Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue Lemon Burst Ultra Heavy Aged Gibson

Gibson Custom Shop’s new Murphy Lab has one purpose: to take expert aging artist Tom Murphy’s proprietary techniques to the next level. Here, Tom and his personally trained team of artists use cutting-edge technology and Tom’s own processes, developed over years of careful testing, to produce perfect replicas of golden-age Gibsons, each dressed with Tom’s brand of authentic, hand-applied playwear, and scientifically reverse-engineered nitrocellulose lacquer, identical to that which the brand used in the 1950s and 1960s. Each Murphy Lab model corresponds to one of four distinct aging levels and features extra-rolled fingerboard binding for a broken-in feel and true-to-life look. 

Gibson Custom Shop’s 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue is not just a tribute to the priceless original models — it’s a clone of them. From laser-scanned dimensions to chemically-recreated plastics to color-matched shades of sunburst, every element has been rendered in unbelievable detail. It represents the culmination of decades of work by Custom Shop’s expert team — a tireless quest to bring accuracy and authenticity to the hands of fans. It’s the definition of cool, and it’s the best representation of the 1959 Les Paul Standard since the Gibson Custom Shop began making Historic Reissues over twenty-five years ago. It features Heavy Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving it the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era.

Serial #: 901656
Weight: 8lbs 8.9oz

Body Shape: Les Paul
Back: 1-Piece Lightweight Mahogany
Top: 2-Piece Figured Maple, Hide Glue Fit
Weight Relief: None
Binding: 1-Ply Royalite

Neck: Solid Mahogany
Profile: Authentic ’59 Medium C-Shape
Nut width: 1.687″ / 42.85mm
Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood, Hide Glue Fit
Scale length: 24.75″ / 628.65mm
Number of frets: 22
Nut: Nylon
Inlay: Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid

Bridge: ABR-1
Tailpiece: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Knobs: Gold Butyrate Top Hats
Tuners: Kluson Single Line, Single Ring
Plating: Nickel; Murphy Lab Light Aged

Neck pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
Bridge pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-inOil Capacitors

Case: Brown/Pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch