The Gibson MIII Deluxe is a limited edition double-cutaway un-Gibson-like guitar produced between 1991 and 1992. It features a reversed Explorer headstock and an HSH pickup configuration with a Gibson 500T, a Gibson NSX single coil and a Gibson 496R humbucker. In combination with the five-way switch and a two-way toggle the guitar was capable to produce a total of nine different sounds. The two-way toggle flipped the neck and bridge pickups from humbucker to single coil mode and back. The 5 way switch also had a stand-by position for kill-switch effects. The set-in neck with a slim-taper profile joined the body at the 22nd fret, making the upper frets very accessible. The uniquely shaped tortoise shell pickguard has an engraved M-III logo and was paired with a tortoise shell truss rod cover and toggle switch surround. The tremolo was a Gibson branded Schaller licensed Floyd Rose. The tuners were also made by Schaller. The Gibson MIII Deluxe body consists of 3 kinds of woods (Walnut, Poplar, Maple) as opposed to the Gibson MIII Standard which was made from only Poplar.
