NASHVILLE, TN (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)
Gibson
is pleased to announce new
creative collaboration agreements with key boutique guitar makers and music inspired partners
.
Gibson
announced today that it has entered into
multi-year
collaboration
agreements
with
Jimmy Wallace Guitars
,
Banker Custom Guitars
and
Echopark Guitars
. Under these collaboration agreements,
Gibson
will give these
key boutique builders and luthiers
a license to use
Gibson
trademarks, including the
Les Paul Body Shape Design®
(U.S. Reg. No. 1782606),
Explorer Body Shape Design®
Trademark (U.S. Reg. No. 2053805),
ES-335 Body Shape Design®
Trademark (U.S. Reg. No. 2007277),
Firebird Body Shape Design®
(U.S. Reg. No. 4107670),
Flying V Body Shape Design®
Trademark (U.S. Reg. No. 2051790),
Flying V Headstock®
(U.S. Reg. No. 3976202),
Headstock Design®
(U.S. Reg. No. 1567052),
FLYING V®
(U.S. Reg. No. 1216644),
FIREBIRD®
(U.S. Reg. No. 5628009),
EXPLORER®
(U.S. Reg. No. 2641548),
Firebird Headstock TM
(collectively “Trademarks”).
Gibson
has also committed to help
showcase, promote
and
amplify
Jimmy Wallace
,
Banker Custom
and
Echopark Guitars’
pursuit for craftmanship through
Gibson
channels and events. “We are excited about these collaborations; Orville Gibson started as a boutique builder in 1894 in his workshop in Kalamazoo, MI, and these new collaborations are a way to pay tribute to Orville’s legacy in support of boutique builders and luthiers,” said
Cesar Gueikian
,
Chief Merchant Officer
of
Gibson Brands
.
Jimmy Wallace Guitars
was conceived by
Jimmy Wallace
in 1978 bringing over 40 years of experience in his “
life pursuit of tone,
” paying tribute to
American craftsmanship
and design. In addition to his personal musical career,
Jimmy Wallace
has been an ambassador for musicians for decades. He started the
Dallas International Guitar Show
in 1978 and has since become a respected voice within the dealer and collector community.
Wallace
has been instrumental in music education and promotion of young artists, including the “
Young Guns of Guitar 10 Under 20”
competition, which has been supported by
Gibson
and is a melting pot for many young artists to reach the main stage. “I’m thrilled to reunite with
Gibson
through this exciting collaboration,” said
Jimmy Wallace.
“The opportunity granted to me by the new
Gibson
team brings authenticity back to
Jimmy Wallace Guitars
in a way I would have never imagined. I’m looking forward to the future with
Gibson.
”
Banker Custom Guitars
, started by
Matthew Hughes
, was born out of his love for vintage guitars and old school
American Craftsmanship
. When it comes to guitars,
Matthew
thinks there is an element of magic, passion, and artistry that goes into creating a guitar. Everything
Matthew
creates is done using the methods employed during the advent of the electric guitar, by hand. He is obsessed with tone and classic designs. “
Banker Guitars
was conceived from a passion for the rugged, innovative spirit of the guitar craftsmen whose pioneering handwork inspired the advent of
Rock and Roll,
” said
Matthew Hughes
. “
Gibson’s
influence on the inception of electric guitar is deeply embedded in
American
history,” adds
Hughes
. “We are honored and humbled to have the opportunity to partner with them and utilize their iconic electric guitar designs to further the legacy of quality, playability and artistry that has inspired the greatest music of generations past, present, and future.”
Echopark Guitars
was conceived in 2008 when
Gabriel Currie
started to make his individual mark in the guitar building community by hand-crafting instruments for various players.
Currie
uses his hands, eyes and ears to select and build every part of every instrument. He prides himself on his knowledge of tones and the history of the finest guitars ever built. Each and every instrument that is created by
Gabriel Currie
and his team is the product of a deeply bred lineage of
American craftsmanship
. They are instruments built with love, pieces of art that have been coddled and cared for from their inception; he makes practical, dynamic tools that are second-to-none for making music. It’s not a coincidence that
Echopark Guitars
is based in Detroit, Michigan, just hours away from
Gibson’s
birthplace in
Kalamazoo
. “Everything that is perfect about the instrument had already been developed by
Gibson
long before any of us got here!” says
Gabriel Currie
. “My goal is to help preserve this legacy and take part in building inspiring instruments,” adds
Currie
.
Gibson
has also announced that they have entered into multi-year
collaboration
agreements with
Thalia Brands
and
Aviator Nation
.
Thalia Brands
was conceived by
Chris Bradley
and his daughter
Thalia
in 2010 when 8-year old
Thalia
was playing guitar and envisioned a beautiful capo, one that would perfectly match the Hawaiian Koa & Abalone inlaid guitar she loved. Today,
Thalia
designs and manufactures a full range of guitar accessories and lifestyle products in their
California
studio. They are known for high quality, customer service and amazing custom inlay work. “
Thalia
and I have been longtime fans of
Gibson,”
says
Chris Bradley, Founder and CEO of Thalia Brands, Inc
. “My favorite guitar is my 1938-Reissue Gibson SJ-200 and Thalia’s is her Epiphone Hummingbird. The opportunity to collaborate with Gibson to create co-branded capos, phone cases and other high-quality accessories is a dream come true for us,” adds
Chris Bradley
. “We have ambitious plans for the future as we extend our reach into other guitar accessory categories and this collaboration with
Gibson
will enable us to make even better products that
Gibson Guitar
fans will surely love”.
Aviator Nation
is a 1970’s inspired
California
lifestyle brand. It was born in
Paige Mycoskie’s
garage in
Venice Beach
, 2006, and has since grown into a global lifestyle brand.
Paige’s
passion for 1970’s fashion and the music that defined that time period inspired her to create her own clothing stitched by hand. While working at a surf shop in Southern California, she purchased a sewing machine and spent nights after work teaching herself to sew, determined to create garments with the same look and feel of the vintage pieces she had been collecting for years.
Paige
believes in the universal power of music to unite people for positive change. Her garments are all handmade in California, in the
Aviator Nation
factory where each item is distressed to a degree of perfect imperfection, creating a one-of-a-kind piece. Keeping the garments
Made in America
is a core value of Aviator Nation which will be available late 2019.
Over the last few months,
Gibson
has also entered into
over 40 fee-free IP licenses
in support of TV and movie productions, some of which are expected to become global feature film releases. “We are honored by the demand for use of our IP by renowned producers and directors around the world and we look forward to more collaborations with the creative industry,” said
Cesar Gueikian
.
For more information on
Gibson
, visit:
About Gibson:
Gibson Brands
, the world’s most iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for more than 100 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in
Nashville, TN
,
Gibson Brands
has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The
Gibson Brands
portfolio includes
Gibson
, the
number one guitar brand
, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including
Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger
and
Gibson Pro Audio division brands Cerwin Vega, KRK Systems
and
Stanton
.
Gibson Brands
is dedicated to
quality, innovation and sound excellence
so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by
Gibson Brands
. Learn more at
http://www.gibson.com
and follow us on
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,
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and
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.
###
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Gibson
, contact:
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PRIME PR GROUP, INC.
O: +1 626-676-4993
