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Gibson Les Paul 1993 R6 (Goldtop), Tom Murphy?


Guest Edgar B

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Guest Edgar B

Hello community!

 

 

I just bought this guitar (1993 R6 Goldtop serial: 6 3002 with CustomShop Edition decal on the back of the headstock) and a friend told me that this guitar could have been built (finished) by Tom Murphy? is this real? Is there any chance this guitar was finished by Tom Murphy?

 

Just for the record, the guy who owned this guitar for the last 12 years and then sold me, said that the cracking on the paint came naturally.

 

Thank's for your time.

 

Here's some hot pics:

 

Front:

http://ap.imagensbrasil.org/image/jqROd6

 

Back of Head:

http://ap.imagensbrasil.org/image/jqZji8

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...a friend told me that this guitar could have been built (finished) by Tom Murphy? is this real?...

Hi, Edgar, and welcome to the forum.

 

Curious. I don't think I am going to be much help but here's my tuppence-worth FWIW;

 

It's true that Tom Murphy did, indeed, paint some of the first of the re-issues in 1993 (and I quote);

 

"First 25 Sunburst and first 15 Goldtops were painted by Tom Murphy..."

 

As your G-T has the serial 6 3002 it translates as the second 1956 re-issue made in 1993. Looking good so far. The only problem is that there were TWO types of G-T re-issue produced in 1993; the R6 and the R7. Did TM paint the first 15 of each type? If so then he DID paint yours. If, however, he only painted the first 15 G-Ts in total and there were 15 or more R7s made before the R6s were made then he DIDN'T paint yours. Contrarily, if the R6s were made before the R7s then he DID paint yours.

 

One other thing which slightly bothers me is that all the official 1993 Re-Issues I've seen had the 'Historic Division' decal and NOT the Custom Shop one. Here's my '93 R9 for comparison;

 

HistoricCollectionlogo-1.jpg

 

I must confess I'm stumped.

The best thing would be to send a PM to Gibson Customer Service and ask if they have accurate records from these days. Here's where;

 

http://www.gibson.co.../Talk-2-Us.aspx

 

Good Luck!

 

Pip.

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Hi, Edgar, and welcome to the forum.

 

Curious. I don't think I am going to be much help but here's my tuppence-worth FWIW;

 

It's true that Tom Murphy did, indeed, paint some of the first of the re-issues in 1993 (and I quote);

 

"First 25 Sunburst and first 15 Goldtops were painted by Tom Murphy..."

 

As your G-T has the serial 6 3002 it translates as the second 1956 re-issue made in 1993. Looking good so far. The only problem is that there were TWO types of G-T re-issue produced in 1993; the R6 and the R7. Did TM paint the first 15 of each type? If so then he DID paint yours. If, however, he only painted the first 15 G-Ts in total and there were 15 or more R7s made before the R6s were made then he DIDN'T paint yours. Contrarily, if the R6s were made before the R7s then he DID paint yours.

 

One other thing which slightly bothers me is that all the official 1993 Re-Issues I've seen had the 'Historic Division' decal and NOT the Custom Shop one. Here's my '93 R9 for comparison;

 

 

I must confess I'm stumped.

The best thing would be to send a PM to Gibson Customer Service and ask if they have accurate records from these days. Here's where;

 

http://www.gibson.co.../Talk-2-Us.aspx

 

Good Luck!

 

Pip.

 

 

Hello Pippy! Thank you for your help!!!

 

This issue of order in the painting on Gold top is exactly what makes me curious and is the key to unraveling this mystery, I created a thread in the MLPF and has a guy who says that the production started chronologically first R6 and then R7, I do not know, apparently things were kind of blurry at the beginning of reeissues production. (All I know this is the best guitar I ever played, she is already very special to me)

 

**Just for the record: I'm bought this guitar not expecting to be a TM, I bought through the internet (completely blind), i just had a feeling of TM when she arrived and i saw the serial number**

 

About the decal "Custom Shop Edition", I read that this decal is kind of rare to find,I saw a 1993 R9 with this decal. like this one:

https://reverb.com/item/1070833-gibson-les-paul-r9-murphy-painted-1993-cherry-sunburst

 

I contacted Gibson and they say that Tom Murphy was involved with finishing guitars during this timeframe, but they have no information archived which indicates whether or not he was involved with the finishing of this particular instrument.

 

Again, thank you for your time!

 

 

here's some more pics:

 

IMG_7743.jpg

 

IMG_7744.jpg

 

IMG_7745.jpg

 

IMG_7746.jpg

 

IMG_7747.jpg

 

IMG_7748.jpg

 

IMG_7750.jpg

 

IMG_7751.jpg

 

IMG_7752.jpg

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