Set to release one of metal' most anticipated albums of the year this March with Into Oblivion, Lamb of God continue to cement their legacy as one of heavy music's most powerful, profound voices. Adding to what will no doubt be a monumental year, guitarist Mark Morton has announced his partnership with Gibson Guitars with the release of his signature Les Paul Modern Quilt. 

Combining timeless design and the unmatched craftsmanship of Gibson, Morton's signature guitar speaks to his timeless musical sensibilities while matching his musical prowess as a leading force in contemporary heavy music. The founding guitarist of Lamb of God spoke about the meticulous detail of his Les Paul and how his the guitar is serves as an extension of his priorities as a musician. 

“I wanted something that stayed classic to the heritage and the history of the Les Paul, and something that looked heavy metal,” said Morton. “The quilt top and the trans black satin finish felt dark and metal to me, but not over the top, it still feels like and looks like a Les Paul. Once we decided on the finish of the top, and the guitar, there’s are all of these different design elements to play with re picking out the hardware and plastics. We tried a bunch of different options, and we paid a lot of attention to how we were going to finalize those little details, and for me it’s a bullseye.

The 60's style knobs are a cool throwback to the John Sykes model that was done a long time ago. The way it is contoured at the heel allows me to reach the upper registers comfortably, and the ebony fretboard is really fast. This model has a slim taper neck which was very important for me, as it’s the most comfortable neck profile.”

Morton went into further detail with regards to design specifics and spoke to the importance of aligning with such a revered name as Gibson and the iconic Les Paul. 

“The pickups are unique to this guitar, it’s a brand new Gibson pickup and I worked closely with Jim DeCola (Master luthier at Gibson), and the Gibson Pickup Shop in designing them. They’re both ceramic-based pickups the neck pickup wise more conservative and terms of its output which allows me to flip to the neck position and play clean and roll back the volume and not hit the amp as hard and clean things up quite a bit. Switching to the bridge pick up it’s just a flame thrower, its super high output, and when you’re really swinging at these bridge pickups they give you all the gain you want they really hit hard and you can pull back to get more of a crunch sound.

We went back and forth on these pickups for quite a while trying different prototypes and models. It was a lot of fun developing them and hearing the subtle nuances and different changes. The great thing about it was I was touring a lot, so I’d take prototypes and put them in a guitar and try them onstage. I got to put them through the paces, in an actual work environment. 

It’s an iconic guitar and an important piece of music history, and for me to be associated with the legacy of the Les Paul, is one of the greatest honors of my career. I am thrilled with the process of developing this guitar, and I am immensely thrilled with the outcome. These are great guitars, I am so proud to play them, and people are really going to like them.”

To celebrate the release of his Les Paul Modern Quilt, Mark Morton will guest at the Gibson Garage Nashvillle February 12th from 4pm to 6pm, for an onstage interview with Mark Agnesi, Director of Brand Experience at Gibson. Fans in attendance will be able to experience an intimate meet-and-greet with Morton following the interview. 

Watch the Gibson TV feature with Mark Morton below.

Get details on the March 13th arrival of Lamb of God's new album and North American headlining tour - HERE