Double trouble.
Gibson are no strangers to realising great signature guitars, and they’re looking to reaffirm their status within this sector today with two new Gibson and Epiphone launches at NAMM 2021: the new Kirk Douglas SG, and a unique Epiphone Fanatic for Heart’s Nancy Wilson.
Summary
- Kirk Douglas, who plays with legendary Philadelphia hip-hop ensemble The Roots, and Nancy Wilson of Heart have received new signature models from Gibson and Epiphone.
- Both artists have previously collaborated with Gibson Brands on signature models.
- The ‘Captain’ Kirk Douglas SG features three humbuckers and is available in two cool finishes.
- Epiphone’s new Nancy Wilson Fanatic puts a distinctive spin on the Nighthawk shape.
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Gibson ‘Captain’ Kirk Douglas Signature SG
Whether you’re a diehard of his contributions to classics like How I Got Over and Game Theory or you’re only familiar with him through his role as guitarist on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, there’s no denying that Kirk Douglas is a monster of a player. He’s previously worked alongside Gibson to create a signature SG guitar, with this newer triple-pickup SG Custom reaffirming his partnership with the iconic brand.
Built from a slab of hefty mahogany for the neck and body and featuring a 22 fret rosewood fretboard, the Kirk Douglas SG looks to be a total tone machine to suit all kinds of sounds. Available in Ebony Black and Inverness Green finishes, it’s loaded with a trio of Burstbucker 1, 2 and 3 pickups, with the neck and bridge pickup being controlled by the three-way pickup toggle switch and two volume knobs with push/pull coil splitting. The middle humbucker, meanwhile, can be blended in via the third volume control, which also features a coil-split function as well.
The 2021 Kirk Douglas SG also makes use of a master tone control and pickguard-mounted master volume for simple adjustments, while other appointments include a GraphTech nut, Keystone tuners, an ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge and black Top hat knobs, as well as signature ‘Captain’ Lyre Tail Vibrola tailpiece for some whammy action.
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic
For something a little more unique – and affordable – there’s the new Epiphone Fanatic, a signature guitar for Heart lead guitarist Nancy Wilson. This one puts a twist on the funky Nighthawk Standard the two parties created together back in 2013, providing an even cheaper alternative to the original and featuring some very cool appointments.
With a Fireburst Gloss finish and Nighthawk-inspired mahogany body with a figured maple veneer top, the Fanatic steps out with a C-shaped mahogany neck and ebony fretboard with split parallelogram inlays for a classy aesthetic.
It’s also loaded with two ProBucker humbucker with a Strat-like five-way pickup selector switch and master volume and tone controls, offering a myriad of tones to suit clean and dirty styles alike.
Hear Nancy talk about the guitar below.
For information about local pricing and availability, get in touch with Australis Music.
