The Rise and Fall of Gibson: The $135 Million Mistake Guitarists Never Forgave
Everything Fender US
9,121 views
In 2014, the man running Gibson spent $135 million on a company that made headphones and home stereos. Four years later, the most famous guitar maker in history filed for bankruptcy, while its guitars were still selling.
We tell the full story of Gibson, from Orville Gibson's workshop in Kalamazoo to the Les Paul, the ES-335 and the Flying V, and the bet that nearly ended it all. You'll see how the company survived the Norlin years, why the 2014 Philips deal became the center of the bankruptcy case, and what the court filings reveal about the guitars that were never the problem. We use court filings, company history and published reporting, and the channel's opinion is always labeled as opinion.
What you'll find inside:
🎸 From Kalamazoo mandolins to the archtop that shaped jazz
⚡ The Les Paul, the ES-335 and the Flying V: how Gibson defined rock and roll
🏭 The Norlin years and the closing of the Kalamazoo factory
🎧 The $135 million Philips deal and the plan to become a "music lifestyle" brand
📉 May 1, 2018: Chapter 11 with around $500 million in debt
🏆 The twist: guitar sales were up 10.5% the year Gibson went bankrupt
Which Gibson do you own or dream of owning, and what year was it built? Drop it in the comments 👇
⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This video was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, including AI-generated narration and visuals. All information presented is based on bankruptcy court filings, company history and published reporting from outlets including Fortune and Bloomberg. Some details are presented as reported, and the views of the people involved are included alongside the outcomes. This video is not affiliated with or endorsed by Gibson, KKR, Philips or any person mentioned. Views of the channel are presented as opinion.
This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only.
#Gibson #GibsonGuitars #LesPaul #ES335 #FlyingV #GuitarHistory #ElectricGuitar #Kalamazoo #Nashville #GuitarCollector #VintageGuitar #Bankruptcy #RiseAndFall #Guitar
2 Comments
The Rise and Fall of Gibson: The $135 Million Mistake Guitarists Never Forgave
Everything Fender US
9,121 views
In 2014, the man running Gibson spent $135 million on a company that made headphones and home stereos. Four years later, the most famous guitar maker in history filed for bankruptcy, while its guitars were still selling.
We tell the full story of Gibson, from Orville Gibson's workshop in Kalamazoo to the Les Paul, the ES-335 and the Flying V, and the bet that nearly ended it all. You'll see how the company survived the Norlin years, why the 2014 Philips deal became the center of the bankruptcy case, and what the court filings reveal about the guitars that were never the problem. We use court filings, company history and published reporting, and the channel's opinion is always labeled as opinion.
What you'll find inside:
🎸 From Kalamazoo mandolins to the archtop that shaped jazz
⚡ The Les Paul, the ES-335 and the Flying V: how Gibson defined rock and roll
🏭 The Norlin years and the closing of the Kalamazoo factory
🎧 The $135 million Philips deal and the plan to become a "music lifestyle" brand
📉 May 1, 2018: Chapter 11 with around $500 million in debt
🏆 The twist: guitar sales were up 10.5% the year Gibson went bankrupt
Which Gibson do you own or dream of owning, and what year was it built? Drop it in the comments 👇
⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This video was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, including AI-generated narration and visuals. All information presented is based on bankruptcy court filings, company history and published reporting from outlets including Fortune and Bloomberg. Some details are presented as reported, and the views of the people involved are included alongside the outcomes. This video is not affiliated with or endorsed by Gibson, KKR, Philips or any person mentioned. Views of the channel are presented as opinion.
This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only.
#Gibson #GibsonGuitars #LesPaul #ES335 #FlyingV #GuitarHistory #ElectricGuitar #Kalamazoo #Nashville #GuitarCollector #VintageGuitar #Bankruptcy #RiseAndFall #Guitar