Epiphone has a Dave Grohl DG-335 in the works, with the Foo Fighters frontman/guitarist pictured holding one in a promo shot for the band’s new album, But Here We Are.
The Gibson-owned brand has been busily expanding its artist roster in recent years with some seriously cool signature guitars arriving for the likes of Adam Jones, Joe Bonamassa, Jerry Cantrell and Jim James.
And it shows no time of slowing down soon, with Kirk Hammett’s Greeny Les Paul looks like it is coming imminently – the Metallica guitarist even going so far as to declare that, of all version Gibson has released of the iconic electric guitar, once owned by Peter Green and Gary Moore, the more affordable Epiphone is his favourite.
But an Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 based off his number one 1967 Trini Lopez semi-hollow would break the internet – or at least the guitar-focussed corner of the internet – and surely would become one of the brand’s biggest artist collaborations ever.
There are, of course, no details, besides what we can make out from the press shots taken by Danny Clinch at the band's rehearsal space, and used to accompany the NME’s review of But Here We Are, which is out on 2 June through Roswell Records. It will be the band’s first studio album since the death of Taylor Hawkins, and will see Josh Freese make his debut behind the drum kit.
There has been some black-and-white rehearsal footage circulation that shows Grohl playing a Gibson DG-335 in what looks like a Polaris White finish. Again, we’re dealing with a black-and-white image here but colour us amazed if that is not a Pelham Blue finish on the guitar Grohl is holding.
Indeed, from the photograph here, the only noticeable difference between his original USA Gibson DG-335 is the name on the Firebird headstock. The diamond-shaped Trini f-holes are present and correct. The Epiphone has a pair of humbuckers at the neck and bridge.
We might expect Epiphone’s impressive Alnico ProBuckers here but who can say if Epiphone has done what it did for Joe Bonamassa’s Lazarus Les Paul Standard and springs for a set of Gibson USA BurstBuckers.
The sighting this Epiphone DG-335 in the wild would give you the impression that Gibson and Epiphone take requests. Just 17 days ago, the brand president and interim CEO Cesar Gueikian said "OK" to the suggestion of an Epiphone DG-335. And lo… There was more. The ‘80s Gibson Explorers will be coming in White. Mesa/Boogie guitar amps will be available in the UK/Europe “after the summer”, and he said yes to the Epiphone Greeny.
In other Epiphone news, the brand recently refreshed its Broadway, Casino and Sheraton models in a range of classy finishes.
