Garrison Guitars
| Company type | Subsidiary (from 2007) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instrument manufacturing |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Chris Griffiths |
| Defunct | 2010 |
| Fate | Production facility shut down; brand acquired by Gibson |
| Successor | Gibson (brand and assets) |
| Headquarters | St. John's , Canada |
Area served | North America, Australia, Europe, China, Japan |
Key people | Chris Griffiths (founder) |
| Products | Electric guitars, acoustic guitars, mandolins, mandolas |
| Parent | Gibson (from 2007) |
Garrison Guitars was a Canadian guitar manufacturing firm established by Chris Griffiths in 1999. In 2007, it became a subsidiary of Gibson, and its St. John's production facility was shut down in 2010. The company specialized in crafting electric and acoustic guitars, along with all-solid wood mandolins and mandolas.
History
In 1999, Chris Griffiths launched Garrison Guitars in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. By early 2001, the business operated a 20,000-square-foot manufacturing plant outfitted with cutting-edge robotics, laser cutting, CNC milling, and UV finishing equipment to produce guitars and mandolins for markets such as North America, Australia, Europe, China, and Japan.
Both Garrison and Griffiths gained acclaim for their innovation, export expansion, and entrepreneurial success. The company earned Harmony Central's "Golden Axe Award" for Best Value in 2000, while Griffiths was honored with the Manning Innovation Award in 2003.
A notable advancement was the proprietary Griffiths Active Bracing System (GABS), developed over six years. This integrated single-piece brace combined all acoustic guitar top braces to improve sound resonance and structural integrity.
Garrison's lineup covered various price ranges. The high-end G series utilized all solid woods, featured hard-shell cases, bolt-on necks, UV finishes, and incorporated the full GABS system including front and back braces, kerfing, and neck/end blocks. The more budget-friendly AG series employed the patented bracing solely on the top with conventional back and side bracing; it was designed in Canada but assembled in China.
On July 3, 2007, Gibson revealed its acquisition of Garrison Guitars to broaden its acoustic guitar offerings by launching a new Gibson brand aimed at the mid-price market segment. This involved repurposing Garrison’s factory to manufacture Gibson’s Songmaker series. Gibson discontinued the use of GABS technology within the Songmaker models and halted production around 2010, resulting in the closure of the former Garrison Canadian facility.