Ted McCarty’s Double-cut Dream Enters Gibson’s Standard Lineup
From Ted McCarty’s sketchbook in 1957 to a highly limited Gibson Custom run in 2022, the space-age Theodore has finally made its way into standard production with the Gibson Theodore Standard. This guitar’s distinctive double-cut mahogany body stands apart from any other Gibson creation, sporting dual Florentine cutaways that supply effortless access to the bound Slim Taper mahogany neck’s highest reaches. Next, a rich rosewood fingerboard, complete with binding and trapezoid inlays, imparts this axe with a touch of high-class elegance — a delightful contrast to the headstock’s angular “Scimitar” shape. You also get a time-tested Gibson ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge and Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners to ensure superb stability. What about the tone? True to its 1957 heritage, the Gibson Theodore Standard boasts two PAF-style 57 Classic pickups, supplying you with an incredibly rich, dynamic, and clarity-packed humbucking roar. Even back in the 1950s, Ted McCarty’s boundless imagination placed him decades ahead of the curve — the Gibson Theodore Standard is proof that we’re only now catching up to him!
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From the mind of Gibson’s greatest innovator
As the president of Gibson from their 1950–1966 golden age, Ted McCarty’s stewardship led to some of the greatest guitar innovations in 6-string history. From the Les Paul to the SG to the PAF humbucker, Ted’s achievements shook the very foundations of music — it’s impossible to imagine modern-day Gibson without his countless contributions! So, when modern-day Gibson discovered one of Ted’s detailed guitar blueprints from 1957 hidden away in a filing cabinet, their course was clear: Bring Ted’s dream to reality. The result is the Gibson Theodore Standard, beautifully capturing the space-age vibe and forward-thinking formula of Gibson’s contemporary “Modernistic”-series Explorer and Flying V guitars that this 6-string clearly inspired.
Capture the coveted sound of 1957
Back in 1957, when Ted envisaged the Theodore, Gibson was hot off the heels of a fresh new double-coil pickup creation: The mighty PAF (Patent Applied For) humbucker. Fittingly, the Gibson Theodore Standard comes equipped with two year-appropriate 57 Classic humbuckers, capturing all the warmth, depth, and crisp articulation that’s made the PAF an industry-defining pickup for well over a half-century. What’s more, the Gibson Theodore Standard boasts a slightly hotter 57 Classic Plus pickup in the bridge position — a welcome enhancement among Sweetwater guitarists, as Gibson originally placed two identical PAFs in both the bridge and neck position of their golden age guitars. The 57 Classic Plus still provides all the vintage vibe and dynamic range you’d expect from a classic PAF-style pickup, only with a slightly hotter wind that emboldens your licks and rhythms with a biting edge.
Vintage inspiration, modern performance
More than a mere history piece, the Gibson Theodore Standard delivers all the high-octane performance you’d expect from a modern Gibson guitar. A lightweight mahogany body starts it all off, shaped into a distinctive tulip-like shape that offers unimpeded access to all 22 frets. Gibson’s time-tested Slim Taper profile offers a fast-playing platform for all manner of fingerboard finesse, topped with a sleek rosewood. Finally, the standard Gibson setup of a Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece embolden this axe with superlative sustain and superb string-to-body resonance.
Gibson Theodore Standard Electric Guitar Features:
- Based on a blueprint drawn by legendary Gibson President Ted McCarty in 1957
- Double-cut mahogany body offers unfettered access to the upper frets
- Comfortable and speedy Slim Taper mahogany neck
- Rich rosewood fingerboard, complete with an eye-catching combo of binding and trapezoid inlays
- Gibson 57 Classic and 57 Classic Plus pickups re-create the vintage magic of a true PAF humbucker, providing a warm, lush tone with excellent articulation
- Top-quality electronics, including Orange Drop capacitors
- Sustain-enhancing ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece
- Rock-solid Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners on the aggressive “Scimitar”-style headstock
