Gibson’s 2019 range
For its first annual range since filing for bankruptcy in May, Gibson is staying focussed without a robot tuner in sight. And that’s all well and good, but beyond the £3k + High Performance Les Paul in its latest refresh, what is Gibson offering those of us demanding more real-world guitar prices?
Well, the good news is that there are some promising models in the roster offering relative value for Us-made instruments. The most affordable is the Les Paul Junior Tribute DC (Double Cut) that is already appearing for around £699 to preorder on retail sites at the time of going to press. It’s the kind of streamlined utilitarian Gibson we’ve always had a soft spot for; a single P-90, Slim Taper neck profile and satin nitro finish in Blue Stain, Worn Brown, Worn Ebony and Worn Cherry options. And unlike some mid-priced models from big brands in the POST-CITES industry, the fretboards on these guitars are staying rosewood.
The Les Paul Studios weigh in at around £1,399 (with a rather unfortunately-titled BBQ Burst amongst the finish options available). Elsewhere, the Les Paul Studio Tribute, Explorer Tribute and Firebird Tribute come in at around, or under, £1,099 with the SG Tribute around £899. There’s also an intriguing debut added to the new Gibson line-up; the ES-235 (around £1,499) could be a tempting semi for Les Paul fans.
When October
More info gibson.com