Gibson USA
The home of Gibson electric guitars today is "Gibson USA," built in 1 974 in Nashville specifically for the
production of Gibson's Les Paul guitars. Although the entire guitar industry went through a slump in the
late '70s, the spirit of innovation remained strong at Gibson. In response to a growing demand for vintage
stylings, Gibson tapped its rich history and reissued the dot-neck version of the ES-335 in 1 981 and the
flametop sunburst Les Paul in 1 982. At the same time, two legendary guitarists joined Gibson- B.B. King in
1 980 with the Lucille model and Chet Atkins in 1 982 with his new concept of a solidbody acoustic guitar.
Gibson world headquarters moved to Nashville in 1 984 with the closing of the Kalamazoo plant. The
financially troubled company was rescued in January 1 986 by Henry Juszkiewicz and David Berryman,
and the new owners quickly restored Gibson's reputation for quality as well as its profitability.
Today's Gibson electric guitars represent the history as well as the future of the electric guitar. The models
whose designs have become classics-the ES-1 75, ES-335, Flying V, Explorer, Firebird, SGs and Les
Pauls-are a testament to Gibson's wide appeal, spanning more than four decades of music styles.
Gibson's close relationship with musicians is manifest in endorsement models from King, Atkins and jazz
greats Howard Roberts and Herb Ellis, plus new Les Pauls made to the personal specifications of rock
stars Jimmy Page and Joe Perry. In 1 994, Gibson's Centennial year, the new Nighthawk model won an
industry award for design, setting the stage for a second hundred years of Gibson quality and innovation.
Henry Juszkiewicz
Dave Berryman
The First Gibson Electrics
By the time Gibson began work on its first electric guitar, the company had a 40-year tradition of quality
and innovation to uphold. The first Gibson electric had to be nothing less than the best electric guitar the
world had ever seen.