Best laugh I've had in years, Murphy lab refinish

Nerine

Murphy Lab is very polarising, isn't it.

I think some like/want them to be "shit" 
Some enjoy them. 

Mine wasn't "shit" although I did have a bit of minor finish flaking. It played great, stayed in tune great and sounded bloody  fantastic, albeit unpotted pickups do not suit my use case. Squealy squealy.

The biggest issue I had with it was the image. I felt like a buffoon taking it anywhere. I feel the same when I see heavy relics being played by Keith at Jam night strumming a few cowboy chords on his Heavy Relic Strat. It's a bit of a tragic image in my book.

The other issue with ML Gibsons is the price. I felt like a tosser for owning one. I felt embarrassed using it at gigs, rehearsals, jams, showing my mates, whatever because it was so expensive, it just looks like a flex whatever way you slice it. There is no reason to own one over a standard reissue, in my opinion. I got rid of my brand new ML 59 LP and got a 2017 True Historic R8 and pocketed a chunk of cash in the process. Far easier to live with and even though the R8 doesn't have much patina on it yet, it will do because it's a much bigger joy to own and play (whisper it, but it's a better guitar in pretty much every measurable way) than the ML ever was. Would I buy another ML? Nah probably not. The only exception being a lottery win, and even then I'd keep it sober because they have a serious image problem, IMO. 

You buy an ML because you can. Not because they are any better than anything else.

They're the Balenciaga trainer of the guitar world. Albeit slightly less fucking hideous.   

chris78

GoldenEraGuitars said:

@chris78 im not sure about any of this, you’d really need to ask Darren. 

Don’t expect you to- wasn’t your original post.
Dont you think it would have been better cricket to have provided the context rather than sneering and laughing though?
I really hope it wasn’t one of the seconds that I alluded to as to put a post up complaining about the finish on those would be bang out of line. Though for balance it shows the danger of Gibson releasing such guitars into the wild

bertie

p90fool said:

Can someone tell me what's going on?

nothin' but the rent

koss59

From where I’m standing, they don’t act like old finishes. 

I have a few old Gibsons and have had more in the past and not once have I had one where it flakes off.
Unfortunately it’s the same with a lot of these relic finishes. 

My Atkin acoustic is way easier to damage than any old Martin.
You only have to see pictures of pick damage on them when they’re only a few years old to see it’s a thinner finish than the old ones. 

elstoof

In 15 years time these first run ML with finish flaws will be super rare, sought after and worth a fortune, you’d be mad to refinish it!

Dumodal

I have owned 3 ML and none of them had any issues and they were one of the best instruments I have ever played, I know they were having issues with the red dye of some sort?

In any case if I buy an used guitar and the guitar develops some issues I don't expect the company to solve it for me as I am not the original owner and when you fill the warranty cards with either Gibson or Fender they ask you about the dealer you got the guitar from etc I guess to avoid this situations. (although some builders will help but mostly are small builders). 

I have seen comments bashing ML and most of them are targeting the person who buys them, I don't get the point in that, you don't like like ML? Don't buy it, you think its expensive? Don't buy it, calling the person who owns expensive guitars fools its pathetic. Live and let live. 

Snags

mgaw said:

Still don’t see what’s funny about laughing at others misfortunes and indeed fellow professionals fuck ups. 

Anyway it’s up to you what you post

It's perfectly possible to laugh in disbelief at how shit the finish is without being in any way unsympathetic to the person who has the problem. I'd go so far as to say it's a not uncommon reaction when faced with that kind of thing.

GSPBASSES

Danielsguitars said:

Deleted

I know you've deleted the original post, possibly the best thing as the amount of arguing that's now going on within this post. I personally wouldn't have use that as a heading for the post. I think I would've have said something like "This is very sad" or words similar to that. 
 I also don't believe that Gibson turn out rubbish guitars continuously, but there are people who just want to bash Gibson for the sake of bashing Gibson. I also think Gibson can get away with their poor quality control, because so many of the great guitarist play Gibsons, so all is forgiven as far as guitarist concerned.
  I've got a Gibson Les Paul. I think it's 20 years old now and as good as new sounds great plays OK, I say OK, mainly because I make Les Pauls and I think mine play better. I've also played a lot of Feline Lions that are far superior to a Gibson. I would also say I'm not a great Gibson fan. I think a Les Paul is a handful of guitar, I prefer a telecaster.

PS this is not a plug the drum up some business to make Les Pauls as I'm not taking orders anymore.

SlopeSoarer

stickyfiddle said:

Genuine question - wouldn’t the same thing happen if you took a roll of gaffer to a vintage Gibson? 

This is a good point. Surely a vintage instruments finish will be fragile!?

Playing devil's advocate...

Would say a vintage LP and ML LP continue to age at similar rates if used regularly?

My gut feeling is genuine vintage guitars will be used sparingly whereas a new ML will be used more and so maybe appears to wear more rapidly/over the top.

If you have bought a ML did you have any expectations before purchase regarding continued wear/aging? 

elstoof

GSPBASSES said:

PS this is not a plug the drum up some business to make Les Pauls as I'm not taking orders anymore.

That’s unfortunately how the OP and social media posts come across, there’s an awful lot of “my finish won’t fall off like this shit does” in there which leaves a bit of a bad taste

Snags

Wazmeister said:

If you dish it out, you’ve got to be able to take it…

Does that apply to smug shit-stirring superciliousness too?

Asking for a friend who has form ...

DefaultM

Snags said:

Wazmeister said:

If you dish it out, you’ve got to be able to take it…

Does that apply to smug shit-stirring superciliousness too?

Asking for a friend who has form ...

There's no time for super silliness on this forum when members have currently got to decide between defending Gibson or a small builder.
The ultimate tFB dilemma.

GSPBASSES

elstoof said:

GSPBASSES said:

PS this is not a plug the drum up some business to make Les Pauls as I'm not taking orders anymore.

That’s unfortunately how the OP and social media posts come across, there’s an awful lot of “my finish won’t fall off like this shit does” in there which leaves a bit of a bad taste

Sorry, didn't you read that line, I don't take orders anymore so I'm not drumming business! Also, I do not supply guitars with any finish on them. I supply bear wood so I can confidently say the guitars that leave my workshop the finish will not fall off because there's no finish on them.

DefaultM

I don't think he was talking about you.

elstoof

I wasn’t!

CHRISB50

Snags said:

mgaw said:

Still don’t see what’s funny about laughing at others misfortunes and indeed fellow professionals fuck ups. 

Anyway it’s up to you what you post

It's perfectly possible to laugh in disbelief at how shit the finish is without being in any way unsympathetic to the person who has the problem. I'd go so far as to say it's a not uncommon reaction when faced with that kind of thing.

Yeah. This.

I know the post has been removed, but my interpretation of the laughter was at the state of the finish. Not gloating about the customer's problematic guitar.

GSPBASSES

elstoof said:

I wasn’t!

Apologies for the misunderstanding.

OilCityPickups

tone1 said:

What’s an ‘Instagram’ ?…

Tic Toc for people able to grow pubes ... 

dindude

Can I ask the real question in the room.

Why is the guy who runs Daniel’s Guitars called Darren? 

Kittyfrisk

dindude said:

Can I ask the real question in the room.

Why is the guy who runs Daniel’s Guitars called Darren? 

I believe it was named in memory of his son Daniel, who sadly died far too young.