One of the stranger — and now one of the more collectible — Gibson designs of the early 1980s, this is a 1983 Gibson Corvus II in Black, made in Nashville and complete with its original Gibson hardshell case.

The Corvus was produced for only a very short period in the early 1980s and has since developed a cult following thanks to its unmistakable offset "can opener" body shape. The Corvus II was the two-humbucker version, pairing the unusual body with a bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard.

This example dates specifically to September 19, 1983, based on serial number 82623543, and the 543 factory ranking identifies it as Nashville production.

What really makes this particular guitar visually stand out is the aging of the original black finish. There is extensive natural finish checking throughout the body, along with plenty of scratches, scuffs, small edge marks and general play wear. The checking can be difficult to capture straight-on in photographs, so several of the close-up photos use reflected lighting to make it visible.

It has a fantastic genuinely vintage appearance. This isn't a pristine collector-grade example, and we're not representing it that way — it looks like a 40+ year-old Gibson that has actually been played.

The guitar is in good overall cosmetic condition. There is a substantial amount of surface wear, particularly on the body and pickguard, along with edge wear and finish checking, but no major structural damage is apparent.

Electronics / Modifications

This Corvus II has had a number of electronics modifications over the years.

The original Corvus II configuration used two distinctive Gibson covered humbuckers, three controls, a three-way selector and an output jack. The original Corvus humbuckers were larger three-point-mounted pickups with completely covered tops and no visible pole screws.

The guitar now has a pair of replacement covered humbuckers of unknown manufacture. These are conventional-style pickups with exposed adjustable pole screws and are not believed to be the original Gibson Corvus pickups.

The control circuit has also been modified from the factory three-control configuration to the current two-knob configuration, and the guitar has been rewired. The pickguard has been modified in conjunction with the electronics changes and presently has an unused/open control hole. Copper and foil shielding have also been added inside the electronics and pickup areas.

Because originality matters on a guitar like this, we've photographed the underside of the pickups and the electronics in detail so there are no surprises.

The original Schaller-style integrated bridge/tailpiece, six-in-line tuners and bolt-on neck construction remain consistent with the Corvus design.

Playability

The rosewood fingerboard has a great vintage look, and the frets remain in very good playable condition. There is some visible fret wear, but nothing excessive, and there is plenty of fret life remaining. I would rate the frets approximately 8.7/10.

The guitar has been cleaned, restrung and set up and is ready to play.

Original Case

Also included is the original Gibson fitted hardshell case, with its blue plush interior. The case shows normal age and exterior wear and one latch is broken, as pictured. The remaining hardware allows the case to close and it is a very desirable piece to still have with the guitar.

Case: Gibson Hard Case

Scale Length: 24.5“

Nut Width: 1.68“

Fret Wear: 8.7/10

Action at 12F (6th): .06“

Action at 12F (1st): .05“

Weight: 6lbs 4oz

Overall Condition: 7.2/10

Internal Use (Bin) - U2