Gibson Guitar Company has a history with an international impact. It all began in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with Orville H. Gibson building finely crafted mandolins. As that small business then grew, Gibson became known for creating many fretted and stringed instruments that are now iconic.
The company and designs were bought from Gibson in 1902, and expanded from there. By 1917, Gibson needed more space. The company moved from buildings on the south side of Exchange Place to 523 East Harrison Court to help expand, but eventually moved to 225 Parsons Street.
The 1910s and 1920s were a time when mandolins and mandolin orchestras were very popular. Advertisements from the company encouraged forming “Gibsonians,” “Gibsonites” and “Gibson Girls” musical groups using solely Gibson instruments. Banjo bands began increasing in popularity as well, and, in 1918, Gibson began manufacturing banjos.
The 1920s saw Gibson experimenting. During this time, Gibson began designing electric instruments, 20 years before they were popular. As musical tastes changed, the company added to their product line in response. With the Great Depression of the 1930s, Gibson had to find ways to respond to the drop in sales due to the economic downturn. They produced the “Kalamazoo” line of instruments, built and sold at a lower price, taking into account the change in the economic climate.
By the end of the 1930s, Gibson continued to introduce new products. In 1936, they debuted an electric Hawaiian steel guitar, and the Gibson violin instrument family in 1937. During World War II, the company was assigned several government subcontracts owing to their employees’ high craftsmanship and accuracy in woodworking and electronics. They built electrical and mechanical radar assemblies, glider skids, screw machine products and precision rods for submachine guns.
The majority of the employees at Gibson during the war were women who not only worked on war contracts, but continued to produce guitars and other stringed instruments. The headstocks of the flattop guitars built at Gibson from 1942 to 1945 feature a small, golden, silk-screen banner declaring “Only a Gibson is Good Enough.” These guitars are referred to as “Banner” guitars.
Post-World War II, Gibson saw great growth. In 1952, the famous Les Paul solid-body electric guitar, designed by innovator Les Paul, was introduced and was responsible for increasing profits. Gibson saw continued success in the 1960s as they created new items. The facility on Parsons Street manufactured over 1,000 guitars a day and employed almost 1,000 workers.
During the 1960s, Gibson bought properties in the area surrounding the Parsons Street facility, and production was shuffled around between different sections in the block-long manufacturing center. The 1970s and 1980s saw a sharp decline in sales nationally, and Gibson moved their headquarters to Nashville, Tennessee.
After the closure and move of the company, a group of former employees soon started a new company called Heritage Guitar, Inc. Working out of Gibson’s old plant, Heritage Guitar has kept the legacy of Orville H. Gibson and Kalamazoo’s connection to musical instrument production alive.
These oral histories interview employees who worked at Gibson as well as Heritage Guitar, showing unique views of what life was like in various departments, covering all parts of instrument production.
-
Interview with Don and Linda Bradford
Don Bradford and Linda Bradford
Interview with Don and Linda Bradford recorded on March 4, 2013 in Parchment, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars.Don and Linda, both originally from Alabama, began working at the Gibson Guitar Factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1963. Linda worked mainly in pre-finish, leaving Gibson for Eckrich in 1977. Don, who plays the guitar, worked longest in Tuning and Adjusting, spending the last 10 years in the Service Department. He left Gibson in January 1983. They recount their memories at the factory, including:
- meeting each other at work and later marrying in 1968
- Don meeting musicians like Charlie Daniels, Wes Paul, Leroy Van Dyke, and B.B. King
- the factory at its peak with 1,000 employees, and times of decline
- when Gibson moved their headquarters to Nashville, Tennessee
- Linda's work with the union
- occasions when the employees who played guitar would break out picking a tune together at the end of the day
-
Interview with the Brown Brothers
James Brown and Rich Brown
Interview with James Brown and Rich Brown, with Aaron Cowles, recorded on January 26, 2013 at Aaron's Music, Vicksburg, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Rich started working at the Gibson Guitar factory in 1962 in the Woodshop, moved to Buffing where he exceled, then the Mandoline Department. Minus a tour in Vietnam, he worked at Gibson until the 1980s. James Brown started working at Gibson in October 1962 gluing LG1 rims, moved to the spray room as a repairman, then three years as a tuner and adjuster, ending in the Custom Department before leaving in 1977 to go back to school. They recount their memories at the factory, including:
- dangers of buffing, accidents
- buying wood to make rifle stocks
- adjusting famous custom guitars
- quality of the guitar repairmen in Kalamazoo
- Rich buffing Chet Atkins' special order
- walking in a Nashville parade with Chet Atkins
- signing their names to famous guitars they worked on, some of which ended up in the Country Music Hall of Fame
- time studies in the factory, quotas, bonuses for going over quota
- big room with departments of assemblers, stringers, adjusters, cleaners
- fine-tuning their work spaces, custom benches, house-made tools
-
Interview with Margaret Sines and Friends
Margaret Sines
Interview with Margaret Sines and her friends from Gibson (Annie Hatfield, Donna Siebert, and Linda Bradford), recorded on April 18, 2013 at her home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. She worked at the Gibson Guitar factory on Parsons Street in Kalamazoo from January 1966 to June 1977. They recount their memories at the factory, including: Comradery at the factory and socializing with other employees ; Working in Plastics, cutting fingerboards ; Working in the Woodshop, sanding and shaping the guitar necks ; Dangers of getting clothes or hair caught in the machinery ; Annie Hatfield, who started in 1963, worked on frets using stinky glue ; Union strike for wages, the walkout and picket line.
