110 Years of Gibson Guitars

Exactly 110 years ago, the The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company Ltd was formed in Kalamazoo, Michigan. We know it as the birthplace of the Gibson Guitar.

ES-150

Now based out of Nashville, Tennessee, the Gibson company started out making mandolins, progressed to flat top acoustic and hollow body electric guitars. In the 1930s company founder Orville Gibson introduced their first electric model. The ES-150 was labeled as a Spanish Electric guitar and was the first commercially successful electric. The game changer came with the design of their solid body electric guitar designed by the man whose name it bears...Les Paul.

Les Paul

Later models included the Gibson SG, the Explorer and the sexy as hell Flying V. But enough about history, let's hear how they sound. A few picks today from legendary musicians all playing a Gibson.

Flying V

Let's start with arguably the singularly most famous Gibson... BB King's Lucille. If you've never seen BB play, well... he has a conversation with Lucille. He never plays and sings at the same time. First he lets Lucille do some talking, then he sings back to her. Just so fun to watch.

Explorer

Listen to BB doing "How Blue Can You Get" and if you want to hear BB tell the story of how Lucille got her name, check out this Tribute to Lucille.

Another man who can take a Gibson to another level, Jeff Beck doing "Air Blower"
To listen to Jeff Beck talk about and play his guitar collection, click on the Jeff Beck Guitar Collection. Really cool.

Mark Knopfler "Money for Nothing"
Johnny Winter "Fast Life Rider"

Jimmy Page with Robert Plant "Since I've Been Lovin' You"
Jimmy Page talking about his Gibson Les Paul

And of course, Les Paul "Sleepwalk"

The list of musicians using Gibson guitars goes on forever...and each one creates his or her own sound.

...just keep on pickin'.

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