Gibson Moderne Heritage Solid Body Electric Guitar (1983)
End of Summer Sale - PRICE REDUCED!
1
/
of
15
Couldn't load pickup availability
Item #12170
Gibson Moderne Heritage Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1983), made in Nashville, TN, serial # F031, black lacquer finish, Korina body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.
This ebony Moderne is a fairly rare variant of one of those guitars that just never really caught on, despite Gibson's often half-hearted attempts at (re) creating it. Of the myths and legends in guitar history, none are as lost in the mists of mystery as the Gibson Moderne. Annoyed by industry talk that Gibson's electric instruments were "old Fashioned" compared to the sleek space age 1950s Fenders, in 1957 company president Ted McCarty drew up several outrageously futuristic solid body concepts designed to "shake things up". The company patented three design drawings in 1957, two of which emerged as production instruments: The Flying V and the Explorer. The third design was never followed up on, and despite several credible stories of sightings, no verifiably authentic 1957-8 instrument based on it has ever surfaced.
Fast forward to 1981-82,when Gibson was first working up historically accurate re-issues of the original 1950s Korina V and Explorer as the Heritage Series. It was decided that their lost sister, by then christened the Moderne, would finally be produced. Even these 1982-3 Modernes have a somewhat murky history. They are not strictly a "reissue" as they were never sold to begin with; just a lost design finally seeing the light. The 1957 patent drawing did not show trim or electronics layout details, so these were improvised based on the Flying V and Explorer. The pickguard shape was anyone's guess.
Now-renowned Gibson employee Tim Shaw worked on the project and the re-created PAF humbuckers he developed were included, so the sonics were the best Gibson offered at the time. The Korina body is lighter than either the V or Explorer, and despite its unconventional look surprisingly ergonomic in use. The neck has a classic round '58 feel, with an unbound Rosewood fingerboard. The most quizzical feature is the wildly splayed headstock, with pin rollers to guide the strings to the tuner shafts. This was taken from the patent drawing, modified a bit for production.
The gold-plated hardware is the same as the other Heritage series models: a pair of Tim Shaw humbuckers, the three-position selector, individual volume controls and a master tone. Kluson Deluxe style tuners with plastic Keystone buttons are fitted at the swooping head. The standard Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece complete the package, along with a beveled B/W/B pickguard.
Gibson only produced a limited number of Korina Heritage Moderne guitars in 1982-3. They are beautifully made but were rather expensive, targeted more towards the budding collector market than gigging players. The Heritage Korina Explorers and the Flying V's were relatively successful, but reaction to the "ugly duckling" Moderne was generally negative, perhaps reflecting the initial situation in 1957! Most sources indicate that although Gibson announced 500 Modernes would be made, only 183 were sold from the original run. The inked-on serial numbers were a special series, with a single letter prefix designating the batch. This example was likely built in 1983 with serial number F031 indicating the 31st produced in batch "F". By this year Modernes were offered finished in red, white and black as well as the original natural Korina in an effort to bump up disappointing sales, but black was still a fairly rare option. Additionally this one was sold as a second; it has a small "SEC" stamp on the back of the headstock under the serial number.
Even many decades since the original design was drafted many players react to the Modern's "shark fin" look with disbelief and distain; some Gibson fans have come to love it. It is definitely one of those designs that elicits a strong response either way. Taken on its own merits simply as a guitar the Moderne is a fine playing, great sounding Korina tone machine with all the best wood and fittings Gibson offered in the early 1980s and especially in this jet black finish will ALWAYS stand out in the crowd!
Overall length is 45 in. (114.3 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 cm.) width, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is one of the few examples of this model we have seen that appears to have been actually played and gigged, instead of put away instantly in a closet! This is not a super clean guitar, it has some noticeable fine checking to the black lacquer and dings, dents and scrapes scattered around but no really heavy wear, just the signs of having been played over the past 40 years. It is possible some of the finish checking started right away, perhaps why the guitar was sold as a second originally.
The gold playing shows wear especially on the pickup covers. The D string tuner is somewhat bent but fully functional. Internally it is all original and undisturbed, with the renowned Tim Shaw humbucking pickups dated to 1982 and original pots with visible dates of 1980 and 1981. The knobs have been replaced (these are older amber 1950's style; the originals were black) but all else seems original.
Despite its somewhat lopsided appearance this is a very good playing guitar, handier in many way than either the Flying V or Explorer with a similar aggressive Korina/Humbucker sonic signature. It is housed in the (huge) original pink-lined brown case, which has some wear and the usually broken plastic handle has (as most have) disappeared and been replaced with a leather one. Overall Excellent - Condition.
