Image: en:User:Aris3, Public domain — via Wikimedia Commons
Gibson Nighthawk
| Category | Strings (electric guitar) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Classification | electric guitar |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q3105394 |
Overview
The Gibson Nighthawk is a solidbody electric guitar first introduced in 1993. It uses a longer scale than a Les Paul and combines a slanted bridge humbucker with a single-coil middle pickup and a humbucker or mini-humbucker at the neck. The combination gives players a Gibson-built guitar with a sound palette closer to a than a .
Origin & History
Gibson developed the Nighthawk to offer one solid-body design that could cross between rock, country, and pop without forcing a player to switch instruments. Production of the original line ran through the late 1990s. Gibson revived the model briefly in the 2010s before discontinuing it again. Despite its short market lives, the Nighthawk has built a steady reputation among players who want a versatile single instrument.
How It’s Played
The Nighthawk is played like any modern double-cutaway electric guitar. Its 25.5-inch scale length, longer than a typical Gibson, contributes to a brighter and slightly tighter feel under the fingers. The pickup combinations available through the selector switch let the player move between bright single-coil sounds, mid-focused mixed positions, and full humbucker tones.
Cultural Significance
The Nighthawk represents an attempt by Gibson to step into the genre-crossing solidbody niche dominated by Fender Stratocaster-style instruments. It is often discussed alongside the Gibson L6-S and the Gibson ES-345 as part of the company’s history of versatile alternatives to its flagship models.
Related Instruments
- – the flagship Gibson solidbody
- – another long-running Gibson solidbody
- Gibson L6-S – an earlier versatile Gibson
- – the genre-crossing benchmark
- Gibson ES-345 – a thinline cousin in the catalogue
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Gibson Nighthawk have a longer scale than a Les Paul?
The 25.5-inch scale gives a brighter sound and slightly tighter string tension, more like a Stratocaster than a Les Paul.
Is the Gibson Nighthawk still in production?
No. After the original 1990s run and a 2010s revival, the model is currently out of production.
Image: photograph by Aris3, public domain (Wikimedia Commons).
