Gibson made some strange stuff in the 1970s, and in the years since, those quirky models have garnered a sort of cult following (for good reason). The incredible S-1 is a perfect example of this.
This S-1 features a solid maple body and neck and maple fretboard. Its comfortable C shaped neck has a 12" radius and measures .825" thickness at the 1st fret, and .950" at the 12th, with a 1.865 nut width.
One of the most striking features of these 70's S-1 models is the pickups. It has 3 high frequency Gibson "special design" adjustable pickups, with a "bright/low" tonality. These were single coil units, each with one Alnico magnet and no adjustable pole pieces, a design courtesy of Bill Lawrence. The output ratings are 5.68k in the bridge, 5.10k in the middle, and 5.15k in the neck.
One of the other great features of the S-1 was the bypass toggle switch. Most guitarists familiar with Gibson control layouts will naturally assume this to be a three-way pickup selector switch, but this is not the case. The switch allows normal function in the up-position, (pickups selected depending on the position of the 5-way switch) OR a simple "lead" setting in the down position; this setting usually selects the bridge pickup by itself, however, this guitar has been modified so that the 5-way switch works as normal but the volume and tone controls are bypassed, sending pickup signal straight to the output jack. The middle position (Off) is exactly what you might think, that's your killswitch!
This guitar looks incredible for its age, with the help of an excellent refinish in gorgeous Inverness green and a refret, both previously done at Guitar Mill in Murfreesboro, TN. Our expert in-house luthiers gave this guitar the full spa treatment with a fret polish and setup, ensuring it's ready for any stage or studio.
It will be packed in a Gibson hardshell case snug as a bug in a rug, and delivered to you safely and swiftly!
Give us a shout here at the shop if you have any questions about this unique bird from Gibson.