Epiphone has launched its own more affordable yet just as eye-catching version of Miranda Lambert’s signature Gibson Bluebird acoustic guitar, applying that immaculate Bluebonnet finish to a mid-priced dreadnought retailing at just £679 street.
The news broke via the Gibson Gazette, which is well worth bookmarking if you are a fan of Gibson’s brand portfolio.
Lambert’s original Gibson Bluebird was as stunning a high-end acoustic guitar as you’ll find, and despite the price tag it would become the Nashville brand’s best-selling guitar of the last 12 months. We would expect something similar with the Epiphone version.
Speaking to the Gibson Gazette, Lambert said it was a “natural next step” to release an Epiphone version – and she hoped that its more accessible price point would put it into the hands of more players, particularly young girls.
“The Gibson release was very well received, and we wanted to create a more affordable guitar, and still deliver a great quality product,” she said. “My hope is that the release of the Epiphone Bluebird with a more approachable price point will make it possible for young girls and women in general to get their hands on one. If it makes it more accessible and achievable for girls to chase their dreams, then it’s a win in my book.”
The apple has not fallen far from the tree. The name on the headstock, and the headstock shape, are the the only key visual differences. Otherwise this looks a spit of its Gibson counterpart.
Inspired by the flower of Lambert’s home state Texas, that Bluebonnet high-gloss finish looks exceptional on a square-shouldered acoustic body, with the custom Bluebird pickguard complementing it nicely – and belying the Hummingbird roots of the design. This really is a kissing cousin of the Hummingbird, a more brightly feathered relation.
My hope is that the release of the Epiphone Bluebird with a more approachable price point will make it possible for young girls and women in general to get their hands on one
The build is what you might expect from top-of-the-line Epiphone guitars in 2024. We have solid Sitka spruce on the top, with six-ply ivory and black binding. The back and sides are layered mahogany, with four-ply ivory and black binding applied to the back of the instrument. Single-ply binding ties the Indian laurel fingerboard together nicely, with pearloid split parallelogram inlays again another nod to the Hummingbird design profile.
Epiphone has kitted this out for the stage. You will find a Fishman Sonicore under-saddle acoustic guitar pickup with the accompanying Sonitone preamp’s volume and tone controls inside the soundhole. The 1/4” jack output is located via the endpin.
As for the other vital statistics, the guitar has a 24.75” scale, a 12” radius fingerboard, 20 standard frets. The neck has a Rounded ‘C’ profile – make that ‘C’ for chords because this is built with big lungs for making that chordwork really stand out and support the song. The neck is affixed to the body via a tapered dovetail joint.
The price tag includes a very nice hard-shell guitar case. For £679, that’s a lot of guitar. For more details, see Epiphone.
