Murph guitars were the brainchild of World War II Navy pilot, Patrick Murphy. He began designing guitars with help from his wife Mary Jane and guitar engineer Rick Geiger.
In February '65, Patrick opened Murphy Music Industries in a small factory located in San Fernando, CA. Murph Guitars were billed as "Professional Quality"... Their choice of materials & components reflects that billing.
The Murph Squire 12-String has a three-piece Poplar body and an Eastern Hardrock Maple neck. It features a Rosewood fingerboard and bridge with vibrato imported from A.C. Gotz in West Germany. The Squire was finished with 10 coats of lacquer, Kluson Deluxe tuners and a single-coil pick-up wound by Murph Industries.
Murph guitars were very well-made and fared nicely compared to other brands that landed between Gibson and Harmony. An estimated 1,200 Murph guitars were produced between '65 and '67.
Unfortunately, Murphy Music Industries went out of business in April of '67. Murph Guitars would have been a force to reckon with had the company lasted longer.
