Gibson USA Announces Pete Townshend Deluxe Gold Top ’76

Gibson USA has announced the release of its limited-edition Pete Townshend Gold Top ’76, the latest guitar launch as part of the company's Les Paul Artist Series.

Celebrating the axman and his legendary live shows, the model is inspired by one of Townshend’s iconic stage guitars and was created using construction techniques very similar to those used in the Seventies.

The remnants of Townshend’s original Gibson Les Paul Gold Top Deluxe, smashed on stage in 1976 at the Who's 15,000-capacity show at Boston Garden, are now on display in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

The body of the Pete Townshend Deluxe Gold Top ’76 features a walnut strip sandwiched between mahogany, similar to Townshend’s original. His favored DiMarzio Super Distortion humbucker joins two mini-humbuckers for modded tone. Controls include two volumes, one tone, one classic toggle, one middle pickup blend rotary and a three-position toggle for the middle pickup. Endorsed by Townshend, the Gibson USA model also memorializes the fate of its predecessor with a “Break Here” sticker on the back of the next at the eighth fret.

Created in an extremely limited edition run, only 150 of Gibson USA’s Pete Townshend Gold Top ’76 models will be available worldwide. For more information, head here.