# Gibson 2020: '70s V/Explorer, Adam Jones, and Tony Iommi sig models



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 12, 2020)

https://www.musicradar.com/news/nam...ignature-les-paul-custom-for-tools-adam-jones



> "The Gibson Custom Shop is also working with legendary and multi-talented Tool guitarist artist, sculptor, special effects designer, videographer and producer Adam Jones on recreating his original 1979 Les Paul Custom Silverburst that can been seen live on stage with Adam today in support of their world tour and blockbuster new album Fear Inoculum. More details to come on this project later in 2020."



The Tony Iommi sig will be based on his Monkey SG he used in the early '70s. Even seems like it'll use pickups based on John Birch's old winds.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/namm-2020-tony-iommi-monkey-gibson-sg-special-revealed







https://www.musicradar.com/news/namm-2020-gibson-goes-back-to-the-70s-with-classic-v-and-explorer

And theyre bringing back the '70s Explorer and V... again.  At least with the V, it's actual '70s specs. Matching headstock, pickup rings... Hell yeah.


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## Shoeless_jose (Jan 12, 2020)

Thats my fav explorer but I have a Coheed and Cambria addiction


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 12, 2020)

Dineley said:


> Thats my fav explorer but I have a Coheed and Cambria addiction



Throw in an EMG 81 and 85 pair and you have peak-era C&C.


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## nsimonsen (Jan 12, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Throw in an EMG 81 and 85 pair and you have peak-era C&C.



Straight up! Vivid memories of watching the Starland Ballroom DVD and gassing hard for Claud's white Explorer.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 12, 2020)

nsimonsen said:


> Straight up! Vivid memories of watching the Starland Ballroom DVD and gassing hard for Claud's white Explorer.





I'm still surprised Gibson never did a Claudio Sanchez sig Gibson. Dude's used Gibson since C&C's beginnings.


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## Shoeless_jose (Jan 12, 2020)

nsimonsen said:


> Straight up! Vivid memories of watching the Starland Ballroom DVD and gassing hard for Claud's white Explorer.


Big time!! Watched that DVD soooooo many times. Usually me playing wow on my laptop with that going on my 19" TV lol


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## Crash Dandicoot (Jan 12, 2020)

I'd be lying if I said my multiple E/2 Explorer purchases weren't influenced by C&C. Good memories.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 12, 2020)

Sh


Crash Dandicoot said:


> I'd be lying if I said my multiple E/2 Explorer purchases weren't influenced by C&C. Good memories.


Shit, at least give us a beveled-as-fuck Epi Claudio Sanchez E/2 Explorer.


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## possumkiller (Jan 13, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> At least with the V, it's actual '70s specs. Matching headstock, pickup rings... Hell yeah.


No not at all. It's a 90s-10s "67" spec just with neck binding, pickup rings, and matching headstock. The neck joint is not 70s. The headstock is nowhere near 70s. 60s reflector knobs. Pickguard is not 70s. They could call the Epiphone 58 gothic V a "70s" V and be just as accurate. What a disappointment...

It's actually literally the exact same V they made last year and since the 90s. They just put the big pickguard back on it and added rings, matching headstock and neck binding for some reason. Neck binding wasn't 70s spec. The 70s Vs painted the back of the neck all the way up to the playing surface of the fretboard. So the white ones look like they have binding but they don't. Apart from one or two small special dealer runs in 1979-80.

If you want a real 70s V, buy an Edwards. The pickguard is different and there is no volute, but it's as close as you're gonna get without buying an actual 70s Gibson (unless you can find a super rare Fernandes FFV-70 or Burny FV-75 which were 1:1 copies of the 75 Gibson V).


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## Edika (Jan 13, 2020)

I just read about Adam Jones Custom. He mentions original Seymour Duncan Super Distortions. Did Seymour Duncan make a pickup called Super Distortion or is he confusing the SD Distortion with the Dimarzio Super Distortion?

Also no ebony fretboard on the Explorer? Then I'm not interested. I know it sounds silly but I like what I like!


