Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab 1961 ES-335 ‘Sixties Cherry’ Ultra Light Aged Electric Guitar Gibson

The Gibson Historic Reissue ES-335 ‘Sixties Cherry’ Ultra Light Aged Electric Guitar is a faithful recreation of the classic ES-335 model from 1961. This guitar has been meticulously crafted by the expert artisans at the Gibson Custom Shop, who have studied, scanned, and listened to original vintage ES models to recreate every detail with remarkable precision. Gibson has established a specialist guitar-ageing department within the Custom Shop known as the Murphy Lab, along with a 50-strong collection of Murphy Lab guitars that are claimed to offer a significant step up from previous Gibson Custom ranges such as Collector’s Choice.

This Gibson ES-335 faithfully recreates the essence of the original 1961 model, down to the smallest details. It features the iconic semi-hollow body design, authentic ’61 neck profile, vintage-style hardware, and Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups for that classic PAF tone. The Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged finish treatment and hardware aging give it the appearance of a well-loved vintage instrument. It’s a premium guitar designed for players who appreciate the vintage feel and tone of a classic ES-335.

Specs

Body

• Shape: ES-335
• Material: 3-Ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
• Centerblock: Solid Maple
• Binding: 1-Ply Royalite
• Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer, Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged

Neck

• Material: Solid Mahogany
• Profile: Authentic ’61 Skinny C-Shape
• Scale Length: 24.75″
• Fingerboard Material: Indian Rosewood, Hide Glue Fit
• Fingerboard Radius: 12″
• Number of Frets: 22
• Frets: Authentic Medium-Jumbo
• Nut Material: Nylon
• Nut Width: 1.687″
• Inlays: Pearloid Dot
• Joint: Long Tenon, Hide Glue Fit

Hardware

• Bridge: ABR-1
• Tailpiece: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
• Knobs: Black Top Hats with Silver Inserts
• Tuners: Kluson Single Line, Double Ring
• Plating: Nickel, Murphy Lab Light Aged

Electronics

• Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
• Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted)
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors
• Pickup Selector: 3-Way Switchcraft
• Output Jack: 1/4″ Switchcraft

Miscellaneous

• Strings: 10-46
• Case: Brown/Pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch
• Accessories: Certificate of Authenticity