Gibson Elvis Dove
The Gibson Elvis Dove in detail
About the artist
He is regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century rock and pop culture and is often called the "King of Rock ’n’ Roll": Elvis Presley, with over a billion records sold, is considered the most successful solo artist of all time. He broke through in 1956 when he became the figurehead of the rock ’n’ roll movement. Elvis's trademarks were his voice spanning nearly three octaves and his innovative vocal style, with which he was successful across genres such as rock, pop, country, gospel and blues. His extremely energetic live performances caused as much sensation as his numerous acting roles.
By 1978 Elvis Presley had been nominated for a Grammy 14 times, winning three times for his gospel interpretations. At the age of 36 he was, at the time, the youngest artist to be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. Alongside Michael Jackson he is one of only two artists to be represented in five Halls of Fame. Six of his song performances have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for their historical significance.
A special insight
Elvis Presley favoured Gibson acoustic guitars, his particular favourites being two black beauties, an SJ-200 and a Dove. Now Gibson honours the 'King' with two signature models based on those two guitars. This video was shot on location at Graceland, the home of Elvis's family in Memphis, Tennessee, and gives you a first closer look into the world of Elvis's guitars.
Black Dove
The Gibson Elvis Dove is based on a customised 1969 Gibson Dove that was gifted to the King of Rock and Roll by his father, Vernon Presley. Elvis played it regularly in concerts from 1971 to 1975, including during the 1973 "Aloha from Hawaii" concert broadcast via satellite. In 1975 he gifted it to a stunned audience member during a concert in Asheville, North Carolina, in the middle of the performance. The Gibson Elvis Dove features a top of solid Sitka spruce, back and sides of solid maple and a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard. It is also fitted with modern LR Baggs VTC electronics with piezo pickups under the saddle and volume and tone controls at the soundhole, making it stage-ready. A vintage hard shell case is included.
Product information "Gibson Elvis Dove"
- Back / Sides: Maple
- Binding: 5-layer (top), 3-layer (bottom)
- Body Shape: Dreadnought
- Body Shape: Dreadnought
- Body finish: High Gloss
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Color/ Finish: Black
- Colour: Black
- Construction / Acoustic: Solid
- Controls: 1x volume, 1x tone
- Country of Origin: USA
- Cutaway: no
- Finish: High Gloss
- Finish: Nitrocellulose
- Fretboard: Indian Rosewood
- Fretboard Inlays: Mother of Pearl Parallelogram
- Fretboard radius: 12" (305 mm)
- Fret material: Nickel silver
- Frets: 20
- Fret size: Standard
- Includes: Hardcase
- Neck: Mahogany
- Neck Mount: Dovetail
- Neck finish: High Gloss
- Nut Width: 43,815 mm / 1,725 in
- Pickup Details: LR Baggs™ VTC
- Pre-amp system: LR Baggs™ VTC
- Saddle/Cross piece inlay: Bone
- Scale Length: 25,5" (648 mm)
- Signature Model: yes
- Strings: 6 string
- Strings thickness ex factory: .012 - .053
- Top: Sitka Spruce
- Tuning Machines: Keystone Waffleback
- Pickguard Vintage dove/dove form, pure black with white bevel
- Truss rod cover black, vertical lettering “ELVIS”
- Rosewood Dove bridge with mother-of-pearl dove inlays
The American Gibson Guitar Corporation, founded in 1902 by Orville Gibson in Kalamazoo, Michigan, first became known for the production of mandolins and banjos. Today the company’s headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee, and Gibson is one of the world’s most renowned and respected manufacturers of electric guitars.
The model Les Paul, named after its creator Lester William Polsfuss, is one of the most famous and best‑selling electric guitar shapes of all time and established the single‑cut guitar form, which has been copied, adopted and reinterpreted by numerous other manufacturers. The Les Paul is mainly prized for its sound, characterised as warm and full. The humbucker pickup largely responsible for that sound, in its now common design, was developed by Seth Lover at Gibson.
In the early 1960s the Gibson SG appeared as another solid‑body electric from Gibson. Originally intended as the successor to the Les Paul, it became — helped by Angus Young of AC/DC — another rock‑history icon and is the basis for the double‑cutaway guitar type.
With the Flying V and the Explorer Gibson is responsible for two body shapes that, although they were far ahead of their time when introduced in the late 1950s, have over the years also achieved legendary status. They still serve as the foundation for a host of heavy guitars today, for example from makers such as Jackson or ESP.
The Gibson Custom Shop produces custom orders, high‑quality one‑offs and precise replicas of famous models and legendary instrument years. These are often subjected to an artificial ageing process called relicing.
Almost as long as the company has existed, acoustic guitars have also been produced. The J‑45, the Hummingbird, the L‑00 and the SJ‑200 are among the world’s most beloved steel‑string acoustics and were the instruments of choice for Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and John Lennon.
Besides the instruments already mentioned, you can of course also buy picks, bags and cases or merchandise from Gibson with us.
We are particularly proud to host a Gibson Flagship Store in our Frankfurt branch. There you’ll find not only a large selection and exclusive models to try out in person, but you’ll also benefit from the expertise of our Gibson‑trained and certified staff when choosing the perfect guitar.
