Gibson Light Aged Acoustics: Five new Reissues with Murphy Lab Aging
Heavy vintage vibes with these legendary guitars!
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It’s back to the roots with the new Gibson Light Aged acoustics! Similar to the recent Epiphone acoustics and the Murphy Lab Aged models, five reissues of legendary acoustic guitars from Gibson are now available. These models have been artificially aged in Gibson’s Murphy Labs to achieve a vintage look and sound.
Gibson Light Aged Acoustics: Five Legendary Acoustic Guitars
The new Gibson Light Aged Acoustics cover a whole range of legendary acoustic guitars from Gibson’s golden era as an acoustic guitar maker. These include the 1929 Nick Lucas Special Light Aged, the 1963 Dove Light Aged*, the 1955 J-45 Light Aged*, the Pre-War SJ-200 Rosewood Light Aged*, and the 1957 SJ-200 Light Aged*.
Every guitar is handmade at Gibson’s factory in Bozeman, Montana, and thermally aged at Murphy Lab. This process is not only applied for aesthetic reasons. It also achieves a “worn” or used look that gives the acoustic guitars the timbre that has made them so famous.
Due to this artificial aging process, each guitar comes with tiny cracks in the finish, small dents, pick marks, and rounded fretboard edges—as if it had really been played for decades.
SJ-200, J-45, and Dove: Gibson’s First Golden Era
Let’s start with the Pre-War SJ-200. The original was often referred to as the “King of Flat Tops” during its lifetime. This reissue comes with a red spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard, and, as an eye-catcher, this beautifully designed SJ-200 pickguard in tortoise. At Thomann*, you can get the guitar (including a premium case) for $8,499 / £7,666 / €8,699. The 1957 SJ-200* model with a Sitka spruce top is also available at the same price.
And, there is the Gibson 1955 J-45 in Vintage Sunburst. It features a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck, and a rosewood fretboard. The original quickly earned the nickname “The Workhorse” in the 1950s due to its versatility. Hardly any other acoustic guitar can be found on so many recordings from the golden era. This model is also available at Thomann* for $5,899 / £5,333 / €6,099.
Also included in the Gibson Light Aged Acoustics series is the Gibson 1963 Dove. According to Gibson, this model was the most popular Gibson acoustic of the early 1960s after the Hummingbird. This dreadnought model comes with a solid Sitka spruce top, solid flamed maple back and sides, mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard. At Thomann*, it costs $7,799 / £6,999 / €7,999.
More on the New Acoustic Guitars From Gibson
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One response to “Gibson Light Aged Acoustics: Five new Reissues with Murphy Lab Aging”
Not a guitarist but genuinely curious, why are these 3/4 grand more than a brand new SJ200? Is it the wood? The Gibson 1957 SJ-200 AN has the same wood and is €3K less. Are people paying extra for the “worn look”?