Roger Giffin began crafting guitars in London during the late 1960s, working with legends like Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend. His reputation led him to the US, where he headed Gibson's West Coast Custom Shop, collaborating with iconic artists such as Eddie Van Halen. After leaving Gibson, Giffin continued independently—first in Los Angeles and now in Portland, Oregon—handcrafting high-quality instruments that reflect his decades of expertise and passion for precision.
As the name "Model 01" suggests on the side of the case, the Valiant is Giffin's original single cutaway electric guitar concept. Featuring a carved Maple top and Mahogany back and sides, the Valiant may look familiar at first, but it presents a modern slant on the traditional theme with its off-set contoured body and straight string-pull head stock.
Giffin built this Valiant in 2010, and it features a gorgeous Light Tobacco Burst Finish that looks just right on the stunning Flame Maple top. For pickups, this Valiant sports Amalfitano Fullbucker humbuckers, and we love the simplified single volume/single tone set up. The Fullbuckers are full bodied and rich sounding, and the coils can be tapped via the push/pull tone knob.
In your hands, the unique design of the Valiant feels sleek and manageable, and the offset body balances nicely on a strap. Giffin's headstock is eye-catching, but as you examine the design deeper, you'll notice that all the strings run straight across from the nut, eliminating the tuning issues from headstocks that put string pull on the nut. That's just one of many examples of how the Giffin design improves the functionality while adding style and flair. We dig the stinger on the neck heel!
This 2010 Giffin Valiant has been played, so it shows some minor signs of use. But it is free of deep scuffs, scratches, severe dings, or any signs of mishandling (see photos). In 2019, it was set up and refretted with 6100 Jumbo frets by the Guitar Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. Because of that, it is an excellent players. Plugged into an amp, this Giffin is an absolute ripper. Nice weight, too—7 lbs 10.6 oz. It includes its original case, hang tag, and paperwork.