One of the rarest models in Gibson history makes its triumphant return
Gibson Custom is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence. Each instrument celebrates the Gibson legacy through accuracy, authenticity, and attention to detail.
When Gibson designed a new trio of futuristic-looking guitars in 1957 to bring fresh, modern-looking designs to the product lineup, one of them was the Futura™, which was designed alongside the Flying V™ and Moderne™. While many guitarists may have never heard of the Futura, most are no doubt familiar with its direct descendant, the guitar it evolved into: the Explorer™. The Futura closely resembles the modern Explorer, but had a somewhat different, more angular body shape and a split V headstock design that was used on only a handful of the earliest Explorers before they transitioned to the scimitar-shaped headstock that the model is known for today. The Futura was never actually released in the late 1950s, with only a handful of prototypes made in that era, and only a few ever making it out into the wild, making them exceptionally rare, surpassed in rarity only by the Moderne, of which no authentic 50s era examples have ever been located and authenticated.
While the earliest Flying V and Explorer models that were released in 1958 featured Korina bodies, the earliest Futura prototypes were made from mahogany. Mahogany has a somewhat warmer sound than the brighter Korina. Mahogany is also a more readily available wood than the scarcer Korina, and an ideal choice for modern players who prefer a denser, all-mahogany tone for rock and metal. Now, Gibson Custom is very proud to introduce the 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue, a faithful reproduction of those rare 50s era Futura prototypes. It features a mahogany body with the original Futura shape made to vintage specifications, a mahogany neck with a 50s Vintage profile, and the original Futura split V headstock design, complete with reissue Kluson® single-ring tuners. The unbound Indian rosewood fretboard is equipped with 22 reissue frets and cellulose dot inlays. The 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue is powered by two unpotted Custombucker humbucker™ pickups with Alnico 3 magnets that are hand-wired to two volume and one tone control with CTS® potentiometers and a phone book tone capacitor. The Antique Natural nitrocellulose lacquer and gold hardware are VOS-finished, giving it the look of a new-old-stock guitar from the late 1950s. A Lifton™ historic reissue brown and pink hardshell case is also included. Here’s your chance to own an authentic recreation of one of the rarest models in Gibson history.
Highlights
- Mahogany body
- Mahogany neck with a 50s vintage profile
- Indian rosewood fretboard with 22 reissue frets and cellulose dot inlays
- Kluson single line, single ring tuners
- Nitrocellulose VOS finish and aged gold hardware
- Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups (unpotted)
- Hardshell case
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Body Finish Nitrocellulose VOS (Vintage Patina)
Body Material 2-piece Mahogany
Body Shape Futura
Body Styles Futura
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Indian Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 22
Frets Reissue
Inlays Cellulose Dot
Joint Hide Glue Fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.85mm / 1.69in
Profile 50s Vintage
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
Controls 2 Volume, 1 Tone, 500K CTS Vintage Taper Potentiometers, Phone Book Capacitor
Neck Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
Output Jack 1/4" Switchcraft
Pickup Selector 3-Way Switchcraft
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge ABR-1 No-Wire
Control Covers White
Control Knobs True Historic Bleach White Top Hat with Dial Pointer
finish Aged Gold
Jack Plate Cover 4-ply White
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard 4-ply White
Pickup Covers True Historic Aged Gold
Strap Buttons 2 - Burnished Brass
Switch Tip True Historic Amber
Tailpiece Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Truss Rod Authentic 1950s No-Tube
Truss Rod Cover White
Tuner Plating Aged Gold
Tuning Machines Kluson Single Ring Reissue
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Historic Brown/Pink Hardshell
Model: 57MFANVOGH1
Headstock Futura Split V
Headstock Inlay Raised Gibson Logo Badge
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
Gibson Custom 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue, VOS, Antique Natural
Gibson Custom 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue, VOS, Antique Natural
Free & Fast Shipping
Free & Fast Shipping
Orders placed by noon CST Monday-Friday (excluding holidays) will ship the same day. Orders placed after this cutoff will ship the next business day. All orders over $100 receive free ground shipping within the United States.
