Music Trade Review 1925 - Gibson Inc., Reports Good Volume

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Gibson, Inc., Well Known Stringed Instrument Maker, Reports Good Volume

Widely Known Manufacturer, of Kalamazoo, Mich., Subject of Long Article in Local Paper, Giving History of Foundation and Development of the House

KALAMAZOO, Mich., November 2.—With cxcellent business conditions and constantly increasing sales, Gibson, Inc., manufacturer of Gibson mandolins, guitars and banjos, is facing a most prosperous period, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette. In a two-column-illustrated article in a recent issue of that paper a writer traced the history of the Gibson house and told how it had come from small beginnings to a position among the leaders of the industry. The article follows:

"Manufacturing forty-seven styles and grades of musical instruments, Gibson, Inc., of Kalamazoo, has established a world-wide trade which has built up a prosperous manufacturing enterprise and contributed materially to the widespread fame of this city.

"Instruments now being produced include mandolins, mandolas, mandecellos, niandobasses, guitars, Hawaiian guitars, harp guitars, mandolin banjos, tenor banjos, cello banjos, guitar banjos, five-string banjos, plectrum banjos, ukulele banjos, ukuleles and tenor flutes. The firm also merchandises a fine line of imported Italian violins.

Officers of Firm

"John W. Adams is president; Hubbard Kleinstuck, vice-president; Guy Hart, secretary and general manager; S. H. VanHorn, treasurer; Frank B. Campbell, manager of sales and advertising.

"Gibson, Inc., had its start more than thirty years ago when Orville Gibson conducted a little back-room workshop in the third floor of the old Michigan National Bank Building, then one of Kalamazoo's principal office structures. He was a violin builder and repair man. He started the manufacture of mandolins along lines more substantial than they had previously been built. This marked the beginning of what has become the largest manufacturing plant in the world which makes fretted 'musical instruments exclusively.

"In 1902 the Gibson-Mandolin Guitar Co. was organized by Sylvo Reams, L. A. Williams, Le-Roy Hornbcck, S. H. VanHorn and J. W. Adams. Business growth followed and the firm's catalogs now show photographs of mandolin orchestras and banjo bands on every continent and even remote islands of the sea. Large shipments are now sent to Old Mexico and the West Indies, but the bulk of trade for the past two years has been in the United States. The firm has more than 2,000 representatives in this country, including leading merchandise dealers, noted professional musicians and efficient teachers, banded together in what is known as the Gibson Service Organization.

Sell Best Grades

"An outstanding development of the past quarter century in this industry is the gradual swing of popularity from the lower priced Gibsons, until to-day the preponderance of sales are of the highest priced instruments. Prices now range from $35 to $275.

"Every shipping box carries in a prominent place the name of Kalamazoo. Gibson advertising in national publications also takes the name of this city to every English-speaking country in the' world.

"Raw materials for the manufacture of these instruments come from all parts of the world: mahogany from the jungles of British Honduras; richly streaked rosewood from South America; dense black ebony from Madagascar and East Africa; hard maple from northern Michigan; spruce from West Virginia and eastern New York; Japan pearl and vari-colored inlays are made by Italian workmen; stains, shellacs and oils from South America.

Improve on Quality

"Gibson, Inc., is continuously experimenting to improve the quality of its products and recent patents granted cover improvements of greater importance than have been developed for many years. Notable among these are the Gibson adjustable bridge, making it possible to easily adjust string action; the truss-rod neck construction which prevents warping of the neck and the banjo co-ordinator-rod device.

"Wide demand has been experienced for a new type of banjo developed by Gibson, Inc., declared to be of clearer tone and possessing a more lively response than older styles of this instrument.

"Largely through the efforts of the Gibson company, with the plectral quintet as a foundation, mandolin orchestras and banjo bands have been developed in many places and publishers are constantly adding to the available literature for these instruments in all combinations from solos and duets to chamber music and concert orchestra scores."

Quelle / source: http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1925-81-19/54/

Chicago Manufacturers Make Fine Co-operative Exhibit

Big Display of Musical Merchandise Under Auspices of Association Shown at the Illinois Products Exposition

source: http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1925-81-19/56/

source: http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1925-81-19/56/

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