Gibson Custom Shop 1963 Country Western Murphy Lab Heavy Aged Smoked Natural (038)

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.

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
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
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
Strings Gauge: .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053
Case: Black Hardshell with Goldenrod Interior
Accessories: Certificate of Authenticity