Epiphone is an American musical instrument brand that traces its roots to a musical instrument manufacturing business founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos in İzmir, Ottoman Empire, and moved to New York City in 1908. After taking over his father's business, Epaminondas Stathopoulos named the company "Epiphone" as a combination of his own nickname "Epi" and the suffix "-phone" in 1928, the same year it began making guitars. From the 1930s through to the early 1950s, Epiphone produced a range of both acoustic and (later) electrified archtop guitars that rivalled those produced by Gibson and were the instruments of choice of many professionals; a smaller range of flat-top guitars were also produced, some designations of which were later continued during the Gibson-owned era for the company.
An Epiphone Casino, one of the brand's best known models
Epiphone Blackstone (non cutaway), 1947
Epiphone Triumph Regent, 1951
headstock of Epiphone Zephyr Deluxe, 1951
Gibson Brands Inc. is an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and professional audio equipment from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee. The company was formerly known as Gibson Guitar Corporation and renamed Gibson Brands Inc. on June 11, 2013.
Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis, pictured in May 2009
Orville Gibson, founder
Gibson line of Mandolin orchestra instruments, early 1900s.
Harp guitar (c. 1912).