Those New Modern DC shaped Gibsons from NAMM

Corvus

Don't mind the DC shape but it looks tiny.

First look at the custom Firebird got a wow but then... so they went flat body & set neck to make binding easier. No Steinbergers. The thing seems like a dressed-up Studio. But somehow the string run looks more off-straight than them, and a Richlite board. Oh well.

mikeyrob73

the Explorer, V and Firebird are cool 


the rest made a little bit of sick in my mouth 

impmann

Why do Gibson insist on offering a sunburst that wouldn't look out of place on a shitty Hondo Les Paul?

That cherry into yellow 'burst looks cheap, tacky and simply vile.

As for the single cuts... I quite like the shape. Its a little generic and a bit like those Tokai things that almost looked like a PRS if you'd had a skinfull and a dodgy curry. And squinted. A lot. That shape lends itself to a solid colour though - or a single colour see through. And really, they missed a trick by using their "traditional" maple top... if they'd used Ash, with a see-through colour top (with the grain of the Ash highlighted tastefully) I think we'd all be more keen. It also would have given it a different voice - I guarantee that these will sound exactly as they look, a generic "Gibson-esque" sound with mid emphasis, great for classic rock (but if you play Classic Rock you won't want a modern guitar, will you).

The "custom" treatment for the V and Explorer etc just look clumsy - those guitars were all about clean lines and modern, unembelished design, so adding all the inlays, binding etc is a bit like putting edible gold leaf on an egg sandwich, in my opinion. I'm sure others will love it.

Bucket

Gibson, if you're reading this and fancy tweaking the design for the next model year:

Deeper cutaway on the treble side, thin out the top horn a little bit, and for god's sake lose the headstock - maybe a small inline jobbie like on the older Firebird Studio. And block inlays might look nicer than trapezoids - dots could work too. I agree with @impmann about the potential for using other tonewoods - ash would be really cool. And I also agree with him that the sunburst looks awful.

That green is ace though. I'd love to see an R7 or R8-spec LP with a green top and natural back and sides.

sgosden

Reminds me of a Nissan leaf.

Someone in the board room has decided they need to make something 'look modern', so attempted something space age...  but it looks gopping.

https://www.nissan.co.uk/vehicles/new-vehicles/leaf.html

JayGee

Give the DCs a Firebird-ish headstock and offer a version at Tribute/Studio pricing levels and I'd be all over them. Other than that body edge binding really isn't working for me on a Firebird, but definitely is on the Explorer and the V...

stonevibe

These are first and a limited run, so I reckon we may see more of them after this. Give Gibson a chance, at least its not a f**king Firebird X!

I actually think they look like they will play really well and I'd rather try one than another bloody R9 'living in the past' Les Paul.

photek

Looks a lot the Washburn P4 to me.

WezV

stonevibe said:

I actually think they look like they will play really well and I'd rather try one than another bloody R9 'living in the past' Les Paul.

They are still living in the past, just happens to be the early 90's rather than the late 50's

Nikko

Ok, how many internal organs can I sell to fund the Custom Firebird before I start to notice they are missing?!?

andyp

I really like the DC models to be honest. I thought they were announced as being more like £1000-1500 though, when I saw $4k I had to go and figure out why.

I agree though, the Explorer type headstock would work really well but I quite like the combo of "old and new".

olafgarten

Thinking more about it a Solid Body 339 style shape would work better. Or something more like this: maton.com.au/product/ms2000-dlx

Jez6345789

I did not comment at the time but these are presumedly payback for the PRS 594 which was targeted to draw in R8/R9 customers a profitable pool of customers for Gibson, which PRS need to tap into hence the whole modern vintage guitar with an old soul PR campaign when they were launched the 594 and Paul going round to the store meet and greets telling people for a while before they came out we know what is needed to make a decent Vintage style guitar we could make the shit out of those guitars we just dont own the trademarks. 

Well thats my reading of it a bit of tit for tat. 

normula1

I get the DC body shape, I wouldn't buy one ad I don't really like 24 fret guitars and the control layout is pants, but as an object to look at it's fine... but why oh why didn't they use a different headstock shape? Firebird, Explorer, but not the one that's on there, it looks like they had a bunch of existing necks to use up

Loobs

Fire whatever knob designed that first thing. 

Rabs

Loobs said:

Fire whatever knob designed that first thing. 

They cant..  Paul Reed Smith doesn't work for Gibson 

Steffo

I like them, but the price is just not right. If the keep going like this they will go under in double quick time.

blueskunk

Ugly mutherfuggers but I like em. 

John_P

I suppose if they only make a limited run then they aren't going to lose out.     I don't mind the dc shape but the older dc standards were a lot nicer.   

I do like thr customs though - I'd be happy to use any of them - shame about the prices.  

midlifecrisis

i like them  but agree with most of the above, $4k  is too much. but then im not their target audience. I suppose if they start off at $4k then a year later they bring out special edition ones for £1500 that seem like a bargain (still too pricey for me but im sure the may sell plenty)