Gibson Les Paul 59 Lemonburst UHA

Gibson Les Paul 59 Lemonburst UHA review

The Gibson Les Paul 59 Lemonburst UHA is a Murphy Lab version of the 1959 Les Paul, built in the USA and finished in Lemon Burst. Its most conspicuous feature is the heavily aged surface, with pronounced playing marks intended to evoke a well-used vintage instrument. The construction and hardware follow the model's established formula, while a player report points to a sound with unusually broad, colorful character.

The listed price is 9199, with no currency specified in the supplied product information. The guitar has been available since March 2021. It comes with a Lifton case and certificate, and the product details also list a historically correct backplate in the case. There is no gig bag, and no limited-run status is specified.

Materials and construction

The body is solid mahogany topped with flamed maple. The top is attached with hide glue, as is the rosewood fingerboard. The one-piece mahogany neck has an authentic 1959 medium C profile, paired with 22 Historic Medium Jumbo frets. At 628 mm, the scale is short by modern electric-guitar standards, a familiar part of the Les Paul format. The body shape is single-cutaway, and there is no tremolo system.

On the fingerboard, aged cellulose nitrate trapezoid inlays reinforce the vintage presentation. The back has an aniline-dyed finish, while the overall Lemon Burst finish is described as heavily aged, with extreme playing marks and extensive wear. That treatment is deliberately conspicuous. Buyers looking for a clean, evenly finished instrument should be aware that the distressed appearance is a central part of this model, not an incidental detail.

Pickups and hardware

Two Custombucker humbuckers provide the HH pickup layout. The electronics include CTS 500k potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors. These component details are useful for identifying the specification, but they do not by themselves guarantee a particular response. The available player feedback is more revealing about how this guitar is perceived in use.

The bridge is a wire-free ABR-1, paired with an aluminum stopbar. Kluson single-ring vintage tuning machines and nickel hardware maintain the period-focused approach. Plastic parts are made from cellulose acetate butyrate. A 60th Anniversary switchplate medallion is fitted, and the historically correct backplate is supplied in the case. Together, these details give the instrument a specification aimed at a historically styled Les Paul rather than a modernized take on the design.

What the player report says about the sound

One player singled out Tom Murphy's work for more than its aging and visual resemblance to early Les Paul guitars. The report praises the way the instrument captures a balance between treble and low mids, describing a tone that feels broad and richly colored. The player compares that width to a 12-string guitar, or to the impression of having a chorus effect switched on. This is a subjective description, not a claim that the guitar contains a chorus circuit or behaves like a 12-string in every setting.

The same account emphasizes how much the sound can be shaped through picking strength alone. A lighter or firmer attack can change the response, giving the player expressive control without reaching immediately for an effect or control adjustment. That observation offers a practical point for prospective buyers: the character described here depends on how the instrument is played, and players who enjoy shaping dynamics with their hands may find that especially appealing.

Who should consider it

The Gibson Les Paul 59 Lemonburst UHA will suit buyers seeking a detailed, vintage-oriented Les Paul with an intentionally worn finish, traditional materials, and Custombucker pickups. Its one-piece mahogany neck, glued maple top, rosewood fingerboard, and period-style hardware make the specification easy to understand. The standout tonal impression in the supplied field report is width and color, with the picking hand playing a major role in shaping the sound.

The heavy aging is a matter of taste, and the listed price places this model in a premium category. The available feedback comes from one player, so it should be treated as an individual impression rather than a universal verdict. Still, it offers a specific reason to look beyond the finish: this Les Paul is reported to have a distinctive balance of treble and low mids, with a responsive feel that rewards changes in attack.