Gibson kicks off the Master Artisan Collection with the Leo Scala Super '58s, a collection of one-of-a-kind Flying V style guitars designed by iconic luthier Leo Scala.
Every new series in the Master Artisan Collection will feature instruments and accessories that are custom designed and built to be the pinnacle of craftsmanship, authentically Gibson Custom Shop, and extraordinarily rare. Gibson Custom Shop is proud to launch of the new Master Artisan Collection with the Leo Scala Super ‘58 Flying V’s, its first collaboration with Los Angeles based luthier Leo Scala, the founder of Scala Guitars and one of the world’s foremost guitar makers.
During his three decade career, Leo has established an enviable reputation for his unique creativity and impeccable craftsmanship, in addition to his passion for Gibson instruments. The ultra-rare and desirable Gibson Master Artisan Collection feat. All guitars come with a custom hard case with plush ruby interior and a Certificate of Authenticity with Leo’s signature. Though his guitars have the visual impact of sculpture, the looks are never the most important thing to Scala. “It’s always the sound,” he adds. “It can be extremely flashy, but if you pick it up and it doesn’t do its own thing, then you just missed the whole point. It’s not art that should be hanging on a wall; it’s a performing piece of art. That’s what this collection represents, and I feel honored to be asked to contribute to an iconic legacy.”
Leo Scala Super '58 Flying V - The Seraph
Leo Scala 777
The 777 available in Black, White, and Custom Metal. The Leo Scala 777 includes a Bigsby B7 vibrato tailpiece like performer Lonnie Mack installed on his “Number 7” Flying V.
Leo Scala Hybrid
The Hybrid available in Black, White, and Custom Metal. The Leo Scala Hybrid includes added brass stoptails to the V-Plate allowing for alternate stringings.
Leo Scala Classic Custom
The Classic Custom available in Black, White, and Custom Metal. The Leo Scala Classic Custom guitars are the closest to the original 1958 specifications.
Gibson Master Artisan Collection | Leo Scala Super '58s
The new Gibson Master Artisan Collection is only available directly from the Gibson Garage in Nashville, TN, call (615) 933-6000. Explore the Gibson Master Artisan Collection feat. Leo Scala on Gibson.com.
Rhett Schull’s a busy guy. Between being one of the most prolific YouTubers in the guitar sphere, working as a trusted hired gun, and creating his own original music, including last year’s EP The Early Days, he’s an avid cyclist. Just a week before we met up with Rhett at Eastside Bowl in Madison, Tennessee, for this Rig Rundown, he was slated to ride a 100-mile race in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Those plans were dashed when 70-mile-an-hour winds stoked a wildfire near town and burned just over 26,000 acres. But the show must go on: The next night, Schull played a gig in town, a special release for people reeling from a brutal natural disaster.
Schull’s a certified gear aficionado and tone wizard, so PG’s Chris Kies headed to Eastside Bowl to have him walk us through his current live rig. Check out the Rundown here, and stay tuned; Schull’s got more music coming later this year.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Special Serus
Schull’s wife pointed out this Novo Serus J hanging on the wall of a guitar shop back in 2017, and it was love at first strum. Made from tempered pine and loaded with Amalfitano P-90 pickups, plus sporting an unmissable pink sparkle polyurethane finish, it’s a real looker, and one of Schull’s favorite guitars.
Third Man Thumper
After Schull did a video on the Fender Jack White Pano Verb amplifier, Fender sent him a Jack White Triplecaster Telecaster, part of his signature series of gear with Fender launched last year. Schull calls it one of the most versatile guitars he owns, with each of the three pickup options virtually splitting it into three separate guitars.
Firebird-Watching
This beauty from Gibson’s Custom Shop came to Schull following NAMM in 2020. On tour, he needs something with humbuckers and something with single-coils. Then, he thinks of what’s exciting him. These days, it’s this Firebird V, which doesn’t have a typical Firebird tone, but cuts closer to something like a Telecaster at times.
Rockin' Two With a Two-Rock
Schull runs two amps onstage, but he doesn’t run them in stereo; he believes the stereo image doesn’t translate as well in a live situation where listeners are spread across the speaker system’s field. With this Two-Rock Classic Reverb Signature and an AC15-ish David Edwards Apollo, Schull gets a “broadband” sound set for big, fat clean tones, like one giant amp on the edge of breakup.
Fun fact: Edwards surprised Schull with the Apollo when Rhett went to Florida to work on some videos.
Rhett Schull's Pedalboard
Schull’s 2024 EP is very effects-heavy, so he commissioned the pedalboard-whisperers at XAct Tone Solutions to build him this double-decker station based around an RJM Mastermind PBC/6X switcher. Some of the stomps, like the Chase Bliss Mood, are activated by MIDI, and all the different sounds from each song—from intro to chorus to bridge to finish—is set up in the RJM. If Rhett wants to go off script, he can hit the function button, which lets him engage pedals on a one-by-one basis. A Line 6 HX One is a “wildcard” pedal in this rig, filling in gaps as needed.
In addition to those machines, the rig includes a Chase Bliss Dark World, GFI System Synesthesia, Hologram Electronics Chroma Console, Boss Space Echo RE-202, GFI System Duophony (which mixes the Dark World and Synesthesia), Chase Bliss Automatone Preamp MkII (used for boost, EQ, fuzz, or overdrive depending on the song), Old Blood Noise Endeavors Beam Splitter, Source Audio ZIO, Memory Lane Electronics Tone Bender clone, and a Mythos Argonaut. A mysterious Japan-made Noel dirt pedal, finished in striking red and gifted to Shull by JHS Pedals’ Josh Scott, rounds out the collection. Utility boxes include a TC Electronic PolyTune3 Noir, Lehle Little Dual, a pair of Strymon Ojai power supplies, and a bigger Strymon Zuma supply.
