The series features three distinct models—The Bell,The Dread, and The Parlor—each built to deliver rich, resonant acoustic sound with effortless amplification.
Constructed with solid Sitka spruce tops and solid mahogany back & sides, the Festival Series offers warm, balanced tone with incredible sustain. A Fishman pickup system, paired with hidden volume and tone control knobs inside the sound hole, ensures seamless stage and studio performance.
Grover 16:1 ratio tuners provide superior tuning stability, while D’Addario strings enhance clarity and playability. Each guitar comes with a heavy-padded gig bag, making it a perfect choice for gigging musicians and traveling artists.
Key Features of the Festival Series Guitars:
- Solid Sitka Spruce Top – Provides bright, articulate tone with impressive projection
- Solid Mahogany Back & Sides – Adds warmth and depth for a well-balanced sound
- Fishman Pickup System – Delivers natural, high-fidelity amplified tone
- Hidden Volume & Tone Control Knobs – Discreetly placed inside the sound hole for clean aesthetics
- Grover Tuners (16:1 Ratio) – Ensures precise tuning stability
- D’Addario Strings – Premium strings for enhanced sustain and playability
- Heavy-Padded Gig Bag Included – Provides protection and convenience for musicians on the go
Kirk Hammett has partnered with Gibson Publishing to release The Collection: Kirk Hammett, a premium hardcover coffee-table photo book where Kirk tells the stories behind his rare and collectible instruments.
“I am thrilled to announce the launch of The Collection: Kirk Hammett. I’ve worked diligently on this curated collection of vintage and modern guitars for the book. I feel the book captures the rich history and artistry behind each of these unique and rare instruments. Every picture tells a story and thanks to Ross Halfin and his exceptional photography, every picture in this book is worth a million words! This book could not be possible without the help of Gibson, so I’d like to thank them for making my passion for Greeny, and guitars a reality. I hope all of you enjoy this journey as much as I did.”
“It’s exciting the time has come to release The Collection: Kirk Hammett by Gibson,” adds Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. “We have been working on this project with Kirk for years now, and I had the opportunity to work closely with Kirk on the composition of the collection for the book. It was a thrill to put this together and it took a village to get it done! I hope everyone appreciates the work that went into this book and enjoys every story behind the guitars.”
The Collection: Kirk Hammett, Custom Edition is limited to just 300 numbered copies signed by KIRK HAMMETT and comes in a huge 19 x 14.5” (490 x 370mm) presentation box featuring custom artwork and an outstanding case candy package. In addition to the large-format 17 x 12” (432 x 310mm) hardcover version of the book with a stunning lenticular cover, the boxset includes a frameable 16 x 11.6” (407 x 295mm) art print of a Ross Halfin portrait of KIRK HAMMETT signed by both Halfin and the Metallica guitarist. Other case candy includes an Axe Heaven miniature replica of Hammett’s 1979 Gibson Flying V with case and stand, an exclusive pick tin complete with six Dunlop® Kirk Hammett signature Jazz III guitar picks, and a Gibson Publishing Certificate of Authenticity.
Explore The Collection: Kirk Hammett book HERE.
Here’s Chris Martin surrounded by a group of guitars created to commemorate his family’s 192-year history.
The home organ once ruled the world, only to go extinct. Is the acoustic guitar next?
When I was growing up, my Aunt Kate had a home organ in her living room. Back then, home organs were everywhere. They were sold at malls across America, and were a staple of post-WWII households. Brands like Lowrey, Magnus, and Hammond dominated the market. Lowrey, a division of Norlin (which eventually acquired Gibson), was especially massive. In fact, in a year where Gibson generated $19 million in revenue, Lowrey pulled in a staggering $100 million.
But like all booms, the home organ’s success was temporary. By the 1980s, it had gone bust. A huge contributing factor was the entrance of Casio: a more affordable, portable alternative that rendered the home organ obsolete.
Thankfully, the acoustic guitar has always had portability on its side. I’ve witnessed three major acoustic-guitar booms in my lifetime: the folk and folk-rock explosion of the late ’50s through the late ’70s, the MTV Unplugged resurgence, and most recently, the COVID-era surge.
The ’80s, however, were a tough time for acoustic guitar builders. That decade belonged to pointy electric guitars and hair metal. But the acoustic guitar came back. And unlike the home organ, it has not only endured, but thrived.
My great-grandfather capitalized on the demand for mandolins in the early part of the 20th century. We also tried to make and sell banjos. In addition to that, we made archtops, and although they weren’t as popular as some other brands, we did borrow the 14-fret neck.
While we were making 12-fret guitars with steel strings (the real benefit of that era was a dramatic improvement in the quality of steel strings), we discovered that many players wanted more access to the body and a slimmer profile. Starting with a 000-size guitar, we quickly converted many of our models to the new modern neck design, most notably our dreadnought model. The timing was right, as the dreadnought became the go-to guitar for country music. The steel-string flattop would lend itself to a fantastic melding of styles and types of music from around the world (and around the corner), becoming the driving voice of not just country, but also folk and many other genres.
Baby boomers (myself included) grew up with the sound of the acoustic guitar, and playing the music of our youth remains an essential part of any enthusiast’s repertoire. Our generation is not only large but also living longer, thanks to modern medicine and healthier lifestyles. Many of us have accumulated wealth, and for those of us in the business of making and selling guitars, that’s good news.
I mean no disrespect when I say, “Thank goodness I wasn’t born into the world’s most famous accordion-making family.” Accordions had their day, just as the home organ once did. Interestingly, accordions still have a niche following, whereas the home organ is now a historical artifact. While home organs were, for a time, all the rage, I doubt that even at the peak of their popularity anyone owned more than one. Quite a different situation when it comes to guitars and guitar collecting.
I do wish I could share with my ancestors how popular the guitar continues to be.
Every so often, someone writes an article with a headline like, “Is the Guitar Dead?” My answer is simple: no.
As long as we boomers—and everybody else—keep playing.