These dealers could sell the cheaper instruments until they proved themselves worthy of selling Gibson brand guitar, essentially. One perk of this new ownership was that Gibson could send Gibson-style guitars to new dealers that didn’t yet have the reputation or business to carry Gibson guitars. What started off as possible ownership of Epiphones upright bass line turned into a completely new line of guitars. Thankfully, Les Paul was a massive fan of Epiphone and suggested to Gibson President Ted McCarty that he reach out.

However, WWII changed the company’s fortunes as both economic and ownership strifes sent Epiphone’s reputation into its darkest and least fortuitous period. In the beginning, they were famous for making mandolins, upright bass, and archtop guitars. Epiphone has been making instruments for nearly 150 years.