The latest entry in the Gibson USA Supreme revival, the ES Supreme is a bold, modern take on the quintessential Gibson ES (Electric Spanish) guitar. As such, it boasts the exquisite craftsmanship, top-shelf tonewoods, advanced electronics, and detailed appointments you would expect from an instrument with such a lofty pedigree. The first “thinline” archtop of its kind, the historic ES platform has long been the standard for semi-hollowbody guitars. Accordingly, the Gibson ES Supreme features a hollow body augmented with a solid wood center block, marrying the warmth and resonance of an acoustic guitar with the sustain and feedback resistance of a solidbody, thus enabling it to rock out onstage at high volumes. But with impeccable sounds across its wide-ranging tonal palette, the ES is also eminently suited to jazz, blues, and other genres that require expressive nuance and subtlety. Equipped with Gibson’s outstanding Burstbucker Pro humbuckers and flexible pickup switching, the ES Supreme provides the tonal versatility to ace any live gig or recording session.

Premium craftsmanship, performance, and playability

Comfort and playability were two of Gibson’s primary concerns when they were designing the ES Supreme. You’ll be delighted at how this guitar’s rounded “C” neck profile comfortably fills your hand in just the right way. Graced with iconic mother-of-pearl split block inlays, the solid ebony, compound-radius fingerboard is buffed to silky smoothness and bound with rolled edges so no fret ends impede your dexterity. Plus, the frets are dressed to perfection using a Plek Pro machine for optimized playability. Typically reserved for top-dollar custom guitars, this process levels the frets with pinpoint precision, providing you with the most playable fretboard you’re likely to own. Other features include highly figured premium tonewoods, multi-ply body binding, a historic chandelier headstock inlay, and a lustrous nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Nitro finishes — standard back in the day — are significantly thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes, allowing the wood to breathe. Nitro finishes not only look amazing; they also enhance the instrument’s tonal qualities. Out of the box, the Gibson ES Supreme has the look, feel, and sound of a lovingly cared-for classic — one that will only improve with age.

A vast tone arsenal, ready for deployment  

The Gibson Burstbucker resides firmly in Music Experience’s pickup pantheon as a top-tier PAF, but if you’re after more power than a vintage-style humbucker can provide, the Burstbucker Pro is the way to go. Essentially a hot-rodded version of the time-tested Gibson PAF (Patent Applied For) pickup that has been coveted by tone-savvy guitarists since the late ’50s, the Burstbucker Pro provides exceptional clarity, a remarkably dynamic feel, and lush warmth. But this advanced design swaps out the lower-output Alnico II magnets for Alnico V, resulting in enhanced touch sensitivity with a more aggressive attack and beefier low-end response. Featuring wax potting for quiet operation without hum or squeal, these pickups effortlessly push your amp into overdrive for the legendary fat, snarling tone you can only get with a humbucker-equipped Gibson. Dial them back, and they deliver pristine, chimey cleans. On the ES Supreme, you also get per-pickup push-pull volume controls that open up a range of spanky single-coil sounds. Add it all up, and you have a vast tone arsenal ready for deployment.

What Gibson Says...

The Gibson ES-335 has always been known as an exceptionally versatile guitar. Regardless of your stylistic preferences or what the gig calls for, it can cover it with aplomb. The ES Supreme expands on that legendary versatility and adds features that take the ES™ to new heights of beauty, including a 3-ply body with a AAA figured maple top, Super Split Block mother-of-pearl neck inlays, gold hardware, and a striking new mother-of-pearl headstock inlay inspired by a design from the 1940s that was discovered in the Gibson archives. Smooth playability is ensured by the mahogany neck with its Rounded C profile and compound radius ebony fretboard, while the famous ES sonic versatility is enhanced even further with the addition of push/pull volume pots for coil tapping the Burstbucker™ Rhythm Pro and Burstbucker Lead Pro + pickups. The Ebony 3-pickup exclusive adds in a Burstbucker Mid Pro for an even wider tonal range. It all comes together to make this the ES that reigns supreme. A hardshell case is also included.