View full details
This ebony Moderne is a fairly rare variant of one of those guitars that just never really caught on, despite Gibson's often half-hearted attempts at (re) creating it. Of the myths and legends in guitar history, none are as lost in the mists of mystery as the Gibson Moderne. Annoyed by industry talk that Gibson's electric instruments were "old Fashioned" compared to the sleek space age 1950s Fenders, in 1957 company president Ted McCarty drew up several outrageously futuristic solid body concepts designed to "shake things up". The company patented three design drawings in 1957, two of which emerged as production instruments: The Flying V and the Explorer. The third design was never followed up on, and despite several credible stories of sightings, no verifiably authentic 1957-8 instrument based on it has ever surfaced.
Fast forward to 1981-82,when Gibson was first working up historically accurate re-issues of the original 1950s Korina V and Explorer as the Heritage Series. It was decided that their lost sister, by then christened the Moderne, would finally be produced. Even these 1982-3 Modernes have a somewhat murky history. They are not strictly a "reissue" as they were never sold to begin with; just a lost design finally seeing the light. The 1957 patent drawing did not show trim or electronics layout details, so these were improvised based on the Flying V and Explorer. The pickguard shape was anyone's guess.
Now-renowned Gibson employee Tim Shaw worked on the project and the re-created PAF humbuckers he developed were included, so the sonics were the best Gibson offered at the time. The Korina body is lighter than either the V or Explorer, and despite its unconventional look surprisingly ergonomic in use. The neck has a classic round '58 feel, with an unbound Rosewood fingerboard. The most quizzical feature is the wildly splayed headstock, with pin rollers to guide the strings to the tuner shafts. This was taken from the patent drawing, modified a bit for production.
The gold-plated hardware is the same as the other Heritage series models: a pair of Tim Shaw humbuckers, the three-position selector, individual volume controls and a master tone. Kluson Deluxe style tuners with plastic Keystone buttons are fitted at the swooping head. The standard Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece complete the package, along with a beveled B/W/B pickguard.
Gibson only produced a limited number of Korina Heritage Moderne guitars in 1982-3. They are beautifully made but were rather expensive, targeted more towards the budding collector market than gigging players. The Heritage Korina Explorers and the Flying V's were relatively successful, but reaction to the "ugly duckling" Moderne was generally negative, perhaps reflecting the initial situation in 1957! Most sources indicate that although Gibson announced 500 Modernes would be made, only 183 were sold from the original run. The inked-on serial numbers were a special series, with a single letter prefix designating the batch. This example was likely built in 1983 with serial number F031 indicating the 31st produced in batch "F". By this year Modernes were offered finished in red, white and black as well as the original natural Korina in an effort to bump up disappointing sales, but black was still a fairly rare option. Additionally this one was sold as a second; it has a small "SEC" stamp on the back of the headstock under the serial number.
Even many decades since the original design was drafted many players react to the Modern's "shark fin" look with disbelief and distain; some Gibson fans have come to love it. It is definitely one of those designs that elicits a strong response either way. Taken on its own merits simply as a guitar the Moderne is a fine playing, great sounding Korina tone machine with all the best wood and fittings Gibson offered in the early 1980s and especially in this jet black finish will ALWAYS stand out in the crowd!
Overall length is 45 in. (114.3 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 cm.) width, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is one of the few examples of this model we have seen that appears to have been actually played and gigged, instead of put away instantly in a closet! This is not a super clean guitar, it has some noticeable fine checking to the black lacquer and dings, dents and scrapes scattered around but no really heavy wear, just the signs of having been played over the past 40 years. It is possible some of the finish checking started right away, perhaps why the guitar was sold as a second originally.
The gold playing shows wear especially on the pickup covers. The D string tuner is somewhat bent but fully functional. Internally it is all original and undisturbed, with the renowned Tim Shaw humbucking pickups dated to 1982 and original pots with visible dates of 1980 and 1981. The knobs have been replaced (these are older amber 1950's style; the originals were black) but all else seems original.
Despite its somewhat lopsided appearance this is a very good playing guitar, handier in many way than either the Flying V or Explorer with a similar aggressive Korina/Humbucker sonic signature. It is housed in the (huge) original pink-lined brown case, which has some wear and the usually broken plastic handle has (as most have) disappeared and been replaced with a leather one. Overall Excellent - Condition.
