The Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1957 Les Paul Custom makes all of us at Musician’s Friend weak in the knees. Perhaps it’s the impeccably aged finish…the historic construction…the Alnico III CustomBuckers…the chunky neck—we could go on and on. Put one in your hands, though, and you’ll be speechless. Read on to discover if this great Gibson belongs in your collection.

Let’s Start With the Finish

Tom Murphy is a Master Artisan at Gibson and an industry leader in the art of aging guitars. His team applies an Ultra Light aging to this ’57 Les Paul Reissue. You’ll see lacquer checking, but very little playing wear. It appears to have spent the majority of its life in a case. The hardware displays a matching patina.

Classic Construction

The Custom Shop doesn't fool around when it comes to construction. From laser-scanned dimensions to chemically recreated plastics, their attention to detail makes all the difference. You’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between this Les Paul Custom and one from the ’50s. The body is made from solid mahogany; the same wood is used for the chunky, medium C-shaped neck. The Indian rosewood fret board fits like a glove—the extra-rolled binding makes it feel like a worn-in Gibson.

Superior Sounds

Gibson CustomBuckers put holy grail tones into the ’57 Les Paul. Alnico III magnets supply just the right amount of pull for sweet and warm sounds to girthy growls. They’re wired with CTS 500k pots and paper-in-oil capacitors.

The Murphy Lab Gibson might be mandatory for Les Paul lovers

Finding an original 1957 Les Paul Custom takes luck, a large wallet and a long time; this Murphy Lab model gets you the same style and sound, and it’s available now at Musician’s Friend. It comes with a certificate of authenticity and an aged brown and pink Lifton reissue 5-latch hard case.