One of a kind Gibson Masterpiece
"This is absolutely one of the most gratifying and amazing guitars I have ever played. My hats off to Leo Scala and Gibson Guitars !!"
Built to be extreme. Built to be played.
The Leo Scala Maestro™ Addiction Explorer™ is a singular expression of creative freedom within the Gibson Custom Master Artisan Collection. Conceived as a fully realized, one-off instrument, it reimagines the original 1958 Explorer through the lens of radical individuality, obsessive craftsmanship, and unapologetic attitude, while remaining unmistakably Gibson in feel, sound, and intent.
The Master Artisan Collection brings together Gibson Custom and a small group of independent luthiers from around the world whose work extends beyond routine production. Leo Scala stands among the most respected of these makers. For more than 25 years, working from his small workshop near Los Angeles, Scala has built guitars defined by extraordinary detail, expressive aging, and uncompromising musicality. A shared passion for Gibson history and hand-built instruments, first established during an early meeting with Gibson President and CEO Cesar Gueikian, became the foundation for this collaborative project.
At its core, the Maestro Addiction Explorer remains rooted in the DNA of the late‑1950s original. A Korina body and Korina neck, fitted with hide glue, provide a lightweight, resonant foundation with an immediate, lively response. The Indian rosewood fretboard, adorned with pearloid dot inlays and 22 reissue frets, is shaped with rounded edges and paired with a ’58 Vintage neck profile that delivers a substantial, broken‑in feel designed for expressive playing.
Visually, this instrument embraces excess by design. Its custom “Rat Rod” style Natural finish features intentionally over‑the‑top aging, with aggressive lacquer wear, corrosion, and patina that evoke decades of hard use. Custom metal appointments replace traditional plastics throughout, including a single‑ply metal pickguard with faded vintage scrolls, a custom metal jack plate, and a metal control cover engraved with the Gibson logo. Custom Master Artisan metal skull knobs and a metal switch washer labeled “Hell / Back” reinforce the guitar’s raw, confrontational aesthetic.
The Maestro Vibrola™ tailpiece has been hot‑rodded and customized by Leo Scala, including a bespoke vibrato arm that enhances both functionality and visual impact. Electronics are equally purposeful, anchored by Leo Scala hand‑wound Retrophonic humbucker™ pickups with uncovered double black bobbins. An Alnico 2 neck pickup and an Alnico 5 bridge pickup are wired with 50s‑style hand wiring, VIPots vintage taper 550k potentiometers, and a phone book tone capacitor, delivering clarity, dynamic response, and harmonic depth.
Despite its dramatic appearance, this Explorer was never conceived as a wall piece. It is a performing instrument in every sense, built with sound as the ultimate priority. The guitar ships in a custom G&G wine suede hardshell case with Leo Scala custom-aged hardware, accompanied by a super‑aged black caiman leather strap from Don Pepe in Spain and a hand‑crafted Certificate of Authenticity box from Leo Scala.
The Leo Scala Maestro Addiction Explorer does not seek approval. It exists for players and collectors who understand that originality is forged through obsession, risk, and conviction.
Highlights
- Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 2 (8.4k) humbucker in bridge position
- Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 3 (7.7k) in neck position
- Maestro vibrola
- Leo Scala Master Artisan Maestro Addiction aging
- '58 Vintage neck profile
- Korina body and neck
- Custom metal pickguard, jack plate cover, and truss rod cover
- Handmade black caiman leather strap by Don Pepe from Spain
- Hand‑crafted Certificate of Authenticity box from Leo Scala
- Custom G&G wine suede hardshell case with Leo Scala custom-aged hardware
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Body Finish Master Artisan aged nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material Korina
Body Shape Explorer
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 Korina
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.8mm / 1.69in
Profile '58 Vintage
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 2 (8.4k)
Controls 2 volume, 1 tone
Neck Pickup Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 3 (7.7k)
Output Jack 1/4"
Pickup Selector 3-way toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Control Covers Custom Metal
Control Knobs Metal Skull
finish Aged Gold
Jack Plate Cover Custom Metal
Pickguard Custom Metal
Pickup Covers Double Black
Switchwasher Custom Metal, Hell / Back
Tailpiece Maestro Vibrola
Tuning Machines Kluson Deluxe with Leo Scala Custom-Color-Infused Celluloid Tips
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Custom-made Certificate of Authenticity from Leo Scala and Blue Bell strap made by Don Pepe
Model: CS-ART-114_Maestro_N
Case Custom G&G Wine Suede
Headstock Inlay Raised metal Gibson Logo
Gibson Custom Leo Scala Maestro Addiction Explorer, Natural
Gibson Custom Leo Scala Maestro Addiction Explorer, Natural
Exclusive
One-of-a-Kind
Price
Regular price
$40,000
Unit price
per
Details
Korina body, Korina neck with a ’58 Vintage profile, hand-wound Leo...
