Grab Your Gibson USA "Greeny" Model at Chicago Music Exchange!

Following in the wake of the Gibson Collector’s Edition models hand-painted by Tom Murphy released late last year and the Custom Shop “Greeny” replica models—now, the Gibson Artist Kirk Hammett “Greeny” Les Paul Standard puts the legendary sound, feel, and iconic sunburst finish within reach of any guitarist aspiring to go Greeny!

Last November, we had a chance to behold for ourselves not one but two of the Collector’s Edition Kirk Hammett “Greeny” 1959 Les Paul Standard guitars side-by-side out of the original 50 instruments hand-finished and aged by Tom Murphy himself!

Now, Gibson Custom Shop has announced its 2023 follow-up to last year’s Collector’s Edition run with the new Murphy Lab Replica 1959 Les Paul Standard “Greeny” Aged guitar models, featuring an Indian rosewood fretboard, giving players around the world the opportunity to experience the magic of “Greeny” for themselves!

A Meticulous Replica of a Legendary Les Paul

Perhaps one of the most storied 1959 Les Paul Standard guitars Gibson has ever produced, the original “Greeny” guitar now owned by Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett was first owned by Peter Green, who used it on the first four Fleetwood Mac albums—which included some of their earliest hits, like “Oh Well,” “Black Magic Woman,” and “Albatross”—until Green met Gary Moore in 1970 and eventually offered to sell Moore his Les Paul.

Moore went on to use that guitar throughout his career, on songs like “Waiting For An Alibi” and “Parisienne Walkway,” both as a solo artist and during his time in bands like Thin Lizzy. But, after Moore sold “Greeny” in 2006, it changed hands among several private collectors until Hammett bought the guitar in 2014 and has since used the guitar live and in the studio.

How It Works

As the story goes, early on in his career, Green removed the original PAF neck humbucker to try to emulate Eric Clapton’s “Bluesbreaker” tone. But, after tinkering around, he accidentally put it back together out of phase with the bridge pickup, which gave the guitar a unique middle position tone compared to other Bursts of the era.

Each Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab Replica 1959 Les Paul Standard "Greeny" was hand-built to recreate the legendary guitar, including the immediately recognizable fade (now referred to as a “Greeny Burst”), to the mahogany body to the two-piece maple top and cream binding, the rosewood fretboard.

None of these models would be complete without the original “Greeny’s” distinctive sound. So, Gibson created Custom Greeny Humbuckers, with the neck pickup reverse mounted so that the pickups achieve that out-of-phase middle position sound the original guitar is so famous for.

Shop Gibson Custom Shop Artist Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V Ebony

Continuing its partnership, Gibson has added an additional model to its replicas of guitars used by the Metallica lead guitarist, with a recreation of another Gibson in his arsenal: the Gibson CS Artist Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V Ebony!

 In addition to any of the “Greeny” guitar options we mentioned above, now Metallica purists can get the guitar Hammett used on some of the band’s most iconic albums from early on in their recording career—long before he bought the original Greeny!

Chat us online, call CME—or, download the CME mobile app—to inquire how you can reserve your next Gibson “Greeny” Custom Shop guitar. Then, visit Chicago Music Exchange any day of the year to find some of the most highly sought-after Gibson Custom Shop guitars, alongside truly “vintage” Gibson instruments!

SHOP GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP

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