The beginning of Replogle Resos hearkens back over 40 years ago to the disco days of the late-1970’s. Mike Replogle was at that time a working musician, and also held “day jobs” as a guitar luthier. Segueing into Business Management, Replogle worked with companies including Valley Arts Guitars, Samick, and Gibson Guitars- in fact in 1993, Mike was hired by Gibson to manage their acquisition of the Original Musical Instrument company (OMI), the makers of the Dobro resonator guitar. That was the beginning of a long adventure during which Replogle learned far more than he ever expected to about the eclectic resonator guitar, and he found himself becoming inextricably intertwined with the instruments and people that love them.
Under Replogle’s guidance the quality of the OMI Dobros was resurrected, he brought in new designs and innovations, and for a few years in the 1990’s the Dobro flourished again. However, after decades of operating in Orange County, California, in the late 90’s Gibson decided to consolidate Dobro operations with their Nashville factory and they relocated the company to Tennessee with disastrous effect. Replogle himself remained in California and championed the strides he had made in resonator guitar design and quality, providing parts to luthiers and manufacturers. Replogle Resos was born, and the Legacy continues….
NEWS……………….
Los Angeles Times
Gibson Relocates OMI to Nashville: The LA Times reported the change on March 4, 1997:
O.C. Sees the End of Dobro Era
Music: Parent company Gibson will move production of the guitars from Huntington Beach to Nashville.
“Industry observers said that, under General Manager Michael Replogle, OMI had started to revamp some of its production methods, as well as introduce new instruments that are better suited to today’s musicians”
Los Angeles Times article – Dobro & Mike Replogle
VIDEO: CNN News Feature on Dobro & Mike Replogle
The following feature was aired many times on CNN in 1995. This is an interview with Mike Replogle, then the General Manager of OMI/Dobro, a division of Gibson Guitar.
VIDEO: Dobro Production in Huntington Beach, California- Mike Replogle Interview circa 1995
This video is an extensive interview with Mike Replogle in 1995, then General Manager of OMI/Dobro, a division of Gibson Guitar. This video gives an inside view of the majority of the production processes that Replogle employed for the Dobro guitars, both wood body and metal body versions.
VIDEO: Spinning the Replogle Resonator Cone
The following is a video compiled by Mike Replogle, showing the process he uses for spinning the resonator.