
1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul
Gibson returns to NAMM 2025 this week to showcase their 2025 lineup.
1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul
Gibson Custom introduces the 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the five custom color Gibson Les Pauls that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show. Gibson displayed these five distinctive Les Paul models at the 1955 NAMM Show--which was held in Chicago, IL--with each guitar finished in one of five custom metallic nitrocellulose lacquer car finishesāSamoa Beige, Copper Iridescent, Nugget Gold, Platinum, and Viceroy Brown. In addition to their custom metallic finishes, they were outfitted with no-wire ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridges and Stop Bar tailpieces. These bridges were first introduced on the Gibson Super 400 in 1953 and were used on the 1954 Les Paul Custom, but they made their first appearance on a standard Les Paul model with the five guitars that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show. These distinctive-looking and historically notable Les Pauls were made in extremely limited numbers, and the whereabouts of only a few are known today.
This special run is limited to only 70 guitars in each of the custom colors, with the custom metallic nitrocellulose lacquer car finishes expertly recreated by Gibson for the first time ever. Each of these guitars features historically accurate 1955 specifications, including a lightweight one-piece mahogany body and a hide glue-fitted two-piece plain maple cap. Even the color matched Speed knobs replicate the knobs on the guitars that were shown at the 1955 NAMM Show. The one-piece mahogany neck has a long neck tenon, a 1950s Chunky D-Shape neck profile, and an Indian rosewood fretboard that has 22 historic narrow/tall frets, a 12ā fretboard radius, and is adorned with aged cellulose nitrate trapezoid inlays. The headstock features a period-correct ālow logoā holly headstock veneer and is equipped with a nylon nut and single line, single ring KlusonĀ® tuners, and has a historical 1955 limited run serial number on the back. The pickups are a pair of cream-covered Custom Shop P-90 Soapbars that are hand-wired to 500k CTS potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors. Each guitar in this limited edition also features Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving these guitars the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era. A brown/pink Lifton five-latch case is also included to complete the authentic vintage ownership. Highly collectible, only 70 of the 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul guitars from Gibson Custom will be made in each of the five colors, for a total of 350 guitars.
Warren Haynes Les Paul Standard
Warren Haynes is highly regarded for his work in rock, blues, and Americana music with the Allman Brothers Band, as a founding member of Govāt Mule, as a session guitarist and sideman for numerous famous friends and groups, as the leader of The Warren Haynes Band, and as a solo artist. A master of multiple styles and genres, Warren has also shared his expertise with other players via multiple instructional videos. A self-described āGibson man,ā Warren has used several Gibson models throughout the years, including his cherished ā61 ES-335, among others. The Warren Haynes Les Paul Standard is another standout, with features tailored specifically to Warrenās preferences, including a mahogany body with a plain maple cap topped with a 60s Cherry finish, just like his cherished ā61 ES-335, a mahogany neck with a chunky 50s vintage neck profile, like all of Warrenās favorite Les Pauls, and much more. Bearing the traditional looks and feel of a 50ās-era Les Paul coupled with modern features like hum-free P-90 DC pickups and an on board clean boost, the Gibson Warren Haynes Les Paul Standard bridges modern and traditional and is a great choice for players who, like Warren, want both a traditional appearance and modern functionality in one outstanding guitar.
1936 Advanced Jumbo
Gibson Custom is proud to introduce the Gibson 1936 Advance Jumbo āHeavy Agedā acoustic guitar. During a time when cultural optimism was low, Gibson dreamed up a new line of advanced instruments, and included in those models was the Advanced Jumbo. Due to low production numbers from 1936-1939, this model largely flew under the radar even though it was a supreme-sounding and performing instrument. Outfitted with a thermally aged red spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and premium Waverly tuners, the 1936 Advanced Jumbo brings back all the tone and prestige that made these such sought-after instruments by artists and collectors. It features Heavy Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Heavy Aged finish treatment, paired with heavily aged hardware, simulates decades of heavy play wear, giving it the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era. The Gibson 1936 Advance Jumbo arrives in a stunning Vintage Sunburst, expect a heavy weather-checked finish, heavy belt buckle wear, light arm wear, and light neck wear.
