Alex Lifeson and Epiphone unveil the 1976 ES-355 Reissue
June 10, 2026
NASHVILLE, TN — For over 150 years, Epiphone has crafted instruments for every stage of the musical journey—from first chord inspiration to centerstage performance. The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom series honors iconic designs while delivering high-quality craftsmanship and playability for musicians everywhere. As part of this series, Epiphone is proud to announce the new Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue, a stage-ready, Custom Shop–inspired recreation of the progressive-rock icon’s famous 1976 ES-355. The Epiphone Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue goes beyond a typical signature guitar, capturing Alex’s unmistakable tone, as well as the refined feel and innovative spirit that have fueled Rush’s groundbreaking music for decades. The Epiphone Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue is now available worldwide at authorized Epiphone dealers, at Gibson Garage locations, and online at www.epiphone.com.
“The ES-355 has always been a really special guitar for me—it’s got this incredible balance of elegance and power,” says Alex Lifeson. “What I love about this Epiphone ‘Whitey’ recreation is how faithfully it captures that original spirit while still feeling fresh and alive in your hands. It’s a guitar that invites you to explore, to take chances, and to find your own voice. I’m genuinely thrilled that players everywhere will have the chance to experience it and make it part of their own musical journey.”
The Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue features a five-ply semi-hollow body constructed from layers of maple and poplar, with multi-ply binding on the top and back. It delivers the visual and tactile refinement expected of an ES-355. A solid maple centerblock enhances sustain and significantly reduces unwanted feedback, delivering the wide-ranging, expressive sound that ES™ models are known for.
Watch the new Alex Lifeson video clip HERE and learn more about the latest release in the Gibson Gazette HERE.
Its three-piece maple neck mirrors the construction of the original 70s-era instrument and includes a volute for additional strength at the neck-to-headstock transition. The Slim C neck profile delivers a fast, effortless playing experience, while the ebony fretboard contributes clarity, snap, and a luxurious playing feel. Mother-of-pearl large block inlays, along with 22 medium jumbo frets, complete the fretboard. The Gibson-style “open book” headstock is outfitted with premium die-cast tuners with keystone buttons and a Graph Tech® nut for reliable tuning stability. Multi-ply binding frames the headstock, which is adorned with inlaid mother-of-pearl Epiphone and Custom split diamond logos. Adding a personal detail, the truss rod cover is engraved with Alex Lifeson’s name.
Epiphone Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue with custom hardshell case
Gold-finished hardware, including a harmonica-style Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and gold pickup covers, enhances the guitar’s upscale appearance. A matching gold Maestro™ Vibrola™ adds expressive pitch control, allowing subtle shimmer or dramatic movement with ease. Alex’s distinctive voice is brought to life by a pair of USA-made Gibson T-Type humbucker™ pickups. These are wired to individual volume and tone controls using CTS® potentiometers and Mallory™ capacitors, with pickup selection handled by a Switchcraft® three-way toggle. A mono Varitone switch expands the tonal palette, while a dedicated mini toggle allows the Varitone circuit to be engaged or bypassed as desired. A Switchcraft quarter-inch output jack completes the electronics package.
Designed for musicians who thrive on exploration and evolution, the Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue encourages players to push creative boundaries, just as Alex Lifeson has throughout his career. Finished in gloss Alpine White, the Inspired by Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue delivers the premium appointments, materials, and performance expected from an ES-355, built for players who demand both heritage and innovation. The guitar ships in a custom hardshell case featuring a black exterior with a reproduction of Alex Lifeson’s signature, a plush red interior, and gold hardware.
Alex Lifeson
Guitarist, songwriter, and producer Alex Lifeson is best known as the co-founder of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Rush, where his innovative guitar textures and adventurous harmony helped define progressive rock across 19 studio albums. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and continues to explore new sounds beyond Rush, including the alt-rock collective Envy of None.
Lifeson’s most recent album, Stygian Wavz (2025), is the sophomore release from Envy of None—his project with Andy Curran, Maiah Wynne, and Alfio Annibalini—issued by Kscope and preceded by singles “Not Dead Yet,” “Under the Stars,” and the title track.
Lifeson will return to the stage this summer with Geddy Lee for Rush’s Fifty Something Tour, a limited run celebrating the band’s legacy and honoring Neil Peart, with Anika Nilles on drums and initial dates beginning June 9-13 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles before stops in Mexico City, Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, Toronto, and Cleveland; additional legs are slated into 2027. For more information, visit www.alexlifeson.com.
