The Les Paul Axcess Standard from Gibson Custom carries all the elegant styling, fluid body lines and rocking attitude of a classic Les Paul Standard from the golden era of the late 1950s. Upon closer examination, however, you’ll find many substantial modifications made in the name of maximum playability and versatility.

As everyone from Jeff Beck to Jimmy Page to Joe Bonamassa to Slash already knows, the Gibson Les Paul Standard has been one of the most playable electric guitars in rock for more than 50 years. And now – with the release of the new Les Paul Axcess Standard from Gibson Custom – the “ultimate player’s guitar” just got more playable.

The new SG Diablo in Metallic Silver captures the essence of a classic design and takes it one step further.

The release of the original Gibson Robot Guitar in August 2007 caused a sensation the likes of which the guitar world has never seen, with stocks of these instruments selling out in most music stores within 24 hours. This self-tuning version of the hallowed Les Paul — capable of retuning itself in one second at the push of a button, and shifting to any conceivable alternative tuning with equal ease and speed — broke a long-standing natural law of the instrument, and was embraced the world over by pros and devoted enthusiasts alike.

The new Dark Fire from Gibson combines the classic Les Paul form with brand new function. Tone meets innovation in this incredible marriage of Chameleon Tone Technology and second generation Robot Guitar Technology. The original Robot Guitar took the guitar world by storm when it was first introduced in December '07, but the new Dark Fire from Gibson is simply the most advanced guitar system ever developed. In fact, many of the technological advances on the Dark Fire were virtually inconceivable just a few years ago.

Yeah, sure, you should learn to play and all. That’s kind of important. But chops without locks will only get you so far. Here’s a field guide to music’s most well-recognized and oft-copied haircuts—'cause sometimes looking the part is almost as important as sounding the part.

The Gibson Acoustic Songwriter Deluxe Cutaway Modern Classic guitar has been named the 2008 Best Guitar Product of the Year by AMG.

The new Slash Signature Les Paul Goldtop has become a must-have for guitar collectors and fans alike. So much so that Gibson is sponsoring a contest to win one of the company’s fine new editions of its all-time classic. All entrants need do is make and post a video showing how far they’d go to win one. Would you write a song? Shave your head to sing it? That’s just what Goldtop fan did Steve Huff did for his entry. But don’t call him, er, green with envy for the new Slash Signature edition – ’cause he painted himself gold for the occasion, too! Here’s now bald-’n’-gold Steve singing his original composition, “Slash Goldtop Blues.” Good luck, gold friend!

Celebrating a love affair that began in the 1950s, HOT ROD magazine and the Gibson Custom Shop have welded the raw power of a souped-up automobile to the sweet vintage tone of a ’58 Les Paul to produce the HOT ROD '58. This beautifully reproduced 1958 Les Paul brings to rock and roll what a ’57 Chevy brings to the road.

Music Live, the U.K.’s leading music-making event, will return to the Birmingham NEC in England from Nov. 7 – 9. For the first time in the U.K., Gibson...