GIBSON - SONEX 180 Deluxe - 198x

The Gibson Sonex 180 Custom was a guitar made in the USA from 1980 to 1982. The body is multi-phonic, wood core with a resin layer on top. Besides the neck, all parts until were made in the USA until late '82, when Gibson put Japanese necks on the Sonex. The early necks were Rosewood, the Japanese made neck is a ebony bolt on, has 22 frets with dot inlays.

Available colors included ebony, white, candy apple red, silverburst, or antique fireburst finish. Tune-O-Matic bridge, 3-way selector Switch, volume and tone knobs, with 2 exposed-coil Velvet Brick humbucking pickups.

The following text is taken from Gibsons 1980 'Sonex by Gibson' leaflet entitled 'Only the price brings it back to earth'

Gibson-Sonex™-180 is a totally new kind of guitar. The secret is in the exclusive, new Multi-phonic™ body design, featuring an incredibly durable and acoustical material colled Resonwood™. Resonwood has the weight of mahogany and the density of maple. That means you get brilliant harmonic reproduction and superior sustain never before available on on electric guitar at this low price.

The Sonex Multi-phonic™ body is composed of Resonwood surrounding an inner tone wood core. The tone wood core not only acts as the anchor point for the neck, it also adds acoustic resonance and exceptional body resilience. The Sonex body is so resilient, that it's structural properties survived extreme testing in temperatures ranging from 40° below to 180°F.

The rock solid consistency of Resonwood gives the Sonex guitar incredible sustain capability. Gibson compared it to conventional ash/poplar laminate models and found there was no comparison. A Sonex Multi-phonic™ body delivered greater sustain than many guitars priced two and three times higher. And the Sonex-180 has the welght and feel of even the most expensive guitars. Pick it up. Play it.

There are three guitar models to choose from in the Sonex Series, all with the popular Gibson single cutaway design. The Sonex-180 Deluxe features a rosewood, dot inlayed fingerboard and adjustable exposed coil high output Humbuckers™. Other Sonex-180 features include a three-position pick-up selector switch, Tune-0-Matic Bridge', stop bar tailpiece and volume/tone control speed knobs.

In addition to all the features offered on the Deluxe guitar, the Sonex Standard and Custom models feature famous Gibson 'Dirty Fingers' pickups, plus a coil top switch for even more versatility. And to really enhance your payability, the Custom has a three-piece maple neck and ebony fingerboard. The Sonex-180 Custom is also available in a striking white finish, as well as ebony.

Unlike comparably priced guitars, the Gibson Sonex series is made in the U.S., and is backed by a one year, limited warranty on all parts and labor. What's more, Sonex is backed by the strongest service center network in the industry.

Gibson guitars have shared the stage with some of the greatest rock names on earth. But never on earth has there been a Gibson guitar like the Sonex series. Designed for the future. But priced like time stood still.

The Edge was seen using a black finish Sonex 1980 during the October tour and Summer Festivals era. The guitar was not a mainstay in his arsenal and was not seen in live performances since.