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## couverdure (Jan 13, 2020)

Edika said:


> I just read about Adam Jones Custom. He mentions original Seymour Duncan Super Distortions. Did Seymour Duncan make a pickup called Super Distortion or is he confusing the SD Distortion with the Dimarzio Super Distortion?


He's most likely referring to the Duncan Distortion, since his guitars have the stock bridge pickup swapped out for open-coil SD pickups with the logo on the bobbin. I don't know if he verified that he used the JB since people tried replicating his tones with that pickup and they seem to work, so I guess it's confirmed he actually uses the Distortion.


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## gnoll (Jan 13, 2020)

They should do the 84 Explorer...


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## Edika (Jan 13, 2020)

couverdure said:


> He's most likely referring to the Duncan Distortion, since his guitars have the stock bridge pickup swapped out for open-coil SD pickups with the logo on the bobbin. I don't know if he verified that he used the JB since people tried replicating his tones with that pickup and they seem to work, so I guess it's confirmed he actually uses the Distortion.



Yeah that's what I was thinking and I couldn't really see the guitar up close to see if he had the screws plus slugs or alen screws on both coils.


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## possumkiller (Jan 13, 2020)

gnoll said:


> They should do the 84 Explorer...


If they do it anything like the Epiphone version, it will just be an ESP knockoff with a Gibson headstock. Plus the actual 84 Explorers and Vs had alder bodies, maple necks, and ebony fretboards.


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## uni777 (Jan 13, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> If they do it anything like the Epiphone version, it will just be an ESP knockoff with a Gibson headstock. Plus the actual 84 Explorers and Vs had alder bodies, maple necks, and ebony fretboards.


 They should kiss and make up with Hedfield and release a white hetfield sig.
Correct knop placement etc.


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## Andromalia (Jan 13, 2020)

I could see myself celebrating my new job with a new V.


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## mlp187 (Jan 13, 2020)

Andromalia said:


> I could see myself celebrating my new job with a new V.


I'm going to celebrate your new job with a new explorer.


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## thrashinbatman (Jan 13, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> If they do it anything like the Epiphone version, it will just be an ESP knockoff with a Gibson headstock. Plus the actual 84 Explorers and Vs had alder bodies, maple necks, and ebony fretboards.


Well given that ESP isn't allowed to make their (superior) version of that Explorer, Gibson might as well. Seeing how much demand there still is for the ESP MX, Gibson could potentially make a killing selling a higher-end version.


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## Andromalia (Jan 13, 2020)

You can still get a brand new MX provided you jump a few hoops. What people want is a cheap one without an epi logo, and I guess they'll stay disappointed for a long time.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 13, 2020)

uni777 said:


> They should kiss and make up with Hedfield and release a white hetfield sig.
> Correct knop placement etc.



*You will get more Slash sigs and you will like it. *


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## thrashinbatman (Jan 13, 2020)

Andromalia said:


> You can still get a brand new MX provided you jump a few hoops. What people want is a cheap one without an epi logo, and I guess they'll stay disappointed for a long time.


If the Epiphone one had a matching white headstock I probably would have bought it, because it's otherwise pretty slick. I'd prefer ebony to rosewood but that isn't make or break. I basically want a straight rip-off of the MX, Epiphone or Gibson, but as usual, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.


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## Andromalia (Jan 14, 2020)

The MX body and headstock aren't strictly identical so I guess it'd be a no-go, at least from Gibson. 84 reissues, why not, but I guess they'd have done some already if they could/wanted.


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## ryanougrad (Jan 14, 2020)

I wish they'd make the Bill Kelliher Golden Axe Explorer a standard model, but they must not move enough Explorers to justify more than 2-3 colors a year (white, black, whatever).


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## possumkiller (Jan 14, 2020)

Andromalia said:


> The MX body and headstock aren't strictly identical so I guess it'd be a no-go, at least from Gibson. 84 reissues, why not, but I guess they'd have done some already if they could/wanted.


