Enjoy a year-end review of the most head-turning and talked about Gibson Custom Select models to come out of the collection’s inaugural year—plus more Gibson exclusives!
2024 saw the launch of Gibson Custom Select, a series of guitars with hand-selected features by Gibson experts. These special features might include hand-mixed finishes, unique hardware specifications, custom pickup configurations, or all of the above.
Here are the most head-turning and talked-about models to come out of the collection’s inaugural year, followed by some very cool exclusive guitars and amps from elsewhere in the catalog.
Gibson Custom Select
Gibson Custom Select 1957 Les Paul Standard, Ultra Light Aged, British Racing Green
First up is the über-cool 1957 Les Paul™ Standard Reissue with Ultra Light Aging in British Racing Green. This guitar caught the attention of many fans and aficionados with its striking metallic British Racing Green top. Gibson’s history of using automotive paint on guitars is no new concept, but British Racing Green is an extremely rare find on any Les Paul model.
British Racing Green was made famous by its use in motorsports, as well as Steve McQueen’s Jaguar XKSS. Combining one of the most iconic automotive colors from popular culture with the world’s premier solidbody guitar is a match made in heaven, and Gibson’s fans seem to agree.
Gibson Custom Select Les Paul Custom with Nickel Hardware, in Ebony and Classic White
The Gibson Custom Select Les Paul Custom in both Ebony and Classic White with nickel hardware is a no-brainer for those players who prefer the more restrained look of nickel hardware, rather than gold, on a Les Paul Custom. Usually the Les Paul Custom is the tuxedo with gold jewelry, but in this case the bling has been dialled back. This minor change gives the guitar an entirely different aesthetic—class without flash, if you will.
Gibson Custom Select 1968 Les Paul Custom, Light Aged, Antique Pelham Blue
Next up is another Les Paul Custom with nickel hardware, but this time it’s a 1968 Reissue with a very cool Antique Pelham Blue finish, something you don’t normally find on any Les Paul Custom. This Gibson Custom Select model has the Light Aging treatment from the Murphy Lab, which gives the finish a slightly green hue that is not apparent on a standard Pelham Blue finish. The theme of fitting nickel hardware on Les Paul Customs continues with this model from the Gibson Custom Select Collection.
Gibson Custom Select Quilt Series
Showcasing what Gibson Custom’s most figured woods have to offer, the Gibson Custom Select Quilt Series includes one-piece 5A quilted maple tops, one-piece AAA quilted maple tops, two-piece 5A quilted maple tops, and quilted sapele tops and bodies.
Ranging from 1959 Les Paul Standards to a Les Paul Custom from the Modern Collection, these guitars display the most highly figured maple and sapele that Gibson Custom has to offer.
Gibson USA
Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cut
One of our biggest hits of the year was the long-awaited Les Paul Junior Double Cut made available by the Gibson USA Craftory. This guitar comes in three transparent finishes: Dark Walnut, TV Yellow, and Vintage Cherry. These stripped-down rockers are made with vintage specifications, such as a wraparound tailpiece and a Dogear P-90 pickup.
Up until now, these simple rockers have been absent from Gibson USA’s lineup for a while, and have their own dedicated following from players who want a no-frills rock machine. Based on Les Paul Juniors that were made from 1958 to 1960, the Double Cut is a sought-after vintage guitar, so this USA version delivers a rare, iconic model at a more affordable price point.
Gibson ES-330
Gibson reintroduced the ES-330 in Sixties Cherry, Tobacco Sunburst, and Antique Natural in its core lineup, while the Gibson Exclusive finish is this extremely cool Ebony colorway. This fully hollow electric guitar is fitted with two Dogear P-90 pickups, just like the originals. Dressed in all black, the guitar has a mean and moody appearance with its black pickup covers and control knobs, and just a flash of nickel thanks to the ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and trapeze tailpiece.
Dark Walnut Collection
The Gibson.com and Gibson Garage exclusive Dark Walnut Collection includes the aforementioned Les Paul Junior Double Cut, a Les Paul Standard 60s, an SG™ Standard, an ES-345, and a 70s Flying V™. This 70s aesthetic has proven to be a hit with fans who like to show off the natural wood grain on their instruments.
While the finish might be called Dark Walnut, the tonewoods remain the same, with a maple top on the Les Paul Standard 60s, maple laminate on the ES-345, and a solid mahogany body on the SG Standard, 70s Flying V, and Les Paul Junior Double Cut.
Image: Discover the allure of the new Dark Walnut finishes only on Gibson.com and at the Gibson Garage
Ebony Three-Pickup Supremes
The Les Paul, SG, and ES™ Supremes all feature slightly different “Custom” appointments similar to what you would find on a Les Paul Custom, SG Custom, and ES-355, but with an Art Deco twist. They certainly exude the attitude of their Custom counterparts, so it made sense to add a middle pickup to reference the original Les Paul Custom Black Beauties from the late 1950s.
Image: The exclusive three-pickup Ebony models in the Supreme Collection from Gibson
Gibson Acoustic
J-45 Orville Artisan 130th Anniversary
Celebrating 130 years of Gibson, the J-45™ Orville Artisan 130th Anniversary pays tribute to the “Harp Lady” inlay found on some of Orville Gibson’s harp guitars. These early harp guitars featured an intricate inlay that ran the entire length of the fretboard.
The J-45 Orville Artisan 130th Anniversary also features a special pickguard that showcases the “130” on the corner, denoting this special anniversary. These guitars are numbered and limited to 30 pieces globally, which makes the J-45 Orville Artisan a rare bird indeed.
Image: The Agoya shell teardrop pickguard is just one of many stunning features of this instrument
Blueberry Burst Collection
Blueberry Burst is normally found on models such as a Les Paul Standard 60s but is not a common color for acoustic guitars. Acoustic fans are usually stuck with the likes of Vintage Sunburst and Antique Natural, but Blueberry Burst adds an eye-catching splash of modernity to an otherwise traditional instrument.
The Blueberry Burst Collection includes a J-45 and an SJ-200, both of which feature tortoiseshell pickguards, which contrast nicely with the blue and purple hues of the finish.
Image: You’ll only find these exclusives at the Gibson Garage locations in London and Nashville, and on Gibson.com
Gibson Amps
Gibson Falcon Amps in Surf Bronco
The first exclusive colorway for the Gibson Falcon amps came in the form of a Surf Bronco wrap paired with a Bone White grille cloth. These amps still feature the same simple control layout, stock speakers, and tube complements but with a minty fresh new look.
Image: The Gibson Falcons in Surf Bronco
Check back with the Gibson Gazette over the next few days for more year-end roundups of gear, content, and videos. If you received a new guitar as a gift this year, Jim DeCola can show you how to take care of it.
