Gibson Murphy Lab 1957 SJ-200, Light Aged £8,099
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Acoustic fans have been waiting for Gibson’s Murphy Lab to turn its hand to the handsome flat-tops of the golden era, and finally they are here. Our SJ-200 tops the range, but also available are the small-bodied 1933 L-00 (£5,799), ‘banner’-style 1942 J-45 (£6,899) and Southern Jumbo (£7,349), and 1960 Hummingbird (£7,099) – all lightly aged.
Originally commissioned by country star Ray Whitley, the SJ-200 first appeared an astonishing 85 years ago. And yet today’s ‘Super Jumbo’, as it was initially dubbed, looks as sharp and impressive as it would have done back in those pre-war days. Although the guitar began life with a rosewood body, by 1947 it had switched to maple. While this may not be…