On January 18, 1999, Gibson announced the release of the 40th Anniversary Les Paul to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1959 Les Paul Burst. This limited-edition model was handcrafted by legendary Gibson Custom luthier Tom Murphy. Not only was this Gibson’s first-ever limited-edition Reissue, making it historically significant, but Gibson also specifically brought back Tom Murphy, who had previously left the company, to perform aging on the guitar. This marked the first officially aged guitar in Gibson’s history, and it was sold exclusively by Vintage World Guitars in Cranston, USA.

This particular version is the rarest among the 40th Anniversary models—one that was personally aged and painted by Tom Murphy. It is well known that in the 1990s, Murphy’s expertise in guitar finishing was highly regarded, and guitars painted by him were especially sought after by players. To make these guitars even more desirable, Ronn David, the owner of Vintage World Guitars, secretly hired Tom Murphy to repaint and age some of these guitars without informing Gibson. As a result, the 40th Anniversary guitars in the market can be categorized into three versions: Standard 40th Anniversary model, Tom Murphy-aged version, Tom Murphy-aged and repainted version (the rarest).

This particular guitar not only comes with two original Gibson certificates but also includes a "Guitar Preservation" letter from Tom Murphy, verifying that he personally painted and aged this guitar for Vintage World Guitars, ensuring its unique authenticity and value.

The 40th Anniversary Les Pauls were built with hand-selected premium tonewoods, including Honduran mahogany, a 4A grade flamed maple top, a select rosewood fingerboard, and a '59 neck profile with Gibson 57 Classic pickups. Additionally, it features an ultra-thin lacquer finish, which enhances the guitar’s resonance and tone. Compared to later Murphy Aged guitars, Murphy’s early aging techniques were more delicate and nuanced, giving these guitars a uniquely refined look and feel.

This guitar is one of the most collectible Gibson models of the 1990s and holds a special place in Gibson Custom Shop Historic series history. It is also one of the first 200 Murphy aged 1959 Les Paul Reissues ever produced, with the Murphy aged and repainted versions being the rarest.

The guitar is in very good condition. The frets show some light wear, but nothing too obvious. On the back and along the edges, there are some signs of use mixed with the original relic work.

It comes complete with all original certificates, documents, and accessories, including a Tom Murphy "Burst Wishes" hand signed control cavity cover and a Beauty of the Burst book, further enhancing its collectible value.

A rare opportunity, serious collectors and players, don’t miss out!

Weight: 3.96kg/8.73lb

The shipping fee includes insurance. We usually declare a low value on the shipping invoice and the insurance will follow the full value of the goods.

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About Guitar Shop Taiwan:

Guitar Shop Taiwan is the largest high-end guitar specialty store in Taiwan founded in 2007, located in Taipei, Taiwan. We offer high-end guitars and have shipped all around the world, so we have tons of experience with international shipping and received high praise from players around the world. All guitars will be insured with full value and go through professional checks and adjustments before being shipped to ensure that our customers receive the best possible experience, please kindly place an order with us without any worries.

We usually use FedEx, DHL, or UPS to ship worldwide, and the shipping carrier used depends on the country or region where the buyer is receiving the item.

Return Policy:

Please note that the 4.4% PayPal handling fee is non-refundable in case of returns.

Please note that due to insurance company regulations, it is necessary to open the package within 24 hours of receiving the guitar. The entire process of opening the package must be recorded on video. If there is any damage caused during transportation, please notify us immediately; otherwise, the insurance company will not be able to compensate for any damage caused during transportation of the guitar.

All items have a 2-day return policy from the date of receipt. However, items sold as "Pre-order" are excluded from the return policy.

The buyer is responsible for all return shipping costs. Items must be returned in their original, as-shipped condition with all original packaging and without any signs of use.

Please note that the 4.4% PayPal handling fee is non-refundable in case of returns.