Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has been pictured holding what appears to be a new Epiphone DG-335 signature model in the band’s latest promo shots.
Speculation over the imminent arrival of the model has run rife in recent weeks after Gibson’s interim CEO Cesar Gueikian responded to an Instagram Q&A regarding Grohl’s Epiphone signature. When asked “Can we get a DG-335 core model or Epiphone models?” He replied simply, “OK”.
Now Grohl has appeared in the latest Foo Fighters image holding an Epiphone-branded electric guitar that looks exactly like the DG-335, complete with Trini Lopez-style diamond-shaped f-holes, split inlays and Firebird-style headstock.
The original was fitted with Gibson BurstBuckers but at this point we can only speculate on the two humbuckers. If we were to guess, we’d say they’ll be Epiphone-made, as frankly, we can’t imagine The Nicest Guy In Rock arguing for Gibson-branded inclusions that would result in a prohibitive price point.
There is no acknowledgement or further explanation of the model in the press shot, but this is right out of Gibson’s current marketing playbook.
Since its 2018 takeover, Gibson strategy has repeatedly been to fan the flames of online speculation around product launches, in particular signature guitars, by allowing artists to use them unacknowledged in videos, promos and on social media prior to their official announcements. For instance, Dave Mustaine’s Epiphone and Kramer signature models or Jerry Cantrell’s Atone Songwriter acoustic.
In the decades before its takeover, Gibson and its subsidiaries did not always capitalise on their artistic associations – or act in the most coordinated manner. The past five years has, in many ways, been a process of addressing this – ticking off obvious big hitters and ensuring products are available across brands at a variety of price points.
Dave Grohl’s first DG-335 signature model – based on his much-loved 1967 Gibson Trini Lopez – seems to be a fine case in point. The original was essentially a Gibson Custom Shop build, produced between 2007 and 2014 in extremely limited numbers.
The scarcity of those models, their high-end heritage and Foo Fighters’ enduring popularity has seen their values increase hugely, and the original Pelham Blue finishes have asking prices of around $20,000 on the used market.
As such, the arrival of core Gibson USA and Epiphone options shows the firm realizing the obvious potential of having a signature model associated with one of the world’s largest guitar bands.
We’ve had the initial tease from Gueikian. We’ve also seen Grohl performing with what appears to be a new Gibson signature DG-335 and we’ve got concrete evidence that the Epiphone is indeed in production, thanks to Grohl’s new press pic. Now we just have to hold tight for the full announcements…
Usually things are rolled out in order of descending expense, with Custom Shop announcement, then USA Standard and finally Epiphone equivalent – as in the case of the Kirk Hammett Greeny Les Pauls.
Perhaps, in this instance, though, Epiphone may get to steal the march with the DG-335, given Grohl’s more universal appeal. Time – and sneaky promo pic easter eggs – will tell...
