Chris Stapleton Releases Custom Epiphone Guitar

Chris Stapleton is partnering with Epiphone to create a custom guitar.

In honor of the company’s 150th anniversary, Epiphone and Stapleton have teamed up to make the Epiphone Chris Stapleton Frontier, a rare acoustic guitar made in the U.S. and handcrafted in Bozeman, Montana, at the Gibson Acoustic factory. Priced at just under $5,000, the Frontier is described as the “perfect partner for soulful vocals.” The top of the instrument features wood made from thermally aged Sitka spruce, while the back and sides are carved from maple wood. The front displays engraved drawings of cacti and lariat design. Only 300 of these guitars will be produced for the limited edition run.

“A dream of mine for a long time, I bugged Gibson for a long time to make this Epiphone Frontier,” the “Tennessee Whiskey” singer expressed in a video interview, adding that he’s always had a “love” for the pickguards, known as the laminate material that goes over the body of a guitar.

“Epiphone has done an incredible job of getting every detail as it should be on this instrument, and I can tell you firsthand it’s stage-worthy and will get the job done at any venue you want to play in,” he adds in a press release. “It’s a work of art that does the work.”

“It’s an honor to have Chris join our family as a signature artist to represent and celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Epiphone,” says Beth Heidt, vice president of Cultural Influence at Gibson Brands-Global. “He continues to inspire and push boundaries through his incredible artistry.”

Fans may see the special Frontier guitar on the road as Stapleton continues on his All-American Road Show, which resumes on April 26 in El Paso, Texas, and runs through August 25 where it wraps in Alpharetta, Georgia. He’ll share the bill with George Strait and Little Big Town during their two-night stop at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on July 28 and 29.

Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival