Model · Gibson
ES-355
A Gibson archtop, introduced 1958[1]. Built on the Gibson USA line.
Semi-hollow, categorised archtop. ES-355T 'released in late 1958' per Guitar World (S343); Wikipedia agrees on 1958. Wikipedia gives 1982 as the end of the original run; no better source found, so discontinued left null. Model is also offered in Gibson's current range.
How it changed
No changes to this model’s spec are on record yet. If you know one and have a source, send it with Suggest an edit at the top right.
Who owned it and where it was built
The eras of the Gibson USA line in the years this model was made. No end year is on record, so the last row runs as far as the line does. The model rides on its line: when the owner or the plant changed, it changed for this model too.
| Years | Owner | Parent | Plant |
|---|
| 1958–1969[2, 3] | Chicago Musical Instrument Co. (CMI) | — | Kalamazoo 225 Parsons St (1917 Gibson building) |
| 1969–1984[3, 4] | Norlin Corporation (ECL) | — | Kalamazoo 225 Parsons St (1917 Gibson building) |
| 1975–1986[3, 4] | Norlin Corporation (ECL) | — | Gibson Nashville (Massman Dr) |
| 1986–2018[3] | Gibson Guitar Corp. / Gibson Brands, Inc. (2013) / Gibson, Inc. (2024) | — | Gibson Nashville (Massman Dr) |
| 1989–2018[3, 5] | Gibson Guitar Corp. / Gibson Brands, Inc. (2013) / Gibson, Inc. (2024) | — | Gibson Bozeman (acoustic plant) |
| 2000–2018[3, 6, 7] | Gibson Guitar Corp. / Gibson Brands, Inc. (2013) / Gibson, Inc. (2024) | — | Gibson Memphis (Lt. George W. Lee Ave) |
| 2018–now[3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] | Gibson Guitar Corp. / Gibson Brands, Inc. (2013) / Gibson, Inc. (2024) | KKR Credit Advisors-affiliated funds (controlling) with other 2018 noteholders incl. Silver Point Capital and Melody Capital Partners (Gibson) | Gibson Nashville (Massman Dr) |
| 2018–2019[3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 6, 7] | Gibson Guitar Corp. / Gibson Brands, Inc. (2013) / Gibson, Inc. (2024) | KKR Credit Advisors-affiliated funds (controlling) with other 2018 noteholders incl. Silver Point Capital and Melody Capital Partners (Gibson) | Gibson Memphis (Lt. George W. Lee Ave) |
| 2018–now[3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 5] | Gibson Guitar Corp. / Gibson Brands, Inc. (2013) / Gibson, Inc. (2024) | KKR Credit Advisors-affiliated funds (controlling) with other 2018 noteholders incl. Silver Point Capital and Melody Capital Partners (Gibson) | Gibson Bozeman (acoustic plant) |
Sources
Every numbered marker on this page points here: the document, its grade and the passages relied on. An era is computed, so it cites the facts it was derived from. A fact marked “no source” has no claim attached yet.
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Gibson Brands chapter 11 docket: Notice of Effective Date
graded secondary- "November 1 2018 Effective Date - Notice of Effe[ctive Date]"Era: Gibson USA, 2018–now
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Gibson emerges from bankruptcy (Oct 23, 2018)
graded secondary- "Nov. 1, when… KKR assumes majority ownership control"Era: Gibson USA, 2018–now
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