When Gibson made the decision to move production from Kalamazoo to Nashville in the mid-eighties, a small group decided to remain in Kalamazoo to start their own brand, Heritage Guitars, making direct copies of Gibson.

What companies are owned by Gibson?

The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the number one guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger, MESA/Boogie, and the Gibson Pro Audio division, KRK Systems.

When was Heritage guitars founded?

1985 Heritage Guitars/Founded However, a small handful of employees decided theyd rather stay put, having grown attached to Michigan and the old factory in Kalamazoo. These loyal mavericks founded their own company in 1985, and named it Heritage as an allusion to their pedigree.

Is Gibson Guitars in financial trouble?

Iconic guitar brand Gibson vows to stay true to historic roots after bankruptcy. Gibson found itself drowning in a $500 million debt — a byproduct of attempted expansion into consumer electronics and lifestyle branding. Entering chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company needed a lifeboat, and fast.

What Heritage means?

Heritage is the full range of our inherited traditions, monuments, objects, and culture. Most important, it is the range of contemporary activities, meanings, and behaviors that we draw from them. Heritage includes, but is much more than preserving, excavating, displaying, or restoring a collection of old things.