It’s been announced that Mark Morton will be the latest high-profile signing for Gibson guitars, in a move that seemingly brings his partnership with Jackson to an end.
In a statement posted to Instagram by Mesa/Boogie – the iconic amp brand that Gibson bought last year in a monumental acquisition – it was revealed the Lamb of God guitarist will be swapping his loyal Jackson Dominion signature guitar for Gibson Les Pauls during the band’s upcoming tour.
“Here's some exciting news from the Gibson and Epiphone sides of the family – posting this morning,” the statement reads. “‘We’re excited about joining Mark Morton on stage left of the Lamb of God Omen's Tour.’”
“Les Pauls and [Mesa/Boogie] Badlanders sound great together,” it continued. “Looking forward to hearing Mark Morton's new guitars on the tour.”
Commenting on the post, Morton further confirmed the switch by writing, “Stoked!”
The partnership – which was also announced on Gibson's Twitter account – looks to end Morton’s fruitful partnership with Jackson Guitars, who at the time of writing has removed Morton from its official Artists page.
During their time together, Morton and Jackson produced the Dominion model around 2007, with the guitar later becoming synonymous with the guitarist and his brutal metal riffing. The model no longer appears under Artist Signature models on Jackson's website.
Those following Morton’s social media channels may be unsurprised by the announcement, after the Lamb of God guitarist shared a snap of a Gibson Les Paul on his Instagram account last month.
On Twitter, Morton also posted a picture of the Gibson Custom Shop emblem without context, further fueling speculation.
Whether Morton’s partnership with Gibson will eventually lead to the production of new signature guitars, we can only speculate, but the fact he’s been pictured with both Gibson and Epiphone models certainly suggests it is a future possibility.
YouTube guitar sleuth Trogly of The Trogly’s Guitar Show had previously fanned the flames for a potential Morton Gibson signature, theorizing that – owing to his penchant for the Dominion shape – Morton might opt for a custom Non-Reverse Firebird model.
To celebrate his partnership with Gibson, Morton has also announced The Mark Morton Guitar Upgrade Package, which will give one attendee at each upcoming Lamb of God tour date the chance to receive a signed and personalized Epiphone Les Paul that Morton will play on the night.
Morton is the latest high-profile name from the metal world to join the ranks of Gibson. Last year, the company partnered with Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine – who was previously playing Dean guitars – for a signature Flying V EXP and Songwriter acoustic guitar.
Gibson also signed Kirk Hammett – owner of the iconic Greeny guitar – in 2021, with the partnership set to produce multiple signature models under the Gibson and Epiphone umbrella.
Keep your eyes peeled on Gibson’s website for further updates, or visit Lamb of God to peruse their upcoming tour dates.
