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SPIRIT OF AMERICA GUITAR

I've been building guitars the better part of my life, and I don't think I've ever built anything that has this much meaning. 

Michael McGuire
Director of Operations, Gibson Guitar Custom Shop

The Sound of Freedom

Liberty Ambassador Logo“THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA” LES PAUL GUITAR was created at the request of Gold Leaf Corporation, under an exclusive agreement with The Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., at Gibson’s Custom & Historic Shop in Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate freedom.

This special guitar has been meticulously hand-crafted by Gibson Master Luthiers from wood removed and preserved from the historic Registry Building at Ellis Island and inlaid with copper removed during the centennial restoration of the Statue of Liberty.

Through the universal language of music, this beautiful work of instrumental art will always serve to inspire the unifying message of Liberty & Freedom in America and throughout the World.

The impressive one-of-a-kind display has also been created by Gibson from an armature bar removed and preserved from the Statue of Liberty. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, this armature ring completely encircles and cradles this special guitar in a “Framework of Freedom”.

This custom Les Paul Guitar is a true artifact of American History and is the only guitar in the world created from Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island artifacts; it is truly a National Treasure. 

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

• Created entirely from wood preserved from the Historic Registry Building of Ellis Island

• Inlaid with Statue of Liberty Copper which was cut from copper saddles, then hand-engraved and hammered carefully so as to leave all historical marks and numbers

• Control knobs, switch, and strap posts are all created from bolts removed from an armature bar section preserved from the Statue of Liberty

• All hardware and Humbucker pick-ups are plated in Statue of Liberty copper

• The stain on the fingerboard was created by combining rusty nails taken from the Ellis Island wood in a solution unique to Gibson

• This guitar is the only one in the world and bears the serial identity

 Every element of the Spirit of America guitar bears historical significance.
Legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Duane Eddy shows off  The Spirit of America Les Paul Guitar at the exhibit unveiling at Ellis Island on July 14, 2010, in New York. ©Brian Ach
The guitar's control knobs are created from bolts preserved from the Eiffel-designed armature system.
  • Rick Gembar, Richard Stocks, Mike McGuire and Doug Culberson (L – R) inspect a Liberty armature bar, copper saddles and other artifacts preserved from The Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island National Monument at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, TN.

  • US National Park Service Superintendent David Luchsinger, legendary Guitarist & Hall of Famer Duane Eddy, and Stephen A. Briganti, CEO / President of the Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., with the Spirit of America Gibson guitar at the exhibit unveiling at the Ellis Island National Monument.

  • Richard Stocks of Gold Leaf Corporation is seen with "The Spirit of America" Les Paul Guitar at the Gibson Guitars Statue of Liberty Event at Ellis Island on July 14, 2010, in New York. ©Brian Ach