Bill Paige

Bill Paige was one of the six founders of Heritage Guitars. The idea for the company began when the Gibson Guitar Corporation closed its longtime Kalamazoo, Michigan factory in September 1984 and moved production to its Nashville, Tennessee facility, which had been operating since 1975. While some employees were invited to relocate, many had deep roots and families established in Kalamazoo, making such a move difficult. As a result, former Gibson employees Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and J.P. Moats decided to begin a new guitar manufacturing company dedicated to preserving the craftsmanship and traditions developed in Kalamazoo. When Heritage Guitars was incorporated in 1985, fellow former Gibson employees Mike Korpak and Bill Paige joined as owners, helping launch what would become one of the most respected American guitar makers of its era.