Gibson Launches History-Making Certified Vintage Program: Gibson Certified Vintage Debuting a Selection of Rare and Highly-Collectible Guitars

NASHVILLE, TN (February 28, 2023) Gibson--the iconic American-made, and leading instrument brand--has a legacy of making world-class instruments since 1894 when Orville Gibson was crafting archtop mandolins. As a natural extension of Gibson’s passion for its unique instruments and the stories they tell, Gibson is launching the history-making Gibson Certified Vintage program--which offers collectible vintage guitars authenticated, and certified directly by Gibson, to new owners with a lifetime warranty and certificate of vintage authenticity. Gibson Certified Vintage guitars will be sold via the Gibson Garage in Nashville, TN, call (615) 933-6000; select models will available for purchase via https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Certified-Vintage. 

A world-first, the Gibson Certified Vintage features one-of-a-kind Golden Era blue-chip guitars, to unique, one-of-a-kind prototypes, celebrity-owned guitars, as well as 70’s and 80’s models directly from the Gibson Vault. All Gibson Certified Vintage guitars sold will come with a detailed letter of appraisal confirming the provenance and history of the instrument, a certificate of authenticity, and exclusive case candy. In an industry first, all guitars will receive a new lifetime limited warranty. 

Gibson Certified Vintage premieres today with a 1982 Gibson Moderne, 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard, 1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior, 1959 ES-355 Mono, and a once-in-a-lifetime, pristine 1959 Les Paul Standard sunburst. Explore the first round of Gibson Certified Vintage guitars below and check back for refreshed vintage offerings as each guitar is sold; for all details, visit: https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Certified-Vintage. 

“Today marks a milestone for all of us at Gibson and with the launch of Gibson Certified Vintage we are changing vintage guitar collecting forever,” says Cesar Gueikian, Gibson Brand President. “We are contacted on a daily basis by buyers and sellers of vintage Gibson guitars to certify the authenticity of the guitars they’re buying or selling. As a collector of vintage guitars, particularly vintage Gibson guitars, I would’ve loved to have this service by Gibson for assurance and the peace of mind to buy with confidence. By launching our very own Gibson Certified Vintage program we’ve solved this once and for all and collectors will have an absolute level of certainty when buying directly from Gibson Certified Vintage.” 

“We are excited to announce the world-first initiative Gibson Certified Vintage, launching with the sale of these five rare guitars,” says Mark Agnesi, Director of Brand Experience, Gibson. “Gibson Certified Vintage will see Gibson continually curate and exclusively release an assortment of coveted vintage instruments, sold directly through the Gibson Garage, and offered with certificate of authenticity, new lifetime warranty and other bespoke case candy.” 

Check out the first five guitars to debut in the Gibson Certified Vintage program below and at: https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Certified-Vintage.

The Gibson 1959 Les Paul Standard is the most desirable electric guitar model of all time. For collectors, nothing quite sets pulses racing like the chance to own a vintage 1959 Les Paul Standard, and even among Bursts, this is an exceptional guitar indeed.  In addition to bulletproof provenance, the wide chevron figuring on this 1959 LP Standard’s maple top, partially faded sunburst with an Iced Tea coloration, and outstanding overall condition make this 1959 Les Paul Standard serial #9 0871 an extremely collectible guitar. 

This sunburst 1959 Les Paul™ Standard was first sold by its original owner’s family at a Christie’s auction in New York in October 2005, achieving what was then a record-breaking price for a non-celebrity-owned guitar. Purchased by vintage aficionado Dave Davidson, it was exhibited at the Songbirds Guitar Museum in Chattanooga, TN, before being purchased by Gibson, and residing in the Gibson Vault at the Gibson Garage ever since. During its time at the Gibson Vault, the guitar has been played by numerous celebrity musicians and used as a benchmark for Gibson Custom’s Historic reissue and Murphy Lab programs. 

The sunburst Les Paul Standard is the most iconic electric guitar ever made and this guitar, which sports the serial number 9 0871, shipped in 1959 and features 1959 specifications, with 1959 parts and cosmetics and a 1959 neck profile. The maple top’s extensive figuring is a rare and desirable trait that significantly increases its value compared to plainer vintage examples, while the original cherry sunburst has partially faded to a beautiful, iced tea shade around the top’s perimeter. With reissue fretwire, replacement tuners, and no other major modifications, this guitar is presented in the kind of condition collectors dream of.  

Having undergone a sympathetic refret and equipped with a set of replica single line/single ring tuners (as with many Klusons of the era, the tips of the original tuners have crumbled), this Les Paul Standard guitar is the ultimate collector’s prize and is more than capable of handling whatever a professional musician may throw at it. 

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, this 1959 Les Paul™ Standard sunburst comes with an array of exclusive extras including a Les Paul from Gibson Custom’s acclaimed Made 2 Measure program with their choice of a VOS, gloss, or Murphy Lab-aged finish. Also, the buyer will receive a one-of-one hardcover book from Gibson Publishing, with stunning, immersive photography of the guitar, and be invited to visit the Gibson Garage in Nashville for a private, guided tour of the Gibson Vault. 

