Since becoming Gibson’s CEO in 2023, Cesar Guekian has teased new releases on his Instagram ahead of big reveals. It appears he’s done it again with a post that hints at the return of an oddball late-‘70s build and a new Mesa/Boogie amp.
Guekian’s social media posts previously tipped off followers to the re-launch of the Gibson Victory, a forgotten relic from the ‘80s. Just one year earlier, his search through Gibson’s archives led to the release of the Theodore, a 1950s design that never materialized.
If the RD is making a return, it will be interesting to see what comes of it. First released in 1977, the model boasted a Firebird-like silhouette with a pointier lower-horn cutaway. Dave Grohl played one during the Foo Fighters’ early days and reportedly tracked the song “Everlong” with it. His ex-Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic previously played the bass version of the RD, and Swedish horror rockers Ghost played RDs in their early days.
Despite boasting some forward-thinking design innovations, the RD’s initial launch was underwhelming. Its expansive electronics — the top-of-the-line RD featured active electronics, a switchable bright mode, treble and bass boost, compression and expansion — may have doomed it. Then again, some players might have been put off by its its Fender-like 25 1/2–inch scale length.
Time will tell what, if any, changes Gibson has made to that original recipe, but the fact that the CEO is playing Tool’s “The Pot” in his post suggests it may be a guitar primed for heavy metal rather than shuffling blues numbers.
“This fiddle is really dope,” he exclaims. “I’ve already played it 14 times this month of January 2025 through a two-channel, top-secret Mesa amp solo; without pedals!”
And while it’s safe to say Guekian likes reviving models from the past, this could be nothing more than another red herring. Just late last year, fans thought Gibson was about to release a James Hetfield Explorer signature modelonly to find it was a one-off for riff-loving actor Jason Momoa.
As for that new amp, it’s almost certain the mystery Mesa/Boogie amp is a high-gain creation, given the firm’s history and reputation. Gibson acquired Mesa/ Boogie in 2021 while keeping founder Randall Smith onboard. His expertise was paramount in the return of Gibson’s tube amp offerings, such as the Falcon combo released last year. However, it’s been hinted that founder Smith may have built his last amp as a new Mesa/Boogie era beckons.
We’ll know more when NAMM 2025 gets underway on January 23. The annual musical instrument show has been given the go-ahead despite the Los Angeles fires., so it won’t be a long wait to find out the full details.
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