Nat Geo series lifts the lid on Gibson USA Nashville factory

National Geographic’s new Made in a Day TV series offers viewers a unique look inside the Gibson USA factory in Nashville. The series, which explores cutting-edge manufacturing, throws the spotlight on electric guitar manufacturing in its second episode.

Filmed pre-lockdown on location late 2019, the show follows the guitar-building process from creation and production to transport, covering the entire evolution and journey of Gibson’s iconic Les Paul electric guitar. 

The Made In A Day episode talks with luthiers (guitar designers) and the artisans that hand-craft the guitars, and explains how these instruments are made. A combination of hand-crafting skills, high-tech machinery, and global logistics come together to bring Gibson’s Les Paul electric guitar to the world’s stage. 

It’s a fascinating insight into an aspect of musical instruments few have the opportunity to see up close.   

Made In A Day is a 12-part series focusing on the ingenuity and scale of America’s manufacturing industry. In addition to Gibson, episodes cover Tesla, Jeep Wrangler, ULA Space Rockets, Tabasco, John Deere, Jack Daniels and New Balance.

Nat Geo’s Made In A Day ep 2 ‘Electric Guitars’ is available on National Geographic catch-up services, including the Sky Q TV platform, until October 17 2020.