Gibson might be bringing back Dave Grohl’s DG-335 signature guitar – and an Epiphone version could also be on the way
One of Gibson’s most recognizable signature guitars is the DG-335 – an elusive, now-discontinued Pelham Blue ES-335 model built for Dave Grohl, which was in production from 2007 to 2014.
Because of the limited supply of such six-strings, these guitars are usually some of the most expensive second-hand signatures that can be found on the used market, with the cheapest example on Reverb currently listing for over $19,000.
Well, fans of the light blue DG-335 who have been priced out of their dream guitar are about to be very happy indeed, because Gibson’s stand-in CEO Cesar Gueikian has just hinted that Grohl’s Gibson model is about to be revived.
And, what’s more, he’s seemingly confirmed that a far more affordable Epiphone version of the Foo Fighter’s prized axe is also in the pipeline.
The tease came during an Instagram Q&A session, with Gueikian simply replying “Ok” to one individual who optimistically asked, “Can we get a DG-335 core model or Epiphone models?”
Now, it’s a pretty short tease, but enough to get us excited. Why? Well, we can’t imagine Gueikian would have responded to the question in such a positive way had the thought of reviving the DG-335 had not already crossed Gibson’s mind.
Not only that, Gueikian answered the following question – “What are your plans for Gibson in the future?” – by saying, “Do Epic Shit.” A DG-335 reboot would most certainly be epic.
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Gueikian also seemed to take the rest of that Q&A pretty seriously – he confirmed that an Epiphone version of the recently released Greeny Les Paul reboot would be arriving sometime in the future, and revealed that Dave Mustaine’s own Epiphone signature guitars will drop this month.
As such, we’re inclined to believe that the DG-335 will be making a triumphant return.
Noted for its Trini Lopez-inspired f-holes and reverse Firebird headstock, the original DG-335 was released in Pelham Blue and Ebony, with a Metallic Gold colorway arriving later. Though not quite as expensive as their Pelham Blue sibling, the latter two models still have eye-watering price tags – as much as $14,000 in some cases.
The initial run of DG-335s was highly limited, with only 300 examples – 200 Pelham Blue, 100 Ebony – shipped to customers.
It was, for all intents and purposes, a tweaked Custom Shop version of Grohl’s much-loved Lopez model, featuring a semi-hollow ES-335 design, diamond f-holes, split diamond inlays and a rosewood fretboard, as well as a pair of Gibson Burstbucker pickups.
Judging from Gueikian’s Q&A, it seems as though the new DG-335s will be core models, as opposed to Custom Shop creations, meaning some of those original specs might be altered. Naturally, even more deviation from the blueprint will be found on the Epi model.
Head over to Gueikian's Instagram account to browse the full Q&A.
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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.