Gibson Custom Shop 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue Guitar with Case

When Gibson designed a new trio of futuristic-looking guitars in 1957 to bring bold, modern designs to the product lineup, one of them was the Futura, developed alongside the Flying V and Moderne. While many guitarists may not be familiar with the Futura by name, most know its direct descendant: the Explorer. The Futura closely resembled the modern Explorer but featured a more angular body shape and a distinctive split-V headstock design. That headstock was only used on a handful of the earliest Explorers before the transition to the scimitar-shaped headstock that defines the model today.

Gibson Custom 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue Guitar with Case Features:

Tonewoods updated for a warmer, denser tone
Old-school electronic components ensures vintage tone
Mahogany body and neck
Indian Rosewood fretboard
Unpotted Custombucker humbuckers
True Historic Black Top Hat knobs
Aged Gold hardware
Historic Explorer case included

Unlike the Flying V and Explorer, the Futura was never officially released in the late 1950s. Only a few prototypes were built, and even fewer escaped into the wild—making them exceptionally rare, surpassed in scarcity only by the Moderne, of which no authenticated ’50s-era examples have ever been found.

While the first Flying V and Explorer models released in 1958 were constructed with Korina bodies, the earliest Futura prototypes were made from mahogany. Mahogany provides a somewhat warmer sound than Korina’s brighter tonal character. It’s also more readily available, making it an excellent choice for modern players who want a denser, all-mahogany tone well-suited for rock and metal.

Now, Gibson Custom proudly introduces the 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue, a faithful reproduction of those elusive ’50s prototypes. It features a mahogany body built to vintage specifications, a mahogany neck with a 1950s Vintage profile, and the original Futura split-V headstock design, complete with reissue Kluson single-ring tuners. Its unbound Indian rosewood fretboard carries 22 reissue frets with cellulose dot inlays.

For tone, the 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue is powered by a pair of unpotted Custombucker humbuckers with Alnico 3 magnets, hand-wired to two volume and one tone control with CTS potentiometers and a phone book capacitor. The Antique Natural nitrocellulose lacquer finish and aged gold hardware receive a VOS treatment, giving the guitar the look and feel of a “new old stock” instrument from the late ’50s.

To complete the package, a Lifton historic reissue brown and pink hardshell case is included. This is your chance to own an authentic recreation of one of the rarest and most fascinating models in Gibson history.

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Gibson Custom Shop 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue Guitar with Case Specifications

Gibson Custom Shop 1957 Mahogany Futura Reissue Guitar with Case Specifications
Product Specifications	Collection: Historic Finish: Transparent Body Shape: Futura Body Material: 2-Piece Mahogany Binding: N/A Neck Material: Mahogany Neck Profile: 50s Vintage Nut Width: 1.687" / 42.85 mm Fingerboard Material: Indian Rosewood Scale Length: 24.75" / 628.65 mm Number of Frets: 22 Nut: Nylon Inlay: Cellulose Dot Bridge: Historic Reissue ABR-1 No-Wire Tailpiece: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar Tuners: Kluson Single Ring Reissue Control Knobs: True Historic Bleach White Top Hat with Dial Pointer Plating: Aged Gold Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) Controls: 2 Volume 1 Tone 500K CTS Vintage Taper Potentiometers Phone Book Capacitor Case: Lifton Historic Reissue Brown with Pink Interior Hardshell Case Included