Gibson has announced a new limited-edition Chris Cornell model of their classic guitar. Launched on 27 August, the Chris Cornell ES 335 instrument pays homage to the late Soundgarden frontman following his tragic death back in May 2017.

The special guitar will be available worldwide from 3 September through authorised Gibson retailers.  A pre-sale kicked off with the initial announcement, you can check it out at Gibson guitars’ official website.

An official statement from the guitar manufacturer praises the artist's passion for the instrument: “Gibson first partnered with Cornell to work on his original ES-335 signature guitar and it became immediately clear to the luthiers that Chris had an inventive and unique passion for guitar design.”

See the guitar, below.

“Chris Cornell was not only one of the most iconic singer-songwriters of all time, he was a modern innovator who left a legacy that transcends music genres and generations,” said Gibson’s chief merchant officer Cesar Gueikian.

“Chris fell in love with this guitar, and it became a part of his creative expression. It’s our honour to release this tribute ES-335 in his memory. Chris was a special artist, and we hope that this guitar will inspire fans to find their sound and inspiration … just like Chris did … for many years to come.”

The ES 335 guitar was first seen during the Chris Cornell tribute show back in January. ‘I Am The Highway’ took place at LA’s The Forum venue and featured performances from the likes of Soundgarden, Metallica, Ryan Adams, and Foo Fighters.

Soundgarden slowed down punk’s feverish energy to a Black Sabbath-like crawl, spearheading the gunge movement with some of the quintessential hard rock albums of the 90s. Listen to This Is Soundgarden on Spotify:

Listen to the Soundgarden Essentials on Apple Music: