Is this part of Murphy aging or store hangar wear?

[CS Murphy 'R9]

I have had two Murphy lab ultralight aged and both of them did have some minor edge wear and chips. And they were both new. So maybe in some cases the Murphy lab does do some very slight aging. But I have also put my own chips in very easily the nitro is so thin and hard, that can happen. Which I happen to like the look of. The headstock wear maybe that did just happen from it hanging in the store as I said they can wear very easily… I don’t think you’ll ever find any original 1959 that’s even been under the bed that only has checking and not, a blemish somewhere. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re gonna get a checked Murphy, don’t worry about some minor wear, that makes it all the better!

I am not disputing what you say Ed I was going by what Tom Murphy and a Custom shop ML worker said and also The Ultra light I passed on only had the checking not a single chip ,scratch or dent
it was also $1000 cheaper. The "Light" aging version does have minor chips and edge wear.

 

[Wound_Up]

Only one chip on my 2023 R8 but Sam Ash sold mine as “used”.

View attachment 27577

That's kind of like the Epiphone "59 Les Paul" I just bought. I got around 70% off because of a single scratch. A scratch that I don't even see at the price I paid but at $1100, the previous owner wasn't happy with. So they returned it and it went to Franklin Guitar Works in Tennessee, which is who I bought it from.

Franklin is part of MIRC, Musical Instrument Repair Co. I believe, the place that refurbishes warranty returns and stamps the headstock with 'USED' and defaces the serial number so the next owner cant try to make another warranty claim. Even though they didn't repair my guitar, it was still stamped 'USED', which I do not care about. It was $360 originally! Lol

Unfortunately, the delivery guy dropped it at my front door and cracked the neck so I got another 15% off because of that. Ended up paying $200(started at $365) for an $1100 guitar that will take about 15 minutes to fix once I get a radius block to clamp the fretboard side.

Since I don't sell guitars, it didn't make a difference to me that the neck has a 1-2 inch crack in it under the nut that's pulled closed with string tension. It's value after this essentially means nothing to me. Since I didn't want to take a chance at sending it back and the next guitar getting busted even worse, then being stuck with that one, I kept it. I paid $200 for the thing so i come out ahead no matter what.

Yea, I was upset and disappointed for about 20 minutes. Then I was over it once I realized I'd have almost nothing in this guitar once they compensated me for the shipping damage. So I'm perfectly happy with this transaction. I got a GREAT guitar for what I paid for my first guitar, a Silvertone S-style weighing 6.2 lbs.



The cracks. They barely extend past the first fret.



The scratch it initially came with that is essentially invisible. Especially once you install a strap



Whats weird is no one seems to believe I got such a great deal on that guitar at $360. They were all convinced it had a busted neck when it was sold to me. No, it didn't. That's why Franklin offered to make it right to my satisfaction, including another guitar, full refund and return, or partial refund. I took the partial when they offered $150 back. I didn't hesitate to accept it tbh. Even with no compensation, I'd have STILL come out on top if I paid the entire $360 with the shipping damage. I was fully ready to receive nothing so when they offered 150, I took it. It was only after it got here and I cleaned and oiled the fretboard that I realized the Indian Laurel fretboard HAS LIGHT FLAME!

Yea, I scored with this one. That's also why I didn't return it. It's a really great guitar, even with the temporary cracks. It seems to have something my other guitars don't have. A fullness and roundness to the tone that none of my others have. I always found myself wondering why they sounded thin. So I put the Antiquity & Seth Lover from one of those in this guitar and it F-ING SINGS! Wow!

There's also the main reason I didn't return it. I told my Dad I was going to win this guitar in that auction early that Friday morning. He had a stroke later that morning. Is currently in the hospital. So no, I wasn't getting rid of this guitar after showing my Dad the pics and telling him I would probably win it. That just wasn't going to happen unless it was broken worse than it was.

 

[LPR6]

That's kind of like the Epiphone "59 Les Paul" I just bought. I got around 70% off because of a single scratch. A scratch that I don't even see at the price I paid but at $1100, the previous owner wasn't happy with. So they returned it and it went to Franklin Guitar Works in Tennessee, which is who I bought it from.

