Gibson is paying tribute to the late Argentine icon Gustavo Cerati by bringing back the guitar that defined his image. The Gibson Custom Gustavo Cerati ES-335 is limited to exactly 60 instruments globally, and it will be sold only through Gibson Garage Miami, both in person and over the phone, starting Friday.
Billboard Español broke the news on Friday (Sept. 18), and the instrument in question draws its design from Cerati’s original 1965 ES-335, which accompanied him through some of the defining moments of his career. That includes Soda Stereo’s landmark 1996 MTV Unplugged performance. It served as the band’s 1997 El Último Concierto farewell tour and its 2007 Me Verás Volver reunion tour. The guitar later became Cerati’s main instrument during the Bocanada (1999) period and made a return appearance during his Live Earth performance alongside Shakira in 2007.
The Murphy Lab-Aged Instrument
The press release says the Murphy Lab-aged guitar has a “60s Cherry finish, factory double pickguards, Grover kidney button tuning keys, and a B7 Bigsby,” along with a custom hardshell case, a leather back pad, and a Certificate of Authenticity.
The announcement was made through a press release, which is where “This rare offering presents collectors, musicians, and fans with a unique opportunity to acquire one of the most culturally significant Gibson Custom instruments ever produced,” comes from.
The Gibson ES-335 TD was bought by Cerati in the mid-1990s from Rudy’s Music in New York, and it came with a second pickguard, a leather back pad and a Bigsby vibrato already attached to it.
A Career Defined by One Guitar
Cerati was born in Buenos Aires in 1959, and he rose to international prominence as the frontman, guitarist and creative force behind Soda Stereo, the pioneering band that helped define rock en español across the 1980s and ’90s. As a solo artist, he moved further into electronic, experimental and alternative rock with albums including Bocanada and Ahí Vamos (2007).
A dozen years after his passing in 2014, the reach of Cerati still carries weight within Latin music and beyond. This year alone, Billboard ranked Soda Stereo at No. 1 among all-time Latin Rock bands. The group is now traveling on their ECOS tour, during which surviving members Charly Alberti and Zeta Bosio take the stage alongside a lifelike digital likeness of their departed lead singer.
A Tribute From Gibson
Gibson’s tribute marks the first time the guitar maker has formally celebrated the musician’s legacy with an artist instrument.
“This rare offering presents collectors, musicians, and fans with a unique opportunity to acquire one of the most culturally significant Gibson Custom instruments ever produced.”
Those who wish to buy the guitar may reach out to Gibson Garage Miami either by phone at (305) 709-2686 or by heading to their shop at 2660 NW 3rd Avenue within Miami’s Wynwood Art District.
The guitar’s importance depends entirely on where it was seen. It made an appearance at the 1996 MTV Unplugged event, the 1997 El Último Concierto farewell tour, the 2007 Me Verás Volver reunion tour, and the 2007 Live Earth performance featuring Shakira.
The guitar’s pedigree carries weight, and so do the performances behind it. Built on a 1965 ES-335, it honors the original with specific details: the Murphy Lab-aged finish, double pickguards, Grover tuning keys and B7 Bigsby, each chosen by Gibson to match the source.
This guitar is a collector’s item from the instant it leaves the factory, since only 60 were made. Each one arrives with a Certificate of Authenticity, making the 60 a rare piece indeed.
What To Expect
These guitars are on sale right now, but the opportunity won’t last long. You can reach the seller at (305) 709-2686. The shop sits at 2660 NW 3rd Avenue in the Wynwood Art District of Miami.
Latin rock fans get a chance to own something from history here, while guitar collectors find a Gibson Custom with a provenance that few other instruments can match.
The limited run ensures exclusivity.
Source material: “Gibson Honors Gustavo Cerati With Ultra-Limited Guitar Available Exclusively at Gibson Garage Miami,” Billboard.
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