The 2022 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul '58 Tom Murphy Painted represents one of the pinnacle achievements of the Nashville Custom Shop in its pursuit of vintage perfection. Behind this instrument is the handcrafted work of Tom Murphy, the man who revolutionized the concept of relics and who for over thirty years has been considered the absolute benchmark when it comes to reproducing the look, feel, and soul of the legendary 1950s Burst models. His hand-crafted and hand-finished finishes have become a true art form and have helped make Gibson Murphy models among the most sought-after instruments by collectors and professionals worldwide.
This Les Paul is inspired by the early 1958 Sunburst models, instruments renowned for their often more understated tops than the '59s, yet capable of delivering exceptional sonic character. The result is a guitar that conveys the feeling of a well-worn instrument from the first touch, with a hand-applied nitrocellulose finish that restores all the depth, charm, and naturalness of the finest vintage Gibsons. The "Tom Murphy Painted" philosophy requires the finish to be applied using techniques personally developed by Murphy, recreating the nuances and transparencies of the original Bursts.
Construction-wise, we find everything that made Gibson Custom Shop reissues legendary: a mahogany body with a maple top, a neck glued with a long tenon and hide glue, a nitrocellulose finish, and an almost obsessive attention to every construction detail. This is a Les Paul that strives not only for a vintage aesthetic, but above all to restore the dynamic response, resonance, and harmonic richness that made the original instruments of the 1950s immortal.
This 2022 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul '58 Tom Murphy Painted features a mahogany body with a maple top, a mahogany neck with a nitrocellulose finish, and a rosewood fingerboard. The electronics are handled by original Gibson Custom Shop pickups, and the hardware faithfully follows the historic specifications of the 1958 Les Paul. The instrument comes with its original case, certificate of authenticity, and Custom Shop accessories.