1939 SJ-100
New for 2025, the Gibson Custom 1939 SJ-100 is a replica of the rare and distinctive mahogany-backed Super Jumbo 100 that was built for only a few years (circa 1939-1942). The 1939 SJ-100 Heavy Aged fully replicates the original and exceptionally rare 1939 SJ-100 guitars that are coveted by collectors and vintage Gibson experts around the world. It features a thermally aged red spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a two piece maple neck with a rounded profile and an ebony fretboard. Other notable features include a vintage SJ-100 style firestripe pickguard, the rare, vintage āstair stepā headstock design, the Gibson script headstock logo inlaid in mother of pearl, and Waverly tuners with ivoroid knobs. Crafted by the expert luthiers and craftspeople at the Gibson Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana, the Gibson Custom 1939 SJ-100 has been artfully aged by the artisans of the Murphy Lab to give it the look and feel of a long-cherished musical companion.
1942 Banner J-45
The allure and legend of the Gibson J-45 lives on in the new Murphy Lab 1942 Banner J-45. Inspired by the holy grail of vintage acoustic instruments, luthiers in Montana meticulously crafted a J-45 just like the most popular and celebrated version in structure and components. The new 1942 Banner J-45 includes a thermally aged red spruce top hand-sprayed with a historic-style burst, hot hide glue top bracing for better tonal response, and a bone nut and saddle. It features a Heavy Aging finish by the Murphy Lab paired with heavily aged hardware that simulates decades of heavy play wear, giving it the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era. The 1942 Banner J-45 arrives in a striking Vintage Sunburst, expect a heavy weather-checked finish, heavy belt buckle wear, light arm wear, and light neck wear.
Margo Price J-45
The music of multiple award-winning artist Margo Price transcends the boundaries of traditional country, Americana, and classic rock, and her Gibson J-45 acoustic has always been by her side during her rise as a top country artist. Gibson Customās Margo Price J-45 embodies the spirit, vision, and talent that has driven Margo to stardom and continues the nature-themed model tradition of Gibson. The Margo Price J-45 was inspired by her mid-60s J-45, a guitar sheās called āmy main baby; my guitar I play all the time.ā The Margo Price J-45 features a slightly thinner mahogany body with a red spruce top with traditional hand-scalloped advance X-bracing, a mahogany neck with a Rounded profile and rosewood fretboard, and Grover strap tuners with white buttons. The nut and saddle are bone and the bridge pins are TUSQ. The Margo Price J-45 also comes equipped with L.R. Baggs electronics, so itās studio and stage ready right out of the included hardshell case. Margo was also inspired by red-tailed hawks, which feature prominently on the distinctive double 50s-style pickguards of her new signature guitar. As Margo says, āRed Tailed hawks have always been symbolic to me. I see them everywhere, and I always have, as theyāre common all over the U.S., but to me, theyāre otherworldly, and they always come to me in my time of need with messages of strength and perseverance. Red, as a color, relates to love, passion, and even anger, matters that we typically would associate with the heart, but if you look closely, the ends of their feathers are dipped in white, and the bird itself has a spiritual nature. When Iām on long trips, I look out the window and count them alongside the highway. They pass over me at the most kismet times, reminding me to find strength in my vulnerability, and to open up and connect with those around me. I hope this guitar will remind those who play it these lessons as well.ā
Les Paul Custom
The Epiphone Les Paul Custom has been updated and is now better than ever. Part of the Inspired by Gibson Collection, it honors the 1950s-era classic that was designed by Mr. Les Paul himself in 1954 as the ātuxedoā version of his groundbreaking solidbody masterpiece. It features an all-mahogany body, a mahogany neck with a refined Modern Medium C neck profile, an ebony fretboard and pearloid block inlays and medium jumbo frets, gold hardware, including a gold Epiphone LockTone Tune-o-Matic bridge and LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece, a pair of Epiphoneās new Probucker Custom humbucker pickups, which are based on Gibson Customās Custombucker humbucking pickups, and a larger Custom split-diamond inlay on the headstock, a Graph Tech nut, era-appropriate wiring, and CTS potentiometers. An Epiphone premium gig bag is now included to help keep your guitar safe when not in use and when traveling.
J-180
The Gibson J-180 has been the choice of rock, country, and pop royalty, including legendary artists like the Everly Brothers, Cat Stevens, Dwight Yoakam, and Billie Joe Armstrong, up to some of todayās most famous artists. In partnership with Gibson Acoustic in Bozeman, Montana, Epiphone is proud to release a new version of this player-favorite guitar. The Epiphone J-180 LS is packed with premium features, including a thermally aged solid spruce top with scalloped X bracing, solid mahogany back and sides, a one-piece mahogany neck with a 25.5ā scale length, C-profile, laurel fretboard, and the iconic āstarā mother of pearl inlays that the model is so well known for. The compensated saddle, bridge pins, and nut are bone, and the headstock features the world-famous Gibson-style āopen bookā headstock shape, with the Epiphone logo and headstock star proudly displayed in mother of pearl. An Inspired by Gibson Custom Double Diamond emblem is etched on the rear of the headstock. Available in a variety of eye-catching colors and equipped with an L.R. Baggsā¢ VTC under-saddle pickup and preamp system, this exceptional guitar is stage and studio-ready from the moment you take it out of the included hardshell case. The Epiphone J-180 LS is available worldwide in Ebony, Pink, and Frost Blue. Exclusive colors, available only on www.epiphone.com, include Kerry Green and Lavender.
