Gibson Celebrates Les Paul Music City Special 50th Anniversary

July 10, 2025

The Les Paul Music City Special – 50^th Anniversary is a unique commemorative guitar that pays tribute to the early days of Gibson’s Nashville production and celebrates 50 years of Gibson handcrafting guitars in Music City.

This year marks a major milestone for Gibson: 50 years of handcrafting guitars in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. To honor this journey, Gibson introduces the Les Paul Music City Special – 50th Anniversary, a modern tribute to the creativity, heritage, and player passion that defines Music City. Available now at Gibson.com and Gibson Garage locations, this limited-edition model is capped at just 650 guitars per finish, worldwide.

Rooted in the design DNA of the iconic 1970s Gibson Marauder—played by legends like Adam Jones (TOOL) and Paul Stanley (KISS)—the Music City Special blends vintage character with modern sensibility. It’s a nod to the past and a tool for the present, designed for players who want tone, versatility, and history, in one inspiring package.

“Marking 50 years of Gibson in Nashville, the limited-edition Music City Special model is a tribute to the spirit of creativity and individuality that defines this city,” says Mat Koehler, Vice President of Product at Gibson. “It draws on everything we’ve learned since opening our Gibson USA craftory and channels it into something new and inspiring to play.”

“We’re very proud to introduce the Music City Special,” adds Gibson Master Luthier Jim DeCola. “It pays homage to the Gibson Marauder of the 70s as well as the city it is named after. It has been reimagined as a straightforward, yet versatile and functional instrument relevant for today’s working musician.”

Explore the new Les Paul Music City Special – 50^th Anniversary guitars HERE, and take a deep dive into this new offering on the Gibson Gazette

Each model is handcrafted in the Gibson Nashville facility in three gloss nitrocellulose finishes: Tobacco Burst, Wine Red, and Ebony. With dual 70s Tribute humbuckers,a fast SlimTaper maple neck, and a striped ebony fretboard with a 12-inch fretboard radius for smooth playability, the Music City Special is ready to rock at your next gig or session, straight out of the premium soft-shell guitar case.

Whether you’re a fan, a collector, or someone who’s just discovered Gibson through the stories of Music City, this guitar is made to be played–and to be part of the next 50 years of Gibson in Nashville.

About Gibson:

Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals. Gibson is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by all Gibson brands. Explore more at Gibson.com, Gibson App, and on Gibson TV, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and visit us at the Gibson Garage Nashville and the Gibson Garage London