From Guitar Cases To Outdoor Adventure, SKB Has Come A Long Way

TEXT BY JOHN PANGILINAN

IMAGES COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURER

Dave Sanderson and Steve Kottman, the S and K in SKB founded the company in 1976 armed with a great idea and an abundance of ingenuity and tenacity.

“THE DUO QUICKLY SAW THE NEED FOR A BETTER PRODUCT AND THE IDEA WAS BORN TO CREATE A BETTER CASE TO HAUL AND PROTECT PRECIOUS INSTRUMENTS.”

Like many brands, SKB started from modest beginnings and a bit of ingenuity. Two college friends, Dave Sanderson and Steve Kottman, had a few things in common; they were both on the same rowing team at Long Beach State University, they both played guitar, and they both had a desire to be their own boss. This kinship would lead them to create the industry’s premier lightweight molded guitar case.

During the Summer of 1976, Dave had taken a job at Knott’s Berry Farm as a stagehand, while Steve was on tour with his band. When Steve returned, they worked together to help the acts by offering to repair the flight cases of the bands that performed at the amusement park. The duo quickly saw the need for a better product and the idea was born to create a better case to haul and protect precious instruments.