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.
