By:  Bambam

 

In the heart of Montana, where the air smells of pine and the mountains sing with the wind, the Gibby Custom shop in Bozeman hummed with a different kind of energy. The light through the workshop windows caught the dust motes dancing in the air, illuminating the careful hands of artisans. Their work wasn't about creating something new, but about resurrecting ghosts.


For months, the artisans of the Murphy Lab had been poring over the blueprints of the past. Their mission: to bring five legendary acoustic guitars back to life, not as sterile replicas, but as instruments with a soul already played and loved. Under the watchful eye of the master, Tom Murphy, they worked magic.


The first was the 1929 Nick Lucas Special, a little guitar with a big history. A jazz-era charmer, it was one of the earliest artist signature models. For this reissue, the builders used a rich, dark mahogany, thermally aged to create the sound of a nine-decade-old instrument. When the light checking in the nitrocellulose finish caught the sun, it looked as though it had just been plucked from a dusty vaudeville stage.


Next, the workshop saw the return of the 1955 J-45, the workhorse of the folk and blues scene. It was crafted with a thermally aged Sitka spruce top and a round-shoulder mahogany body, mimicking the original's punchy, clear voice. The artisans added light dings and pick trails, a story etched into the body of every strum.


Then came the giants. The 1957 SJ-200, the "King of the Flat-Tops," was a stunning recreation. Its maple back and sides shimmered, a faithful reproduction of the era when this glorious tonewood was used. The artisans painstakingly recreated every detail, from the rounded fretboard edges to the ornate pickguard.


The 1963 Dove was a burst of color and sound. With a brilliant cherry sunburst finish and distinctive engraved pickguard, this reissue recaptured the spirit of the '60s folk revival. The thermally aged Sitka spruce top guaranteed a bright, crisp voice that could cut through any mix.


Finally, the most legendary of all: the Pre-War SJ-200 Rosewood. This one was a deep dive into Gibby history, bringing back the ultra-rare SJ-200s built with rosewood back and sides. The artisans used thermally aged red spruce for the top, giving it a powerful, resonant sound that only a pre-war could truly capture.


As the five guitars lined up, they weren't just instruments. They were a time capsule, a gallery of sonic history. Each one, with its light checking and worn feel, seemed to whisper stories of long-gone jam sessions and intimate acoustic sets. The Custom Shop hadn't just built guitars; they had breathed new life into legends, giving a new generation the chance to play a piece of the past.