The MX220 is a straight copy of Hetfield's 84 explorer that he sent to them. The only difference is is his preferred control layout, black hardware, and their bigger banana headstock with matching paint. His first MX220 even had passive pickups because he still hadn't switched to EMG. 

The Epiphone 84 copies the black hardware, control layout, and EMGs of the ESP but keeps the Gibson shape black face headstock. Basically the Epiphone 84 wasn't a 100% copy of either one.


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## uni777 (Jan 14, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> The MX220 is a straight copy of Hetfield's 84 explorer that he sent to them. The only difference is is his preferred control layout, black hardware, and their bigger banana headstock with matching paint. His first MX220 even had passive pickups because he still hadn't switched to EMG.
> 
> The Epiphone 84 copies the black hardware, control layout, and EMGs of the ESP but keeps the Gibson shape black face headstock. Basically the Epiphone 84 wasn't a 100% copy of either one.


Bodyshape wise there are some subtle differences too. Eventhough they look the same none of the bodylines is an exact match. The MX is a little more angular and a tiny bit longer as opposed to the gibson shape. Not by much but the difference is there.


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## possumkiller (Jan 14, 2020)

uni777 said:


> Bodyshape wise there are some subtle differences too. Eventhough they look the same none of the bodylines is an exact match. The MX is a little more angular and a tiny bit longer as opposed to the gibson shape. Not by much but the difference is there.


It depends on if you are comparing with the MX220 (Gibson 58/84 shape) or MX250 (Gibson 76 shape).


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## uni777 (Jan 14, 2020)

Have had a 84 and two 76 explorers both of the shapes were different to my eps and ltd ones.
I traced all of them when i was working on plans for my KL inspired 7string.


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## Andromalia (Jan 14, 2020)

ryanougrad said:


> I wish they'd make the Bill Kelliher Golden Axe Explorer a standard model, but they must not move enough Explorers to justify more than 2-3 colors a year (white, black, whatever).


No thanks, that's my one "investment" model


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## possumkiller (Jan 14, 2020)

uni777 said:


> Have had a 84 and two 76 explorers both of the shapes were different to my eps and ltd ones.
> I traced all of them when i was working on plans for my KL inspired 7string.


That would be cool to see. Which ESPs did you have?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 17, 2020)

...Huh

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/na...qf0axG-MbKo7fCP6jMvyLtWU73xo-H3Ov9kaNOHD4sYHs

Jerry Cantrell is now a Gibson endorsee.

I know he's been using Les Pauls and SGs religiously since the late '90s. But still. Didn't expect it.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 17, 2020)

Something else I just realized. 

The Gibson Custom exhibit, there was a V in the glass case. Single P90 with an X on it. Pete was heeeaavily hinting something with the X.

Hmm.


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## Dekay82 (Jan 17, 2020)

Id be all over that Adam Jones if I didn’t just get a 1980 LPC silverburst for my 40th beeday. Also just refin’d and explorer to be a goldtop this past summer.


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## BornToLooze (Jan 17, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Something else I just realized.
> 
> The Gibson Custom exhibit, there was a V in the glass case. Single P90 with an X on it. Pete was heeeaavily hinting something with the X.
> 
> Hmm.



I saw a pic on another forum of a new endorsee's guitar.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 18, 2020)

I’m still in the midst of a big Reverb sell off that was supposed to be in preparation for buying a LPC. In large part that’s because I’m a huge Adam Jones fan. So yeah...that Jones sig is almost certainly happening.


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## Riverrunsred (Jan 18, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> ...Huh
> 
> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/na...qf0axG-MbKo7fCP6jMvyLtWU73xo-H3Ov9kaNOHD4sYHs
> 
> ...


Wasn't he a G&L guy ?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 18, 2020)

Riverrunsred said:


> Wasn't he a G&L guy ?



Dude's been using G&L since Grunge was born. 

