Gibson Marauder

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The Gibson Marauder was an electric guitar model.

The Marauder was part of a short-lived series of solid-body electric guitars produced in the 1970s. These guitars were an attempt by Gibson to breakthrough into the single-coil, bolt-on neck guitar market dominated by Fender.

1970's Marauder

The Marauder sported a contoured single cutaway Les Paul-style body and a bolt-on Maple neck with a Flying V headstock. The fingerboard was available in the traditional Gibson Rosewood, or the more Fender-like Maple. The fingerboard board had 22 frets and most had dot markers.

The marauder featured custom designed Bill Lawrence pickups sealed in clear epoxy, which was considered ahead of its time, and this was and still is considered to be one of the best qualities of this guitar.

The Marauder had a humbucker pickup in the neck position and also a single-coil solid-blade style pickup mounted in an angled position at the bridge. This greatly resembled the telecaster by Fender. The resulting sound was comparable to the Fender sound, which Gibson did not match in most other cases.

Due to the bolt-on neck construction and unusual Fender characteristics of the guitar, the Marauder was not a success. It was too much like the fender for Gibson buyers to like, and even too much like the Gibson for those who liked Fender qualities to enjoy. After its slow reaction, the Marauder was discontinued in the early 80's. It is, however, thought to be a solid quality vintage guitar, albeit an unusual one.

The early Marauders had a rotary-style three-way switch to select between the two pickups. Later models were fitted with a continuously variable rotary potentiometer instead. This control, first placed in the lower bout, and later between the volume and tone knobs, allowed infinitely variable combinations of blend between the two pickups.

Marauders all had the tune-o-matic bridge and a stop tail piece. It had enclosed tuners, and typical Gibson strap buttons.

Published reviews characterize the Marauder pickups as weak. Reviewers also characterize the guitar as heavy and durable.

Marauders were made in the USA, and according to Gibson's website, came in alder, maple, or mahogany body materials.

Originally, the Marauder sold for under $400 USD.

The Gibson S-1 was similar to the Marauder in its appearance, though it had three single-coil pickups. It, too, was unpopular and was discontinued at around the same time as the Marauder.