Acoustic players, this oneās for you! Win the LR Baggs Venue DI in the I Love Pedals giveaway and take full control of your live sound. Enter today and return daily for more chances!
LR Baggs Venue DI Acoustic Guitar Preamp / DI / EQ / Tuner Pedal
We created the Venue DI so you can travel light, set up fast, and sound incredible anywhere you plug in. The Venue DI gives you complete control by combining a full-isolation DI output, 5-band EQ with adjustable low & hi-mid bands, variable clean boost, and chromatic tuner all in one acoustic pedal. With its all-discrete signal path, hi-graded semiconductors, and exclusive use of audiophile grade film capacitors, the Venue DI is on par with the worldās elite preamps and provides a studio quality sound for the stage.
With authentic stage-class Katana amp sounds, wireless music streaming, and advanced spatial technology, the KATANA:GO is designed to offer a premium sound experience without the need for amps or pedals.
BOSS announces the return of KATANA:GO, an ultra-compact headphone amplifier for daily jams with a guitar or bass. KATANA:GO puts authentic sounds from the stage-class BOSS Katana amp series at the instrumentās output jack, paired with wireless music streaming, sound editing, and learning tools on the userās smartphone. Advanced spatial technology provides a rich 3D audio experience, while BOSS Tone Exchange offers an infinite sound library to explore any musical style.
Offering all the features of the previous generation in a refreshed external design, KATANA:GO delivers premium sound for everyday playing without the hassle of amps, pedals, and computer interfaces. Users can simply plug it into their instrument, connect earbuds or headphones, call up a memory, and go. Onboard controls provide access to volume, memory selection, and other essential functions, while the built-in screen displays the tuner and current memory. The rechargeable battery offers up to five hours of continuous playing time, and the integrated 1/4-inch plug folds down to create a pocket-size package thatās ready to travel anywhere.
KATANA:GO drives sessions with genuine sounds from the best-selling Katana stage amp series. Guitar mode features 10 unique amp characters, including clean, crunch, the high-gain BOSS Brown type, two acoustic/electric guitar characters, and more. Thereās also a dedicated bass mode with Vintage, Modern, and Flat types directly ported from the Katana Bass amplifiers. Each mode includes a massive library of BOSS effects to explore, with deep sound customization available in the companion BOSS Tone Studio app for iOS and Android.
The innovative Stage Feel feature in KATANA:GO provides an immersive audio experience with advanced BOSS spatial technology. Presets allow the user to position the amp sound and backing music in different places in the sound field, giving the impression of playing with a backline on stage or jamming in a room with friends.
The guitar and bass modes in KATANA:GO each feature 30 memories loaded with ready-to-play sounds. BOSS Tone Studio allows the player to tweak preset memories, create sounds from scratch, or import Tone Setting memories created with stage-class Katana guitar and bass amplifiers. The app also provides integrated access to BOSS Tone Exchange, where users can download professionally curated Livesets and share sounds with the global BOSS community.
Pairing KATANA:GO with a smartphone offers a complete mobile solution to supercharge daily practice. Players can jam along with songs from their music library and tap into BOSS Tone Studioās Session feature to hone skills with YouTube learning content. Itās possible to build song lists, loop sections for focused study, and set timestamps to have KATANA:GO switch memories automatically while playing with YouTube backing tracks.
The versatile KATANA:GO functions as a USB audio interface for music production and online content creation on a computer or mobile device. External control of wah, volume, memory selection, and more are also supported via the optional EV-1-WL Wireless MIDI Expression Pedal and FS-1-WL Wireless Footswitch.
For more information, please visit boss.info.
We know Horsegirl as a band of musicians, but their friendships will always come before the music. From left to right: Nora Cheng, drummer Gigi Reece, and Penelope Lowenstein.
The Chicago-via-New York trio of best friends reinterpret the best bits of college-rock and ā90s indie on their new record, Phonetics On and On.
