The CME Collection | Gibson Custom Tom Murphy Aged & Painted GUITARS
Take A Look Back At Some Of Tom Murphy’s Earliest Contributions To The Gibson Custom Shop!
While the guitars from the Murphy Labs at Gibson Custom Shop now showcase Tom Murphy’s work in developing the painting and aging techniques Gibson uses to replicate the finishes on its limited-run historic models, Murphy’s contributions to the Custom Shop started long before the establishment of Murphy Labs, going all the way back to the first years we opened up shop!
Now, in addition to CME’s existing inventory of some of the best guitars Gibson has to offer, The CME Collection gives us a look back at a tradition of excellence that Tom Murphy helped begin at the Custom Shop, including models that have been aged and painted by the man, himself!
Made to Historic Measurements
Not long after Gibson officially founded the Custom Shop, it was moved to a separate building from the Gibson USA plant in Nashville, becoming its own entity. In 1993, with Rick Gembar at the helm, Gibson hired Tom Murphy hired alongside J.T. Riboloff to spearhead the Gibson Custom, Art, and Historic division within the Custom Shop.
Together, with the Custom Shop’s team of master luthiers, Murphy and Riboloff were granted access to over two dozen historic Les Paul Standard guitars, meticulously measuring and documenting the attributes of each. The Custom Shop team then combined their research to build exacting replicas—all the way down to recreating the same wear-and-tear that was typical on well-played guitars.
SHOP CME COLLECTION MURPHY GUITARS
Where Artists and Historic Models Intersect
At the same time that the Custom, Art, and Historic division was creating its first replicas, the Custom Shop at Gibson began creating limited edition replicas of popular artists’ instruments, still based on these initial tried-and-true vintage designs, but also including modifications that particular artists.
The first in this series was the Gibson Custom Joe Perry '59 Les Paul Reissue, and The CME Collection has brought one of these editions—aged by Tom Murphy, himself—within our walls, in addition one of the Ace Frehley ‘59 Les Pauls from the limited Custom Shop run that followed the Joe Perry!
CONTACT US TODAY!
Help us, help you! Call us at (773) 525-7773 or chat us on our website and we can help find the perfect gear to add to your own collection!
To see and play some of the earliest, most sought-after editions of guitar to come out of Gibson Custom Shop these past three decades, come to CME and check out the Tom Murphy aged and painted editions and ask about The CME Collection, as well as all our Murphy Labs guitars!
SHOP GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP MURPHY LAB GUITARS
Related Posts
Orangewood | Del Sol Baritone
Meet the Del Sol: Orangewood’s First Electric Guitar—Now at CME! Known for quality, affordable acoustics, Orangewood breaks into electric territory with the Del Sol Baritone, a bold collab with boutique builder Josh Forest of TreeTone Guitars. Featuring a chambered mahogany body, roasted maple neck, P-90 pickups, and a 27.5" scale length, the Orangewood Del Sol blends vintage tone with modern playability. A phase switch adds tonal versatility, while locking tuners and premium hardware make it stage-ready out of the box. Shop the Del Sol and the full Orangewood lineup today at Chicago Music Exchange!
Read moreIntroducing | Strandberg Guitars
Explore the cutting edge of electric guitar design with Strandberg Guitars, now available at Chicago Music Exchange! Renowned for their headless construction, ultra-lightweight builds, and ergonomic EndurNeck profiles, Strandberg guitars deliver maximum comfort and precision for today’s most adventurous players. From 6, 7, and 8-string models to signature artist designs, these multi-scale instruments combine futuristic tone, innovative hardware, and sleek aesthetics—perfect for prog, metal, jazz, and beyond. Shop the full lineup of Strandberg guitars online or in-store and experience modern guitar mastery at CME.
Read moreIntroducing | Sunn Amplifiers
The wait is over—Sunn Amplifiers are back, and Chicago Music Exchange is proud to be one of the first U.S. retailers to carry this legendary brand. A sonic powerhouse reborn, Sunn is ready to take center stage once again.
Read more









