2025 Gibson Custom Shop 1961 Les Paul SG Standard CME Spec Murphy Lab Heavy Aged Silverburst w/ Case, Tags, CoA

Up for sale, a 2025 Gibson Custom Shop 1961 Les Paul SG Standard “CME Spec” Murphy Lab Heavy Aged in mint condition, complete with the Lifton hardshell case, CoA, and all hangtags. Unplayed since new, this Murphy Lab SG is a “CME Spec” instrument, featuring top-notch tonewoods handpicked by the expert team at the Chicago Music Exchange, paired with the team’s preferred neck profile, pickups, and hardware.

The Murphy Lab guitars represent the peak of Gibson craftsmanship: from laser-scanned dimensions to chemically-recreated plastics to color-matched finishes, every element of a genuine 1961 Les Paul Special SG has been rendered in unbelievable detail. Representing the culmination of decades of work by Custom Shop's expert team - a tireless quest to bring accuracy and authenticity to the hands of players - this particular Les Paul SG Standard features a stunning Antique Silverburst nitro lacquer finish and a pair of CustomBucker pickups with double cream bobbins.

Tom Murphy, the Master Artisan and namesake of Gibson's Murphy Lab, was central to the creation of the Gibson Custom Shop and personally developed the various processes on display for aging the finish, hardware and plastics of these Historic Series instruments. With a quarter century in the saddle, Murphy is a celebrated authority for replicating the character of vintage instruments on the canvas of newly-created guitars.

Traditional tonewoods include a mahogany body and neck paired with a bound rosewood fingerboard, and this SG weighs 7lbs 5oz, balancing well on a strap and offering a lively and pronounced acoustic response. Introduced in 2013, the CustomBucker pickups are one of Gibson’s most highly praised PAF iterations, only available in select models. Featuring Alnico III magnets, these low-medium output pickups have ample chirp, honk, and bloom, with an ideal blend of girth and growl at the bridge and smooth, airy tones at the neck. Additionally, the Vintage Tone Circuit is a return to Golden Era tone with a harness wired to precise vintage spec, resulting in a wider dynamic range and notably clear response both at the treble and bass registers.This Custom Shop 1961 Les Paul SG Standard “CME Spec” Murphy Lab Heavy Aged has been dialed in beyond factory spec here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

• Wood: Mahogany
• Shape: ‘60s C, measuring .835” 1st fret, .930” 12th fret
• Fretboard: Indian rosewood, pearloid flared trapezoid inlays
• Frets: Medium jumbo
• Scale Length: 24 3/4”
• Nut: 1 11/16”, nylon
• Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line, double-ring
• Headstock: “Les Paul” truss rod cover
• Serialization: 5-prefix (2025) stamp

Body Specs:

• Wood: Mahogany
• Pickups: CustomBucker PAF x2
• Harness: Gibson-branded pots, Sprague Black Beauty caps, Vintage Tone Circuit
• Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, three-way pickup selector
• Hardware: No-wire ABR-1 bridge, long-frame Maestro Vibrola
• Plastics: Five-ply black pickguard, reflector cap knobs, “walrus tooth” vibrato arm

The gloss Antique Silverburst nitro lacquer finish is pitch perfect in its saturation and hue, and Gibson’s Murphy Lab aging includes extensive checking and various marks of simulated wear. The instrument is unplayed since new, with no additional playwear beyond the factory aging.

The original Lifton hardshell case is included, along with the CoA, all hangtags and case candy.