# I thought Gibson Bought Garrison



## overdriver (Jul 24, 2008)

What happen with that, I thought Gibson had a line out of guitars made in NFLD? Can't find them on the Gibson web site. Did they quit !?


----------



## montreal (Mar 25, 2008)

www.garrisonguitars.com seems to be a dead link on the manufacturers page.
Maybe Gibson killed them off like they seem to do ever time they take over another company.


----------



## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

The only place I have seen them is at the Musicians Friend web site:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...readnought-Cutaway-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=542109


----------



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

They have a bunch of Garrison acoustics at Fleet Sound in Ottawa:

http://www.fleetsound.com/catalog/a...Csid=1c36ffbfff62a29cc5e2cb66f6b32398&x=8&y=9


----------



## overdriver (Jul 24, 2008)

http://www.gibson.com/allaccessfeat...rash/AllAccess/Gibson Announces Acquisition o

I did find this for those that didn't know. 

So they are called the song maker series. very good ;any one played one. Probably like the Garrison's where in reguard to Canadain dealer getting then as in we are the last to get them


----------



## overdriver (Jul 24, 2008)

bagpipe said:


> They have a bunch of Garrison acoustics at Fleet Sound in Ottawa:
> 
> http://www.fleetsound.com/catalog/a...Csid=1c36ffbfff62a29cc5e2cb66f6b32398&x=8&y=9



I think they are keeping the Garrison thing going but only Asian made ones all the NFLD is gone Gibson


----------



## Savage (Sep 23, 2008)

The plant where Garrison made their guitars is only a couple kms from my house ... I drive past it every day going to/from work and it looks like it's been closed for a couple of years now ... sad really, as Garrison were a BIG deal around here several years ago, had a growing reputation as producers of world-class instruments with an innovative bracing system and had recently undergone an expansion at the plant ... now nada


----------



## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Gibson also rendered the "lifetime" warranty on Garrison guitars null and void. Nice eh!


----------



## overdriver (Jul 24, 2008)

Savage said:


> The plant where Garrison made their guitars is only a couple kms from my house ... I drive past it every day going to/from work and it looks like it's been closed for a couple of years now ... sad really, as Garrison were a BIG deal around here several years ago, had a growing reputation as producers of world-class instruments with an innovative bracing system and had recently undergone an expansion at the plant ... now nada


Gee thats too bad ! Strange stuff


----------



## overdriver (Jul 24, 2008)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Gibson also rendered the "lifetime" warranty on Garrison guitars null and void. Nice eh!


I think I remember hearing about that also! Shame.


----------



## audiorep2 (Mar 28, 2009)

Lots of Provincial Government money down the toilet.


----------



## Savage (Sep 23, 2008)

Actually, owner of Garrison Guitars and inventor of the innovative bracing system they used, Chris Griffiths, started the company with an ACOA grant I believe ... which is Federal Govt. money, not Provincial.

It is really too bad that he couldn't/didn't keep it going as an independent enterprise; they employed 100 or so people at one point ... but I guess all that Gibson money looked too good to turn down


----------



## Stephen W. (Jun 7, 2006)

The following except says provincial. Taken form the Telegram 04/07/07

*Garrison Guitars has a $300,000 loan from the provincial government dating back to January 2004. 

That loan was criticized by the province’s auditor general in his 2006 report. 

At the time, the auditor general reported Garrison had not complied with the terms of the loan and the province had the right to call it. Instead, the province extended the repayment period. 

The province also holds $450,000 in shares in Garrison Guitars — a legacy of an unrepaid loan issued in 2001. 

There was no response by deadline Tuesday from the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development to a Telegram request for information on the status of both the loan and the shares.* 

It also mentions a staff of only 25 (22 workers +3 warehouse personnel in NY). However it did say Gibson's plans included adding 40 more and growing to 15,000 units per year.

Is the shop still open and producing guitars? 

The full story:
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=42103&sc=82


----------



## Savage (Sep 23, 2008)

Hmmmm?? Interesting ...

Yeah, now that you post that info, I seem to recall that some Provincial money ahd been invested in Garrison and that there was some controversy about it. Griffith's Guitar Works/Garrison Guitars was started with an ACOA grant though I believe ...
As for no. of employees, what you posted sounds more reasonable ... there was a "Made in Nfld." spot on local news several years ago that toured the plant ... they mentioned the no. of people the outfit employed ... can't remember 'zactly ... dunno where I got the 100 people though! LOL!!

I'll drive by the plant again in about 1/2 hour ... I'll take a closer look, but seems vacant?

Here's a You Tube video of the Garrison plant that was posted in 2007 ... doesn't look like 100 empployees!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gwAnk6FCqY


----------



## harrym (Jan 19, 2010)

Yes Gibson bought out Garrison and they closed the plant down after a while.Many people didn't want to buy the Canadian made Gibson. Fender did the same with Tacoma. This is how the big guys play. It is unfortunate but that is what they do.

Harry


----------



## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

Capitalism at it's worst!

Gibson has never really been interested in building great instruments. Since they bought the company from Orville in the late 19th century, they have been interested *only* in the Bottom Line. Sad really as there has been tremendous history associated with Gibson instruments. Perhaps more than with Martin - and yet I feel that Martin has the integrity seldom found in a large corporation.

harrumph!!! thor has spoken!


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

montreal said:


> Maybe Gibson killed them off like they seem to do ever time they take over another company.


EXACTLY!! They do that with every brand that they acquire. It is a sin what they've done to Kramer.


----------



## Steve Adams (Dec 31, 2009)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Gibson also rendered the "lifetime" warranty on Garrison guitars null and void. Nice eh!


The reason no gibsons will be in my collection. from what I have been reading they are a bad company to deal with. they buy up different companies and just shut em down. nice!


----------



## House Guitars (Jan 4, 2010)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Gibson also rendered the "lifetime" warranty on Garrison guitars null and void. Nice eh!


While I do think that the whole situation with Garrison and Gibson is sad (always hate to see a Canadian factory and product go) I can certainly understand them not wanting to pick up the warranty. In fact I don't know anyone who would want to pick up the warranty on Garrison instruments. While the bracing design was innovative and cool it had a flaw, that being it is not a good idea to glue wood to plastic. The wood will shrink and expand with humidity changes and the plastic will not. I personally know of a number of people who have had problems with cracking and separation between the wood and plastic as a result of the way their bracing system was designed. True solid wood guitars will dry out and crack, but the Garrisons are different. I feel bad for the customers who are now stuck with these guitars and can't get them fixed.

Josh


----------