He's also been using Gibson since the '90s and would use them during the reunion, but IIRC since his sig model was released in 2010 he stayed really loyal to G&L. Curious to see if he's still using G&L live or if this is an exclusive deal.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jan 18, 2020)

That's a bummer for G&L. Such good folks, and perennial underdogs.


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## Dekay82 (Jan 18, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Dude's been using G&L since Grunge was born.
> 
> He's also been using Gibson since the '90s and would use them during the reunion, but IIRC since his sig model was released in 2010 he stayed really loyal to G&L. Curious to see if he's still using G&L live or if this is an exclusive deal.



Yeah, I’m pretty certain he’s been using LP Customs as long as he’s been using the rampage. Would be cool if they issued his white one with the gold dots. I’d never buy, but it’d be cool.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 18, 2020)

Dekay82 said:


> Yeah, I’m pretty certain he’s been using LP Customs as long as he’s been using the rampage. Would be cool if they issued his white one with the gold dots. I’d never buy, but it’d be cool.



He's been using the Rampages since 1985 - 1986. He's been using the Les Paul Customs since 1996? 

He did have an Les Paul Studio Lite in the video for Would?


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 18, 2020)

Edika said:


> Yeah that's what I was thinking and I couldn't really see the guitar up close to see if he had the screws plus slugs or alen screws on both coils.



Is this close enough? Lol


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 18, 2020)

Ah yes, the legendary '94 Silverburst Les Paul.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 18, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Ah yes, the legendary '94 Silverburst Les Paul.



That one is Adam’s #1. I think that’s a 79?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 18, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> That one is Adam’s #1. I think that’s a 79?



Twas a joke.  6:27 here


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 18, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Twas a joke.  6:27 here




Damn it, I knew there was a joke there I just couldn’t remember what it was. Hah


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## Deadpool_25 (Jan 18, 2020)

I’m definitely getting that sig.

Actually watching the opening band (Author & Punisher) at a Tool concert right now.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 18, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> Damn it, I knew there was a joke there I just couldn’t remember what it was. Hah



It's funny because those '90s Les Pauls are actually starting to become cult classics.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jan 19, 2020)

BornToLooze said:


> I saw a pic on another forum of a new endorsee's guitar.



This is such a Phil X kind of guitar. A really cool dude overall. Love the Robin in the neck cavity.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 19, 2020)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> This is such a Phil X kind of guitar. A really cool dude overall. Love the Robin in the neck cavity.



Yeah, he apparently swapped over to Gibson recently. Just got a souped-up V that was made you could see in the Andertons video. He played it at the big Gibson show last night too.B


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jan 19, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Yeah, he apparently swapped over to Gibson recently. Just got a souped-up V that was made you could see in the Andertons video. He played it at the big Gibson show last night too.B



The funny thing is that I figured it was Phil for sole P90 on the bridge since he's been rocking guitars of that kind exclusively, and I saw a clip with him at the Gibson booth. But with his cool dude persona, adding the Robin just screams like something Phil would do. He's the Jeff Spicoli of the guitar world.


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## BornToLooze (Jan 19, 2020)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> The funny thing is that I figured it was Phil for sole P90 on the bridge since he's been rocking guitars of that kind exclusively, and I saw a clip with him at the Gibson booth. But with his cool dude persona, adding the Robin just screams like something Phil would do. He's the Jeff Spicoli of the guitar world.



That's one of the main reasons I'm a huge Phil X fan. He still loves guitar like I did when I was 15


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## Edika (Jan 19, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> Is this close enough? Lol
> 
> View attachment 76754



Still not sure, maybe a SEM image will help me identify the pickup


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## MaxOfMetal (Jan 19, 2020)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Yeah, he apparently swapped over to Gibson recently. Just got a souped-up V that was made you could see in the Andertons video. He played it at the big Gibson show last night too.B



It's another instrument in the Gibson Collaboration series, it was actually built by Leo Scala.

From what I've heard there are going to be a lot of cool collaborations coming down the pike, from really good builders, some you wouldn't expect to be working with Gibson. Interesting times.

EDIT: Here's the Gibson/Scala Phil X V.


