Ted McCarty

Theodore "Ted" McCarty (October 10th, 1909 – April 1st, 2001) was an American businessman who worked with the Wurlitzer Company and the Gibson Guitar Corporation. In 1966, along with Gibson Vice President John Huis he purchased the Bigsby Company and became its President. He is known for his pioneering work while at Gibson, presiding over many guitar innovations and designs between 1950 and 1966.

Born in Somerset, Kentucky in 1909, McCarty earned a degree in engineering from the University of Cincinnati before joining the Wurlitzer Company in 1936. He stayed with Wurlitzer until 1948 when he was recruited by Gibson. At that time, Brach's Candy was also attempting to recruit him.

McCarty was chosen as vice president of the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1949, then later as president in 1950. He remained president until 1966. This period became known as Gibson's golden age of electric guitars. During his tenure, the Gibson Les Paul was designed. Never satisfied, McCarty sought to create a hybrid design that would combine the sustain of a solid-body electric with the mellow warmth of a hollow-body. The ES-335 was created as a "semi-hollow", with both a central block running the length of the guitar and hollow wings. McCarty was also responsible for the development of the Tune-o-matic bridge system, the humbucking pickup, and the Explorer, Flying V, Moderne, SG and Firebird guitars. Like Leo Fender, McCarty never played the guitar. He instead talked with every guitarist he could in order to find out what guitar players were interested in.

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