The 2019 catalogue has largely cut down on available finishes and options for Les Paul’s and SG’s, while also reviving the ES studio series, including the ES-235 Studio, ES-339 Studio and ES-335 Studio models. The company has also announced the price of the standard production ES-335 will be reduced.
Two brand new thin-line models will join the Gibson pack – the ES-235 and ES-275T – built at the company’s enduring plant in Memphis. The ES-235’s base model is modelled on classic ’50s guitars like the ES-125. The ES-275T differentiates itself with a rounder cutaway and looks more akin to a fifties Byrdland or an ES-5.
Gibson’s most buzzed about guitar in the new catalogue exemplifies the brand’s new affordable approach – the Les Paul Junior Doublecut. It streamlines the existing Les Paul Junior, an affordable option for students and beginners, with an all new pickguard design.
In the acoustic world, Gibson is launching a studio series which rebrands classic Gibson designs at more affordable prices. The studio series will include variations on the L-00, J-45, Hummingbird and SJ-200 models, and will have a slightly thinner body depth than their higher end counterparts. The guitars’ construction otherwise remains largely the same, built with hide glue, a dovetail neck joint and a nitrocellulose finish.
To top off the company’s more restrained approach, Gibson has also launched a sustainable series using an environmentally friendly beeswax-based finish. The guitars in the series include the aformentioned J-45 and Hummingbird models, and will still use walnut as their primary tonewood.
See the full 2019 Gibson lineup here.
