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Gloss, VOS, Aged?

Gino753

Active member
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
187
For me it’s Gloss, but i like VOS as well, but i go for Gloss mainly.Both my Historic les Paul’s bought new in gloss.I found a good deal on an 2016 VOS Historic SG Standard Lyre vibe, and bought it as well
 

Adonis Chacha

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2022
Messages
30
Just my opinion, but I’ve seen more than one beautiful flame top ruined by a heavy reliced finish (as far as the impact of the grain). Love my VOS historic model, but hard to beat a good gloss top. Am indifferent to light and medium aging (have seen a number that look pretty nice), though there’s something about the artificial checking that I could never gel with (feel wise). Maybe that’s the way the normal finish naturally ages over time, but again just my personal observation on the reissues (unfortunately don’t have a ton of experience with real vintage models outside of a few 70’s models).
 
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Adonis Chacha

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2022
Messages
30
This discussion just made me think about a ML heavier aged ‘57 black beauty I came across early in my search (image below). I asked one of my long time sales guys (who works at the same shop this model was for sale at) is this really how they naturally age out in the world? He said yah, because of the all mahogany body, the checking naturally ages like that (compared to reliced flame and quilt tops). Maybe that’s true, but I thought this one in particular looked awful. Is this really how the black beauties age?
 

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1allspub

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
192
VOS for me, but I did buy/own a Gloss a R8 for a while as well, and like it too... though I did age the nickel hardware myself. I just prefer VOS because it gives off the vibe of an extremely well cared for older instrument (the proverbial “stored under the bed for the last 60 years” thing).

That said, the “gunk” they leave on the VOS models is the first thing to go when I get a new VOS LP home. I hate the feel of that stuff (isn’t it just unpolished polishing compound?), so I hit the whole guitar with Gibson’s pump polish/cleaner and/or naphtha. If I found a real vintage guitar under someone’s bed and it felt all gummy and icky like the way a VOS typically feels these days, I’d clean it up too. I get it that they are trying to simulate patina... but patina and dirty aren’t the same thing. I don’t clean/polish them to a completely high gloss... more of kind of a semi-gloss, just enough to get rid of the gross tacky feel.

And while I can (sometimes) appreciate the look of a nicely aged Murphy Lab guitar, I personally don’t find them all that convincing most of the time. I think when Tom was just hand-aging them himself back in the day, they looked and felt better. The ML approach to aging just isn’t quite as good to me as Tom’s personal work. I don’t have anything intrinsically or philosophically against an artificially aged guitar, I just don’t like how ML guitars come out (the checking in particular looks and feels fake to me... Historic Makeovers does a much more convincing job, IMO... and I wouldn’t mind owning an HM guitar). Also, the ML Ultra Heavy Aged models are very formulaic with the same dings in the same usual places on all the guitars (ie, seems there’s always a “gouge” on the top behind the tailpiece at about 1 o’clock from the neck tone knob). Such a formulaic approach to “aging” seems the polar opposite of what a real (time) aged guitar would look like and therefore instantly identifiable as artificial (especially if you had a group of ML UHA guitars all next to each other). IDK, the whole ML approach has just never struck a chord with me. Give me HM any day if I wanted an aged LP. YMMV
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
Gloss.

But I have more VOS 'cause it is harder to find gloss.

Same here, never found a gloss, other than my pre-VOS reissues.

And as @1allspub does, first thing I do is de-gunk my VOS. I use Virtuoso Cleaner only (not Polish) then let them age naturally and polish infrequently as needed. I find the Virtuoso Cleaner removes the gunk without imparting a glassy mirror finish, which I prefer. A good compromise, for me.

I will probably order an Ultra Light or Light ML M2M one day, I still GAS for a Reissue LPC with Alnico staple.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
From what I've seen recently it's gloss, gloss or gloss anyway if you're getting a new CS produced gat, you can spec VOS but they ain't vos'd like they used to be prior to the Murphy Lab guitars coming on board in '19/'20.
eg, my '22 M2M 335 spec'd VOS is gloss, but I don't have a problem with that.
 

1allspub

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
192
From what I've seen recently it's gloss, gloss or gloss anyway if you're getting a new CS produced gat, you can spec VOS but they ain't vos'd like they used to be prior to the Murphy Lab guitars coming on board in '19/'20.
eg, my '22 M2M 335 spec'd VOS is gloss, but I don't have a problem with that.
??? I’ve bought two new CS VOS LPs this year (R9 and a BB7), both were definitely VOS. As VOS as any of the other ones I’ve owned in years past.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
??? I’ve bought two new CS VOS LPs this year (R9 and a BB7), both were definitely VOS. As VOS as any of the other ones I’ve owned in years past.

Post some pics if you can, I'd be interested to see them.
 

golfnut

Active member
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
196
I hate guitars that are too shiny but not fond of beaten up either. My 2 fender custom shops are journeyman relic which is very lightly relic and I think it suits the Fender look. For my R8 I had the choice between a Murphy Lab light and a VOS. I chose the VOS. To me it looks like a brand new guitar, mine has a little bit of shine to it. The hardware doesn't look gooped up to much, it doesn't shine. For me the look is perfect.
 
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