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## Apex1rg7x (Feb 24, 2020)

So what are the chances the Jones LPC is UNDER $8k? I say doubtful but here's to hoping


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 24, 2020)

Apex1rg7x said:


> So what are the chances the Jones LPC is UNDER $8k? I say doubtful but here's to hoping



I think the odds are pretty good. Most new Gibson CS signatures are between $5k and $7.5k MAP (not much under, but still), but I know dealers have a lot of wiggle room on price (high margin) if they don't fly off the shelves. 

They could also go the route they have with some of the other bigger name sigs. (Frehley, Frampton, Slash, etc.) and put out a limited "non-CS" model in the $3k to $4k range. 

The only way I see it being over $8k is if they do the full VOS/Murphy package on it with low double digit quantity.


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## Apex1rg7x (Feb 25, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I think the odds are pretty good. Most new Gibson CS signatures are between $5k and $7.5k MAP (not much under, but still), but I know dealers have a lot of wiggle room on price (high margin) if they don't fly off the shelves.
> 
> They could also go the route they have with some of the other bigger name sigs. (Frehley, Frampton, Slash, etc.) and put out a limited "non-CS" model in the $3k to $4k range.
> 
> The only way I see it being over $8k is if they do the full VOS/Murphy package on it with low double digit quantity.


I would like to see a more affordable mass production run to keep the prices somewhat manageable for the average guy but a limited VOS/Murphy run would be killer and would have the collectors going crazy I'm sure.


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## Dekay82 (Feb 26, 2020)

Apex1rg7x said:


> I would like to see a more affordable mass production run to keep the prices somewhat manageable for the average guy but a limited VOS/Murphy run would be killer and would have the collectors going crazy I'm sure.


If I remember correctly, the Bill Kelliher Golden Axe was $1300 when it came out, the Halcyon, white Lizzie Hale, and Thunderhorse were around $2000. So in terms of Gibson pricing, that was relatively affordable. If they do go that route, I wonder if they would only burst the top to keep costs down.


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## park0496 (Jun 27, 2020)

Adam Jones sig finally in production according to his Instagram...


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## Spicypickles (Jun 27, 2020)

They’ll fuck it up somehow, throw light ass rosewood or some other species on there that’s super brown, and chamber it. Either that or do a faithful reproduction and go HEAVY on the price. Not a bad idea for that but it’ll throw everyone into a hissy fit.

Given that LPC’s bog standard are $4700, these are gonna be ruthless either way.


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## park0496 (Jun 27, 2020)

... Or they could knock it out of the park. I’m gonna be optimistic for once haha. We’ll see soon!


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## Rotatous (Jun 27, 2020)

Those 70s V/Explorers are fuckin' rad!


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## fps (Jun 28, 2020)

Oh no. An Adam Jones signature model. Oh no.


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## possumkiller (Jun 29, 2020)

Rotatous said:


> Those 70s V/Explorers are fuckin' rad!


There is absolutely nothing 70s about those Vs. Like literally all they did was take the same standard V they were making for the last 30 years and slap some pickup rings on it and paint the headstock to match the body. It's a 90s 67 reissue body with a 57 headstock. Pickguard is not right. Headstock is not right. Tuners not right. No volute. Neck is mounted at an angle and the fretboard is almost flush to the body. 70s necks were mounted parallel with the body and the fretboard was high up off the body. Wrong knobs. Wrong bridge. I just left a log in the toilet that bears equal resemblance to a 70s Flying V.


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## Rotatous (Jun 29, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> There is absolutely nothing 70s about those Vs. Like literally all they did was take the same standard V they were making for the last 30 years and slap some pickup rings on it and paint the headstock to match the body. It's a 90s 67 reissue body with a 57 headstock. Pickguard is not right. Headstock is not right. Tuners not right. No volute. Neck is mounted at an angle and the fretboard is almost flush to the body. 70s necks were mounted parallel with the body and the fretboard was high up off the body. Wrong knobs. Wrong bridge. I just left a log in the toilet that bears equal resemblance to a 70s Flying V.


