The Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1957 Les Paul Special Single Cut recreates a humble yet versatile instrument from the company's past. The Special lacks the ornamentation of a Les Paul Standard, but offers identical electronics (in the days before humbuckers). Two P90 single coils supply powerful sounds that fit in jazz, country, blues, rock and more—pick a genre, and the Special excels. All of us at Musician's Friend are fans of the Murphy Lab's meticulous aging. This Les Paul Special gets an Ultra Light aging for a clean—but not pristine—look. Read on to discover if the Gibson Custom Murphy Lab ’57 Les Paul Special fills a hole in your collection.

Let's start with the finish


There are many theories about the origin of the "TV Yellow" finish on Gibson guitars. The most common one posits that Les Paul himself requested the color, believing that it wouldn't "wash out" when seen on a black and white television. Gibson originally called it "limed mahogany" and it really does highlight the grain under the stain. Tom Murphy (who was instrumental in setting up the Gibson Custom Shop) and his team give the 1957 Les Paul Special an Ultra Light aging—you'll see some laquer checking, but very little playing wear. It looks like a vintage Gibson that's been in a case and under the bed for decades.

A Les Paul with classic construction


There's nothing simpler—but completely satisfying—like a solid mahogany body. It’s a resonant wood with a warm tone, which makes it a perfect platform for pickups. To maximize sustain, Gibson attaches the mahogany neck to the Les Paul Special Single Cut with hide glue and long tenon joint. The neck has a fatter, ’50s feel; the Chunky C shape is like putting history in your hands. Medium jumbo frets make bending a breeze on the rosewood fingerboard.

P90 pickups provide vintage growls to go

Developed in the ’40s for jazz players, Gibson P90 pickups have a tonal sensitivity that allows them to fit into any context. The ’57 Les Paul Special is loaded with dual Custom Soapbar P90s that are warm and souful. Made with a single-coil design, they're high output and ready to rock. The electronics are also authentic to the era: cloth wire, CTS 500K pots, paper-in-oil capacitors and a Switchcraft output jack.

This Gibson is called "Special" for a reason

The hardware on the ’57 Les Paul Special Single Cut is lightly aged by the Murphy Lab to match the finish, from the Kluson tuners to the nickel-plated tailpiece. All of these elements align to make this a truly special instrument. If you need a versatile centerpiece to complete your collection that offers a lifetime of playing joy, the Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 157 Les Paul Special Single Cut will not disappoint. It comes with a certificate of authenticity and a brown/pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch case.