Gibson has introduced a new limited edition guitar series called the DES Series.

The series was announced in September 2026 and was developed by Gibson Artist Ambassador and Board member Cesar Gueikian together with Master Luthier Jim DeCola and Gibson's craft teams.

The  DES Series uses several familiar Gibson designs. These include the Les Paul, SG, Explorer, Flying V, ES and Victory.

The guitars share a similar visual style, but each model has its own body design and specifications.

Gibson says no more than 150 DES guitars will be produced in total.

So what makes the Gibson DES Series different from a regular Gibson?

 

What Does DES Mean?

DES comes from the phrase "Do Epic Sh#t", a phrase associated with Cesar Gueikian.

The idea behind the series was to take familiar Gibson designs and build them with different features, finishes and details.

Gibson describes the DES guitars as limited-run instruments developed through extensive work at its craftories.

The guitar have a common visual theme.

They use a Ghost Burst finish, black nickel hardware and distinctive mother -of-pearl inlays.

The guitars are also fitted with new Gibson ELEV8 humbucker pickups.

 

Gibson Les Paul DES

The Les Paul DES takes the familiar Les Paul shape and gives it a more modern specification.

It has an ultra modern weight-relieved mahogany body with an AAA figured maple top.

The neck is mahogany with a SlimTaper profile.

The  ebony fretboard uses a compound 10 inch to 16 inch radius and has 22 medium jumbo frets.

One of the most noticeable details is the Super Split Block inlay design.

The guitar also has a custom split diamond inlay on the headstock.

For hardware, Gibson uses black nickel parts, locking Grover tuners and an aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge.

The guitar comes with the new ELEV8 humbuckers.

The pickups use Alnico 8 magnets and are designed for a powerful sound with a tight low end. The controls also include push-pull coil splitting.

Gibson SG DES

The SD DES gives the classic SG shape a different look.

It has a mahogany body with an AAA figured maple top.

The mahogany neck uses a SlimTaper profile and the ebony fretboard has a compound 10 inch to 16 inch radius.

Unlike the Les Paul DES, the SD DES has 24 medium jumbo frets.

It uses the same Super Split Block style inlays and custom split diamond headstock inlay.

The  hardware is finished in black nickel.

The SG DES also uses Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers with Alnico 8 magnets.

The controls include push-pull functions for additional pickup options.

Gibson says the SG DES is designed with modern technical players in mind.

Gibson ES DES

The ES DES is perhaps the most different guitar in the series because it uses a semi-hollow body.

The body is based on the ES-335 design.

I uses a three-ply figured maple and poplar construction with a solid maple center block.

The center block helps with sustain and feedback resistance.

The neck is mahogany with Rounded C profile.

The ebony fretboard has a compound 10 inch to 16 inch radius and 22 medium jumbo frets.

The guitar also gets the Super Split Block inlays found on the other DES models.

For electronics, the ES DES uses Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers.

The volume controls have push-pull switches for coil splitting.

This gives the ES DES a wider range of sounds than a traditional ES-335 style setup.

Gibson Explorer DES

The Explorer DES takes one of Gibson's most recognizable shapes and gives it the DES treatment.

Gibson says the Explorer DES started with an instrument that Cesar Gueikian envisioned and built at the Gibson crafters in Nashville.

Like the other DES models, it uses the Ghost Burst finish and black nickel hardware.

The guitar also features  the distinctive Super Split Block inlays and new ELEV8 humbucker.

The explorer shape already has a strong connection with rock and metal players, so the DES version keeps that familiar body while adding the new features found across the series.

Gibson Flying V DES

The Flying V DES follows the same basic idea.

It takes the Flying V shape and combines it with the DES design language.

The guitar was also developed from an instrument envisioned by Cesar Gueikian and built at the Gibson crafters in Nashville.

It has the Ghost Burst finish, black nickel hardware and the DES inlay design.

The new ELEV8 humbuckers are another major part of the guitar.

For players who already like the Flying V shape, this version offers a more unusual take on the familiar Gibson design.

Gibson Victory DES

The Victory DES is one of the more unusual modes in the collection.

The Victory has a double-cutaway mahogany body with an AAA figured maple top.

It has a 25.5 inch scale mahogany neck with a SlimTaper profile.

The ebony fretboard has a compound 10 inch to 16 inch radius and 24 medium jumbo frets.

