In 1972 Gibson produced a series of 'Guitar of the Month' brochures, each dedicated to one of their high end models, the Les Paul Recording guitar, L5-CES, ES-175D, Super 400-CES, ES-355TD-SV and Byrdland. Each brochure was a single sheet folded into four panels, with details of the instruments themselves, their features, musical purpose, and a little history behind the development of each guitar. Only the Les Paul Recording was a new model; the others were all well established in the Gibson line. Follow the link to see scans and further information on these leaflets and other Gibson guitar catalogues from the CMI and Norlin periods.

1966 Kalamazoo KB-1 bass

Gibson assembled these 30 1/2" scale Kalamazoo KB-1 basses in their electronics plant in Kalamazoo, MI - separate from the main Gibson plant. They used the same components and hardware as on the Gibson EB bass series; but with a pre-painted masonite body and a bolt-on maple neck; a very different construction to Gibson's usual output. Initially the KB bass had a Mustang-shaped body (see the 1966 Kalamazoo KB-1, left), which was soon redesigned with the classic SG shape (see the 1967 Kalamazoo KB-1, right). Have a listen to sound clips of this bass here.

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Gibson Victory MV2
electric guitar

Specifications

Model	Gibson Victory MV2 (or MVII)
Available	1981-1983/4
Pickups	"Velvet brick" high-output humbucker at the neck, special design magnet/iron loaded humbucker at the bridge
Electronics	Passive. One volume and tone control. Three position "blade" pickup selector switch (neck, bridge, both), coil tap switch for single coil/humbucking tonalities.
Scale	24 3/4"
Body	Eastern hard rock maple. Length 18 15/16", width 13", depth 1 3/4"
Neck	Glued in three-ply maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. Offset pearl dot inlays. White binding. 14 degree peghead pitch. MV-2 truss rod cover. Width at nut 1 11/16".
Hardware	Chrome plated throughout. New design top-adjust tune-o-matic bridge with interchangeable nylon or brass inserts
Finishes	Candy Apple Red Antique Fireburst

The Gibson Victory MV-2 was the product of Gibsons research and development department in Kalamazoo, Michigan. First shipped in late summer of 1981, it was part of the Gibson Victory series of guitars and basses; a second model to the Victory MVX, and companion to the Victory basses available since mid 1981. It was described in early publicity material as follows...

The Victory MV 2 is designed primarily for the discerning country player. The MV 2 produces with unerring accuracy, those electric guitar voices that make up the very essence of country music. From "Down home" to sophisticated crossover "pop" country, the Victory MV 2 is your guitar.

The Victory guitar bodies and neck/headstocks are crafted entirely of eastern hard rock maple

This produces an incredibly brilliant sustaining tone, because of that material's superior mass and density characteristics.

The whole Victory range gave a deliberate nod to Fenders classic solid bodies. The control layouts are a good example, having blade-style switches with typical Stratocaster placement. The pickups are coil tapped, allowing either single coil, or humbucking configurations. Marketing the MV-2 as a country guitar was Gibson's way of introducing a serious competitor for the Fender Telecaster; indeed it took the elements of Gibson tradition that Fenders lacked, such as a set neck, and applied them to a more Fenderish body. But ultimately the Victory was it's own guitar. Different from anything produced by Gibson or Fender before or since.

The Gibson Victory series was one of the very last innovative designs to originate from the Gibson Kalamazoo plant before it's closure in 1984, and ultimate move to Nashville. They are very good guitars, but often overlooked for not really being of classic design, and neither being quite old enough to count as 'vintage'. Being all-maple one could suggest a comparison with the Gibson RD a few of which even had a Victory style headstock. They are good playing guitars, and construction is every bit as good as you'd expect from Gibson; certainly worth trying if you can find one.

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