Gibson Murphy Lab 1958 Les Paul Standard Heavy Aged Lemon Burst (2021)

'21 Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab 1958 Les Paul Std Reissue, first owner, heavy aged Lemon Burst, Seymour Duncan Slash pickups, 3.97 kg

Welcome to the Jungle! We're pretty sure Slash would add THIS '58 to his collection on the spot! A rock'n'roll gem from its first owner.

One look tells you: the heavy ageing on this Murphy Lab Les Paul is absolutely outstanding. Fine checking runs through the nitro lacquer, and the faded Lemon Burst top and aged nickel hardware tell the story of a stage guitar played for decades. The artisans at Gibson's Murphy Lab in Nashville have done a superb job here – heavy ageing of a quality you rarely get to see.

And this is where Slash comes in. The '58 Les Paul Standard means something special to him: his first real Burst is a 1958, which Gibson later even recreated as the "First Standard" replica. The first owner of this guitar went one step further and fitted Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Slash pickups – the very pickups Slash helped develop so that all his Les Pauls would sound like the legendary "Appetite for Destruction" tone. Add the no-pickguard look, just like Slash's own Gibson Appetite Les Paul, and the result looks as if it came straight out of his Burst collection. Some would even say it looks more authentic than some of the official Slash replica models!

It sounds every bit as good as it looks. The Alnico II Pro Slash humbuckers deliver warm, singing lead tones with creamy mids and exactly the juicy, lightly driven crunch you know from the Appetite album – and it's not just through a Marshall that this guitar makes the sun come out. The foundation is genuine '58 construction: a one-piece, lightweight mahogany back with no weight relief, two-piece plain maple top, hide glue construction, a substantial '58 neck profile with Indian rosewood fretboard, ABR-1 bridge and aluminium stopbar. At 3.97 kg it sits right in the perfect range for a non-weight-relieved Les Paul, with plenty of punch.

The guitar comes from its first owner and – apart from the intentional heavy ageing – is in as-new condition. The pickguard is included and can of course be fitted on request. The original Custombuckers are no longer included, which we've taken into account very generously in the attractive price. That leaves plenty of room to treat yourself to a set of boutique pickups should you not like the Seymour Duncans – though we can hardly imagine that.

It was carefully hand-picked in early 2022 and bought for a hard-negotiated €7,300. Take a look at the examples around today and you'll quickly see that this one turned out simply outstanding.

It comes in the original aged Lifton reissue case with the Gibson Custom Murphy Lab Certificate of Authenticity and case candy, as pictured.

For all Slash fans and Burst lovers who want a Les Paul with real Appetite vibe yet still something of its own, this '58 is an absolute bullseye!

Price€6,490 VAT not outlined (§ 25a UStG)