Finish
Natural
•
Exclusive
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.
Built to be extreme. Built to be played.
The Leo Scala Maestro™ Addiction Explorer™ is a singular expression of creative freedom within the Gibson Custom Master Artisan Collection. Conceived as a fully realized, one-off instrument, it reimagines the original 1958 Explorer through the lens of radical individuality, obsessive craftsmanship, and unapologetic attitude, while remaining unmistakably Gibson in feel, sound, and intent.
The Master Artisan Collection brings together Gibson Custom and a small group of independent luthiers from around the world whose work extends beyond routine production. Leo Scala stands among the most respected of these makers. For more than 25 years, working from his small workshop near Los Angeles, Scala has built guitars defined by extraordinary detail, expressive aging, and uncompromising musicality. A shared passion for Gibson history and hand-built instruments, first established during an early meeting with Gibson President and CEO Cesar Gueikian, became the foundation for this collaborative project.
At its core, the Maestro Addiction Explorer remains rooted in the DNA of the late‑1950s original. A Korina body and Korina neck, fitted with hide glue, provide a lightweight, resonant foundation with an immediate, lively response. The Indian rosewood fretboard, adorned with pearloid dot inlays and 22 reissue frets, is shaped with rounded edges and paired with a ’58 Vintage neck profile that delivers a substantial, broken‑in feel designed for expressive playing.
Visually, this instrument embraces excess by design. Its custom “Rat Rod” style Natural finish features intentionally over‑the‑top aging, with aggressive lacquer wear, corrosion, and patina that evoke decades of hard use. Custom metal appointments replace traditional plastics throughout, including a single‑ply metal pickguard with faded vintage scrolls, a custom metal jack plate, and a metal control cover engraved with the Gibson logo. Custom Master Artisan metal skull knobs and a metal switch washer labeled “Hell / Back” reinforce the guitar’s raw, confrontational aesthetic.
The Maestro Vibrola™ tailpiece has been hot‑rodded and customized by Leo Scala, including a bespoke vibrato arm that enhances both functionality and visual impact. Electronics are equally purposeful, anchored by Leo Scala hand‑wound Retrophonic humbucker™ pickups with uncovered double black bobbins. An Alnico 2 neck pickup and an Alnico 5 bridge pickup are wired with 50s‑style hand wiring, VIPots vintage taper 550k potentiometers, and a phone book tone capacitor, delivering clarity, dynamic response, and harmonic depth.
Despite its dramatic appearance, this Explorer was never conceived as a wall piece. It is a performing instrument in every sense, built with sound as the ultimate priority. The guitar ships in a custom G&G wine suede hardshell case with Leo Scala custom-aged hardware, accompanied by a super‑aged black caiman leather strap from Don Pepe in Spain and a hand‑crafted Certificate of Authenticity box from Leo Scala.
The Leo Scala Maestro Addiction Explorer does not seek approval. It exists for players and collectors who understand that originality is forged through obsession, risk, and conviction.
Highlights
- Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 2 (8.4k) humbucker in bridge position
- Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 3 (7.7k) in neck position
- Maestro vibrola
- Leo Scala Master Artisan Maestro Addiction aging
- '58 Vintage neck profile
- Korina body and neck
- Custom metal pickguard, jack plate cover, and truss rod cover
- Handmade black caiman leather strap by Don Pepe from Spain
- Hand‑crafted Certificate of Authenticity box from Leo Scala
- Custom G&G wine suede hardshell case with Leo Scala custom-aged hardware
Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Body Finish Master Artisan aged nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material Korina
Body Shape Explorer
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 Korina
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.8mm / 1.69in
Profile '58 Vintage
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 2 (8.4k)
Controls 2 volume, 1 tone
Neck Pickup Leo Scala Retrophonic Alnico 3 (7.7k)
Output Jack 1/4"
Pickup Selector 3-way toggle
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Control Covers Custom Metal
Control Knobs Metal Skull
finish Aged Gold
Jack Plate Cover Custom Metal
Pickguard Custom Metal
Pickup Covers Double Black
Switchwasher Custom Metal, Hell / Back
Tailpiece Maestro Vibrola
Tuning Machines Kluson Deluxe with Leo Scala Custom-Color-Infused Celluloid Tips
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Custom-made Certificate of Authenticity from Leo Scala and Blue Bell strap made by Don Pepe
Model: CS-ART-114_Maestro_N
Case Custom G&G Wine Suede
Headstock Inlay Raised metal Gibson Logo
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Previously from Leo Scala
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Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 1 reviews.
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