Upon purchase, this 1959 Les Paul Standard will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the U.S., starting on February 28.

Offered as part of Gibson’s world-first Certified Vintage program, with mono wiring and lack of Varitone circuit, this first-year ES-355 in Cherry is certainly the rarest configuration of the model--and arguably the most desirable too. 

Although 10 examples shipped in 1958, Gibson’s grandiose ES-355 wasn’t officially introduced until 1959, when it became the company’s flagship semi-hollowbody electric guitar. With a block-inlayed ebony fretboard, multi-ply binding, split diamond headstock inlay and gold hardware, the ES-355 has a show-stopping appearance to match the unrivalled performance of its PAF pickups. The electronics are original, and the PAFs have never been unsoldered. The Bigbsy B7 tailpiece and Custom Made plaque were added at some point in the early 1960s, but this modification was likely carried out at the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo. The guitar ships in its original pink lined Lifton case. 

In recent years, this ES-355 has been owned by Gibson, and kept alongside other iconic vintage instruments inside the Gibson Vault at the Gibson Garage in Nashville. During its time in the Gibson Vault, the guitar has been played by numerous celebrity musicians and used as a benchmark for Gibson Custom Shop's Historic reissue and Murphy Lab programs. 

The buyer of the 1959 ES-355 Mono will be invited to visit the Gibson Garage in Nashville for a private, guided tour of the Gibson Vault. 

Upon purchase, this 1959 ES-355 Mon will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the U.S., starting February 28.

Offered as part of Gibson’s world-first Certified Vintage program, this 1961 Les Paul SG Standard is an outstanding example of the earliest incarnation of the model that would later become known as the SG Standard. Late 1960 saw the Gibson Les Paul Standard undergo a radical reinvention. 

All period features remain intact, not least the distinctive Sideways Vibrola and Les Paul truss-rod cover. The single-cutaway mahogany body with a maple cap was superseded by a sleek new all-mahogany, twin-cutaway design with pointed horns and extensive contouring. A pair of PAF humbucking pickups was retained but, sonically and ergonomically, the Les Paul Standard was now a very different animal indeed. It would go on to inspire players as diverse as George Harrison, Robby Krieger, and Angus Young to create some of the most iconic recordings in history. 

This 1961 Les Paul SG Standard is a highly collectible instrument that comes in its 1961 original yellow-lined black Lifton case and would grace any distinguished collection. 

Upon purchase, the 1961 Les Paul SG Standard will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the U.S., starting February 28.

Offered as part of Gibson’s world-first Certified Vintage program, this 1956 Les Paul Junior is a killer all-original model in a heavily checked, and battle-scarred sunburst. 

There is no raunchier guitar on Earth than an original 1950s Les Paul Junior. A stripped-down design with no-frills attitude to spare, these guitars may have been conceived as student models, but seasoned professionals have long been hip to their considerable charms. The secret is in the onboard controls: wide open, that single Dog-Ear P-90 can snarl like a junkyard dog, but roll the volume back and it will jangle and chime like a flat-top acoustic. And, if you think a guitar without a neck pickup won’t sound fat enough, try rolling back the Junior’s tone control for a generous helping of thick cream. 

Complete with its ‘Alligator’ case, this 1956 Les Paul Junior is both an accessible vintage piece for collectors and an uncompromising rock ’n’ roll machine with many decades of gigging and recording potential ahead of it. 

Upon purchase, this 1956 Les Paul Junior will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the U.S., starting February 28.

Few Gibson models are shrouded in greater mystery than the Moderne. Designed by Ted McCarty in 1957 and patented the following year, the Moderne didn’t make it into production until 1982-83, when 143 models left the Gibson factory alongside the Flying V and Explorer as part of the Korina Heritage series. Most of these instruments sported natural finishes, but only a handful were made in white and in black. 

As part of Gibson’s world-first Certified Vintage program the Moderne is a time-capsule that can only be described as a new, old stock instrument, preserved in mint condition inside the Gibson Vault for more than four decades, recently rediscovered, and now offered for sale for the very first time. There are rare guitars, and there are unicorns, and this Moderne is definitely in the latter category. 

The 1982 Moderne will be sold with its original black rectangular hardshell case. 

Upon purchase, the 1982 Moderne will be available for pickup at the Gibson Garage in Nashville, or shipment to an address in the U.S., starting February 28.

Gibson:

GIBSON.COM | TW | IG | FB | GIBSON APP | GIBSON GARAGE | GIBSON TV

Epiphone:

EPIPHONE.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

Kramer:

KRAMERGUITARS.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

MESA/Boogie:

MESA/BOOGIE.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

KRK:

KRKMUSIC.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

Maestro: 

MAESTROELECTRONICS.COM | @MAESTROELECTRONICS | GIBSON TV 

About Gibson:

Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Explore more at Gibson.com, Gibson App, and on Gibson TV, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and visit us at the Gibson Garage.

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For media enquiries regarding the Gibson Certified Vintage program, contact: 

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