For the past 128 years, Gibson–the iconic American instrument brand–has been synonymous with creating and shaping sound across genres of music and generations of players.
Today, Gibson Custom Shop has announced they’ve partnered with Sergio Vallín, guitarist of Maná, the rock band from Guadalajara, Mexico, one of the best-selling, and most successful Latin-American bands of all time with over 40 million records sold worldwide.
Sergio Vallín:
“I feel thankful and honored, a Les Paul with my name, I just can’t believe it. This guitar is an extension of my hands and my soul. I remember seeing Les Paul play at a show in New York, I met him backstage, and he said, ‘if I stopped playing, I would die’. I feel honored to be carrying on Les Paul’s legacy, and I thank Gibson for honoring not only my work, but also for recognizing the importance of Latin music.”
Gibson luthiers and Sergio have collaborated to create his first-ever Gibson signature guitar with the new Sergio Vallín 1955 Les Paul Goldtop from the Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab. The Sergio Vallín 1955 Les Paul Goldtop has been meticulously crafted for fans to experience Sergio’s beloved 1955 Les Paul Goldtop; the guitar is now available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers and via www.Gibson.com.
Sergio Vallín:
“For Latin musicians it’s so hard to imagine the idea of having a signature model, and I hope this is just the first of many, because there are so many amazing guitar players and musicians in Latin America who deserve their voices to be amplified and honored by a guitar brand that we all love so much.”
“This guitar is the result of a team effort. it’s inspired by a 1955 Les Paul that I have, and the Gibson team worked hard to get the best guitar possible inspired by my own guitar,” Sergio continues. “It has a humbucker and a P-90, which multiplies the sonic spectrum. It has a Bigsby, which makes it a very versatile guitar. It’s lighter than a 50’s Les Paul, but it carries a lot of power.”
Born and raised in Mexico City, Sergio Vallin, is the 4x GRAMMY, and 8x Latin GRAMMY award-winning, and 19x Billboard Latin Music Award-winning lead guitarist for global superstars, the influential rock band, Maná.
With his wide-ranging and innovative universal sound, Sergio’s work as a solo artist and producer/arranger has led him to collaborate with some of the industry’s greatest heavyweights. Sergio recently released his second solo album Microsinfonias which features songs with Santana, Fher Olvera frontman of Maná, Alejandro Sanz, Arturo Sandoval, Steve Vai, to name just a few.
Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands:
“It’s exciting to bring this collaboration to fruition! We have been working with Sergio for some time and this signature Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab Les Paul was years in the making. Fans can see Sergio onstage with the guitar on Maná’s North American Tour and at the group’s residency at The Forum in Los Angeles from April-September.
“One of the most creative, talented, and virtuoso guitar players I’ve ever known, Sergio can play everything from classical style Spanish to the most melodic and soulful riffs, onto the most unimaginable killer solos.”
Gibson Custom Shop is honoured, they note, to present the Sergio Vallín 1955 Les Paul Goldtop. This new Gibson artist model has all the features and performance that Sergio requires, including a lightweight mahogany body with a two-piece plain maple top and a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard and ’59 Rounded C profile.
It is also equipped with Kluson® reissue tuners, a Bigsby B7 vibrato and features custom aging from the Murphy Lab. The electronics include a custom P-90 Soapbar pickup in the neck position and a bridge Custombucker, giving it excellent sonic versatility.
Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands:
“He has influenced generations of players in Latin America, and around the world and has collaborated with some of the best guitarists in the world – check out his incredible 2021 solo album Microsinfonias. Together with his band Maná, Sergio has touched people’s lives and made Latin American music matter more than ever over their 40 year career, and today they’re stronger than ever. Maná has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, think about that for a second! Four Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, and the list of accolades goes on and on. It’s an honor for me and all of us at Gibson to be working with the ‘Maestro’ Sergio Vallín.”
