Gibson S-1, 1978

About five or six years ago I posted a review about a Gibson Marauder, 1978. Lately I found his brother, the S-1. Exactly the same model but then with a different pickup configuration. It looks a lot like Gibson's answer to the Stratocaster: three single coils, bold on neck, maple fretboard. But it is a little more complicated.

The toggle switch 'pushed down' connects to the bridge pickup. Pulling the 'switch up' connects us to the chicken head switch. This last one has four modes: F, CB, FCB and FBX. Rather futuristic, maybe the designers watched Star Trek and Doctor Who episodes for inspiration in those days.
F means 'front', I guess, C is 'centre' and B means 'bridge'. X should be 'out of phase' then (that's what this FBX position sounds like). So F is the neck-pu on its own. It's not possible to choose the centre (middle) pickup solo - most players don't like this position anyway. Fortunately, the popular quacky bridge/centre-combination is there (CB). Then there is a combination possible of all the pickups together, FCB (a dull, muddy sound, not very useful imo) and the F and B out of phase, as already mentioned.

Man, I love the design! Black, white contoured scratch plate and a maple fretboard! Gibson fans must have hated this creature. Nothing reminds of well respected Gibson guitars like the Les Paul, except the shape of the body, a little. The sound is really thin. 'A failed hardtail strat, that's what it is!' Fender players ignored the whole thing. So, also commercially, the S-1 was a failure.

Still though, it has a special character. The chord sounds of the bridge pickup remind me of that specific, classic 60's beat, like Can't Explain of the Who. A tele sound, but slightly milder. It could be so that I am gona cary it on stage one day! Played through a Fender Champ 1976. I used an Ibanez TS808 for some overdrive here and there.