Gibson has released a commemorative ES-355 reissue in honor of B.B. King’s appearance at the Zaire '74 music festival. The performance was part of the “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing event featuring Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Gibson Custom and Murphy Lab creation is a handcrafted limited-edition recreation of the guitar the blues maestro played that night, complete with its striking walnut finish.
The guitar it has worked tirelessly to recreate in great detail here was King's number one lady before he developed Lucille with Gibson six years later. Only 100 pieces will be made, each coming with a B.B. King “Zaire” hardshell case teeming with case candy commemorating the event.
Gibson has called Zaire '74 “a powerful moment in music history” that brought “the soul of the blues to unite a global audience” ahead of the groundbreaking bout between two towering heavyweight boxers.
Vassal Benford, CEO and Chairman of the B.B. King Music Company, extends that belief, saying that “B.B. King’s performance at the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ was not just a concert – it was a defining cultural moment,” and says the new build “captures the artistry and spirit of B.B. King’s legendary performance.”
Priced at $9,999, it comes brimming with premium appointments fit for a king, including Murphy Lab aging for its delectable finish, T-Type Custombucker Alnico 5 humbuckers, and a Maestro Vibrola tailpiece.
The construction of the guitar unites a laminated maple back, top, and centerblock with red spruce multi-ply binding, and single-ply binding for its fretboard and f-holes.
It boasts a three-piece mahogany neck with an ebony fretboard iced with reissue frets and Mother-of-Pearl block inlays. It's built to a 24.75" scale length with a 12" fretboard radius.
All hardware, including Kluson Waffleback tuners, True Historic pickup covers, a Tune-O-Matic bridge, and the aforementioned Maestro Vibrola, has been given an aged gold finish.
Benford extends his praise of the reissue, underscoring it as “a continuation of King’s enduring legacy, ensuring that future generations of musicians can connect with the heart and soul of the blues.”
The blues legend's daughter, Claudette, will front a new 10-piece band – which includes King's longtime drummer, Grady Champion – for a tour to celebrate his legacy later this year. An extra “flavor of funk” promises to breathe a unique new life into King's music.
The B.B. King “Rumble in the Jungle” 1974 ES-355 is available now and costs $9,999.
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