Horsegirl guitarists Nora Cheng and Penelope Lowenstein are back in their hometown of Chicago during winter break from New York University, where they share an apartment with drummer Gigi Reece. Theyāre both in the middle of writing papers. Cheng is working on one about Buckminster Fuller for a city planning class, and Lowenstein is untangling Austrian writer Ingeborg Bachmannās short story, āThree Paths to the Lake.ā
āIt was kind of life-changing, honestly. It changed how I thought about womanhood,ā Lowenstein says over the call, laughing a bit at the gravitas of the statement.
But the moment of levity illuminates the fact that big things are happening in their lives. When they released their debut album, 2022ās Versions of Modern Performance, the three members of Horsegirl were still teenagers in high school. Their new, sophomore record, Phonetics On and On, arrives right in the middle of numerous first experiencesātheir first time living away from home, first loves, first years of their 20s, in university. Horsegirl is going through changes. Lowenstein notes how, through moving to a new city, their friendship has grown, too, into something more familial. They rely on each other more.
āIf the friendship was ever taking a toll because of the band, the friendship would come before the band, without any doubt.āāPenelope Lowenstein
āEveryone's cooking together, you take each other to the doctor,ā Lowenstein says. āYou rely on each other for weird things. I think transitioning from being teenage friends to suddenly working together, touring together, writing together in this really intimate creative relationship, going through sort of an unusual experience together at a young age, and then also starting school togetherāI just feel like it brings this insane intimacy that we work really hard to maintain. And if the friendship was ever taking a toll because of the band, the friendship would come before the band without any doubt.ā
Horsegirl recorded their sophomore LP, Phonetics On and On, at Wilcoās The Loft studio in their hometown, Chicago.
These changes also include subtle and not-so-subtle shifts in their sophisticated and artful guitar-pop. Versions of Modern Performance created a notion of the band as ā90s college-rock torchbearers, with reverb-and-distortion-drenched numbers that recalled Yo La Tengo and the Breeders. Phonetics On and On doesnāt extinguish the flame, but itās markedly more contemporary, sacrificing none of the catchiness but opting for more space, hypnotic guitar lines, and meditative, repeated phrases. Cheng and Lowenstein credit Welsh art-pop wiz Cate Le Bonās presence as producer in the studio as essential to the sonic direction.
āOn the record, I think we were really interested in Young Marble Giantsāsuper minimal, the percussiveness of the guitar, and how you can do so much with so little.āāNora Cheng
āWe had never really let a fourth person into our writing process,ā Cheng says. āI feel like Cate really changed the way we think about how you can compose a song, and built off ideas we were already thinking about, and just created this very comfortable space for experimentation and pushed us. There are so many weird instruments and things that aren't even instruments at [Wilcoās Chicago studio] The Loft. I feel like, definitely on our first record, we were super hesitant to go into territory that wasn't just distorted guitar, bass, and drums.ā
Nora Cheng's Gear
Nora Cheng says that letting a fourth personāWelsh artist Cate Le Bonāinto the trioās songwriting changed how they thought about composition.
Photo by Braden Long
Effects
- EarthQuaker Devices Plumes
- Ibanez Tube Screamer
- TC Electronic Polytune
Picks
- Dunlop Tortex .73 mm
Phonetics On and On introduces warm synths (āJulieā), raw-sounding violin (āIn Twosā), and gamelan tilesācommon in traditional Indonesian musicāto Horsegirlās repertoire, and expands on their already deep quiver of guitar sounds as Cheng and Lowenstein branch into frenetic squonks, warped jangles, and jagged, bare-bones riffs. The result is a collection of songs simultaneously densely textured and spacious.
āI listen to these songs and I feel like it captures the raw, creative energy of being in the studio and being like, āFuck! We just exploded the song. What is about to happen?āā Lowenstein says. āThat feeling is something we didnāt have on the first record because we knew exactly what we wanted to capture and it was the songs we had written in my parentsā basement.ā
Cheng was first introduced to classical guitar as a kid by her dad, who tried to teach her, and then she was subsequently drawn back to rock by bands like Cage The Elephant and Arcade Fire. Lowenstein started playing at age 6, which covers most of her life memories and comprises a large part of her identity. āIt made me feel really powerful as a young girl to know that I was a very proficient guitarist,ā she says. The shreddy playing of Television, Pink Floydās spacey guitar solos, and Yo La Tengoās Ira Kaplan were all integral to her as Horsegirl began.
Penelope Lowenstein's Gear
Penelope Lowenstein likes looking back at the versions of herself that made older records.
