Orville H. Gibson (May 1856 – August 19, 1918) was an American luthier who founded the Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1902, makers of guitars, mandolins and other instruments. His earliest known instrument was a 10-string mandolin-guitar, which bears the date 1894. Gibson's mandolins were "unlike any previous flatback instrument," according to music historian Paul Sparks. His company's manufacturing standards were very high, and his instruments heavily marketed.
Gibson guitars carry a legacy paralleled by few others in the guitar industry. Each instrument holds a chapter of music history, whether through the craftsmanship of the hand-carved archtops from the turn of the 20th century or the introduction of magnetic pickups in early Gibson and Rickenbacker guitars. This storied brand continues to shape musical landscapes and inspire musicians around the globe.
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