Gibson Futura

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Gibson Futura
Image:Gibson futura.jpg
Manufacturer	Gibson
Period	1958
Construction
Body type	Solid
Neck joint	Set
Scale	24.75"
Woods
Body	Korina
Neck	Korina
Fretboard	Rosewood
Hardware
Bridge	Tune-o-matic
Pickup(s)	2 Humbuckers

The Gibson Futura was the name of an electric guitar which was the precursor of the model now known as the Explorer. The Futura resembled the eventual Explorer design, but had a "split-V" shaped headstock and a differently-proportioned body. Gibson obtained U.S. Design Patent number 181,865 for the Futura body shape.

Gibson shipped only a few Futuras between 1957 and 1958 before redesigning it and renaming it in 1958. Some of these Futuras had the new Explorer body shape but retained the "split-V" headstock. One of those "transitional" models is today owned by Rick Nielsen. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V. Its initial run was unsuccessful and it was discontinued in 1959 after shipping less than 50. The Gibson Explorer was reintroduced in the 1970s and is still sold today.

Gibson marketed another model named the Futura in the early 1980s. The later Futura's body shape was nothing like the original, and instead had rounded edges and no "horn" near the neck.