Insert 3 The Sonex Artist was a new addition to the Sonex range in 1981, superceding the Sonex Custom as the top of the line model. This was it's first and only appearance in Gibson's US literature, although it was listed in the 1982 Rosetti catalogue in the UK, and perhaps elsewhere.
It featured the same active circuitry initially developed by Bob Moog for the RD Artist, but later expanded to the Les Paul Artist and ES Artist guitars. This included expansion, compression and a bright mode, controlled by the mini-switches behind the TP-6 bridge. It also had a set neck, unlike the rest of the Sonex series.
This insert has the guitar pictured on one side, with corresponding text on the other.
The Artist was available in the second half of 1981, and did not make the April '81 price lists - however in January '82 it was listed at $799 - more than double the price of the (semi-gloss) Sonex-180 Deluxe.
$995
$1575
$900
$899
$850
$900
£900
£550
£1100