What is a Gibson challenger guitar?

Answer 1

The Gibson Challenger was a Les Paul shaped entry level bolt on neck guitar produced from 1983-1985. There were two variations of this guitar. The Challenger 1, which featured a single humbucker in the bridge, and the Challenger 2, which featured humbuckers in both the neck and bridge.

Both Guitars featured a two piece mahogany body, and a 22 fret five piece maple neck with rosewood fretboard , dot inlays, and what I would consider to be medium frets. the neck profile is similar to the 1960 slim tapered design as opposed to the 1959 rounded design.

I have read that the pickups are a Bill Lawrence design, although the bottom of the pickups give no indication of such. the pickups are reported to be noisy, although I cannot validate this claim. My experience was that the pickup was slightly( and I mean slightly) hot. Do not expect Duncan Invader output, but not totally weak either.

The bridge was manufactured by Schaller and is still made to this day. As far as I know Schaller has and always will make the highest quality hardware in the business, so my hat is off to the Norlin era Gibson staff who used a quality made bridge on an entry level instrument. The tuners which I do not know who manufactured them are your everyday basic sealed tuners.

as far as finishes go, I know they made them in silver and black. I have seen them in red, natural, and walnut finishes, but I do not know if they are factory.

If I have forgotten anything I am sorry, but at least now you know what a Gibson Challenger guitar is.