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So, for those of you who may not know, Gibson Guitars started in Kalamazoo, MI (USA). The factory is still standing where they made the guitars...albeit, not in the greatest of conditions.

The story.

The follow up from WMUK

In short, during WWII everyone pitched in for the war effort. Gibson also helped where they could in making supplies and wings for the military. Also, during this time, Gibson continued to make guitars using a labor force made up of mostly women. Fearing they would not sell any guitars if anyone knew women made them said they were backstock from before the war. This was the story known to everyone for almost 75 years until a professor, and music journalist, found an old picture of women sitting outside of the Gibson factory from 1944. Now, fast forward to 2016, these gals are celebrated and are being given a exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum...but for some reason Gibson Guitars is sticking to their story and refusing to comment on the book. Even after at first embracing the book and working on special projects with the author to celebrate this, they suddenly drop all of it, without comment...even at one point threatening lawsuit if he didn't tell them how he got his information.

So, there you have it, for your reading enjoyment.

Kind of weird, that they had that attitude. 65% of all aircraft built in the U.S. during World War 2 were built by women, so who would mind a guitar built by a woman?

That might not be the only reason, but one of them.
Could they have gotten in alot of trouble for making guitars with parts that could be used for "the war effort"

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

Could they have gotten in alot of trouble for making guitars with parts that could be used for "the war effort"

More likely, especially nickel and copper parts.

 Stormrider wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

Could they have gotten in alot of trouble for making guitars with parts that could be used for "the war effort"

More likely, especially nickel and copper parts.

This would be my guess.

I don't know much about it, but could they possibly still get in trouble with the mandatory rationing laws that were around then?

I would think that any sort of statute of limitations would be passed by now on that sort of thing, right?

 Hordini wrote:
I would think that any sort of statute of limitations would be passed by now on that sort of thing, right?

Statutes of limitations don't exist for everything. This sort of thing might fall under treason or something like that, and I doubt there are limits on that. Though of course any individuals who could be charged are long dead.

That's a fascinating little bit of history. The obvious story (sexism in a 1940s guitar factory) would be easy to rehabilitate and turn into a promo for Gibson, so my guess is there is more to it. Probably having to do with violating wartime laws, false reporting, putting profits ahead of the effort, etc. that they don't want exposed. It could also reach into other areas that may be problematic such as expired patents.

Gibson is not what it used to be in terms of quality and largely relies on the name to move a mass produced product.

Interesting story. Funny to see how the official corporate line can be held, decades later. Makes me wonder if there are cigarette companies that still claim their product doesn't cause cancer.

 Grey Templar wrote:
This sort of thing might fall under treason or something like that, and I doubt there are limits on that.

Sbuh? People who were convicted of evading rationing during the war weren't charged with anything close to treason. The idea that suddenly now you'd see an escalation to treason is beyond bonkers.

 sebster wrote:
Makes me wonder if there are cigarette companies that still claim their product doesn't cause cancer.

They do (in the third world)

Sbuh? People who were convicted of evading rationing during the war weren't charged with anything close to treason. The idea that suddenly now you'd see an escalation to treason is beyond bonkers.

Yeah. I tried looking into it, but I just don't get it. There's no reason for Gibson to fear that they'd get in trouble now for not adhering to war rationing. Lots of companies didn't, and never got into trouble even when it would have been contemporary. Sticking to the party line doesn't seem to get them anything either, except some bad press. It could easily just be one of those things where a company does something bizarre for no apparent reason. Like that time Microsoft thought they could charge PC gamers monthly fees to play Halo 2, or that time Sony though Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within would actually make back it's budget, or that time Vogue thought this would end well;



Anyway, the point is that businesses in the words of Coca-Coca executive Donald Keough said "we're not that smart, and we're not that dumb" (in response to conspiracy theories about New Coke). Companies are run by people and people are stupid sometimes, and we should never ascribe to malice what could just as easily be ascribed to stupidity

Well, there is Gibsons CEO...he appears to be a piece of work himself. I have read a bit about him and man, what an as-bsolutely great guy...

http://gawker.com/gibson-guitar-ceo-gets-enraged-if-someone-asks-for-a-da-1661598680

Don't forget that this is the same Gibson that has been busted twice for violating federal laws on wood importation. So a historical law violation might hit a little too close for the current CEO, who is his own brand of special....

 sebster wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
This sort of thing might fall under treason or something like that, and I doubt there are limits on that.

Sbuh? People who were convicted of evading rationing during the war weren't charged with anything close to treason. The idea that suddenly now you'd see an escalation to treason is beyond bonkers.

Meh, only explanation I could think of. Don't know what the exact details would be.