From campfires and front porches to the world’s biggest stages, Gibson flat-top acoustic guitars have helped provide the soundtrack to a century of trailblazing popular music
Gibson has launched “100 Years of Gibson Flat-Tops,” a yearlong, chaptered celebration honoring a century of storied Gibson acoustic instruments, the passionate and talented people who handcraft them, and the iconic artists who have used them to shape popular music.
From campfires and front porches to the world’s biggest stages, Gibson flat-top acoustic guitars have provided the soundtrack to generations and continue to inspire the next wave of songwriters and performers worldwide. Through four chapters supported by exclusive video content and an exciting array of new products, this centennial both celebrates a remarkable history and affirms the Gibson commitment to the players and songwriters who will define the next century.
The arrival of the first Gibson flat-tops in the 1920s was the springboard for the development of some of the most famous and most-heard musical instruments in history and it’s impossible to imagine the landscape of popular music without the J-45, the L-00, the SJ-200, the Hummingbird, the Southern Jumbo, and the Dove.
Manufactured for more than four decades by a dedicated team under the big skies of Bozeman, Montana, the Gibson Acoustic division blends time-honored methods with modern innovation so every Gibson flat-top feels familiar, inspiring, and ready to be a musical companion for life.
The 100 Years of Gibson Flat-Tops campaign will spotlight the emotional connection that players feel with Gibson acoustic guitars—a sound so many of us grew up with that was discovered in a parent’s dusty record collection, heard on television, or encountered in the heirloom acoustic guitar that waited in the corner of the room until it became an obsession.
The round-shoulder body design of the Gibson J-45 has brought its own special magic to the sound of popular music since 1942
The premiere of the first video in the 100 Years of Gibson Flat-Tops series on Gibson TV—featuring a voiceover from country legend Emmylou Harris—kicks off the global campaign and will be quickly followed by the arrival on April 28th of the Century Collection acoustic guitars first previewed at The NAMM Show in January. Look out for much more from Gibson in the coming months, including additional product launches that tie into the 100 Years of Flat Tops story.
As Gibson Vice President of Product Mat Koehler commented during his presentation at the show, “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.”
Shop Gibson flat-top acoustic guitars, handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana.