I don't care what they're called. They're still rad.


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## Carl Kolchak (Jun 30, 2020)

I'm sure someone here will correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Adam Jones "sig" start out life as just an off-the-shelf Les Paul? If so, what's so "siggy" about it? As far as I can see, it's just a Les Paul with a burst paintjob.


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## xzacx (Jun 30, 2020)

Carl Kolchak said:


> I'm sure someone here will correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Adam Jones "sig" start out life as just an off-the-shelf Les Paul? If so, what's so "siggy" about it? As far as I can see, it's just a Les Paul with a burst paintjob.



Not just a silverburst paint job, a teardrop shaped burst—the ugliest kind. I think it has a JB in the bridge or something like that too. Maybe it has some relicing like his too. Should be everything you’d need for some monotonous drop D riffing.


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## MFB (Jun 30, 2020)

xzacx said:


> Not just a silverburst paint job, a teardrop shaped burst—the ugliest kind. I think it has a JB in the bridge or something like that too. Maybe it has some relicing like his too. Should be everything you’d need for some monotonous drop D riffing.



As if I needed more reason not to buy it, now I find out it has a JB in it? Pathetic.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jun 30, 2020)

I don't think they'll be JB's. More likely Duncan Distortions or a custom/vintage version of those. Whether that's better or worse is up to you.


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## fps (Jul 1, 2020)

Carl Kolchak said:


> I'm sure someone here will correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Adam Jones "sig" start out life as just an off-the-shelf Les Paul? If so, what's so "siggy" about it? As far as I can see, it's just a Les Paul with a burst paintjob.



Good, good. Comments like these are helping me.


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## Alex79 (Jul 1, 2020)

Gibson is already doing Explorer sigs with the FFDP guy Jason Hook. In their view that probably more than covers that niche.

I’m hugely disappointed no one here has mentioned Airborne!!!!


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## Deadpool_25 (Jul 4, 2020)

I’m not a Gibson aficionado, so I’m legitimately curious. What is ever “siggy” about Les Pauls? Like...what’s so special about Slash’s or Bonamassa’s, etc? I’m thinking just pickups and maybe colors? Oh I guess neck shape as well?


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## Steinmetzify (Jul 4, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I’m not a Gibson aficionado, so I’m legitimately curious. What is ever “siggy” about Les Pauls? Like...what’s so special about Slash’s or Bonamassa’s, etc? I’m thinking just pickups and maybe colors? Oh I guess neck shape as well?



For those guys, it’s more about the name drop because they’ve played them pretty much their whole careers. 

The one Slash got famous with wasn’t even a Gibson, it was a luthier built copy that Gibson ended up copying themselves for his sig.


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## xzacx (Jul 4, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I’m not a Gibson aficionado, so I’m legitimately curious. What is ever “siggy” about Les Pauls? Like...what’s so special about Slash’s or Bonamassa’s, etc? I’m thinking just pickups and maybe colors? Oh I guess neck shape as well?



You have it more or less. Bridges too occasionally. But that’s not really any different than the 50 different signature Strats that Fender makes.


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## Deadpool_25 (Jul 4, 2020)

Ah. Yeah that’s what I figured. Cool. Well I’ve been lucky enough to hold Adams number one and if is sig model is like that it’ll be HEAVY. Also the neck is quite chunky, but not crazily so. I am curious if they decide to relic it. His is pretty well beat to hell. 

Oh and I’ll laugh if they put that makes-no-sense screw in it. I’m pretty sure they won’t but it’d be hilarious imo.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 4, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I’m not a Gibson aficionado, so I’m legitimately curious. What is ever “siggy” about Les Pauls? Like...what’s so special about Slash’s or Bonamassa’s, etc? I’m thinking just pickups and maybe colors? Oh I guess neck shape as well?



It really depends on the specific model and what price point it sits at, how it's going to be marketed.

They can do anything from taking an off the shelf model and changing up the finish or pickups, to full on exact replicas of unique artist owned guitars.

