Gibson has seemingly confirmed that it’s returning to the low-tuned worlds of seven-string and baritone guitars, with its Superstrat-esque Victory model set for a makeover.
Extended-range guitars are more popular than ever, with many budget offerings broadening the market and also making it more competitive. Heck, even Ed Sheeran launched a baritone with PRS at NAMM, so their current popularity is inarguable.
But as far Gibson is concerned, it’s not a market that it has properly entered in quite some time.
For Fender, the first-ever seven-string Strat did rear its extra-long headstock in late 2024 as a Custom Shop model for Chris Garza of Suicide Silence. As for Gibson, there have been occasional, limited-edition seven-string runs over the years – including the DSX7 Explorer, of which only 200 were made. Sadly, they never really took off.
That makes the revelation, which comes from Gibson’s Dinesh Lekhraj, all the more interesting and enticing. Speaking to Premier Guitar at NAMM 2026 with a sunburst, Floyd Rose-equipped Gibson Victory in his hands, he says, “What's really cool about these guitars is, we're doing baritones as well as seven-strings.”
As YouTube channel The Trogly's Guitar Show points out, it looks to be only the Victory, revived for the first time in 40 years in 2024, getting this treatment. That might be a tactical move with two benefits.
Firstly, it could boost the Victory's prestige to a broader pool of progressive players. Secondly, it keeps experimentation away from the firm's mainline guitars, making it more appealing to the more conservative fans.
Another thing to consider is the terminology surrounding baritone guitars. In the past, anything beyond the usual scale length favored by a brand has been classified accordingly.
For example, Mark Tremonti’s PRS baritone has a 25.5” scale – but given most PRS Guitars are built to a 24.75” scale, it could be classed as having an extended range. Fender’s baritones, meanwhile, are typically 27”, with its regular Strats and Teles weighing in at 25.5".
So, what scale length is a Gibson baritone likely to have? Well, one of its most famous baritones was the signature Les Paul it made for Buckethead. That had a 27" scale, so it seems likely that these new models will follow suit.
Unfortunately, there’s not much more info to go off at this point. Indeed, Gibson was in a teasing mood at NAMM – it gave Guitar World the rundown of its plans for 2026, with signature guitars for Gary Clark Jr., Lzzy Hale, and Alex Lifeson all showcased at the event.
For now, patience is a virtue. But the move, even if the runs turn out to be super limited, shows that Gibson is recognizing contemporary gear trends and is making sure it has a horse in the race.