-
Interview with Margaret Sines and Friends (audio only)
Margaret Sines
Interview with Margaret Sines and her friends from Gibson (Annie Hatfield, Donna Siebart, and Linda Bradford), recorded on April 18, 2013 at her home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. She worked at the Gibson Guitar factory on Parsons Street in Kalamazoo from January 1966 to June 1977. They recount their memories at the factory, including: Comradery at the factory and socializing with other employees ; Working in to Plastics, cutting fingerboards ; Working in the Woodshop, sanding and shaping the guitar necks ; Dangers of getting clothes or hair caught in the machinery ; Annie Hatfield, who started in 1963, worked on frets using stinky glue ; Union strike for wages, the walkout and picket line ; women who worked at Gibson during WWII ; famous customers including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Roy Acuff, Jimmy Dickens, Roy Clark, Ted Nugent ; family-oriented work environment ; Gibson's move to Nashville ; Heritage Guitars.
-
Interview with Dave Branch
Dave Branch
Interview with Dave Branch recorded on November 15, 2012 at Delton District Library, Delton, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Dave worked at the Gibson Guitar factory from 1963 to 1982/83. He was one of the last employees before the factory closed. He recounts his memories at the factory, including:
- starting at Gibsons as a janitor at the age of 22, fresh from the military
- working in the Woodshop, then finishing, with 16 years in buffing
- physical demands of working in buffing
- talks about various foremen, inspectors
- meeting Little River Band, and Charlie Daniels
- shows and talks about various memorabilia, including the Gibson manual
- sourcing wood from a raised submerged ship
- the height of Gibson Guitars, running three factories, three shifts
- apprentice program for craftsmen
-
Interview with Aaron Cowles
Aaron Cowles
Interview with Aaron Cowles recorded on April 9, 2012 at his guitar shop, Aaron's Music, in Vicksburg, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Aaron grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan, and started working at Gibson's in 1962 as a fret-filer/adjuster, which required his ability to tune a guitar. He moved to Customs in 1963, working on custom repairs for ten years, moving to a job inspecting. When Gibson started reducing staff in 1976, he was sent to the Mandolin Department. He recounts his memories at the factory, including:
- bonus system, incentives
- handling walk-in repairs
- rare times the power went out in the factory
- working on Epiphone guitars, manufactured in Japan
- famous customers: Les Paul, Merle Travis, Ted Nugent, Ernest Tubb
- Gibson Amplifier, monthly staff newsletter
- starting his own guitar company in 1984 when the Kalamazoo factory closed
- contracting with Gibson to assemble mandolins
- piecework for Heritage Guitars
-
Interview with Mary Lou Hoogenboom and Joyce Shelvon
Mary Lou Hoogenboom and Joyce Shelvon
Interview with Mary Lou Hoogenboom (1931-2019) and Joyce M. Shelvon (1927-2018) recorded on November 14, 2012 at KVCC's Anna Whitten Hall in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Mary Lou started in 1953 and was one of the last employees to leave in 1984; she worked in multiple departments and jobs, including rim-lining, hand sanding, electronics, assembly. Joyce worked at Gibson Guitar from the early 1950s through 1968; she did hand and belt sanding. They recount their memories at the factory, including:
- how they were hired into the Gibson factory, and starting pay
- social interactions in the factory, going for lunch at taverns, the bowling team
- Mary Lou's position as union steward
- negotiating for the employees during the closure of the Kalamazoo factory
-
Follow-up interview with Marvin Lamb (audio only)
Marvin Lamb
Interview with Marvin Lamb recorded in the summer of 2012 at Heritage Guitars in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as a follow-up to a previous interview done in June. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Marvin talks about his time working in Gibson's Parsons Street factory, including:
- the building's expansions over time, how materials arrived, and local restaurants and bars
- conveyors and spray booths where lacquer was applied and dried
- and also his person guitar collection, including the last Les Paul to receive a serial number from the Kalamazoo factory
-
Interview with Marvin Lamb
Marvin Lamb
Interview with Marvin Lamb recorded on June 6, 2012 at Heritage Guitars in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Marvin came to Michigan from Alabama in 1955, starting at Gibson Guitars at the age of 16 in 1956, first hand-sanding guitars.He recounts his memories at the factory, including:
- deciding not to move to the new Nashville factory
- becoming superintendent of the Kalamazoo factory in 1974
