Instrument World

The home of Gibson electric guitars today is "Gibson USA," built in 1974 in Nashville specifically for the production of Gibson's Les Paul guitars. Although the entire guitar industry went through a slump in the late '70s, the spirit of innovation remained strong at Gibson. In response to a growing demand for vintage stylings, Gibson tapped its rich history and reissued the dot-neck version of the ES-335 in 1981 and the flametop sunburst Les Paul in 1982. At the same time, two legendary guitarists joined Gibson- B.B. King in 1980 with the Lucille model and Chet Atkins in 1982 with his new concept of a solidbody acoustic guitar.

Gibson world headquarters moved to Nashville in 1984 with the closing of the Kalamazoo plant. The financially troubled company was rescued in January 1986 by Henry Juszkiewicz and David Berryman, and the new owners quickly restored Gibson's reputation for quality as well as its profitability.

Today's Gibson electric guitars represent the history as well as the future of the electric guitar. The models whose designs have become classics-the ES-175, ES-335, Flying V, Explorer, Firebird, SGs and Les Pauls-are a testament to Gibson's wide appeal, spanning more than four decades of music styles. Gibson's close relationship with musicians is manifest in endorsement models from King, Atkins and jazz greats Howard Roberts and Herb Ellis, plus new Les Pauls made to the personal specifications of rock stars Jimmy Page and Joe Perry. In 1994, Gibson's Centennial year, the new Nighthawk model won an industry award for design, setting the stage for a second hundred years of Gibson quality and innovation. (Gibson Support)

No band is really complete without the sound of the electric bass guitar, and for her those of you that really love this instrument, Epiphone basses are one of the best choices that you can possibly make. It has a sound that is classic, and it can really add a lot to your overall music whenever you have one of these excellent basses in your hand. There are some choices that you need to make, however, when choosing a Epiphone bass guitar. Here are some of the most important.

The first thing that you need to choose when looking at an Epiphone bass is the style that will best suit the look you’re going for. There are a little over a dozen different styles of basses that are available, each guitar bringing a unique shape, look and sound to the table. The best possible thing that you can do, if you haven’t made up your mind on which Epiphone bass guitar you’re going to choose, is to go into one of the dealers and hold a few of them in your hand. You certainly would want to make sure that any guitar that you own is going to be comfortable for you to play. While you are there, I would recommend that you try out the Les Paul Epiphone bass guitar, along with a couple of the classics, the embassy special and the embassy standard. Don’t sell yourself short, however, as there are plenty of excellent Epiphone bass guitar options for you to choose from.

Another choice that you’re going to have to make when selecting your Epiphone bass guitar is the color. Most of us tend to go for the classic look and a solid color, but there are dozens of different finishes for you to choose from. The easiest way for you to see what is available is to look at the Epiphone bass guitar website, which has them all listed. It is also a good idea if you see these in person, however, as the Internet does not always pass along the colors as it really should. Since the Epiphone bass guitar is going to be an investment, you want to make sure that you invest in it wisely. (epiphonebassguitar)

Paul Gilbert, a longstanding Ibanez endorser, submitted the plans for his new custom guitar to the Ibanez L.A. Custom Shop in 2007.

For this particular model, Paul took a stock photo of the Ibanez "Iceman" model and turned it upside down using image editing software.
He then tweaked the design further, for better playability and balance. This model was to be a radical departure from any of his previous signature models. Soon after Paul received the finished guitar, it quickly made its way on to recordings and stages all over the world.
It was originally called the "Reverse Iceman", but soon took on the nickname of "Fireman" due to its opposite nature to the "Iceman".

In 2008, the Paul Gilbert "Fireman" quickly became a hot topic among fans, creating demand for a production version.

In 2009, Ibanez decided to release a limited number of "Fireman" guitars in tribute to Paul's adventurous creation. (ibanez/Fireman)

Gibson USA Les Paul Studio

Sometimes less is better. In the case of the Les Paul Studio from Gibson USA, however, a little less is breathtaking! Ever since hitting the streets in 1983, Gibson’s Les Paul Studio has been the ultimate offering of traditional Les Paul performance with a modern, no-frills attitude. Introduced as a guitar mainly for studio musicians, the Les Paul Studio has become one of the most desired – and popular – Les Pauls for its tremendous harmonic and sonic qualities. All of the essential elements of a Les Paul Standard are there, including a carved maple top, solid mahogany back and genuine Gibson humbucker pickups. What the Les Paul Studio lacks in extras, it makes up for in performance. If you don’t believe us, ask any one of the thousands of musicians who call it their No. 1 axe. The Les Paul Studio is one of Gibson USA’s best-selling instruments.

www2.gibson.com

Gibson....Gibson.....Gibson........
_______________________________Amazing

Gibson's original limited run of Reverse Flying Vs flew out of stock, selling out faster than any other electric guitar model. Hundreds of lucky guitar players were very happy and tens of thousands hollered for a Reverse V guitar of their own. Since then, the letters and e-mails to Gibson have flooded in, demanding another chance to own a Reverse Flying V.

You asked, Gibson listened, and they have handcrafted a small number of Reverse Flying V guitars for another very limited run of these flame-throwing cult classic collectibles. For those who missed it the first time, here is one more chance to grab an amazing Reverse Flying V electric guitar from Gibson USA. If there is this much demand for them now, think what they will command when they are vintage.

Innovative, groundbreaking, daring, and revolutionary were the the words most commonly used to describe Gibson's legendary Flying V, first introduced in 1958. In 2007, when Gibson took it a step further with the bold and fearless Reverse Flying V, people couldn't believe their eyes. Smart guitarists grabbed one while they could, nabbing one of the most popular and collectible Gibson electrics of the past 20 years. Now, in response to a popular demand that has increased ever since the original run, Gibson USA is proud to once again offer the Reverse Flying V, in a very limited edition.

This limited edition Reverse Flying V features a solid mahogany, V-shaped body, four-ply pickguard, Kluson-style green key tuners, and retro-style V-shaped gold tailpiece. The neck sports the traditional Flying V profile, a hybrid between the classic '50s rounded contour and the popular '60s slim-taper. The ebony fingerboard and gold-pasted truss rod cover round out this testament to Gibson's bold and pioneering design tradition. With a pair of '57 Classic humbuckers, for legendary vintage Gibson tone, the limited edition Reverse Flying V is available in Classic White, Ebony and Natural. Only 300 of each color will be produced. So act fast and take home this collectible classic while you can.

Source...http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com