Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab 1955 J-45 Light Aged Vintage Sunburst With Case
A remarkable recreation of the mid-50s era Workhorse
The Gibson J-45 was first introduced in 1942 and quickly earned its nickname, “The Workhorse,” due to its wide acceptance, no-nonsense simplicity, and understated elegance. It’s one of the most recorded acoustic guitars in history and Gibson’s best-selling acoustic model of all time. 1955 was a significant year in the history of the J-45 model. It was when Gibson lengthened the fretboard and added a 20th fret to the J-45. Around the same time, the teardrop pickguard used on the earlier models was dropped in favor of a larger 50-styled pickguard.
Handcrafted with care in Bozeman, Montana, by Gibson Custom’s expert acoustic luthiers, the 1955 J-45 Light Aged is a stunning recreation of the 1955 J-45. The aging work done to the guitar in the Murphy Lab is simply mind-blowing. Every element has been thought of - it's not just wear, but the most minute of details has been nailed. Even the soundhole sticker label is aged and peeled a bit - it's this sort of small thing that really makes the difference. But, where this guitar really stands out is its sound. A few strums and all of us were claiming as the best sounding guitar in our acoustic room.
The 1955 J-45 Light Aged features Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving it the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era.
This J-45 features vintage-accurate appointments and features. The round shoulder mahogany body has a thermally aged Sitka spruce top to give it the sweet tone of a long-cherished, well-seasoned vintage guitar. The X-bracing is fitted with hide glue, and the body is adorned with multi-ply top and single-ply back binding. The mahogany neck has a Round profile and is attached to the body with a compound dovetail neck-to-body joint that is also fitted with hide glue. The neck is capped with a rosewood fretboard that is equipped with 20 standard frets and decorated with simple mother-of-pearl dot inlays. It's super comfortable to play - this is the type of guitar you won't want to put down.
Vintage-style Grover tuners with cream buttons are installed on the headstock, and the nut, saddle, and bridge pins are all bone.
It comes packaged in a 50s-style Lifton™ hardshell case to complete the authentic vintage playing and ownership experience that only Gibson Custom and the Murphy Lab can deliver.
SKU: CSRS4555VSLA
Highlights
- Solid mahogany back and sides
- Thermally-aged sitka spruce top
- Mahogany neck with a round profile
- Rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl dot inlays
- Grover strap tuners with cream buttons
- Murphy Lab light aged
- 50s-style Lifton hardshell case