Gibson has the capabilities to do just about anything, and usually don't give the artist too many limits. Things like neck shape, body weight range, hardware, pickups, body thickness/size, materials, finish/graphics, headstock, etc. are all on the table.

Guys like Slash and Bonamassa rarely play off the shelf guitars, sticking with thier various CS models and vintage pieces, so they usually target collectors with special runs.

A good example would be Buckethead's LP. He wanted a longer (28") scale and a bigger body (10% larger silhouette), multiple kill switches, no inlay, and custom hardware and it wasn't a problem. 

Gibson sigs, like many brands, are only ever as interesting as the artists who spec them.


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## possumkiller (Jul 7, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It really depends on the specific model and what price point it sits at, how it's going to be marketed.
> 
> They can do anything from taking an off the shelf model and changing up the finish or pickups, to full on exact replicas of unique artist owned guitars.
> 
> ...


Yet they couldn't manage to build me a custom order 70s Flying V correctly...

I guess I wasn't famous enough.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 7, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> Yet they couldn't manage to build me a custom order 70s Flying V correctly...
> 
> I guess I wasn't famous enough.



It's been what a decade and a half? They probably have an entire different staff by now.


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## possumkiller (Jul 7, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It's been what a decade and a half? They probably have an entire different staff by now.


?
It's been 2 1/2 years.

I will say they were quick af for a custom shop though. I ordered in like March or April 2017 and it was shipped in like July or August. Doesn't do any good if they don't pay attention to the spec sheet though. 
All I wanted was a basic red 70s Flying V like a 71 medallion just without the medallion. 
The Gibson Custom 70s Flying V is supposedly based on Kirk Hammetts black 74. However, the pickguard isn't quite right. The control placement isn't right. The tuners aren't mounted the same distance from the edge of the headstock. I asked if they could move those things which is a simple matter of just cutting a slightly different shape pickguard and slightly moving the holes for the controls and tuners. I was told no way. 

When it showed up, it had no black face on the headstock, 1 piece body instead of 2 (which honestly wasn't that big of a deal to me but it showed they either didn't look at the spec sheet or didn't get the specs down right to begin with) and neck binding that I did not ask for and definitely did not want. I could have had the headstock face painted black and the one piece body was fine whatever, but the neck binding would cost a lot to remove and replace the fretboard so I did not take it.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jul 7, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> ?
> It's been 2 1/2 years.



I think I got it confused with the three pickup one you used to have. My bad.


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## eaeolian (Jul 7, 2020)

Criminal that they finally do an Iommi sig and no crosses. I understand the significance of that guitar, but, still...


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## possumkiller (Jul 7, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I think I got it confused with the three pickup one you used to have. My bad.


Oh yeah that was a bog standard Faded Flying V 3 pickup version I had sent to me in Iraq in 2008.


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## Adieu (Jul 7, 2020)

Deadpool_25 said:


> I’m not a Gibson aficionado, so I’m legitimately curious. What is ever “siggy” about Les Pauls? Like...what’s so special about Slash’s or Bonamassa’s, etc? I’m thinking just pickups and maybe colors? Oh I guess neck shape as well?



ALL les pauls are siggies.... of a dude who called himself Les Paul.


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## possumkiller (Jul 8, 2020)

Adieu said:


> ALL les pauls are siggies.... of a dude who called himself Les Paul.


I know. I never understood why so many tough guy metal players wanted to play a 50s jazz guitar.


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## akinari (Jul 8, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> I know. I never understood why so many tough guy metal players wanted to play a 50s jazz guitar.



The same reason lots of dorks are playing those short scale basses they used in Western movie soundtracks.


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## possumkiller (Jul 8, 2020)

akinari said:


> The same reason lots of dorks are playing those short scale basses they used in Western movie soundtracks.


Is it the same reason? 

What is the reason?


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## akinari (Jul 8, 2020)

possumkiller said:


> Is it the same reason?
> 
> What is the reason?



They work


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