Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 ES-335, Ultra Light Aged, Ebony

Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 ES-335, Ultra Light Aged, Ebony Overview

The Gibson Murphy Lab is a new division of the Gibson Custom Shop and is dedicated to crafting historically-accurate guitars of Gibson’s most legendary and sought-after instruments. The team of experts is led by Tom Murphy, known for being one of the original pioneers of guitar ageing, who for 25 years has been faithfully recreating the sound, feel, and character of vintage guitars. The attention to detail in the Murphy Lab is second to none, from laser-scanning the dimensions to get the exact size and shape of the originals to reverse-engineering the original lacquer to create ultra-realistic ageing, every detail has been thought of. This guitar is the closest you can get to the real thing.

The 1959 ES-355 has a 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple body and has a solid maple centre block - this combination was designed to get the best of both, combining the warm tones of a hollow body, and the reduced feedback of a solid body. The neck is made from solid mahogany and has an authentic ‘59 Medium C-shape profile for comfortable playing, topped with an ebony fretboard with 22 authentic medium-jumbo sized frets. The 1959 ES-355 also has an ABR-1 bridge and a lightweight aluminium stop bar for increased tuning stability, which is enhanced by the Kluson tuners

For pickups, the 1959 ES-355 a pair of unpotted Custombuckers with Alnico 3 magnets, delivering a clear, articulate sound without sounding harsh, and smooth, rounded tones - recreating the PAF pickups from the past. There are two volume and 2 tone control knobs and a 3-way Switchcraft pickup selector so you can find the sound you need easily.

To complete the 1959 ES-355 are Pearloid dot inlays, a split diamond headstock inlay, nickel Murphy Lab light aged hardware, a classic ebony finish and nitrocellulose lacquer for historical accuracy.

It comes with .010 - .046 strings, a brown/pink Lifton reissue 5-latch case, and a certificate of authenticity.

Weight - 7.90 lbs

Overview by Gibson

The Historic Reissue ES-335 is back and better than ever, thanks to a year of studying, scanning, and listening to original examples. The expert craftspeople at Gibson Custom Shop have rendered every contour, profile, inlay, and color of the priceless vintage models in magnificent detail. The result is a playing and ownership experience that will keep you coming back for more. The 1959 ES™ Reissue models feature rounded cutaways, Medium C-shape neck profiles scanned from originals, dot inlays, and vintage-replica parts. It also features Ultra Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Ultra 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.