Franklin is part of MIRC, Musical Instrument Repair Co. I believe, the place that refurbishes warranty returns and stamps the headstock with 'USED' and defaces the serial number so the next owner cant try to make another warranty claim. Even though they didn't repair my guitar, it was still stamped 'USED', which I do not care about. It was $360 originally! Lol

Unfortunately, the delivery guy dropped it at my front door and cracked the neck so I got another 15% off because of that. Ended up paying $200(started at $365) for an $1100 guitar that will take about 15 minutes to fix once I get a radius block to clamp the fretboard side.

Since I don't sell guitars, it didn't make a difference to me that the neck has a 1-2 inch crack in it under the nut that's pulled closed with string tension. It's value after this essentially means nothing to me. Since I didn't want to take a chance at sending it back and the next guitar getting busted even worse, then being stuck with that one, I kept it. I paid $200 for the thing so i come out ahead no matter what.

Yea, I was upset and disappointed for about 20 minutes. Then I was over it once I realized I'd have almost nothing in this guitar once they compensated me for the shipping damage. So I'm perfectly happy with this transaction. I got a GREAT guitar for what I paid for my first guitar, a Silvertone S-style weighing 6.2 lbs.

View attachment 27585

The cracks. They barely extend past the first fret.

View attachment 27586View attachment 27587

The scratch it initially came with that is essentially invisible. Especially once you install a strap

View attachment 27589

Whats weird is no one seems to believe I got such a great deal on that guitar at $360. They were all convinced it had a busted neck when it was sold to me. No, it didn't. That's why Franklin offered to make it right to my satisfaction, including another guitar, full refund and return, or partial refund. I took the partial when they offered $150 back. I didn't hesitate to accept it tbh. Even with no compensation, I'd have STILL come out on top if I paid the entire $360 with the shipping damage. I was fully ready to receive nothing so when they offered 150, I took it. It was only after it got here and I cleaned and oiled the fretboard that I realized the Indian Laurel fretboard HAS LIGHT FLAME!

Yea, I scored with this one. That's also why I didn't return it. It's a really great guitar, even with the temporary cracks. It seems to have something my other guitars don't have. A fullness and roundness to the tone that none of my others have. I always found myself wondering why they sounded thin. So I put the Antiquity & Seth Lover from one of those in this guitar and it F-ING SINGS! Wow!

There's also the main reason I didn't return it. I told my Dad I was going to win this guitar in that auction early that Friday morning. He had a stroke later that morning. Is currently in the hospital. So no, I wasn't getting rid of this guitar after showing my Dad the pics and telling him I would probably win it. That just wasn't going to happen unless it was broken worse than it was.


View attachment 27590View attachment 27591View attachment 27592View attachment 27593

Damn! Quite a story. Yours looks a lot like mine but mine wasn’t as deeply discounted as yours.

 

[jb_abides]

It was only after it got here and I cleaned and oiled the fretboard that I realized the Indian Laurel fretboard HAS LIGHT FLAME!

View attachment 27592

Yes, you've got a nice one there... who say Laurel can't be great? And some board oil will probably make those flames flicker... Enjoy!

 

[CS Murphy 'R9]

Damn! Quite a story. Yours looks a lot like mine but mine wasn’t as deeply discounted as yours.

View attachment 27594

They look so much better with the gloss. Zach of Brandonwound pickups redid his Epi 59 with some historic parts and it comes out incredible for what he paid!
PART 1

PART 2

 

[silverandsix]

I have had two Murphy lab ultralight aged and both of them did have some minor edge wear and chips. And they were both new. So maybe in some cases the Murphy lab does do some very slight aging. But I have also put my own chips in very easily the nitro is so thin and hard, that can happen. Which I happen to like the look of. The headstock wear maybe that did just happen from it hanging in the store as I said they can wear very easily… I don’t think you’ll ever find any original 1959 that’s even been under the bed that only has checking and not, a blemish somewhere. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re gonna get a checked Murphy, don’t worry about some minor wear, that makes it all the better!

Yup mine too! I have a ultralight ML with edge wear and minor chips too. They told me all are a bit different when I bought it. But I had to have it as it plays like a dream!