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how did the Hawk series of guitars come into existence?
 | The NightHawk series of guitars - which were the first Hawks - were launched in 1993 & discontinued in 1999. The BluesHawk was launched in July 1996 and discontinued by Gibson in Spring 2006. The Hawk series guitars were designed by JT Riboloff - who has since moved on to designing at other guitar companies. | |
| This postcard was produced as part of the promotional material for the BluesHawk launch - its artificially aged appearance providing a connection with the era of classic blues recordings |
P90 pickups appeared first in the late 1940s - find out more here! The Blues 90 pickup was introduced with the BluesHawk in 1996. To date, the Blues 90 has appeared on no other guitar.
The members of the Hawk family...
All members of the Hawk family share the same body outline, a scale length of 25.5 inches and gold plated hardware ("The Hawk" has chrome/nickel plated hardware).
BluesHawk | Little Lucille photo - Gibson  | ![[ The Hawk ]](thehawk-gt.jpg) | NightHawk Standard photo - Gibson  | NightHawk Special photo - Gibson  | NightHawk Custom photo - Gibson  |
| Body - Single cut-away/Maple top /Poplar back Neck/Profile - Mahogany /Narrow slight V Fingerboard/Inlay - Rosewood/Diamond Scale/Nut Width 25.5" /1.62" Binding - Single-ply top Bridge/Tailpiece - string- through-body /Maestro Tremelo (option) Hardware - Gold Pickups - Two Blues 90 with hum-canceling dummy coil Controls - Master volume, master tone with push/pull pot to bypass varitone, three-way switch, 6-way Varitone Finish - Ebony, Heritage Cherry, Chicago Blue | Body - Single cutaway, Maple top; poplar back Neck/Profile - Mahogany/ narrow, slight v Fingerboard/Inlay - Rosewood/ Diamond Scale/Nut Width - 25.5"/ 1.7" Binding - Creme on body and fingerboard Bridge/Tailpiece Tune-omatic/Tp-6 Hardware - Gold Pickups - Two Blues 90 with hum-cancelling dummy coil Controls - Master volume, Master tone with push/pull pot to bypass Varitone; Three-way switch; 6-way Varitone Finish - Ebony | Body Mahogany Neck/Profile Mahogany Fingerboard/Inlay Rosewood/Dot Scale/Nut Width 25 1/2" / 1 11/16" Binding None Bridge/Tailpiece Wraparound Hardware Chrome Pickups Two 490R Alnico magnet humbuckers Controls One volume, one tone, three-way switch Finish Ebony, Wine Red | Body - 1/4" figured Maple top, Mahogany back Neck/Profile - Mahogany/ Narrow taper round Fingerboard/Inlay - Rosewood/Parallelogram Scale/Nut Width - 25.5"/ 1.62" Binding - Multi-ply top/ Single-ply fingerboard Bridge/Tailpiece - string-through-body Floyd Rose Tremelo (option) Hardware - Gold Pickups - M-Series mini-humbucker, NSX single-coil (option), M-Series slanted humbucker Controls - Master volume, master tone (push/pull on three-pickup model), 5-way switch Finish - Fireburst, Translucent Amber, Vintage Sunburst | Body - 1/4" Maple top, Mahogany back Neck/Profile - Mahogany/Narrow taper round Fingerboard/Inlay - Rosewood/Dot Scale/Nut Width - 25.5"/1.62" Binding - Single-ply top Bridge/Tailpiece - Low-profile string-through-body Hardware - Gold Pickups - M-Series mini-humbucker NSX single-coil (optional) Special M-Series slanted humbucker Controls - Master volume, master tone (push/pull on three-pickup model), five-way switch Finish - Ebony, Heritage Cherry, Vintage Sunburst | Body - 1/4" figured Maple top, Mahogany back Neck/Profile - Mahogany/ Narrow taper round Fingerboard/Inlay - Ebony/ Crown Scale/Nut Width - 25.5"/ 1.62" Binding - Multi-ply top, Single-ply fingerboard/headstock Bridge/Tailpiece - string-through-body, Floyd Rose Tremelo (option) Hardware - Gold Pickups - M-Series mini-humbucker, NSX single-coil (option), M-Series slanted humbucker Controls - Master volume, master tone (push/pull on three-pickup model), 5-way switch Finish - Antique Natural, Fireburst, Translucent Amber |
| Some limited edition 'Hawks have been produced - this one was associated with a promotion run by the US based "House of Blues" chain of music venues. These promotional guitars have from time-to-time been offered as competition prizes |  |
 | Landmark NightHawkThis oddity was spotted for sale on a website - it was described as a "Landmark" series BluesHawk - although clearly it is a NightHawk. It includes two mini humbuckers and a Les Paul style pickguard which seems to have one of the controls mounted on/through it. I imagine the pickguard must have been fitted by a former owner, as it was not fitted as standard. The finish is Glacier Blue and the year of manufacture, 1996. The Landmark series of NightHawks were made from '95 to'99, and featured two mini- humbuckers, finishes and transfers/decals intended to represent a US National Park or Monument - Everglades green, Glacier Blue, Mohave Burst, Sequoia Red and Navajo Turquoise. the blueshawk has seen a similar guitar finished in bright red, sold under the Epiphone logo (it doesn't however appear on the Epiphone website in Sept 2002). My friend Delia G has a Landmark NightHawk - see pictures of it here... |
