An epic new ES designed for modern technical players
Born from countless hours at the workbench, the DES Series grew out of Master Luthier Jim DeCola and the skilled craftspeople in Gibson craftories working side by side with Gibson Artist Ambassador and Board member Cesar Gueikian. Countless feature combinations were explored and refined, ultimately converging on looks, feel, and sound destined to become instant classics. The result is the DES Series, a visually striking series of limited-run instruments defined by bold inlays, fresh finishes, and feature sets inspired by a mantra Cesar champions at Gibson: ”Do Epic Sh#t!” Created to spark inspiration and forge a lasting connection between player and instrument, the new DES models allow musicians to feel a measure of the same pride and craftsmanship that goes into every guitar built at Gibson. In keeping with the DES spirit, a portion of every Gibson.com and Gibson Garage purchase supports Gibson Gives, the Gibson 501(c)(3) charitable foundation.
The ES™ DES began with a real instrument that Cesar envisioned and built at the Gibson craftory in Nashville, Tennessee. It starts with the iconic double-cutaway, double-bound, semi-hollow ES body, crafted from three-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple. It also features a solid maple centerblock for increased sustain and improved feedback resistance. The mahogany neck features a comfortable Rounded C profile. It has an ebony fretboard with a 10”-16” compound radius that delivers low action, easy chording, and smooth bends without fretting out. The fretboard is equipped with 22 medium jumbo frets and adorned with mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays similar to those found on the ES Supreme and vintage Super 400 archtop.
The ES DES headstock features five-ply binding around the perimeter and a Custom split-diamond mother-of-pearl inlay. A Graph Tech® nut paired with locking Grover® tuners with keystone buttons ensures rock-solid tuning stability. The other ends of the strings pass over an aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and anchor to an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece. All of the hardware is black nickel, which perfectly fits the ES DES aesthetic.
A set of the all-new Gibson ELEV8 humbucker™ pickups powers the ES DES. For the first time, Gibson is using powerful Alnico 8 magnets in the construction of these new pickups, along with custom-gauge wire for a powerful, focused tone with tight low end that is ideal for high-gain and modern musical styles. They deliver powerful tones with an intensity that doesn’t sacrifice articulation, clarity, and dynamic control. The ELEV8 pickups in the ES DES are left uncovered and have zebra bobbins.
The ES DES uses a traditional ES control layout with individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, along with a three-way pickup selector toggle switch. The volume controls are fitted with push/pull switches for coil tapping, providing even more tonal versatility.
Finished in a stunning Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer that highlights the figured maple and complements the black nickel hardware and zebra pickup coils, the ES DES comes packed in a Gibson hardshell case for safe storage and transport. Take your playing to epic heights and do something epic for a worthy charity, and order your ES DES today. Handcrafted in very limited numbers, no more than 150 DES guitars will be produced in total, so act fast and get your favorite today while they’re still available.
Highlights
- AAA figured maple/poplar/maple body
- Solid maple centerblock for increased sustain and improved feedback resistance
- Mahogany neck with a Rounded C profile
- Compound radius bound ebony fretboard
- Super Split Block fretboard and Custom split diamond headstock inlays
- Black nickel hardware
- New ELEV8 humbucker pickups with Alnico 8 magnets
- Hardshell case
Guitar Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Binding Multi-ply white top, back, and headstock, single-ply white neck
Body Finish Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Body Shape ES-335
Body Styles Semi-hollow body
Centerblock Maple
Side 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Top 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Ebony
Fingerboard Radius Compound, 10 in. to 16 in. | 254 mm to 406.4 mm
Fret Count 22
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Mother-of-pearl Super Split Block
Joint Glued-in, set neck
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material GraphTech
Nut Width 43.05mm / 1.7in
Profile SlimTaper
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup ELEV8 Plus
Controls 2 volume with push/pull coil-splitting, 2 tone
Neck Pickup ELEV8
Output Jack 1/4"
Pickup Selector 3-way toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Nashville Tune-O-Matic
bridge-type Nashville Tune-O-Matic
Control Knobs Black Speed
finish Mixed
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard Multi-ply black/white
Pickup Covers None
Plastic Parts Black
Strap Buttons 2
Switch Tip Black
Tailpiece Stop Bar
Truss Rod Cover 2-ply black/white
Tuner Plating Black nickel
Tuning Machines Locking Grover Rotomatic with Keystone buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Hardshell case
Model: ESDES26GBBN1
Headstock ES-355
Headstock Inlay Mother-of-pearl Custom split diamond
Strings Gauge 10-46
Gibson ES DES, Ghost Burst, Exclusive
Gibson ES DES, Ghost Burst, Exclusive
Free & Fast Shipping
Free & Fast Shipping
Orders placed before 1:00 PM Monday - Friday will be processed the same day. Orders placed after this cutoff will ship the next business day. All orders over £50 receive free ground shipping. During sale and promotion periods delivery might take a little longer than expected.
Lifetime Warranty
Lifetime Warranty
Shop and play with confidence knowing that your instrument is protected by our limited lifetime warranty. Learn more about warranties and exclusions here .
