Gibson Longhorn Double Cutaway Guitar Review

Although Gibson is most well known for its Les Paul and SG models, it does offer some unique choices. This is especially true on the higher end of the price range. Musicians looking for something different have the opportunity to find just that, if they are willing to pay for it. One example of this is the Gibson Longhorn Double Cutaway electric guitar. Let's take a closer look to see if this model has the same quality other Gibson types are known for.

Features: The body of the Longhorn Double Cutaway, like most Gibsons, is made of mahogany wood. Much like a Les Paul, it has a maple top for added aesthetic quality. There is just one finish available with the Longhorn, as it is limited in production. That finish is cherry sunburst, which makes it look just like the maple top of the highest selling Les Pauls. The double cutaway design, however, has a very different visual feel. The neck of the Longhorn Double Cutaway is also made of mahogany, and is set into the body for improved sustain. It has a fretboard made of ebony, with twenty two frets and pearloid block inlays. The hardware, including the Grover tuning heads, pickup covers, and Tune-O-Matic bridge, is gold in color. This really completes the, well, expensive look of the Gibson Longhorn. Electronically, the guitar has two EMG humbucking pickups, one volume and one tone control knobs, and a three way selector switch. Also, as a very cool special feature, an extra pickup is added inside the guitar itself for acoustic guitar imitation.

Playability: The Gibson Longhorn's double cutaway design (hence the name Longhorn) makes for improved high fret access from some other models. Also, the neck has a slim tapered design, which means it's a little thinner than the thick traditional neck Gibson guitars are known for. The body, as well, is a little lighter than one would expect from a Gibson.

Sound: The Gibson Longhorn Double Cutaway's unique combination of pickups offers a wide range of sound versatility for its owner. The EMG humbuckers sound absolutely astounding when playing with light or heavy distortion. On the clean end they are a little weaker, but the embedded acoustic pickup takes care of that small issue perfectly.

Overall: This guitar can do just about anything. For the musician looking at a high grade unique guitar with a Gibson brand name, few instruments on the market will fit better. Its unique body design allows for great playability, and its even more unique pickup setup provides a nearly unlimited range of tones that fit any genre. You can find the Gibson Longhorn Double Cutaway in music stores for about $2,250.