RUSH: FIFTY SOMETHING TOUR:
Jun. 11 Los Angeles, California Kia Forum
Jun. 13 Los Angeles, California Kia Forum
Jun. 18 Mexico City, Mexico Palacio de los Deportes
Jun. 20 Mexico City, Mexico Palacio de los Deportes
Jun. 24 Fort Worth, Texas Dickies Arena
Jun. 26 Fort Worth, Texas Dickies Arena
Jun. 28 Fort Worth, Texas Dickies Arena
Jun. 30 Fort Worth, Texas Dickies Arena
Jul. 16 Chicago, Illinois United Center
Jul. 18 Chicago, Illinois United Center
Jul. 20 Chicago, Illinois United Center
Jul. 22 Chicago, Illinois United Center
Jul. 28 New York, New York Madison Square Garden
Jul. 30 New York, New York Madison Square Garden
Aug. 1 New York, New York Madison Square Garden
Aug. 3 New York, New York Madison Square Garden
Aug. 7 Toronto, Ontario Scotiabank Arena
Aug. 9 Toronto, Ontario Scotiabank Arena
Aug. 11 Toronto, Ontario Scotiabank Arena
Aug. 13 Toronto, Ontario Scotiabank Arena
Aug. 21 Philadelphia, PA Xfinity Mobile Arena
Aug. 23 Philadelphia, PA Xfinity Mobile Arena
Aug. 26 Detroit, Michigan Little Caesars Arena
Aug. 28 Detroit, Michigan Little Caesars Arena
Sept. 2 Montreal, Quebec Bell Centre
Sept. 4 Montreal, Quebec Bell Centre
Sept. 12 Boston, Massachusetts TD Garden
Sept. 14 Boston, Massachusetts TD Garden
Sept. 17 Cleveland, Ohio Rocket Arena
Sept. 19 Cleveland, Ohio Rocket Arena
Sept. 23 San Antonio, Texas Frost Bank Center
Sept. 25 San Antonio, Texas Frost Bank Center
Oct. 5 Denver, Colorado Ball Arena
Oct. 7 Denver, Colorado Ball Arena
Oct.10 Seattle, Washington Climate Pledge Arena
Oct.12 Seattle, Washington Climate Pledge Arena
Oct. 15 San Jose, California SAP Center
Oct. 17 San Jose, California SAP Center
Oct. 25 Washington D.C. Capital One Arena
Oct. 27 Washington D.C. Capital One Arena
Oct. 30 Uncasville, Connecticut Mohegan Sun Arena
Nov. 1 Uncasville, Connecticut Mohegan Sun Arena
Nov. 5 Hollywood, Florida Seminole Hard Rock Live
Nov. 7 Hollywood, Florida Seminole Hard Rock Live
Nov. 9 Tampa, Florida Benchmark International Arena
Nov. 11 Tampa, Florida Benchmark International Arena
Nov. 20 Charlotte, North Carolina Spectrum Center
Nov. 22 Charlotte, North Carolina Spectrum Center
Nov. 25 Atlanta, Georgia State Farm Arena
Nov. 27 Atlanta, Georgia State Farm Arena
Dec. 1 Glendale, Arizona Desert Diamond Arena
Dec. 3 Glendale, Arizona Desert Diamond Arena
Dec. 10 Edmonton, Alberta Rogers Place
Dec. 12 Edmonton, Alberta Rogers Place
Dec. 15 Vancouver, British Columbia Rogers Arena
Dec. 17 Vancouver, British Columbia Rogers Arena
Jan. 15 Buenos Aires, AR Movistar Arena
Jan. 17 Santiago, Chile Estandio Bicentenario La Florida
Jan. 19 Santiago, Chile Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida
Jan. 22 Curitiba, BR Arena da Baixada
Jan. 24 São Paulo, BR Allianz Parque
Jan. 26 São Paulo, BR Allianz Parque
Jan. 30 Rio de Janeiro, BR Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos (Engenhão)
Feb. 1 Belo Horizonte, BR Estádio Mineirão
Feb. 4 Brasília, BR Arena BRB Mané Garrincha
Feb. 19 Paris, FR La Défense Arena
Feb. 21 Berlin, DE Uber Arena
Feb. 23 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
Feb. 25 Munich, DE Olympiahalle
Feb. 28 Cologne, DE LANXESS Arena
Mar. 2 Hamburg, DE Barclays Arena
Mar. 4 Stuttgart, DE Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
Mar. 8 Glasgow, UK OVO Hydro
Mar. 10 Glasgow, UK OVO Hydro
Mar. 12 Manchester, UK Co-op Live
Mar. 14 Manchester, UK Co-op Live
Mar. 16 London, UK O2 Arena
Mar. 18 London, UK O2 Arena
Mar. 21 London, UK O2 Arena
Mar. 27 Kraków, PL TAURON Arena Kraków
Mar. 30 Milan, IT Unipol Dome
Apr. 1 Basel, CH St. Jakobshalle Basel
Apr. 4 Copenhagen, DK Royal Arena
Apr. 6 Oslo, NO Unity Arena
Apr. 8 Stockholm, SE Avicii Arena
Apr.10 Helsinki, FI Veikkaus Arena
Check out more about the Epiphone Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue below:
Epiphone: For Every Player, For Every Stage. Founded in 1873, Epiphone has spent more than 150 years shaping the sound of modern music. From its Ottoman Empire origins, crafting lutes and fiddles to defining the Jazz Age in America with celebrated archtops and making 1960s London swing, the Epiphone legacy is built on craftsmanship, innovation, and creativity. Its instruments have powered the music of The Beatles, Les Paul, John Lee Hooker, Alex Lifeson, Oasis, Nancy Wilson, Gary Clark Jr., Jared James Nichols, Emily Wolfe, Yungblud, and many more. Today, the brand is the trusted choice for world-renowned artists on global stages, as well as emerging players. With its historically accurate and artist-driven designs, Epiphone delivers premium, high-quality, stage-ready instruments backed by a lifetime guarantee. Whether you’re playing for fun at home or rocking out under bright lights in front of thousands of fans, Epiphone is for every player, at every stage of their journey. For more information, visit Epiphone.com and follow Epiphone on X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
