Music News

Gibson Guitars out of tune

Company reportedly hanging on by a string

Bucky Pizzarelli, playing a Gibson. Photo: Derek Meade

The financial world has the 116-year-old Gibson Brands, producer of Gibson guitars, on the brink of bankruptcy. The company has until July 23, 2018 to refinance what is said to be a half-billion-dollar debt. The company has revenues of more than $1 billion, not enough margin for debt payments on revenue alone. The company has sold its longtime (and massive) Memphis factory with the intention of relocating to a smaller facility. The company closed its Kalamazoo plant in 2005.

Disgruntled employees have been rating Gibson “the worst company to work for” several years, and turnover in both workplace and management is unusually high. Mismanagement from the top is regularly cited.

 

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