Visit the Gibson Factory in Nashville
Visit the Gibson Factory in Nashville. Gibson is a music-focused company that manufactures guitars, amps, and effects pedals. At present, its acoustic- and hollow-body guitars are produced at two factories: one in Bozeman, Montana; the other in Memphis, Tennessee.
The new Gibson Garage is situated within Nashville’s iconic Cummins Station and boasts an impressive stage for live performances, Custom Shop where players can build their guitars, memorabilia displays, and an expansive retail area.
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Visit the Gibson Factory in Nashville
Experience the Guitars
Are you a guitar player seeking to hone your craft? Gibson is here to help. The 127-year-old guitar brand recently opened the Gibson Garage, an educational hub for music connoisseurs and professional guitarists located inside Nashville’s Cummins Station.
The 8,000-square-foot Gibson Garage offers the premier guitar experience for professional musicians, casual guitarists, and music fans alike. It includes a state-of-the-art stage for live concerts and virtual live-streaming performances, a public retail sector stocked with electric guitars from Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer KRK, and Mesa Boogie brands; a repair & restoration center; as well as historical memorabilia displays.
Experience one of the many attractions at Gibson Garage with a tour of their guitar production plant. On this guided tour, guests get to witness guitar construction from start to finish and even get an up-close view of the wood shop where imported and domestic lumber is used in crafting guitars.
One of the more fascinating aspects of this factory tour is witnessing the chambering process that goes into creating a guitar’s body. While highly automated, it can also take an immense amount of time. That is one reason why most Gibson guitars come with lifetime warranties and are built to last.
On this tour, visitors are treated to the surprise of a room filled with vintage guitars that have lain dormant for years. Not just any old guitars though – these are some of Gibson’s most prized and sought-after models from its history!
Finally, there is the Artist Lounge, designed as an Artist Relations Center, content creation space, and Green Room for performing artists. Here Gibson Brand Ambassadors like Jared James Nichols and Lzzy Hale can work and perform in a comfortable atmosphere.
Shop the Collections
One year after relaunching with new leadership, relevant guitars, a compelling vision, and widespread industry support, Gibson, the all-American-made instrument brand, is still exceeding expectations. This includes historical accuracy, contemporary updates, signature collections, customized creations, award-winning guitars, improved quality control, and greater artist and fan engagement than ever before.
At just a 10-minute walk away from Broadway’s neon glow and lively nightlife, Gibson Garage provides players and fans with more than just an everyday retail experience. Featuring lessons, historical exhibits, as well as frequent live performances, this venue has quickly become one of Nashville’s must-visits.
On Thursday night, Gibson hosted an opening night party at Wildhorse Saloon with live performances by Jason Isbell, Nathaniel Rateliff, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Chris Isaak, Lee Roy Parnell, Ray Wylie Hubbard Temecula Road Honey County Aaron Lee Tasjan Travis Denning Parmalee Cassadee Pope and Jayden Tatasciore Ben Goldsmith Reece Malone and Carter Wilkinson. With rocking sets alongside intimate performances of hits and fan favorites alike, everyone joined on stage for an electrifying finale that saw all guests join forces on stage for one last wild finale!
At the Gibson Factory, you can explore an expansive collection of electric and acoustic guitars from Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, Mesa Boogie, and KRK; plus gain insight into their iconic 128-year history through captivating storytelling, interactive displays, and memorabilia. Plus you can catch a taping of the award-winning Gibson TV network or explore more about its vibrant music culture at Murphy Lab.
At Gibson, we believe that artists are the cornerstone of our business. Through Gibson Gives, our philanthropic arm, we aim to empower artists and the global music community with youth-focused education, music in schools, health & wellness initiatives, and more. At Gibson, we want musicians everywhere to realize their aspirations by offering one-of-a-kind experiences, guitars, and chances to give back to the industry.
Experience Live Music
For an unforgettable music experience in Music City, don’t miss a visit to the iconic Gibson Factory in Nashville. This facility produces some of the world’s most legendary guitars.
Experience the Gibson Factory Tour for an up-close and personal look at how the legendary Les Paul Custom is made, plus gain insight into their history through exhibits of memorabilia. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to hear live performances and watch award-winning TV shows!
In addition to seeing how guitars are made, you’ll have the opportunity to shop for Gibson instruments, accessories, and apparel. Plus, you can try your hand at guitar playing or even build a guitar from scratch!
Experience an exclusive concert at the Gibson Garage featuring Warren Haynes, Margo Price, Kip Moore, James Bay (of Mana), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Marcus King, Orianthi (Sam Fish) Morgan Wade Sadler Vaden Tak Matsumoto Celisse Emily Wolfe Meghan Lindsey Tyler Cain Striking Matches Matt Heafy from Trivium
The Gibson Garage is the ultimate guitar experience in Nashville and a must-see for guitar enthusiasts of all levels. Here you can explore collections of Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, and Mesa Boogie guitars as well as KRK studio equipment, play and shop for new gear, take lessons, or just hang out in the backstage artist lounge. Additionally, to live music performances, The Gibson Garage will host tapings of award-winning Gibson TV series and celebrate generations of Music City history through captivating installations and programming.
Catch a Taping of the Gibson TV Series
Gibson has a long and storied legacy in music, from Orville Gibson’s founding of the company in 1898 to its current position as one of the premier manufacturers of guitars and acoustic instruments. Situated near Nashville’s famed Gibson Factory, visitors to this exclusive destination can shop for and design their guitars, participate in interactive exhibits, and watch tapings of award-winning Gibson TV Series featuring interviews with legendary artists, producers, and business figures – all while experiencing an unmatched guitar fan experience!
