– Press Release

Gibson Guitar announced a wide array of musical instruments to highlight this year’s MusikMesse show in Frankfurt, Germany, April 6, 2005- April 9, 2005.

The Gibson booth will feature instruments from many divisions of the Gibson family. Gibson USA, Epiphone, Slingerland Drums, Tobias Bass and Gibson Acoustic will all have prominent exhibits. Slingerland will make its 2nd official appearance at the international show since production of Slingerlands returned to the U.S. in 2003. The Slingerland exhibit will feature new drum kits including the Modern Jazz and Classic V models, along with Radio King snares which highlight Slingerland’s rich history of high quality drum finishes.

Every division of the guitar giant will be exhibiting in the Gibson booth located in Hall 3.0 at booth number C75. From technology to rock-n-roll, the musical instrument manufacturer will entertain the crowds throughout the week.

Gibson Custom will give visitors a first-look at several new models including the “Slash Signature Les Paul,” the “Larry Carlton ES-335” and the “Steve Howe Signature ES-175.” In addition, Gibson Custom’s Jimmy Page Signature model and Howard Roberts Fusion III guitars will be exhibited.

One of the most exciting new Gibson guitars comes from the Gibson Acoustic division, based in Bozeman, Montana. “The Traveling Songwriter” features a unique body style that is thin but hollow. The Sitka spruce top is designed with dome construction and the same scalloped bracing pattern as Gibson guitars from the 1930s. The body shape, from Gibson’s historic square-shoulder family, along with the famous Moustache® bridge, give the “Traveling Songwriter” a unique Gibson look. It is the only professional-quality guitar designed for easy travel. Gibson Acoustic will also unveil the “Songwriter Cutaway” which combines the legendary sound of Gibson’s Advanced Jumbo of the 1930s and the modern features desired by performers around the world.

Epiphone, part of the Gibson family of brands, will offer new acoustic and electric models. The Paul McCartney Texan, replicated from the guitar McCartney used on “Yesterday,” leads an impressive group of new models that includes the Les Paul Ultra, Nick Valensi Riviera, two Zakk Wylde Signatures and the Epiphone “Guitars of the Month” series. The Epiphone Masterbilt and Elitist Series will also debut.

The new Gibson Amplification line from Gibson Labs is uncompromised in tone and quality. With distinctive looks and simple robust design concepts, these hand-crafted amplifiers pay tribute to the golden era of amplification design. The hand-wired series is simply the finest amplification available to guitar players today. Models include the GA-5, GA-20RVT, GA-40RVT, GA-50H, GA-412 and the Power Stealth attenuator.

“Gibson is bringing not only our widest array of musical instruments ever to MusikMesse 2005, we’re also bringing new opportunities for dealers and distributors through our Gibson Europe organization,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar Corp. “More Gibsons – that’s exciting news for all European musicians and collectors.”

Website: http://www.gibson.com/eu