Handcrafted by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop, this ES-355 has become Gary Clark Jr.’s number one. Now it can be yours too…
Gibson Custom has launched the Gary Clark Jr. ES-355. This new model, limited to just 100 units, was made in close collaboration with the four‐time GRAMMY® Award–winning musician and is inspired by the first time he saw B.B. King with his own beloved Gibson in hand. While his previous Gibson and Epiphone signature instruments—his SG™ and Casino™—each captured differing elements of Gary’s genre-blending artistry, this new ES‐355 is a tribute to the tone and tradition of blues trailblazers.
“When I was a child, I had a poster on my wall of B.B. King playing his signature Lucille,” Gary tells Gibson TV in a new interview, which you can see below. “As a kid I always wanted one of those guitars. I would go to a music shop and I would see them on the wall—I liked the way that they sounded. I just wanted to be a part of that world. Here we are years later and I’m holding this Gary Clark Jr. signature model Gibson ES-355. It’s a dream come true, really.”
The Gibson Custom Gary Clark Jr. ES‐355 is built with a three‐ply maple/poplar/maple body topped with a figured maple outer layer, paired with a mahogany neck carved into a 50s Rounded Medium C profile. A bound ebony fretboard with 22 Historic medium-jumbo frets and mother‐of‐pearl block inlays delivers a classic playing feel, while multi‐ply binding on the body and headstock contribute to the guitar’s vintage‐inspired aesthetic. The headstock features the famous Custom split diamond inlay and Grover® Rotomatic® tuners with Kidney buttons.
Equipped with a pair of unpotted Custombuckers featuring Alnico 3 magnets, this guitar delivers warm, articulate tones. The pickups are wired with CTS® audio taper pots, paper-in-oil capacitors, a Switchcraft® three-way toggle, and a mono Varitone circuit, topped with a black chicken head knob. Gold True Historic Top Hat knobs with dial pointers complete the control layout.
The Gibson Custom Gary Clark Jr. ES-355 in Cobra Burst
The hardware is finished in VOS nickel, including the ABR‐1 Historic no‐wire bridge and a Bigsby® B7 vibrato for expressive pitch control, and the guitar is offered in a VOS Cobra Burst finish. Each model ships in a Gibson Custom hardshell case decorated with Gary Clark Jr. graphics. Demand is expected to be high for this special run, so you’ll need to act fast if you’re hoping to get your hands on it…
The Gibson Custom Gary Clark Jr. ES‐355 is available now via authorized Gibson Custom dealers, Gibson Garage locations, and Gibson.com.
