to playing jazz. In the 1950s, Gibson began noticing the popularity of Fender Telecaster and began working with solid-body electric guitars. “Les Paul” was released in 1952 began a legend.
Young beginner guitar enthusiasts know that Balkan size of the guitar impacts hardly hold it. They may not know that the size and the shape of the guitar also impact professionals.
In 1950s Gibson started looking to reducing the size of their bulky guitars without losing the quality of the sound. ES-335 was a result of their experiments. B.B.King playing on ES-335 was a resounding acknowledgment of their success.
The Flying V and the Explorer styles followed and failed to be resurrected about a decade later.
Gibson like any other manufacturer must be responsive to consumer demands. When consumer showed interest in double-cutaway body design 1960s, Gibson responded by changing the shape of Les Paul and release the SG
Ecuadorian Company Ltd. took notice and purchased Gibson in 1969. 1974 Gibson became part of Norlin Musical Instruments. Many believe that the guitars made by Gibson during that period are weak due to Norlin’s input.
The company’s reputation of this Michigan born company was tarnished during that period and needed to be reclaimed. In 1986, Henry E. Juszkiewicz, David H. Berryman, and Gary A. Zebrowski stepped in to do that.
They successfully restored the company’s reputation as the top guitar manufacturer in the world.
Most think of Gibson when do you think about electric guitars. Gibson also produces acoustic guitars and electric basses.
Throughout their history, Gibson has played a role in providing a range of affordable guitars as well as solid and more expensive guitars for pros.
A spruce-top dreadnought acoustic model Gibson J-45 was made in 1942 which is roughly $676 in today’s dollars. Gibson J-45 sold for about three times that much right now.
Still, for the time, there was an expensive guitar. A few years later ES-175 with the laminate top was introduced.
Les Paul has also gone through a few reincarnations and has given birth to slick, thinner, double-cutaway Gibson SG.
The price of Gibson guitars is usually out of the range of beginner guitar players. However, globalization is possible for most guitar manufacturers also have a subsidiary that makes more affordable prices without sacrificing the quality.
Epiphone feels that role for Gibson guitar by making guitars for beginners that retain the style and the intention of Gibson guitars.
No products found.