Case Included
Case Included
Your instrument ships with a factory-supplied hard- or soft-shell case for safe storage and transportation. Please refer to the product specifications for details.
Setup Included
Setup Included
Our craftory-trained technicians perform a final thorough inspection and detailed setup moments before your instrument is packed and shipped to you.
Three Free Months of the Gibson App
Three Free Months of the Gibson App
For a limited time only, receive a three-month subscription to the Gibson App for free with the purchase of this product. Click here to learn more about the Gibson App.
An epic new ES designed for modern technical players
Born from countless hours at the workbench, the DES Series grew out of Master Luthier Jim DeCola and the skilled craftspeople in Gibson craftories working side by side with Gibson Artist Ambassador and Board member Cesar Gueikian. Countless feature combinations were explored and refined, ultimately converging on looks, feel, and sound destined to become instant classics. The result is the DES Series, a visually striking series of limited-run instruments defined by bold inlays, fresh finishes, and feature sets inspired by a mantra Cesar champions at Gibson: ”Do Epic Sh#t!” Created to spark inspiration and forge a lasting connection between player and instrument, the new DES models allow musicians to feel a measure of the same pride and craftsmanship that goes into every guitar built at Gibson. In keeping with the DES spirit, a portion of every Gibson.com and Gibson Garage purchase supports Gibson Gives, the Gibson 501(c)(3) charitable foundation.
The ES™ DES began with a real instrument that Cesar envisioned and built at the Gibson craftory in Nashville, Tennessee. It starts with the iconic double-cutaway, double-bound, semi-hollow ES body, crafted from three-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple. It also features a solid maple centerblock for increased sustain and improved feedback resistance. The mahogany neck features a comfortable Rounded C profile. It has an ebony fretboard with a 10”-16” compound radius that delivers low action, easy chording, and smooth bends without fretting out. The fretboard is equipped with 22 medium jumbo frets and adorned with mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays similar to those found on the ES Supreme and vintage Super 400 archtop.
The ES DES headstock features five-ply binding around the perimeter and a Custom split-diamond mother-of-pearl inlay. A Graph Tech® nut paired with locking Grover® tuners with keystone buttons ensures rock-solid tuning stability. The other ends of the strings pass over an aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and anchor to an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece. All of the hardware is black nickel, which perfectly fits the ES DES aesthetic.
A set of the all-new Gibson ELEV8 humbucker™ pickups powers the ES DES. For the first time, Gibson is using powerful Alnico 8 magnets in the construction of these new pickups, along with custom-gauge wire for a powerful, focused tone with tight low end that is ideal for high-gain and modern musical styles. They deliver powerful tones with an intensity that doesn’t sacrifice articulation, clarity, and dynamic control. The ELEV8 pickups in the ES DES are left uncovered and have zebra bobbins.
The ES DES uses a traditional ES control layout with individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, along with a three-way pickup selector toggle switch. The volume controls are fitted with push/pull switches for coil tapping, providing even more tonal versatility.
Finished in a stunning Ghost Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer that highlights the figured maple and complements the black nickel hardware and zebra pickup coils, the ES DES comes packed in a Gibson hardshell case for safe storage and transport. Take your playing to epic heights and do something epic for a worthy charity, and order your ES DES today. Handcrafted in very limited numbers, no more than 150 DES guitars will be produced in total, so act fast and get your favorite today while they’re still available.
Highlights
- AAA figured maple/poplar/maple body
- Solid maple centerblock for increased sustain and improved feedback resistance
- Mahogany neck with a Rounded C profile
- Compound radius bound ebony fretboard
- Super Split Block fretboard and Custom split diamond headstock inlays
- Black nickel hardware
- New ELEV8 humbucker pickups with Alnico 8 magnets
- Hardshell case
Guitar Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Binding Multi-ply white top, back, and headstock, single-ply white neck
Body Finish Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Body Shape ES-335
Body Styles Semi-hollow body
Centerblock Maple
Side 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Top 3-ply AAA figured maple/poplar/maple
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Ebony
Fingerboard Radius Compound, 10 in. to 16 in. | 254 mm to 406.4 mm
Fret Count 22
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Mother-of-pearl Super Split Block
Joint Glued-in, set neck
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material GraphTech
Nut Width 43.05mm / 1.7in
Profile SlimTaper
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup ELEV8 Plus
Controls 2 volume with push/pull coil-splitting, 2 tone
Neck Pickup ELEV8
Output Jack 1/4"
Pickup Selector 3-way toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge Nashville Tune-O-Matic
bridge-type Nashville Tune-O-Matic
Control Knobs Black Speed
finish Mixed
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard Multi-ply black/white
Pickup Covers None
Plastic Parts Black
Strap Buttons 2
Switch Tip Black
Tailpiece Stop Bar
Truss Rod Cover 2-ply black/white
Tuner Plating Black nickel
Tuning Machines Locking Grover Rotomatic with Keystone buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Hardshell case
Model: ESDES26GBBN1
Headstock ES-355
Headstock Inlay Mother-of-pearl Custom split diamond
Strings Gauge 10-46
