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Guitar Legend Gibson Seeks Bankruptcy Protection

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The maker of the Gibson guitar, omnipresent for decades on the American rock 'n' roll stage, is filing for bankruptcy protection after wrestling for years with debt.

Gibson guitars have been esteemed by generations of guitar legends. After Chuck Berry died, his beloved cherry-red Gibson guitar was bolted to the inside of his coffin lid. David Bowie favored the 1989 Gibson L4 when he fronted Tin Machine. Slash swears by them.

Gibson guitars
(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Webster PR)

A pre-negotiated reorganization plan filed Tuesday will allow Gibson Brands Inc. to continue operations with $135 million in financing from lenders.

Gibson was founded in 1894 and is based in Nashville, Tennessee. It also makes the Epiphone and Wurlitzer pianos.

The company has already sold off some noncore brands, acquisitions that contributed to its burdensome debt load.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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