Gibson Factory

If you're in Memphis, Tennessee it's probably because you love rock 'n roll. And if so, you need to hear the sounds of Gibson guitars. So take advantage of where you are, and go to the factory. The Gibson guitar factory is across from the corner that connects the iconic Beale Street with George W. Lee Avenue, and it's impossible to miss when you're walking around and see their famous logo flashing over your head. In the Gibson Factory you can do two things: take the tour or wish you had taken the tour. I've been on both sides at one time and I can tell you it's better to do it than not to do it and be thinking "what if I had gone?"

The $10 entry costs are fully justified if you are a music or guitar lover. The ride lasts about 45 minutes and there is one every hour from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you arrive and find the tickets are sold out that day (which is likely to happen), you can buy them in advance for the next day (morning tours are less crowded than those in late afternoon). The tour of the Gibson factory is actually a very personal experience. So personal that you'll be breathing the sawdust coming off of the guitars that are being made at that moment. You'll see the workers cutting, filing, polishing, installing, painting, etc. the guitars. More "up close and personal" doesn't exist.