Following hot on the heels… well, in fact, scarcely two months after the release of the Gibson Slash Signature Rosso Corsa Les Paul comes the Gibson Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul.
However, while the aforementioned Rosso Corsa featured Seymour Duncan Slash Signature pickups, a TonePros bridge and a hand-sprayed nitrocellulose red finish, the new Vermillion model features, err, Seymour Duncan Slash Signature pickups, a TonePros bridge and a hand-sprayed nitrocellulose red finish.
OK, it's not really a new signature model, it's mainly a different kind of red, but Gibson seems to be treating it as a separate product, rather than just listing it as a finish option. Confused? Us too...
The Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul will be available from 29 October and have an MSRP of $4,977 (approx. £3,102). The full press release is below, for your viewing pleasure.
PRESS RELEASE: With his monster riffs, unquestioned talent, and pure-rock attitude, Slash emerged in 1987 with Guns N' Roses to almost single-handedly stave off the mainstream electronica that was overtaking the airwaves. From GNR to tearing it up big time with Snakepit, Velvet Revolver, and numerous solo and side projects, Slash has become not only a modern guitar legend, but synonymous with the Gibson Les Paul - and this new rendition of his Signature guitar might just be the most stunning version yet.
The Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul blends timeless specs with Slash-approved features and details, all dressed in a luscious new finish from Gibson USA: Vermillion. This rich, deep-red transparent finish in hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer perfectly exhibits the guitar's Grade-AAA flamed maple top, while letting the tonewood breathe to enhance an equally rich, deep, resonant tone.
Commemorative details include a Slash graphic on the headstock, echoed in a silkscreen on the included black Gibson USA hardshell case. Add a pair of Seymour Duncan™ Slash Signature® humbucking pickups, a TonePros™ Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, and top it all off with unparalleled Gibson build quality, and the Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul wails with a commanding tone that is fully equal to its breathtaking visual beauty. See, play, and most of all, enjoy this unique guitar now at your authorized Gibson USA dealer.
Body and Neck
The Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul builds on a foundation of the same traditional tonewood combination that helped to make the Les Paul Standard legendary when it first arrived six decades ago. A carved solid Grade-AAA figured maple top lends bite and articulation to the sound, while a select mahogany back - treated with Gibson's traditional weight relief to increase playing comfort and enhance resonance - contributes superb warmth and depth.
A solid, glued-in, quarter-sawn mahogany neck is carved in the fast '60s SlimTaper profile that Slash prefers, and topped with a Grade-A rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets and traditional trapezoid inlays. The Slash Signature Les Paul looks stunning beneath its exclusive new Vermillion red finish, in hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer.
Pickups and Electronics
Slash has always been particular about the tone his pickups achieve, so he teamed up with Seymour Duncan™ to produce the Slash Signature® humbuckers to his precise requirements. These are made in the image of the hallowed Gibson PAF humbuckers of the late 1950s, with genuine Alnico II magnets, but with a few extra turns of wire for a richer, throatier tone in the neck position and plenty of crunch and wail in the bridge. They are wired in the traditional four-knob control complement with three-way selector switch, and use vintage-style "orange drop" tone capacitors on the tone pots.
Hardware
A high-quality TonePros™ set including a Tune-o-matic bridge and lightweight stopbar tailpiece ensure solid sustain and precise intonation, while a set of vintage-style Kluson™ reissue pearloid-button tuners retain a traditional look at the headstock. Dunlop™ strap locks ensure that your Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul stays secure throughout the most rockin' performance you can throw at it.
The Slash Les Paul carries gold "top hat" knobs with silver inserts and a traditional "bell" truss-rod cover. Both the body top and fingerboard are bound in vintage cream; to avoid concealing any of this luscious Vermillion finish, the guitar carries no pickguard.
Cases and Extras
The Slash Signature Vermillion Les Paul comes protected in a plush-lined Gibson USA hardshell case with black exterior and Slash artwork silkscreen. It includes an owner's manual and adjustment literature, and Gibson's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
