Description
This Gibson CS '57 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy from 2021 comes from the inaugural year of the Murphy Lab as a formal Custom Shop division. Prior to 2021, Tom Murphy worked with Gibson as an independent contractor for select aged runs alongside standard in-house aging routines.
This spectacular example is an R7: a reissue of the 1957 Les Paul Standard Goldtop, featuring Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy Aging. It looks decades old, but where it counts it plays and performs as new, with full fret height and pristine, unworn factory hardware, pots, switches, and tuners.
As a 2021 model, this Gibson CS '57 Les Paul is in near-new condition though the Murphy Lab processes always make it awkward to use that term. Fret wear is negligible, the setup is great and the guitar is very resonant. I personally prefer somewhat slimmer neck profiles, but find this one easy to play.
The original brown Lifton reproduction case is included. While it's externally aged lightly, the interior is very clean. As an improvement on the original 1950's cases, there is a Ramped Pad to help support the tilted headstock. The case includes the Certificate of Authenticity, a replacement aged switch tip, various hang tags, and instruction sheets.
Gibson CS '57 Les Paul Materials and Construction
The Gibson CS '57 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy mostly uses the 1957 specs and four woods, pairing a flat Maple cap and a Mahogany body and neck using hide glue. Once the body blank and maple cap are bonded, the top is carved to its distinctive dish arch and contour. The headstock veneer is black-dyed Holly, and the bound fingerboard is Indian Rosewood - a necessary variation from the original Brazilian.
The finish replicates the 1957 Double Gold application, part of the Murphy Lab process. Beyond the physical wear, Murphy Lab models feature Gibson's proprietary vintage-formula nitrocellulose lacquer. Formulated without modern plasticizers, this ultra-thin, brittle finish checks and wears like authentic 1950s nitro, offering a tactile feel and resonance distinct from standard Custom Shop finishes.
Hardware and electronics again follow 1957 specifications and components. A set of Kluson Deluxe tuners with plastic Keystone buttons are installed at the head, an ABR-1 adjustable bridge and a lightweight aluminum stop tailpiece are at the body end.
The pickups are unpotted Custombucker Alnico 3 models, replicating the earliest Patent Applied For parts. The volume and tone pots are CTS 500K Audio Taper models and the tone capacitors are Paper-in-Oil components to replicate the '50s 'Bumblebee' parts. The wiring scheme is the '50s layout, maintaining high-end clarity and treble sparkle as you turn the volume controls down. The pickup selector switch and output jack are high-reliability Switchcraft components, with an aged switch tip included and a cream plastic jack plate installed.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: R7 - '57 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy
- Instrument Manufacturer: Gibson
- Instrument year: 2021
- Instrument Finish: Double Gold Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy
- Instrument Class: Solidbody Electric Guitar
- Instrument serial number: 721707, built during 2021 at Nashville TN
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Very Good
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 8.8 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 4.00 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 24.56 in
- Scale Length Metric: 624 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.666 in
- Nut Width Metric: 43.31 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Items in Case: Hang Tags, COA, instruction sheets, aged switch tip
- Case Type: Hard Shell Brown Lifton Reproduction
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190977
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |