Few guitars carry the legacy and prestige of B.B. King’s legendary “Lucille.”

The Gibson Custom B.B. King Lucille Legacy in Transparent Ebony honors the King of the Blues with a faithful recreation of his iconic semi-hollow instrument—built with the elegance, tone, and sophistication that defined his sound for decades.

Designed as a core Artist model from Gibson Custom’s ES lineup, this guitar blends luxurious aesthetics with unmistakable blues authority. Lucille is built on the classic ES-style platform but incorporates B.B. King’s personal preferences, most notably the absence of traditional f-holes to reduce feedback at higher stage volumes.

The stunning figured maple construction is visible beneath a Transparent Ebony nitrocellulose lacquer finish, giving the guitar a deep, elegant look that pairs beautifully with its gold hardware and ornate appointments. From the “Lucille” mother-of-pearl headstock inlay to the engraved B.B. King truss rod cover and TP-6 tailpiece with fine tuners, every detail reflects the style and class of one of the most influential blues players of all time. Under the hood, Gibson Custom equips Lucille with a pair of Custombucker humbuckers paired with a mono Varitone circuit, four CTS audio taper potentiometers, and paper-in-oil Bumblebee capacitors. This classic electronics package allows players to shape everything from warm jazz and soulful blues to articulate lead tones with incredible clarity and control. Combined with the resonance of the maple centerblock construction and the smooth feel of an ebony fingerboard with split block inlays, the Lucille Legacy delivers the expressive, singing tone that made B.B. King a legend. 

Specs: 3-ply figured maple/poplar/maple body with maple centerblock; mahogany set neck with SlimTaper profile; ebony fingerboard with 12" radius and mother-of-pearl split block inlays; 22 reissue frets; 24.75" scale length; Corian nut with 1.69" width; ABR-1 bridge; TP-6 tailpiece with fine tuners; Grover Tulip tuning machines; bound tortoise pickguard; gold hardware. Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer Transparent Ebony finish. Gibson Custom hardshell case.

Electronics: Dual Gibson Custombucker humbuckers; mono Varitone switch with multiple tonal presets; four CTS audio taper potentiometers with paper-in-oil Bumblebee capacitors; traditional ES-style control layout.