Here a cool Gibson Firebird T made in 2016 in Cream White. This is one of the Firebird T models with a simple stop tail from a production run from 2016. Kitted out with two mini hum-buckers, it is a cool looking tone machine. The chrome tuners are the so-called Steinberger tuners and take a bit getting used to but function otherwise fine. The overall condition is great, as it is only a few years old and appears to be hardly played. Even the black case is in great nick.
The ’76 Gibson Explorer, introduced by Gibson in 1990, is essentially a reissue of the ’76 model, which itself was a reissue of the original ’58 Explorer. This model, released alongside the Flying V and the Moderne, continued production until 2002. The ’76 reissues are noted for their slimmer necks, resembling a ’60s profile rather than the chunkier ’50s style, making them more comfortable to play. In recent times, ’90s Gibson Explorers have gained popularity, recognized as some of the finest guitars from Gibson USA.
Here, we have a natural burst Explorer from 2001 (Serial No. 00161635), once owned and played by Alan Jones, the former bass player for the Shadows and a supporting act for Tom Jones. Included with the guitar are original photographs of Alan from various stages of his career, some autographed. The guitar shows signs of being well-played, with a natural patina and playwear. It comes with the original tan-coloured Gibson Explorer case.
Here is a walnut-coloured Fretless Fender Precision Bass from 1977, crafted in the USA. This bass features a 3-bolt neck design. The Fender Precision Bass was a game-changer in the music industry upon its debut in October 1951, with an innovative design that was unparalleled prior to Leo Fender’s invention. Before this, bands relied on the upright double basses, which were bulky and difficult to manage. Moreover, these basses struggled to project over the horn sections and drums in dance bands of that era. Fretless versions like this one entered production in the 1970s. This particular instrument boasts an alder body with a walnut finish and chrome hardware, paired with a maple neck and a rosewood fretboard.
Here one of the flagship guitars of Gibson’s Guitar development, the 1977 Gibson RD Artist D – Rare Gibson guitar and top of the range 1970s guitar with factory fitted Moog electronics circuit. This is the 1st year 1977 version of one of the most ambitious Gibson projects, designed by Gibsons R& D team, hence the prefix RD Artist. The 1st models had 24 frets, and towards the end of the 1st year the models became 22-fret guitars. The guitar is a pandoras box with all the sound goodies everyone wants. In a way you could see, it’s a fusion between Gibson Recording and Firebird. Simply stunning sound. In addition to simple tone volume, it has a ” Bright” switch and “Expander / compression” circuits. The bridge and tail are standard. Plays great and keeps very well in tune. Lives in its rectangular hard case.
Here another guitar from the Gibson stable, a trans black Gibson Les Paul Classic model. Great guitar with a fine top on it. This guitar was made in USA in 2011 and has seen some use and has therefore some minor marks to body and is generally in great overall condition. The playability is superb and the guitar has a nice feel about it. the guitar is built from a solid mahogany body with two piece carved maple cap. Nice smooth playing neck with a 12.00″ radius. Set up nice and low, it plays like butter with low action and optimal neck relief, and is currently set up with 10s. The frets are wide and tall with minor wear. The guitar lives in its black tolex hard case.
Here a great looking Gibson Les Paul Custom by the custom shop in aged cream white It’s a 2014 model with a Bigsby where the Bigsby has been replaced with a standard tailpiece. Great example of a great solid body guitar made with solid mahogany body, maple cap with a cool finish. The guitar is in near mint condition with only the onset of yellowing of the binding and the Bigsby holes. This beast has killer looks and with its hot pick ups it’s also it is a winner. The fretboard is made from very fine rich-lite and the smooth neck with the jumbo frets make it very playable. Guitar lives in it’s black coloured Gibson Custom hard-case.
Here a great looking Gibson Les Paul Custom III, by the custom shop in Wine Red. It’s a 2014 model and is a superb example of a great solid body guitar made with solid mahogany body, maple cap with a great translucent cherry red finish. The guitar is in near mint condition with only the onset of yellowing of the binding. This red beast has killer looks and with its multi pick up sound also it is a winner. The fretboard is made from very fine rich-lite and the smooth neck with the jumbo frets make it very playable. Guitar lives in its tan coloured Gibson Custom hard-case.
