Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-335 Antique Dark Oxblood Murphy Lab Heavy Aged NH w/Custom "S" Buckers (CME Exclusive) (Serial #A960085)

Carrying on Orville Gibson’s historic pursuit of sonic excellence and aesthetic perfection, the Gibson Custom Shop combines traditional instrument-making techniques, innovative methods, and meticulous attention to detail to craft instruments worthy of its banner-era slogan, “Only a Gibson is Good Enough.”

This instrument exclusively features woods hand-picked by CME’s expert guitar-buying team at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, paired with one of our favorite finishes, plus a thoughtful combination of preferred fingerboards, neck profiles, pickups, and hardware, to make this customized Gibson guitar.

Following decades of research for the Gibson Custom, Art, and Historic Division founded in 1993, Gibson Custom Shop established the Murphy Labs Division in 2017 to take Tom Murphy’s proprietary techniques to the next level.

Sporting a scientifically reverse-engineered nitrocellulose lacquer identical what was used on Gibson guitars of the ‘50s and ‘60s, this Custom Shop instrument has been meticulously aged by hand at Murphy Labs—with all the wear-and-tear of a well-played original, including an extra-rolled fingerboard binding for a broken-in feel and true-to-life look.  

General:
Brand Name: Gibson
Case Type: Hardshell Case
Hardware Color: Nickel
Made in: Made in the USA
Product Color: Antique Dark Oxblood
Relic or Aging Level: Murphy Lab Heavy Aged
Serial Number: A960085
Series: Gibson Custom Shop Historic
Weight: 8lbs 2oz

Body:
Body Binding: Single-ply Royalite, Top, Back, and Fretboard
Body Finish: Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Body Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
Body Shape: ES-335
Bracing Pattern: Solid Maple Centerblock
Top Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple

Neck:
Fingerboard Inlay: Nitrocellulose Dot
Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
Headstock Inlay or Decal: Gibson Mother of Pearl Crown Logo
Headstock Veneer: Holly
Neck Binding: .040 Cream
Neck Finish: Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Neck Joint: Long Tenon, Hide Glue Fit
Neck Material: Solid Mahogany
Neck Shape: 1959 ES-335 C-Shape (0.874"/0.957")
Neck Tint or Color: Antique Dark Oxblood
Number of Frets: 22 Frets
Nut Material: Nylon
Nut Width: 1.69" (42.85mm)
Side Marker Inlay: Tortoise Shell Dots
Truss Rod: Authentic 1950s No-Tube

Electronics:
Bridge Pickup: CME Custom "S" Bucker
Controls and Switching: 3-Way Switchcraft; 2 Volume, 2 Tone
Electronics Notes: CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors
Neck Pickup: CME Custom "S" Bucker

Hardware:
Bridge: ABR-1
Fret Wire: Authentic Medium-Jumbo
Knobs: Black Top Hats
Pickguard: Black 5-Ply Wide Bevel
Saddle Material: Nickel-Plated Brass
Switch Cap: Amber Catalin
Tailpiece: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Truss Rod Cover: Authentic Stepped 2-Ply
Tuning Machines: Kluson Single Line, Single Ring