When you think of Gibson's founder, Orville Henry Gibson comes to mind, but if you're talking about the person who laid the foundation for today's "Gibson electric guitars," the name that comes to mind is probably Ted McCarty (Theodore McCarty).
The achievements of Ted McCarty (Theodore McCarty), the father of Gibson electric guitars.
Who is Ted McCarty? | The Father of Gibson Electric Guitars
When you think of Gibson's founder, Orville Henry Gibson comes to mind, but if you're talking about the person who laid the foundation for today's "Gibson electric guitars," the name that comes to mind is probably Ted McCarty (Theodore McCarty).
McCarty joined Gibson in 1948. Prior to that, he worked in instrument sales at Wurlitzer.
At the time, CMI (Chicago Musical Instruments), Gibson's parent company, was facing management challenges due to its post-war production system not functioning properly, and asked McCarty to help turn things around.
In fact, he himself was considering working for a candy manufacturer, but after being earnestly persuaded, he decided to join Gibson.
Prior to joining Gibson, McCarty had not been directly involved in instrument development. However, after joining the company, he frequently visited the factory and inspected the production process. Drawing on his experience at Wurlitzer, he gradually proposed improvements and engaged in ongoing discussions.
From the late 1940s to the 1950s, as music volume increased, the "feedback" characteristic of hollow-body guitars became a problem, and manufacturers began to explore countermeasures.
Gibson was also developing instruments that looked like classical guitars but didn't have F-holes.
Amidst all this, in 1950, Paul Bigsby released a single-cut solid-body guitar, and Fender also released the Esquire (later known as the Telecaster).
The origins of the Les Paul | Solid guitar development and archtop structure
In response, McCarty did not immediately rush to develop a similar model, but instead carefully analyzed those models and explored the direction Gibson should take with solid-body guitars.
And the answer he arrived at was the "archtop processing" that was used in mandolins and full acoustic guitars.RecruitThis was a process only possible because Gibson owned carving machines, and it was one of Gibson's identities. As for the body material, solid mahogany and solid maple were considered, but there were issues such as "too heavy" and "sustain too long," so they ultimately settled on a maple top/mahogany back configuration.
Furthermore, to increase the guitar's popularity, a promotional strategy was needed that involved having a famous guitarist perform on it. The guitarist chosen for this role was the Les Paul, who was immensely popular at the time.
Les Paul, who had been researching solid-body guitars for some time, was invited to Gibson to exchange ideas. McCarty flew to New York to show him the completed prototype and visited Les and Paul, who were in the middle of recording. Les was very impressed with the prototype and signed a consulting contract with them, while also suggesting several modifications.
The main revisions suggested by Res are as follows:
- Changed the Florentine cutaway to a rounded Venetian cutaway shape.
- Changed the bridge to a trapeze bridge (swing tailpiece) of his own design.
- To create a sense of luxury, the color will be a gold finish.
Thus, in 1952, Gibson's first solid-body electric guitar, the "Les Paul," was born.
However, McCarty continued to improve the Les Paul model. The trapeze bridge had practical drawbacks, such as making muting difficult, because, due to the neck angle at the time, the strings had to be passed under the bridge bar.
Therefore, in 1953, a new development was developed.RecruitThe resulting bridge is a combination bridge/tailpiece (commonly known as a McCarty bridge or wrap-around bridge).
This integrated bridge design made it easy to maintain tension and lower the string height. Furthermore, by directly fixing the anchors to the body, it had the advantage of allowing string vibrations to be more easily transmitted to the body.
Later, the combination of a Tune-o-matic bridge and a stop tailpiece, which is now the standard specification for Les Pauls, was also patented by McCarty.
And essential to Gibson guitars, including the Les Paul, are the P-90 and humbucker pickups (PAF). The humbucker was developed by Seth Lover, but it was McCarty who directed its development.
It is also said that McCarty coined the term "humbucker."
We discuss the development of PAF in our column on the "Seth Lover" page, so please be sure to check that out as well.
ES-335 and the Modernistic Series | The Birth of Innovative Design
In 1958, they released the semi-acoustic guitar "ES-335," along with the innovative modernist series "Flying V," "Explorer," and "Moderne."
Among them, the Modernistic Series was developed to counter criticisms at the time that "Gibson's designs were conservative and old-fashioned."
This unconventional design, now an iconic rock model, was ahead of its time in 1958, and only a small number were produced.
Incidentally, McCarty was reportedly advised by his competitor Gretsch over the phone at the time that he should give up on venturing into solid-body cars.
McCarty's achievements extend far beyond model development; he also made significant business successes, such as expanding the factory's annual production from approximately 5,000 units to approximately 100,000 units, leaving behind an immense legacy that cannot be fully described here.
After leaving Gibson in 1966, he became president of Bigsby, a company that Gibson had acquired in 1965. He not only developed parts but also expanded the business beyond musical instruments, making a significant contribution to the company's survival and growth. He remained with Bigsby until it was acquired by Gretsch in 1999.
What is PRS McCarty? | Ted McCarty's reputation, influence on modern guitars, and design philosophy
Furthermore, in 1986, he was brought in as an advisor to Paul Reed Smith, and together with the young Paul Reed Smith, he developed the "McCarty" model. The PRS McCarty features a thicker mahogany back than the Custom 24, a wide-fat neck, Kluson-style tuners, and a PRS stop tailpiece that is similar to the aforementioned McCarty bridge.RecruitFurthermore, this model takes a different approach from other PRS models, as it is designed with the tone of a vintage Les Paul in mind.
McCarty passed away in 2001 at the age of 91.
If we're going to talk about the history of Gibson, it starts with Orville Henry Gibson. However, if we're going to talk about the history of Gibson electric guitars, Ted McCarty is arguably as important a figure as Leo Fender is to Fender.
And, interestingly, neither of these two great figures who shaped the history of the electric guitar were guitarists themselves. One can't help but feel there's some kind of fateful commonality there.
one thing:When researching Gibson electric guitars, Ted McCarty almost always comes up in the search results.
While his name is frequently seen, many people probably wonder, "Who is he?" and "What did he do?" I myself feel a little disappointed that such a great figure in the history of electric guitar is not more widely known. Therefore, I wrote this article hoping to help more people learn more about Ted McCarty. I would be happy if this article helps you appreciate the Gibson brand even more.
References
American Guitar Magazine
Rittor Music THE GIBSON
Blues Interactions: The Complete Les Paul Encyclopedia
guitar.com
Author of this article:Nihei (TCGAKKI (Electric guitarist)
I learned about the guitar through the manga "BECK" when I was in junior high school, and was influenced by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, which awakened my passion for rock music.
I graduated from a vocational school specializing in guitar making.TCGAKKIAcoustic floor,TCGAKKIShe previously worked as a staff member at Premium Guitar Lounge. Currently, she is in charge of electric guitars, actively spreading her love for the instrument through column writing, YouTube appearances, and other means.
Qualifications and experience: 8 years of experience as a musical instrument appraiser
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