Gibson Murphy Lab Heavy Aged 1963 Country Western Smoked Natural

First introduced in a square shoulder configuration in 1962, the Country Western was originally created as a variation of Gibson’s popular 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.

Specs

Body

Body Style: Square Shoulder

Body Shape: Hummingbird

Body Material: Mahogany

Top: Thermally Aged Sitka Spruce

Back: Mahogany, with Rosewood Marquetry Strip

Side: Mahogany

Bracing: Traditional Hand-Scalloped X Bracing

Binding: Multi-ply Top and Back, Single Ply Fretboard

Body Finish: Murphy Lab Aged Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Neck

Profile: Round

Scale Length: 628.65 mm / 24.75 in

Fingerboard Material: Indian Rosewood

Fingerboard Radius: 304.8 mm / 12 in

Neck Material: Mahogany

Fret Count: 20

Frets: Standard

Nut Material: Bone

Nut Width: 43.815 mm / 1.725 in

Inlays: Mother of Pearl Parallelogram

Joint: Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint; Hot Hide Glue

Hardware

Bridge: Rosewood; Traditional Belly-up

Saddle Material: Bone

Tuning Machines: Gotoh with White Button

Pickguard: Country Western; Aged Tortoise

Truss Rod: Adjustable

Truss Rod Cover: Black Stamped

Bridge Pins: Bone

Strap Buttons: Cream End Pin

Misc

Strings Gauge: .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053

Case: Black Hardshell with Goldenrod Interior

Accessories: Certificate of Authenticity