Treasure map! This YouTuber tracked down the legendary Gibson map guitar used in the ‘American-made, world-played’ campaign

Regular viewers of The Trogly’s Guitar Show on YouTube will know that host and rare guitar collector Austin has long harbored dreams of finding the original Gibson map guitar. Now – thanks to an incredibly lucky break – the collector says he has finally secured it. 

The legendary prototype instrument was shaped to emulate the US mainland and formed the centerpiece of the Gibson’s 1980s ‘American-made, world-played’ ad campaign.

At the time, Gibson was facing increasing competition from an influx of cheaper, imported, and imitation electric guitars from Asia, and was keen to talk up its distinguished history and position as a US-based company. 

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As such, between 1982 and 1984 it built a number of the instruments (in both Gibson and Epiphone) iterations to distribute to dealers and use for promotional purposes. Indeed, you’ll still find a number of the production model map guitars on used sites to this day. 

However, Trogly had a much rarer target: specifically the actual Gibson map guitar prototype that was created and photographed for use in the Gibson posters and catalogs. 

As he explains, alongside being the one in the pictures, that particular model was also notable for the odd placement of its pickup selector switch (located up around Maine on the body’s ‘map’). 

The YouTuber had mentioned the guitar in previous clips and chased down numerous false leads. However, he finally managed to secure the guitar thanks to a remarkable bit of luck. 

Trogly says he finally sourced the guitar from a viewer who works in a guitar store and had happened to watch the YouTuber’s clip on the prototype, literally the day before it walked into his store.

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“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the one,” says Trogly, who was able to identify various details, such as the grain pattern over the ‘Texas’ part of the body. 

“I later found out he works for Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville and it had been consigned to them by the family of the guy who carved these guitars for Gibson, James Hutchins.”

It’s one of those coincidences that feels like fate. Trogly hopes to one day open a museum to house his collection, and the Gibson map prototype feels like the perfect addition. 

“Even if you offered me a million bucks, this is one of those guitars that is just worth more than money to me,” concludes Trogly. 

“It’s the map guitar. The one everyone has seen and that has been used in everything Gibson-related that says ‘American-made, world-played.’ It is a legacy piece and one day you will see it in my museum!”

Watch the clip above to see Trogly discuss the full story and, appropriately, use it for a quick performance of the Star-Spangled Banner.

If that’s left you feeling patriotic, check out Joe Bonamassa and Brad Paisley’s guitar duel at Nashville’s recent 4th of July celebrations.