Brian May has confirmed that a Gibson Custom Shop/Murphy Lab recreation of his iconic Red Special is firmly on the table. In February, at the grand opening of the Gibson Garage UK, . The news swiftly led to intense speculation over what this meant not only for May himself, but also what the move meant for the Red Special.
May’s iconic six-string sidepiece has been a mainstay for his entire musical career. The rock veteran has remained fiercely loyal to the guitar he first built with his father all those years ago, and for the past 20 years has been selling mass-produced versions of it under his own brand, Brian May Guitars. At the time of the Gibson Garage UK opening, theorized the new partnership could usher in a new breed of Red Special replicas – an awe-inspiring, meticulous tonal and visual recreation of the guitar fashioned under the watchful eye of the Gibson Custom Shop and Murphy Lab.
Gibson’s credentials for doing the job are evident. Over the years, the Custom Shop and Murphy Lab have recreated , , and , to name a few. Well, as May reveals in the new issue of , such theories are correct, and a Murphy Lab Red Special could indeed become a reality.
“It’s not out of the question,” May responds when asked about the replica. “We have spoken about such things, and it would be lovely to have an edition of the Brian May guitar based in the States. After all, that’s where I started with Guild.
“Guild made the first Brian May models, and then I went with Bur.