Here a cool guitar from the Gibson stable, a great looking Slash signature model in Vermillion. Great guitar with a super reddish flame type top on it. This guitar has seen some minor use at all and has nearly no marks to body, other than some indentations on the front and is therefore in great condition. The pick-guard was never fitted and no drill holes are present on the body. The overall playability is superb and the guitar has a cool look about it. The construction is solid mahogany back and neck, maple cap (AAA grade) and very dark rosewood fingerboard. There’s some weight relief to the bodies, despite this these are hefty beasts; averaging around 4.1kgs The face of the headstock has a silkscreen print of Slash’s signature on it. Set up nice and low it plays like butter. Lives in its black Slash motif adorned hard case.
Here we have an uncommon Fender Standard Stratocaster introduced during 1981-83 within the so-called Dan Smith Era in Fender. The guitar is finished in an aged cream with a white pick guard or blonde on blonde finish. This guitar has a common vol and tone arrangement for the 3 pickups with the jack socket flush and as part of the scratch plate on the front. While sharing many elements with a traditional Stratocaster, this model used a different style tremolo bridge and tremolo arm system. As for the sound the guitar has no major differences in sound from the more common 3-knob Stratocaster guitars. The 2-knob Stratocaster was only produced for two years from 1981-3. Another point from the DS era is the reverting back to 4-bolt neck joints and the original smaller headstock whilst retaining the larger decal transfer we know from ‘70s fender designs.
The 1981 Standard Stratocaster was produced until 1983, when it was significantly revised by placing the jack plug on the pickguard flush with the body and offering only one tone control instead of two. The CBS 70s style headstock decal was also changed to a smaller, silver logo style that would be subsequently used in the 1987 American Standard. These 1981-83 first version of the Standard Stratocaster have become known on the street (and in third party literature) as the “Dan Smith Stratocaster”. Smith’s name is not placed on the headstock, or anywhere else on the instrument, but it’s only fair that Stratocaster enthusiasts have dubbed this model the “Smith Strat” in homage to the man who brought the Stratocaster back closer to the original 1950s design. This guitar is quite a bonny looking machine with the aged cream finish. Guitar lives in its case.
Here an interesting guitar from the Gibson stable, an Mellow Green Burst Gibson Les Paul Peace model, made as part of the 120-year anniversary of Gibson’s guitar building. Great guitar with a mahogany body and neck and a fine figured maple top on it. This guitar was made in USA in 2014, and comes originally with robot mini E-tune system automatic battery operated tuners. The Gibson Les Paul Peace model references the Flower Power era of the ’60s with some fittings including Peace symbols in the volume and tone knobs as well as the PEACE lettering on the tailpiece. The guitar lives in a hemp-covered case, with its peace sign and tie-dye interior in spirit to the look of the 60s. The powerhouse of this guitar are 2 Gibson 61 humbuckers arranged in the usual 2 Vol/2 Tone array The guitar has a slim Taper profile on the neck making playing quite easy. This guitar has seen little or no use use and has only polishing marks to body and is in great overall condition. Set up nice and low, it plays like butter.
Here a 2014 Gibson Explorer Lzzy Hale signature model, in an limited edition Alpine White finish. It’s a limited edition with a dark rosewood fingerboard kitted out with block-shaped acrylic ‘pearloid’ inlays and with a flat body with a great finish and triple binding around the front of the body. The guitar weighs about 3 .7 kgs which is quite light for an explorer model. Despite the angular look it balances well and plays well too. The guitar sports 2 ’57 Humbuckers (1 Classic ’57 Plus in bridge, 1 Classic ’57 in the neck position) Explorers were first designed and produced in the late 1950s by Gibson as part of their ” modernist” drive that also yielded the Moderne and the Flying V. Explorers helped define the sound of many bands including the Halestorm band and previously the now well known sound of U-2. Originally designed in 1957, Explorers, Flying Vs and the rare Modernes have become collectible guitars in their own right. This example lives in its rectangular hard-case.
Here a quality guitar from the Gibson stable, a great looking Slash signature model in Anaconda Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard model, made in USA 2020Great guitar with a super red/black flame type top on it. This guitar has seen hardly any use at all and has nearly no marks to body and is therefore in great condition. Even the pick-guard was not fitted and no drill holes are present on the body. The overall playability is superb and the guitar has a cool look about it. The construction is solid mahogany back and neck, maple cap (AAA grade) and very dark rosewood fingerboard. There’s no weight relief to the bodies, so these are hefty beasts; averaging around 4.3kg. Set up nice and low it plays like butter. Lives in its tan coloured case.
My Pile of Guitars & Basses 