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Gibson brings Murphy Lab aging to its acoustic guitars for the first time – and the results are stunning
Get your hands on reproductions of classic models, aged to perfection.
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The Gibson Custom Shop has announced the launch of its first ever guitars to be Murphy Lab-aged. The initial collection features five “light aged” models; it pays tribute to acoustic designs from iconic eras in music, recreating some of the most recorded and played acoustic guitars of all time.
The new lineup includes a variety of body shapes showcasing the brand’s impressive acoustic catalogue. Players can look forward to reproductions of the 1933 L-00, 1942 Banner J-45, 1942 Banner Southern Jumbo, 1957 SJ-200 flat top and the 1960 Hummingbird.
Despite the varied builds, all models feature Gibson Custom Shop’s exclusive Murphy Lab lacquer and thermally aged tops for enhanced resonance and tone. They also come with the Murphy Lab ‘Light Aging’ treatment which provides the played-in look and feel of a vintage guitar.
1933 L-00 Ebony Light Aged
Developed in the early 30s, the L-00 was an industry standard for small-bodied acoustics for many years and is still popular with guitarists today. Gibson’s latest recreation sports a red spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a V-profile mahogany neck with a 12” radius rosewood fingerboard, and a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint. Meanwhile, the guitar’s Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving it the feel and vibe of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era.
The guitar is priced at $5,499.
1942 Banner J-45 Vintage Sunburst Light Aged
The allure and legend of Gibson’s J-45 workhorse lives on in the new Murphy Lab 1942 Banner J-45. The guitar features a thermally aged Adirondack red spruce top hand-sprayed with a historic-style burst, mahogany on the back and sides, and hot hide glue top bracing for better tonal response. It also comes with a bone nut and saddle and an aged tortoiseshell pickguard to complete the look.
The guitar is priced at $6,499.
1942 Banner Southern Jumbo Vintage Sunburst Light Aged
Like the J-45, the 1942 Banner Southern Jumbo wears the iconic “Only a Gibson is Good Enough” banner decal on its headstock. Build wise, the SJ features an aged Adirondack red spruce top paired with rosewood back and sides, a C profile neck, an open slot bridge, a bone saddle and nut, and a classic 1.77″ nut width. The guitar is adorned with Mother of Pearl parallelograms inlays and a patterned pickguard for extra flair.
The guitar is priced at $6,799.
1957 SJ-200 Vintage Sunburst Light Aged
An homage to the original “King of the Flat-tops”, the new Custom Shop 1957 SJ-20 offers details such as hand-selected flame maple for the back and sides, a headstock stinger, and Gibson’s thermally aged top for the full vintage effect. The regal-looking acoustic comes complete with a thermally aged Sitka Spruce top, hand-scalloped X-pattern bracing, Mother of Pearl graduated crown inlays, SJ-200 Four Bar Moustache bridge and a one-of-a-kind Murphy Lab casted SJ-200 pickguard.
The guitar is priced at $7,799.
1960 Hummingbird Heritage Cherry Sunburst Light Aged
Introduced in 1960 as Gibson’s first square shoulder, the Hummingbird arrived at the dawn of a new era in music and was rapidly embraced by the prime movers on the scene. Built with a thermally aged Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides, the 1960 Hummingbird reflects the appearance and performance of those early icons. Additional appointments include a traditional ‘belly up’ rosewood bridge, bone nut and saddle, Gotoh tuners, and MOP parallelogram inlays on its rosewood fingerboard.
Like all guitars in the collection, the 1960 Hummingbird features Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab.
The guitar is priced at $6,699
“We are excited to unveil the Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab Acoustic Collection,” says Gibson President and CEO Cesar Gueikian. “Rest assured; this launch is only the beginning of more epic things to come out of the Gibson Custom Shop Acoustic Murphy Lab.”
All models also come shipped in a period-correct guitar case.
Learn more at Gibson.