Apparently not to be outdone by Fender’s recent foray into massively over-hyped limited edition guitars, Gibson today announced the upcoming release of not one, but three new Slash Signature Les Paul models––each in a strictly limited edition, and hey… one for every price range.
According to Gibson––
“On Tuesday April 1st 2008 three very limited and unique models of the Slash signature Les Paul guitar will be released simultaneously around the world. Each guitar model has been designed and produced in close co-operation with the legendary Velvet Revolver guitarist, Slash. For the first time ever, the Slash models will be available from Gibson Custom, Gibson USA and Epiphone offering consumers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own a guitar inspired by Slash.”
The top-of-the-line in this run (with an asking price of $5,880,) will be the Gibson Custom Shop’s Slash Inspired By VOS (Vintage Original Spec) Les Paul––sporting a 3-piece carved maple top in faded Heritage Cherry Sunburst Finish, a custom single-piece mahogany neck (designed by Slash,) short neck tenon, and dual Seymour Duncan Alnico II humbuckers.
Other features will include a rosewood fretboard w/22 frets, Tone Pros bridge, Tone Pros lite stopbar tailpiece, Schaller vintage tulip-style tuners, Schaller Strap Locks, and a Gibson Custom Shop case with Slash logo.
In contrast, the Gibson USA Slash Signature Les Paul Standard is expected to features an un-chambered Mahogany body finished in dark walnut, with a AA figured Maple top finished in a Nitro-cellulose Antique Vintage Sunburst personally picked by Slash himself.
With an asking price of $3,499, you also get a custom single-piece Mahogany neck (available only on this model, Custom Slash headstock artwork & logo, a pair of American Made Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Humbuckers, 22-fret Rosewood fretboard, Tone Pros Locking bridge, Tone Pros light stopbar tailpiece, and a Custom smooth black case with Slash artwork and logo.
And lest these two premium instruments are out of your price range, Epiphone is releasing their lower-cost Slash Signature Les Paul Standard Plus Top as previously covered here (MSRP $1,464.) You can read full specs over on my earlier post.
You can expect a number of promotional stunts and events in the next few weeks leading up to the April 1st launch date… according to Gibson “From Los Angeles to Tokyo, everyone will know that Slash is coming.”
- Gibson Unveils Versatile New Slash Signature Les Paul
- Gibson Officially Announces Slash ‘Appetite For Destruction’ Les Paul
- Epiphone Releases Slash Signature Les Paul Standard Plus Top
- Gibson’s Official Slash Signature Series Mini-Site Now Online
- Gibson Adds Two More Slash Les Paul Models To The Mix: VOS & Aged
- Gibson Announces Limited Edition Johnny A. Standard
- The Robots Are Back! Gibson Announces Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited
- Seymour Duncan Giving Away 10 Sets Of Slash Signature Humbuckers
February 19th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Slash is the man. But any way you slice it, this is still just a Les Paul with a plain top, ugly yellow burst, and uncovered pickups. Give me some figured maple, nickel pickup covers and a pickguard please!
February 20th, 2008 at 6:49 am
If the Korean or Chinese factory can make one model Epiphone with a long-tenon neck joint, then they can make them all that way. Gibson USA should go back to that too, for marketing hype, and for tone (hopefully!).
March 5th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
To me, Slash will always be the Guns ‘N Roses guitarist. :)
And these guitars… overpriced!!
March 9th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I beg to differ folks, and yes I am biased cause I’ve loved the man since 1991 and know how picky he is about his gear, so anything Gibson makes in which he is willing to put his name has to be nothing less than great. Why don’t we play one of these babies before we pass on judgement, just a thought.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Well I have just bought the Epiphone model and I am Very happy with it :)
The feel of the neck, tone and sustain differ from my Epiphone les paul standard with glued neck (I had upgraded the pickups to Alnico Pro II)
The neck is quite a bit thicker than my standard. I thought it would slow me down at first and make playing mo combersome. It doesnt. Instead its more comfortable to play & I dont reposition my hand as much as on the standard. The neck reminds me of that on my Fender Fat Strat Texas Special.
The sustain is excellent. Hit a chord or bar and the tone ooses out thick and just keeps on going, its very addictive and u dont wanna put it down once you start. Makes you want to continuously bend and bend and bend….
Its also gorgeous to look at. My standard is cherry bust and the Dark Tobacco looks nicer and more special.
The only way I could fault it is the trim along the top part of the neck (where you look down with the dots) Its creme and a bit dodgy looking. Its no where near enough to put me off the guitar..
So glad I managed to get one as most shops either couldnt get hold of any or are sold out on pre order alone! I spent a whole day calling up places.
My advice – BUY ONE
August 27th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
paying $1,000 bucks for an epiphone Les Paul Standard is uh…
Slash has the chops. we love him. But a guitar manufactured in China where labor laws are a bit different from the united states… an insane price tag of twice what another Epi LP costs… is downright deplorable. Slash has become ESTABLISHMENT. unless they’ve really increased the wages of the factory workers in china this equals a load of crap folks. & if you’re taken in by the imagery & sales talk. go for it. it amuses me how young rockers eventually come to crossroads in the Jungle… commerce.
In fairness there is a longer neck tenon.. and “better” pickups.. but take off the truss rod cover and what do we have?
Epiphone Les Paul Standard. tobacco burst. handcrafted in China. MSRP 549. buyers can get em to knock off about 75 dollars if you bug em long enough.