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Gibson Custom Shop | Introducing the Murphy Lab

muddydunc

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Joined
Jan 20, 2021
Messages
18
There are quite a few 'unboxing / sound test' videos up online now with these; and they look STUNNING I think. Don't think I'm supposed to name shops etc where you can look for their videos, but there's a Golden Poppy 59 one a shop had done and they've just put up on sale.......looks / sounds sensational I think. Salty price of course, but hey.........
 

goldtop0

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Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
From what I've seen of the $$ so far they're very expensive............but hey if you've got the dough why not!!
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I have to say that what I have seen from the Murphy Lab is awesome . This just takes it to another level and really moves the ball that much closer to the vintage bursts. Bravo Tom Murphy and Gibson Custom .
 
Joined
Mar 6, 2018
Messages
44
I was super impressed to see a 59 ES-355 in a watermelon finish. It looks very convincing color-wise, I've never seen this color recreated by Gibson. Truly awesome.
 

Mr. Legit

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Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
112
They fixed the thumbwheels as I have predicted. The ABR-1's are still shaved sadly, and the tuner buttons look to have that dome. I have to agree with that watermelon cherry finish. I mean imagine putting that on an SG or a '64 ES-335, now that would be incredible as the old ones in the right light seem to retain that watermelon look. I have a couple CS guitars on order already. I will order be ordering a M2M Murphy aged Les Paul in either that ultra lightly aged or lightly aged. Now to decide on the color.
 

27sauce

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Jul 9, 2007
Messages
4,415
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guitarbob123

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Jan 2, 2009
Messages
214
not to be disrespectful but this one doesn't look too authentic to be, it looks like the freezer spray stuff ..
My first thought in glancing across a range of dealers, they look like the spray checking and I don’t think there’s many actual vintage Gibsons that have similar checking.

The frustrating thing is that if they tried the method of freezing the entire thing and then placing it somewhere warm, instead of rushing the process with spray, then they might have really nailed it.

For me it’s yet another miss from Gibson at that price I’m afraid.

I’m sure they’re great guitars but they’re not much closer to achieving the whole purpose of the Murphy Lab than they were with the razor blade approach.
 
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Mr. Legit

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Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
112
I remember in the early days Fender used to do the shattered glass type of checking, and I always loved how it looked. However, I don't love that the Murphy Lab has had to resort to this probably for productions sake, but I don't hate it because these guitars still look pretty good. I think of this as just another finish option rather than them trying to get checking right. Besides, lets be honest, nobody goes up to you checks out your guitar and says, "Your weather checking it not authentic because it isn't straight lines or like all the vintage guitars I have ever seen." I also was able to confirm that just for Murphy Lab guitars at the moment, the finish is a different type this time to what they feel is closer to vintage.
 
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Morgan24

Active member
Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
138
The heavy relic on the Murphy Lab neck looks better than before. The checking looks worse than the razor method. I just don't get it? If it is true that they use spray instead of freezer?? Why? To save a few bucks, they have a lab, don't they🤣
 

ourmaninthenorth

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Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
The opportunity cost of the Murphy painted ones makes any potential purchase decision for me. So many many more things in the queue in front of one.

This nonsense about moving nearer to the vintage stuff is soul destroying.

I have a 20 year old Murphy in my hands at the moment, a great guitar in and of itself, I know what it is, and more importantly what it isn't.
 

Wizard1183

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Joined
Jan 20, 2018
Messages
781
So whats so good about murphy to command $5000 more because he painted a guitar? Lets take his relic jobs out the equation for a second. Whats the difference between Murphy paint and Gibson paint? Im betting subliminal.
 

Pip

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Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
1,570
I’ve owned a few and I can attest that his bursts are beautiful, worth the extra if you can, I would.
 

sws1

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Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
So whats so good about murphy to command $5000 more because he painted a guitar? Lets take his relic jobs out the equation for a second. Whats the difference between Murphy paint and Gibson paint? Im betting subliminal.

It's more expensive for the same reason histories are 5k more expensive than USA les pauls.
 

Wizard1183

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Joined
Jan 20, 2018
Messages
781
It's more expensive for the same reason histories are 5k more expensive than USA les pauls.
That makes absolutely no sense. Historics cost more than USA due to parts and build schemes. You didnt answer my question. He uses the same exact paint/clear as Gibson. What makes his so special? When I see his, theyre NO different than a regular historic...

Outside of his aging techniques. If you put one Paul side by side against a Murphy painted one, Can you ALWAYS tell the difference? And how? Cause basically its one painter vs another....
 
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