- staff reduction, slowing work, as the end neared
- last day for Gibson's Kalamazoo factory on September 14, 1984
- incorporating Heritage Guitars, April 1, 1985, moving into the old Gibson factory on Parsons Street
- continuing the handcrafting tradition of guitar making
- famous customers: Johnny Cash, Les Paul, Chet Atkins
- international market for Heritage Guitars
-
Interview with Bill Mills
Bill Mills
Interview with Bill Mills recorded on September 26, 2012 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Bill worked at Gibson Guitars from 1959 to 1967, mainly in purchasing for the electronics division. He recounts his memories at the factory, including:
- guitar string manufacturing on-site
- movement of the electronics division between factories
- expansion of the Parsons Street factory
- Gibson amplifiers production
-
Interview with Pete Moreno
Pete Moreno
Interview with Pedro 'Pete' Moreno (1941-2024) recorded on March 5, 2012 at his guitar shop in Oshtemo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Pete was working at Checker Motors when he was recruited by Gibson Guitars in 1963/64, working at the Kalamazoo factory until Gibson moved to Nashville. His first job at Gibson was as a fret filer, final finish. He recounts her memories of Gibson, including:
- jam sessions on breaks
- injuries on equipment
- skills learned at Gibson used in starting his own place
- meeting Eric Clapton, showing him guitars
- Steve Martin visiting to look at banjos
- people chopping up classic Gibson guitars and selling the parts
- working on famous guitars in him own shop, including those built by Joseph Bohmann
-
Interview with Beverly Rand
Beverly Rand
Interview with Beverly Rand recorded on October 19, 2012 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Beverly started at Gibson Guitar factory in 1967, working there almost 10 years. She worked numerous jobs in different departments and buildings, including sanding and frets. She recounts her memories of working at the factory, including:
- the physical demand of the job, seeing the factory nurse
- working the water saw in plastics
- working the wood shop
- social relationships between staff
- afternoons after workers had a "wet lunch" at local bars
- quality of a Gibson Guitar
-
Interview with Jim Duerloo (audio only)
Jim Deurloo
Interview with Jim Duerloo recorded in December 2011 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Jim worked at the Gibson Guitar factory in various capacities, including in the pattern shop, machine shop, and expediting. He recounts his memories of Gibson, including:
- specialized tool making
- the decision to close the Kalamazoo plant
- the rough start to the Nashville plant
- litigation over the Les Paul body shape
- start of Heritage Guitar in 1985
-
Interview with Jack French
Jack French
Interview with Jack French recorded on December 2, 2011 at Heritage Guitars in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. He started at Gibson in 1961 as a binder, right after high school. After four years he moved to the repair department. He recounts her memories of Gibson, including:
- running through workflow of the repair department
- doing repairs for famous people, like Johnny Cash and June Carter
- leaving for military service in 1966, and welcomed back to Gibson two years later
- the different companies that owned Gibson
- the time leading up to the close of the Kalamazoo plant
- driving to and from the Nashville plant to do the repairs
- doing repairs for Heritage Guitars
-
Interview with George Rohr
George Rohr
Interview with George W. Rohr (1934-2019) recorded on March 7, 2011 at his home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. George started at Gibson June of 1962 as a cost accountant. He worked there until July of 1975. He shows Gibson memorabilia, including price lists, catalogs, photographs, and a Gibson mandolin kit his father put together, and recounts his memories of working at the factory, including:
- various foremen, divisions
- staff ability to purchase bargains with slight defects
- giving tours to VIP customers, like Ted Nugent
The video file is missing the last few minutes of the interview. Please view transcript for the full interview.
-
Interview with Mark Sahlgren
Mark Sahlgren
Interview with Mark Sahlgren (b. 1940) recorded on November 20, 2011 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Mark began working at Gibson Guitar while he was in graduate school at Western Michigan University. He was there from 1965 to 1970 in final adjusting. After Gibson, he had a long career teaching in the Kalamazoo Public Schools and hosts a bluegrass music radio program called Grassroots at WMUK. He recounts his memories at the factory, including:
- a guitar player, he was hired at Gibsons as an adjuster
- early history of Gibson Guitars
- depression-era guitars produced by Gibson
- gender diversity of the workforce
- collectable value of the guitars
- Ted McCarty and Les Paul