Photo by Braden Long
Effects
- EarthQuaker Westwood
- EarthQuaker Bellows
- TC Electronic PolyTune
Picks
- Dunlop Tortex 1.0 mm
Recently, the two of them have found themselves influenced by guitarists both related and unrelated to the type of tunes theyāre trading in on their new album. Lowenstein got into Brazilian guitar during the pandemic and has recently been āin a Jim OāRourke, John Fahey zone.ā
āThereās something about listening to that music where you realize, about the guitar, that you can just compose an entire orchestra on one instrument,ā Lowenstein says. āAnd hearing what the bass in those guitar parts is doingāas in, the E stringāis kind of mind blowing.ā
āOn the record, I think we were really interested in Young Marble Giantsāsuper minimal, the percussiveness of the guitar, and how you can do so much with so little,ā Cheng adds. āAnd also Lizzy Mercier [Descloux], mostly on the Rosa Yemen records. That guitar playing I feel was very inspiring for the anti-solo,[a technique] which appears on [Phonetics On and On].āThis flurry of focused discovery gives the impression that Cheng and Lowensteinās sensibilities are shifting day-to-day, buoyed by the incredible expansion of creative possibilities that setting oneās life to revolve around music can afford. And, of course, the energy and exponential growth of youth. Horsegirl has already clocked major stylistic shifts in their brief lifespan, and itās exciting to have such a clear glimpse of evolution in artists who are, likely and hopefully, just beginning a long journey together.
āThereās something about listening to that music where you realize, about the guitar, that you can just compose an entire orchestra on one instrument.āāPenelope Lowenstein
āIn your 20s, life moves so fast,ā Lowenstein says. āSo much changes from the time of recording something to releasing something that even that process is so strange. You recognize yourself, and you also kind of sympathize with yourself. It's a really rewarding way of life, I think, for musicians, and it's cool that we have our teenage years captured like that, tooāon and on until we're old women.ā
YouTube It
Last summer, Horsegirl gathered at a Chicago studio space to record a sun-soaked set of new and old tunes.
Featuring torrefied solid Sitka Spruce tops, mahogany neck, back, and sides, and Fishman Presys VT EQ System, these guitars are designed to deliver quality tone and playability at an affordable price point.
Cort Guitars, acclaimed for creating instruments that exceed in value and quality, introduces the Essence Series. This stunning set of acoustic guitars is designed for musicians looking for the quintessential classic acoustic guitar with fabulous tone all at an exceptional price point. The Essence Series features two distinct body shapes: The Grand Auditorium and the OM Cutaway. Whatever the flavor, the Essence Series has the style to suit.
The Essence-GA-4 is the perfect Grand Auditorium acoustic. Wider than a dreadnought, the Essence-GA-4 features a deep body with a narrower waist and a width of 1 Ā¾ā (45mm) at the nut. The result is an instrument that is ideal for any number of playing styles: Pickingā¦ strummingā¦ the Essence GA-4 is completely up for the task.
The Essence-OM-4 features a shallower body creating a closer connection to the player allowing for ease of use on stage. With its 1 11/16āth (43mm) nut width, this Orchestra Model is great for fingerpickers or singer/guitarists looking for better body contact for an overall better playing experience.
Both acoustics are topped with a torrefied solid Sitka Spruce top using Cortās ATV process. The ATV process or āAged to Vintageā, āagesā the Spruce top to give it the big and open tone of older, highly-sought-after acoustics. To further enhance those vintage tones, the tops bracing is also made of torrefied spruce. The mahogany neck, back, and sides create a warm, robust midrange and bright highs. A rosewood fingerboard and bridge add for a more balanced sound and sustain. The result is amazing tone at first strum. 18:1 Vintage Open Gear Tuners on the mahogany headstock offer precise tuning with vintage styling. The herringbone rosette & purfling accentuates the aesthetics of these instruments adding to their appeal. Both acoustics come in two choices of finish. Natural Semi-Gloss allows the Sitka spruceās natural beauty to shine through and classic Black Top Semi-Gloss.
A FishmanĀ® Presys VT EQ System is installed inside the body versus other systems that cut into the body to be installed. This means the instrument keeps its natural resonance and acoustic flair. The Presys VT EQ System keeps it simple with only Volume and Tone controls resulting in a true, crisp acoustic sound. Lastly, ElixirĀ® Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light .012-.053 Acoustic Strings round out these acoustics. This Number 1 acoustic guitar string delivers consistent performance and extended tone life with phosphor bronze sparkle and warmth. The Essence Series takes all these elements, combines them, and exceeds in playability, looks, and affordability.
Street Price: $449.00
For more information, please visit cortguitars.com.