Custom Shop ES-446s--the light heavyweight champions of tone

Ladies and gentlemen, the new light heavyweight champion of guitars--the Gibson Custom, Art & Historic division ES-446. Weighing in a just under seven-and-one-half pounds, The ES-446s feature a carved and contoured spruce top with the f-holes and braces carved into the top--not glued. These exclusive features produce remarkable resonance and tone. The Florentine cutaway and traditional-style Gibson headstock create a strikingly classic look. The ES-446s are available in Antique Natural, Faded Cherry, and Vintage Sunburst.

The ES-446 heads up a distinguished group of new production, limited edition, and one-of-a-kind instruments from Gibson's celebrated Custom Shop luthiers. Debuting at Summer NAMM '99 this weekend are:

Dale Earnhardt Les Paul
Built for Speed
Inspired by the seven-time NASCAR Champion, the Dale Earnhardt Les Paul has proven to be one of the most sought-after racing collectables ever created. The guitar features the drawings of renowned motorsports artist, Sam Bass.

The instrument sports a carbon fiber full-face pickguard, mahogany back and an ebony fingerboard featuring an inlay of the driver's signature.

To make this guitar truly "race ready," each model comes equipped with authentic hood pins, lug nut control knobs and a Simpson racing harness strap. Each guitar is then individually numbered and signed by the artist.

Web-Slinger One
A True Superhero
Featuring a stunning reproduction of artwork from the legendary Spider-Man comic series, every detail of Web-Slinger One has been carefully poured over by the artists of both Marvel Comics and the Gibson Custom, Art & Historic Division. Web-Slinger One features a solid mahogany body and neck and an ebony fingerboard with a hand-inlaid web design.

Only 150 of these instruments will be made, 75 of which will be hand-signed by Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee. The remaining 75 will be hand-signed by renowned Spider-Man artist John Romita, Sr., ensuring that this will be one of the most collectable guitars Gibson has ever created.

ES-446s
The Light Heavyweight
When you pick up the new hollow-bodied ES-446s, the first thing you'll notice is how incredibly light the instrument is. With an average weight of just under 7 1/2 pounds, the ES-446s can get you through long sets with little or no fatigue.

The other thing you'll notice is how great it sounds. The contoured spruce top features f-holes and braces that are carved into the top - not glued. This makes for an instrument with marvelous tone and remarkable resonance.

Finally, the ES-446s is topped off with a graceful Florentine cutaway and traditional-style headstock giving it a strikingly classic look.

A Tribute to B.B. King
Lucille Dons Her Best Dress
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of his first recording, this one-of-a-kind art piece embodies the soul and spirit of legendary blues artist B.B. King.

Designed and created by Custom, Art & Historic Division Luthier Bruce J. Kunkel, this spectacular instrument features three hand-painted portraits of the living legend. A sepia-toned portrait of a young B.B. with his first Gibson and a 1960s B.B. performing with a red ES-355 share the top of the guitar. The back features a magnificent painting of the musician, on stage, decked out in a sequined jacket, playing his beloved Gibson Lucille.

Pearl inlays, reminiscent of his Beale Street Blues Club marquis, grace the fingerboard of this painstakingly appointed instrument - a fitting tribute to "The King of the Blues."

The Gibson Twins
Note the Family Resemblance
Designed and created by Custom Division Luthier Sean Nicholson, this twosome is undeniably Gibson. From the Florentine body style to the Gibson logo routed out of the tops, the lineage of these bad boys' is unmistakable.

Both feature Les Paul Standard appointments, grained ivoroid binding, and fingerboards littered with Gibson logos. One features a figured maple top finished in traditional heritage cherry sunburst, the other sports a mahogany top finished in "business brown." The inside cavity of the mahogany top is signed by every Gibson Custom Division employee.

A must see for any Gibson family enthusiast, these two-of-a-kind siblings are guaranteed to create quite a stir.

The "Double Dog"
Old Designs Combined for New Tricks
This unique guitar, designed by Custom Division luthier Kelly Butler, puts several new twists on classic Gibson designs. The instrument's lightweight body is a bound one-piece mahogany double cutaway, allowing total fret access and comfort.

The one-piece mahogany neck is hand-rolled to the same specifications as the popular 1959 Les Paul. Its 24-fret ebony fingerboard, raised tongue and extended neck tenon provides tonal consistency, as well as strength and stability.

The two mini-humbuckers, mounted P-90 dogear-style, can be retro-fit with P-90s with no additional body modification. The guitar also features Gibson's newly redesigned lightning bar tailpiece.

The Kingsnake
Viperous Looks, Venomous Sound
Designed and created by Custom, Art & Historic Division luthier, Ryan E. Futch, the Kingsnake is the ultimate big-bodied carved top. This cooler-than-cool instrument sports a three-piece maple neck and laminated back and sides. The solid spruce top features enlarged f-holes for incredible sound projection and the 492R and 490T pickups make for tone that is remarkably mellow.

Two volume and tone controls, a master volume control and a Bigsby tailpiece rounds out the long list of appointments. Finished in translucent "Mean Green," the Kingsnake is the perfect combination of killer looks and supreme playability.

Les Paul Elegant
In Exclusive NAMM Show Finishes
In celebration of Summer NAMM '99, the Custom, Art & Historic Division has created very limited runs of the Les Paul Elegant in "distressed" gold and silver finishes.

These finishes were conceived and hand-created by Custom Division finish expert Mickey McGuire, and are applied using a unique multi-layered distressing technique. The results are peculiar, yet interesting combinations of varying color, depth and density.

These guitars feature the appointments found on all Les Paul Elegants, including abalone inlays, ample binding, dynamic sound chambers and compound radius fingerboards.

Les Paul SG Custom
In Exclusive NAMM Show Colors
What more can be said about the Les Paul SG? The ultra-thin, hand-contoured mahogany body and the famous slim tapered neck combine for super fast action and unparalleled mobility. Its superior playability and legendary clear bell tone make the Les Paul SG Custom an instrument that will continue to be copied - but never matched.

In celebration of Summer NAMM '99, the Custom, Art & Historic Division is offering the Les Paul SG Custom in three very hot colors: Light Metallic Blue, Fire Engine Red and Deepest Purple. Nickel hardware further enhances the instruments' razor-sharp looks. Offered in very limited quantities, these SGs are certain to be best sellers.