The founder of Gibson guitars, was born 1856 in Chateaugay, New York. His reputation grew from building mandolins to the legendary world famous company of today. Gibson led the way in innovations that are copied by many but surpassed by nobody.

The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co, Ltd manufactured Gibson instruments to his own design. in Kalamazoo, Michigan until he hired Lloyd Loar in 1919 to bring in newer models. Still in production today, with modifications is the Gibson L5 guitar. The choice of bluegrass players, the Gibson F5 mandolin was introduced in 1922 and soon after Gibson gained the reputation for archtop guitars, particularly with that L-5 model.

The electric guitar came along during the 1930’s and the ES-150, the “Electric Spanish” model, was Gibson’s first offering. Wartime brought manufacturing to a standstill and it was not until 1949 that the ES-175 was introduced which is still in production today. 1951 saw the introduction of the L5CES which is both an acoustic and electric guitar.

Humbucking pickups are probably the most widely recognized innovation of Gibson’s career. Humbucker, so called because they “buck the hum” often experienced with single coil pickups, were first fitted to the reworked Gibson L5CES.

The “Les Paul” series of guitars followed during the 1050’s. The solid body design pioneered by Fender Telecaster, was made into several Les Paul models most notably perhaps the Les Paul Special. The “Byrdland” Thinline series, built for Billy Byrd and Hank Garland, gave rise to the popular ES-350T and ES-225T models then the ES-335 series.

The futuristic Explorer and Flying V came along in 1958 but were a little before their time for many musicians. It was not until the 1960’s that the likes of Eric Clapton popularized them. Meanwhile the double-cutaway body solid guitar, the Gibson’s SG, was in demand.

Since then many greats of rock have enhanced the reputations of both the Les Paul and the SGs, among them Slash, Jimmy Page and Pete Townshend to name just three. Many of these models are now sought after by discerning players and collectors alike and many increase in value year on year but if you hunt around you can still find bargains.
Gibson Gloss Series 1968 Flying V Electric Guitar

Gibson Flying V 1968 High Gloss Electric Guitar; Long live the V! In 1958, Gibson put forth new design ideas and the V has since been a mainstay for the company because it is loved by guitarists everywhere. Deemed futuristic when it first hit the market, this guitar has been revered in the hands of many legendary players. The guitar here is a slightly more modern take on the classic V design, but it still keeps the vintage vibe alive in the hearts of its players.

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Looking for a used Gibson? It is always worth looking in the auctions.