In addition to its award-winning guitar line, the Gibson brand also has a strong philanthropic arm through Gibson Gives that supports musicians and youth-focused education and wellness initiatives worldwide. To commemorate the Garage opening celebration, Gibson will host an exclusive concert in the studio for a charity that will be streamed globally.
The show will showcase a variety of musical genres and guests, such as Rob Zombie and Metallica. The premiere episode delves into heavy metal culture with Count D (Matt Montgomery) providing voiceover narration.
This is the first Gibson series specifically targeted to a niche and it appears to be an ideal fit for Gibson’s brand. Written by Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward, this show is executive produced by Thunder Road Pictures’ Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Shawn Simmons, David Leitch, and Chad Stahelski.
Gibson makes a rare on-screen appearance, making his acting debut in the Australian television drama The Sullivans in 1976. Since then he has achieved great success as both an actor and director, starring in Lethal Weapon trilogy and John Wick franchise films. Up next for Gibson is The Continental, a prequel to Keanu Reeves’ popular action blockbuster.
Visit the Murphy Lab
Tom Murphy, Gibson’s Master Artisan, has been faithfully recreating the aesthetic and character of vintage guitars on new instruments for more than 25 years. Drawing upon his expertise on authentic instruments, expert knowledge of how to recreate age on real guitars, and innovative creativity, he achieves greater accuracy and meticulous attention to detail than ever when aging guitars.
Tom Murphy and his team of artisans have designed a line of Gibson-branded guitars tailored to different levels of age and wear. From Ultra-Light to Ultra-Heavy, each Murphy Lab guitar is expertly crafted using only the most modern tools and technology.
Tom’s unique aging techniques on these guitars draw on his skill and deep understanding of vintage instruments, combined with his creative vision to add natural wear and cracking that replicate the way a guitar ages. The result is an instrument that captures the timeless vibe of classic Gibsons with an authentic look.
This guitar is highly playable and easy to tune. The minimal lacquer checking, combined with Vintage Original Sheen (VOS) hardware and hand-rolled fingerboard binding, simulate fifty years of average playing wear.
This classic semi-hollow body guitar, featuring its sustain-enhancing center block and sustain-enhancing, feedback-fighting design, is both beautiful and playable. Plus, with its unique Murphy Lab-aged finish, you get all the feel and performance of a genuine relic guitar at a fraction of the cost.
Welcome to the Murphy Lab, Gibson Custom Shop’s first-ever guitar aging department designed and managed by master artisan Tom Murphy. This initiative is an integral part of their mission to restore their brand to what players desire in a guitar.
Where Are Gibson Acoustic Guitars Made?
Gibson guitars and Epiphone guitars are primarily manufactured in Tennessee. However, a significant portion of Gibson’s acoustic guitars are crafted at their Bozeman facility in Montana.
Acoustic guitars from Bozeman, Montana are often handcrafted. These models are renowned for their superior craftsmanship and superior sound.
Bozeman, Montana is home to some of the world’s most renowned acoustic guitar factories, such as J-45, Hummingbird, and Dove. With over three decades of experience under its belt and some of the finest artisans working there, this facility continues to create iconic instruments.
Made in Kalamazoo
The Gibson brand has a long and storied legacy of crafting high-quality stringed instruments that have become iconic worldwide. Established in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1902 by Orville Gibson, the company continues to be sought out by both professional rock stars and musicians who play for pleasure.
Today, Gibson Guitar Corporation has two factories: one in Bozeman, Montana that produces entry-level models and lower-end electric guitars; while the Qingdao factory in China specializes in higher-end models and produces many of Gibson’s signature guitars.
Many are surprised to know that the Gibson guitar brand originated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Though they left town in 1984, some local workers remain at their factory at 225 Parsons Street where they manufacture stringed instruments and amplifiers.
Hank Perdok, 81, spent his early career working at the Gibson factory as a technician. He said that he was part of three or four production lines running simultaneously making different-sized amplifiers and also worked in the testing department which made sure all instruments were working correctly before moving them onto another station.
Made in Nashville
Gibson Guitars have a proud heritage of producing top-notch guitars. Their iconic Les Paul electric model – first released in 1952 and still popular today – is their flagship model and is widely coveted by renowned artists worldwide.
The company’s production facilities are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bozeman, Montana. Both factories produce semi-hollow and custom shop instruments.
In 1986, Henry Juszkiewicz purchased the company and brought it back into profitability. He made several improvements that enhanced the quality of guitars being produced at that time
Gibson is a major employer in Nashville, Tennessee with over 900 employees and an established history of producing top-notch acoustic guitars.
The Gibson Guitar Factory in Nashville, Tennessee is where they manufacture both electric and acoustic guitars. If you’re interested in learning more about how guitars are created and assembled, visiting The Gibson Guitar Factory is a must.
If you’re in search of a truly custom guitar, visiting their custom guitar shop is worth your while. Their staff of expert luthiers is highly trained and can create something truly one-of-a-kind – whether that be an electric, classical, or hybrid instrument.
In 2021, Gibson plans to open The Gibson Garage in downtown Nashville, Tennessee – an 8,000-square-foot showcase of all their guitar products, from electric and acoustic guitars and accessories to apparel, lessons, and more.
Can you do a Tour of the Gibson Factory in Nashville?
The Gibson Guitar Factory tour is a 45-minute journey that takes you through the manufacturing of Gibson hollow and semi-hollow body electric guitars. You’ll get to witness every step of production – from raw cut-outs through shaping, painting, lacquering, electronics – and more!
