Gibson VP of Product celebrates 100 years of Gibson flat-tops and previews the Century Collection during NAMM Media Preview Day
It’s a sound you can feel in your bones. For 100 years, Gibson flat-top acoustic guitars have dominated the airwaves, flowing through our hearts and into our homes. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the very first Gibson flat-top, Gibson VP of Product Mat Koehler addressed a global media audience on Media Preview Day at NAMM 2026, giving the world its first look at the the Century Collection, a beautiful assortment of 12-fret Gibson acoustics channeling the minimalist elegance of early 20th century design.
Before introducing a live performance from singer-songwriter and 2026 She Rocks Awards Honoree Margaret Glaspy, Koehler commented: “We are reclaiming the acoustic revolution we sparked exactly one century ago. Back in 1926 we began making our flat-top L-1, using the same body shape as an archtop. What resulted from that little change? Oh, just seven unique acoustic platforms and the beginnings of Delta blues, country music, bluegrass, folk, and Americana.
New Gibson acoustics, including the Century Collection, on display at NAMM 2026
“Gibson acoustics have clearly shaped music history. And they’ve influenced how we at Gibson think today, too. The all-new Century Collection is made using the same proportions and principles that make the originals some of the most collectible vintage acoustics: deeper-set 12-fret necks for easy reach, perfect bridge placement in the heart of the soundboard, featherweight construction and bracing, a thin satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish, and the unique Gibson scale length that gives our guitars soul. Check out that awesome art deco tweed case, too! We are launching the Century Collection L-00, J-45, and J-185 models in April and they will all be just above $2,000 and made right here in the USA as Gibson always has been, and will always be.”
2026 She Rocks Awards Honoree Margaret Glaspy performing with Gibson at NAMM 2026
The NAMM Show 2026 also sees the first public appearance of the Gibson L-1 Anniversary Limited Edition, available from February 3rd. First introduced in 1902 and reinvented as a flat-top in 1926, the Gibson L-1 has an indelible link to the blues. This one-time-only run comprises 100 instruments, each featuring a beautiful Cremona Burst lacquer finish, a thermally aged red spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides, historic 12-fret construction with a 25-inch scale length, a bound ebony fingerboard, and a script headstock logo in mother of pearl.
Check out Gibson and Epiphone electric guitar launches at NAMM 2026 here. Can’t wait for the Century Collection? Shop Gibson acoustic guitars now.