It also uses Super Split Block mother-of-pearl inlays.

The Victory DES has an Explorer-style headstock and black nickel hardware.

It uses Gibson ELEV8 humbuckers and includes push-pull controls for additional pickup options.

The 25.5 inch scale is also different from the 24.75 inch scale used on models such as the Les Paul DES and ES DES.

What Are Gibson ELEV8 Pickups?

One of the biggest changes across the DES Series is the pickup system.

Gibson calls them ELEV8 humbuckers.

They use Alnico 8 magnets.

According to Gibson, the pickups are designed to provide a powerful and focused sound with tight low end while keeping clarity and dynamic control.

This makes the pickups particularly interesting for players who use higher gain sounds.

The pickups are also part of what separates these guitar from standard versions of the same Gibson body shapes.

Why Does the DES Series Look Different?

The DES guitars share several visual details.

The most obvious is the Ghost Burst finish.

The figured maple tops are visible through the finish, while the black nickel hardware gives the guitars a darker appearance.

The fretboards also use large mother-of-pearl Super Split Block inlays.

The headstocks have a custom split diamond inlay.

These details give the guitars a common look even though the body shapes are very different.

Are Gibson DES Guitars Custom Shop Guitars?

The DES Series is made through Gibson's craftories and was developed with Gibson's Master Luthier team.

Gibson describes the instruments as limited-run guitars.

They are not simply standard Les Paul or SG models with a different finish.

The series includes different body constructions, neck profiles, fretboard materials and electronics depending on the model.

Gibson also says that no more than 150 DES guitars will be produced in total.

That makes the series much more limited than the regular Gibson lineup.

How Much Does the Gibson DES Series cost?

The DES Series sits in the high-end Gibson range.

Pricing  can vary between models and markets. 

Since these are limited-run guitars, Malaysian pricing may be different from the prices shown on Gibson's international websites.

For Malaysia buyers, it is worth checking with an authorized Gibson dealer for current availability and pricing.

Will Gibson DES Guitars Come to Malaysia?

That will depend on local distribution and dealer stock.

Gibson's international launch does not necessarily mean ever DES model will arrive in Malaysia.

The limited production also means availability could be quite restricted.

If you are interested in one, it is worth checking with local Gibson dealers rather than assuming every model will be available.

Which Gibson DES Models Are Available?

The current DES Series includes several Gibson body shaepes.

The Les Paul DES is aimed at players who want the familiar Les Paul design with the new DES features.

The SG DES gives the classic SG a more modern specification.

The ES DES brings the DES treatment  to a semi-hollow guitar.

The explorer DES and Flying V DES keep the more aggressive Gibson shapes. The Victory DES offers something different with its 25.5 inch scale and 24-fret design.

Each model shares the same general DES styling, but the construction and playing experience are different.

Is the Gibson DES Series for Modern Players?

Gibson is clearly positioning the DES Series toward players who want traditional Gibson designs with more modern features.

The compound fretboards, locking tuners, new ELEV8 pickups and coil-splitting options are example of this.

The SG DES and Victory DES also have 24 frets.

The ES DES keeps the familiar semi-hollow format  while adding a center block and modern electronics.

So the series is not about replacing the classic Gibson designs.

It is more about changing  some of the features while keeping the shapes players already know.

Gibson DES Series vs Regular Gibson

The biggest difference is the combination of features.

A regular Les Paul, SG or ES guitar comes in many different versions, but the DES models have their own specific combination of finish, inlays, hardware, pickups and construction.

The limited production is another major difference.

Gibson says the entire DES Series is limited to no more than 150 guitars.

That puts the DES Series firmly into limited-edition territory.

Final Thoughts

The Gibson DES Series is one of the more unusual Gibson releases of 2026.

Instead of creating one completely new guitar shape, Gibson has applied the DES concept to several existing  designs.

you get Les Paul, SG, ES, Explorer, Flying V and Victory models.

The guitars share the Ghost Burst finish, black nickel hardware, Super Split Block inlays and new ELEV8 humbuckers.

The limited production also makes the series different from Gibson's normal lineup.

For Malaysia guitarists, the main question will be availability.

If these guitar reach local dealers, they are likely to attract players who want something different from a standard Gibson.

Which Gibson DES model would you pick?

Stay tuned to Guitarlicious for more Gibson news, new guitar releases, buying  guides and guitar news in Malaysia.

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