Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab 1963 Country Western – Heavy Aged

Introduced in a square-shoulder configuration in 1962, the Country Western was originally created in 1955 as a variation of the popular Gibson Southern Jumbo model. With the body shape of a Hummingbird but in a Natural finish and having an unadorned tortoise pickguard instead of the Hummingbird’s casted, graphics-enhanced pickguard, the Country Western delivers wonderful tonal quality and a unique look that has been a resounding hit with players from the moment it was first released, all the way up to the present day; it has been one of our most requested acoustic models for reissue since the 1990s.

This 1963 Country Western features a thermally aged Sitka spruce top that is supported with Gibson’s traditional hand-scalloped X-bracing for vintage-inspired tone, solid mahogany back and sides with multi-ply top and back binding, a mahogany neck with a 24.75” (628.65 mm) scale length, round profile, and a bound Indian rosewood fretboard with a 12” fretboard radius, 20 standard frets, and mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays. The neck’s compound dovetail neck-to-body joint is fitted using hot hide glue. The rosewood bridge is a traditional belly-up design, and the bridge saddle, nut, and bridge pins are all bone, and the classic Country Western tortoise pickguard is aged. The tuning machines are smooth-turning, aged nickel Gotoh tuners with white buttons for solid tuning stability. The 1963 Country Western features heavy aging by the artisans of the Murphy Lab to give it the vibe, look, and playing feel of a well-loved, longtime musical companion. Expect a heavy weather-checked finish, heavy belt buckle wear, light arm wear, and light neck wear. Here’s your chance to own one of Gibson’s most requested vintage acoustic guitar models, with all the tone, vibe, playability, and appearance of a well-seasoned vintage original without the vintage price tag and potential issues that can accompany a sixty-year-old guitar. A period-correct black with goldenrod interior hardshell case from Gibson Custom is included, along with a certificate of authenticity.