Live music brings people together, and Montana is one of the best places to experience it. The state has consistently hosted impressive music events, and it looks like that won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Musicians need quality equipment, and there are some pretty amazing things being built right here in Montana.
The Gibson Guitar Company recently announced a collaboration with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. They are manufacturing a replica of his legendary 1964 SJ-200 guitar. The guitar is manufactured at the Gibson facilities in Bozeman, Montana.
Musical instruments can be significant investments, and musicians want them to sound their best. That’s where the Rattlesnake Cable Company comes in. Based in Missoula, the Rattlesnake Cable Company was voted “The Coolest Thing Made in Montana” in the small business category by the Montana Chamber of Commerce this year. I had the opportunity to speak with Hank Donovan, co-owner of Rattlesnake Cable Company. Donovan didn’t initially set out to make instrument cables—he started by making guitar pedals. One day, he decided to make his own cable.
I went to band practice and the bass players like, oh, where’d you get that cable? I said, oh, I just made it. He was like “hey, can you make me one?”… Within days after that I started getting phone calls from other friends that heard I was making cables. I said “that’s really weird”. Then probably, you know, a couple months later, I was literally getting phone calls…