Gibson has created a unique new limited-edition Les Paul Special electric guitar for School of Rock students.
Available exclusively to students of the popular music education program, this Les Paul Special happens to be the first ever made with a glossy black nitrocellulose finish and gold hardware. Elsewhere, it boasts a solid mahogany body and neck with a cream-bound rosewood fingerboard.
Powered by a pair of P-90 pickups with hand-wired orange drop capacitors, two volume and two tone knobs, the Les Paul Special also boasts a uniquely numbered backplate.
There are plenty of other tasty appointments, too: vintage '50s-style “button” tuning machines, a four-ply black pickguard, and a wraparound stoptail bridge among them.
“It's exciting to evolve our collaboration with School of Rock with the introduction of the School of Rock Limited Edition Les Paul Special guitar,” Cesar Gueikian, Gibson's Brand President, said in a statement.
“We have been working on this project for over a year, during which our Gibson Lab team led by Matt Koehler, with Elliot Baldini, [School of Rock CEO] Rob Price and the group from School of Rock designed a versatile Les Paul Special that combines vintage features with modern concepts and looks badass!”
“At School of Rock we aim to instill in our students a musical passion that will last a lifetime,” added Baldini, School of Rock's Chief Marketing Officer. “We designed this guitar to be part of that journey – something they will cherish the rest of their lives.
“This vintage-inspired guitar pays homage to the history of rock and other music styles such as blues, reggae, and pop. These timeless genres are the foundation of School of Rock's patented curriculum.”
“We want this guitar to not only inspire our students, but to also help make gear and music education more accessible to new musicians.” Baldini concluded.
All proceeds from the sale of the guitar – which comes with a hardshell case – will go towards Save the Music, a music education nonprofit that partners with local school districts and communities to build sustainable music programs.
Sadly, but somewhat unsurprisingly, all 100 of the Les Paul Specials were snapped up extremely quickly, but here's hoping its popularity inspires Gibson to do a wider release of this beauty of a guitar.
For more info on the model, stop by schoolofrock.com.
