Nowhere in the article (seemingly centered on European circumstances) does it deal with the US government raiding their facilities over wood they claimed was protected by environmental laws. (The wood was later returned and almost all of the instruments were sold)
It does hint that stores are centered on pros and not first-time buyers.
Legendary guitar maker Gibson has filed for bankruptcy in the USA. Gibson Brands has a reported debt north of 400 million euros, with its other musical divisions like Epiphone or Wurlitzer also in the doldrums as sales of musical instuments decline.
Once near-ubiquitous in the hands of stars and guitar heroes from the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix to Neil Young and many, many more, the guitar is no longer the instrument of choice for the EDM generation, who are more likely to buy synthesisers or other electronic kit to make music.
More @ Gibson goes looking for the lost chord as the company files for bankruptcy