Ken McKay established Up North Strings in Traverse City Michigan primarily to service and sell student stringed instruments and to make double basses. Making guitars, and guitar parts for other luthiers has also been a big part of McKay's business, especially laminated guitar plates for archtop makers. Having made laminated guitars of his own design he wanted to try recreating the original Gibson ES-335 designs - and these became the McKay Tribute series of semi-hollow bodied electric guitars.

Source: Up North Strings website (20 February 2017)