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Murphy lab yay or nay?

bluesroom

Active member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
443
So what’s the general consensus of the Murphy labs?
What is really good about them and what is just ok about them?
prices?
Thanks
 
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KoP

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Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
62
I’ve seen some in shops and they look really well done. But for me, I don’t get it. I wouldn’t pay more for one, and I think that a guitar should just be played to be aged. That’s how the originals were aged: just play the F out of the guitar and don’t treat it like a case queen.
 
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ADP

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Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
681
The only Tom Murphy guitars worth anything have his initials "TM" carved in the aging. That's my opinion.
 

CAGinLA

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Jan 4, 2016
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489
Yay all the way. I have two - '64 ES-335 and '58 LP - both are the best examples of each model from the Custom Shop that I have ever played/owned.
 
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Guitar Magic

Active member
Joined
Apr 16, 2015
Messages
97
For 10k they could at least put uniformly dark Madagascar RW boards on them that are virtually indistinguishable from old BRW like the one I have on my '07 R9. Glassy smooth surface, non-porous, naturally oily and high-density like Braz that provides a snappy attack and adds some depth to the tone that I think would work incredibly well with the post-2009 Fiji-growth mahogany on these current Historics.
 

CAGinLA

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Jan 4, 2016
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489
The various types of rosewood have a different feel to them but hardly make any difference at all in the tone.
 
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latestarter

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Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
I have a Murphy Lab '64 ES-335 in Cherry. I received it in a trade.

The aging is OK...I guess you could call it "under the bed" type effect as there are no other dings or wear added other than the fine "cut" aged lacquer lines. Just checked the card and it's "Ultra Light aging".

Things that aren't great on the guitar;
- The red filler on the F Holes shows as pink vs the rest of the body...that should have been toned down to reflect the supposed age of the instrument.
- The hardware looked out of place. E.g. the knobs were clear and silver....as opposed to amber and discoloured.
- The bridge posts were drilled leaning back (I have photos of this), meaning intonation and string break were all weird. I fixed it...but seriously?!
- The pick guard is also very white (on the edges), not amber and the distinct vintage bevel and white layers widths are not true to a 64.

I replaced the pickups with Thro's and fixed the annoying things as per the above. There's another $800.

It plays and sounds great now. It's as good as any of my older 335's tonally. Would I buy one from new? Nope.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
A poem by Ren:

Nayyay.

That's all I can say.

Just for today.

I pick the ones Cooter aged to play.

Though they smell like old cigarettes in the ashtray.

But I suppose that's better than horse shit and hay.

Which is where he usually spends his day.

Nayyay.
 

programmer

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Messages
36
Yay. I just don't like shiny new guitars as much. I have a vintage '64 es-335 and a '58 LP special, and an ML R9 that has some of that old vibe. As close as I can get. My R7 is VOS and nice too but ML is better.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
I have a few "aged" guitars that just happened to be of a type I was seeking at the time.

I don't like paying extra for a beat up guitar, but...

When I pick them up it is nice
not to be as concerned when I run them into something or drop the lid on them, etc.

I just can't be convinced I should pay extra not to give a shit.
 
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