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.
One of the rarest models in Gibson history makes its triumphant return
Gibson Custom is the pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality, and sound excellence. Each instrument celebrates the Gibson legacy through accuracy, authenticity, and attention to detail.
When Gibson designed a new trio of futuristic-looking guitars in 1957 to bring fresh, modern-looking designs to the product lineup, one of them was the Futura™, which was designed alongside the Flying V™ and Moderne™. While many guitarists may have never heard of the Futura, most are no doubt familiar with its direct descendant, the guitar it evolved into: the Explorer™. The Futura closely resembles the modern Explorer, but had a somewhat different, more angular body shape and a split V headstock design that was used on only a handful of the earliest Explorers before they transitioned to the scimitar-shaped headstock that the model is known for today. The Futura was never actually released in the late 1950s, with only a handful of prototypes made in that era, and only a few ever making it out into the wild, making them exceptionally rare, surpassed in rarity only by the Moderne, of which no authentic 50s era examples have ever been located and authenticated.
While the earliest Flying V and Explorer models that were released in 1958 featured Korina bodies, the earliest Futura prototypes were made from mahogany. Mahogany has a somewhat warmer sound than the brighter Korina. Mahogany is also a more readily available wood than the scarcer Korina, and an ideal choice for modern players who prefer a denser, all-mahogany tone for rock and metal. Now, Gibson Custom is very proud to introduce the 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue, a faithful reproduction of those rare 50s era Futura prototypes. It features a mahogany body with the original Futura shape made to vintage specifications, a mahogany neck with a 50s Vintage profile, and the original Futura split V headstock design, complete with reissue Kluson® single-ring tuners. The unbound Indian rosewood fretboard is equipped with 22 reissue frets and cellulose dot inlays. The 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue is powered by two unpotted Custombucker humbucker™ pickups with Alnico 3 magnets that are hand-wired to two volume and one tone control with CTS® potentiometers and a phone book tone capacitor. The Antique Natural nitrocellulose lacquer and gold hardware are VOS-finished, giving it the look of a new-old-stock guitar from the late 1950s. A Lifton™ historic reissue brown and pink hardshell case is also included. Here’s your chance to own an authentic recreation of one of the rarest models in Gibson history.
Highlights
- Mahogany body
- Mahogany neck with a 50s vintage profile
- Indian rosewood fretboard with 22 reissue frets and cellulose dot inlays
- Kluson single line, single ring tuners
- Nitrocellulose VOS finish and aged gold hardware
- Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups (unpotted)
- Hardshell case
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Body Finish Nitrocellulose VOS (Vintage Patina)
Body Material 2-piece Mahogany
Body Shape Futura
Body Styles Futura
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Indian Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 22
Frets Reissue
Inlays Cellulose Dot
Joint Hide Glue Fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.85mm / 1.69in
Profile 50s Vintage
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
Controls 2 Volume, 1 Tone, 500K CTS Vintage Taper Potentiometers, Phone Book Capacitor
Neck Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
Output Jack 1/4" Switchcraft
Pickup Selector 3-Way Switchcraft
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge ABR-1 No-Wire
Control Covers White
Control Knobs True Historic Bleach White Top Hat with Dial Pointer
finish Aged Gold
Jack Plate Cover 4-ply White
Mounting Rings Black
Pickguard 4-ply White
Pickup Covers True Historic Aged Gold
Strap Buttons 2 - Burnished Brass
Switch Tip True Historic Amber
Tailpiece Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Truss Rod Authentic 1950s No-Tube
Truss Rod Cover White
Tuner Plating Aged Gold
Tuning Machines Kluson Single Ring Reissue
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Case Historic Brown/Pink Hardshell
Model: 57MFANVOGH1
Headstock Futura Split V
Headstock Inlay Raised Gibson Logo Badge
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
