Gibson expands from guitars into pro audio
Jan 8, 2012 3:34 PM, By Jack Kontney
Nashville, TN-based Gibson hopes to expand its audio reach beyond such iconic guitars as the classic Les Paul.
Gibson, manufacturer of such iconic guitars as the Les Paul, the Flying V, and B.B. King’s ES-355 “Lucille,” has started a new division, Gibson Pro Audio. The new entity has gotten off to a running start with the company’s recent acquisition of several established brands of audio electronics and loudspeakers.
This past week, Gibson announced a strategic partnership with Japanese electronics manufacturer Onkyo, acquiring a majority share of Onkyo USA and becoming the second-largest shareholder of the parent Onkyo Corp. Onkyo is best known for its consumer electronics audio offerings, including AV receivers, amplifiers, and surround sound systems.
“This partnership will give Gibson the ability to bring a deeper and more enhanced audio experience to music lovers around the world,” says Gibson CEO and Chairman Henry Juszkiewicz. “While people may be listening to more music, they are listening to it primarily in a severely compressed format. The aural disparity between a real system and compressed sound is vast, and as a result, they are simply not hearing tremendously rich sounds. With Onkyo, our goal is to bring a finer listening experience to a larger consumer base.”
Late in 2011, Gibson announced the formation of Gibson Pro Audio with acquisition of the Stanton Group, bringing with it the brands Cerwin Vega, KRK Systems, and Stanton DJ. These brands bring established product lines in professional and consumer loudspeakers, amplifiers, and audio electronics.
With these acquisitions and the formation of a dedicated pro-audio division, Gibson has signaled an aggressive expansion of its reach into both the professional and consumer audio markets. Notes Juszkiewicz, “It expands our reach to fellow music lovers and allows us access to 20 in 20 consumers instead of the one in 20 we currently hit.”
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