Artificially-aged guitars will always be a talking point for guitarists, and one player's mojo can be another's turn-off. But when it's done well, relic'ing can get you vintage class without the eye-watering price tags of '50s and '60s originals. And Gibson's Murphy Lab are becoming masters of the art with Custom Shop electric guitars, but are they now extending their skills to acoustics too? A new and unexpected reveal suggests so.
Brand President and guitar collector Cesar Gueikian already has form for revealing future launches to players early, and his recent Instagram stories post shows not one but two aged Gibson acoustic guitar models with what looks to be a Hummingbird and J-45.
The patina plot starts to thicken with the J45's label being clearly visible; it's a Custom Shop model. Zooming in on the Hummingbird's inside label also reveals that it's a Custom Shop guitar too.
Cosmetically both guitars look to have checking in their finishes, and if this is the first preview of a new chapter in Custom Shop history, it's an exciting one to see. We're looking forward to finding out more.
Interview: Gibson's Cesar Gueikian on the past, present and future of the guitar giant
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