The thought of playing an original ’59 Les Paul makes us weak at the knees at Musician's Friend. But with less than 700 in existence and priced up to $500,000, it's a dream that likely won't be realized. Fortunately, the Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 Les Paul Standard provides the exact same thrill. It certainly looks the part. Lightly-aged using techniques developed by Master Artisan Tom Murphy, you'd swear it has decades of wear. And with a set of CustomBuckers, it's easy to go full Gibbons, Clapton or Richards— sonically, this thing just has the sauce. If you're looking to reward yourself with a reissue that makes all other suffer in comparison, the Murphy Lab Gibson is the one to get.

Let's Start With the Finish


Tom Murphy was instrumental in creating the Gibson Custom Shop; he's also a pioneer in the art of aging guitars. This 1959 Les Paul features his reverse-engineered lacquer formula with unique checking patterns. The finish flakes to reflect 50-plus years of light play wear, with softened edges, dings and pick trails all over.

Historically Authentic 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. This mahogany body has a 2-piece maple top assembled with hot hide glue. The mahogany neck gets ’59 specs with a C-shaped profile. A long tenon will keep the neck to body joint stable for decades to come. Your fretting hand will find instant comfort in the rosewood fretboard—the extra-rolled binding makes it feel like a worn-in Gibson.

A Tone Like No Other

The most alluring aspect of an original 1959 Les Paul is the almighty PAF pickup. From ZZ Top's "Tush" to the Stones' "Satisfaction," Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" to Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," the PAF humbucker is sweet and musical, complex and biting, warm and wonderful. Gibson nailed the tone with these Alnico III CustomBuckers. A hand-wired harness with paper-in-oil capacitors and 500K CTS pots gives you more sonic space to explore.

If you want an absolutely authentic Les Paul, get this Gibson.

The waiting list for a Murphy Lab guitar can take up to two years, so if vintage style and sounds are your game, grab this Gibson while you can. It includes hardware aged to match the finish, a certificate of authenticity, and a brown and pink reissue 5-latch hardshell case.