The Gibson S-1 is a model of the electric guitar. The S-1 was produced in the 1970s. Like the Gibson Marauder, the S-1 was an attempt to break through into the single-coil guitar market. It too consisted of a Les Paul body with a maple Flying V neck bolted on. Unlike the Marauder, however, the S-1 featured three single-coil pickups, with fairly elaborate circuitry to generate humbucking and single-coil pickup sounds. The sound was similar to that of a Fender Stratocaster. The Gibson S-1 was initially endorsed by Ron Wood, Carlos Santana, and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Like the Marauder, the cheap construction and Fender-like characteristics contributed to the unpopularity and demise of the model in the early 1980s. Both the Marauder and S-1 were phased out in early 1980, to be replaced by the brand new Gibson Sonex.
