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Oh boy ..... I have heard there are problems with the Murphy labs.

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
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683
Turns out there is a lot of talk on the internet about the marquee Murphy labs finish giving out.
seems its turned into a little bit of a disaster for Gibson and Murphy the man himself.

anyone have first hand knowledge about this and can dispel it ?

word has it some folks like the tone so much they are keeping them anyway
 

JPP-1

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Jul 11, 2006
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1,336
Turns out there is a lot of talk on the internet about the marquee Murphy labs finish giving out.
seems its turned into a little bit of a disaster for Gibson and Murphy the man himself.

anyone have first hand knowledge about this and can dispel it ?

word has it some folks like the tone so much they are keeping them anyway

I like mine love the top, playability and tone
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but yeah, they should’ve done a more thorough test of their finish before releasing it to the public
wT1ehV.jpg


however some finish flakes on an aged guitar don’t really bother me.
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
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683
hope it does not flake on the middle of the neck .................🤖
 

Pip

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Feb 26, 2011
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Interesting review in this month’s guitarist. Comparisons to a car (cost) and lack of ok relicing.
 

somebodyelseuk

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Jun 10, 2020
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Wouldn't surprise me.
Genuine lacquer checking occurs after the finish has spent years curing, knitting in to the wood and hardening. It cracks, because it is no longer elastic enough to move with the wood
You try to fake it at production volumes, by taking a razor blade to a still maliable finish and it's inevitable that it'll fall off when it starts to harden and the wood moves.
 

deytookerjaabs

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Nov 6, 2016
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That doesn't look like a razor blade issue, that's what could happen when the temps swings are unnaturally too fast/extreme, I've seen posts online where people ****ed up at home using the heat gun plus medical cold spray then the finish starts to flake with adhesion issues. I have an old Riv where the back checking got insane, original owner said it happened on a below zero day outside a gig in Montana and he heard the guitar crack, but that's no excuse when you're putting new guitars to market.
 

EpiLP1985

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Aug 11, 2017
Messages
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The issue, as I’ve heard it explained a few times now, is that the pore filler used for the dark cherry backed models in an as yet unspecified date and serial range, was defective.

The lacquer is not “mating” well and finish is simply lifting off in chunks.

It seems Gibson is not publicly acknowledging this just yet and instead, is informing people at the dealer level to take them back, within that companies return window, or to send them into Gibson and ML for a full refinish, which is the only surefire cure.

Word around the campfire is that the issue has been fixed but the lack of acknowledgement, officially of course, from Gibson is troubling to many buyers.

A side issue of concern is that some dealers have been shown to be taking these in as returns and selling them as new, even in light of flaking finish.
 

AA00475Bassman

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Apr 26, 2016
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Living in Minnesota the land of crack- checked guitar finishes the Murphy razor job is a work of art I own one not but Custom Shop .

SUBJECTIVE Murphy Lab is, Although Im shopping these along with Collectors Choice The aged platform is no different than Ice Tea vs bourbon vs Tomato soup take it or leave it. Post #2 JPP-1 new Murphy Lab is gorgeous really a fine example of the skill involved .
 

Pip

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why with the up charge is it so difficult to age the plastics and chrome?
 

AA00475Bassman

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Apr 26, 2016
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Living in Northern Minnesota I see plenty of weather checked guitars paint lifting is a new one Ive never seen Gibson has some homework , Although never say never yet to see this on weather induce checking. Huge humidity & temp swings in Minnesota.
 

GastonG

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Jul 25, 2001
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1,397
Yes. Wow, you have a keen eye.
JPP-1, your Murphy Lab Les Paul is truly a "rare bird", I saved the pictures from the store weeks ago because that was a great sounding one with a remarkable top.
 

6L6

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Mar 30, 2002
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It's not just Murphy Labs it's also regular Custom Shop instruments as well .
Were'd you hear this? So far, I've only heard it was a problem with some of the the ML aged guitars with the cherry backs.
 

mcdyas

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Nov 27, 2005
Messages
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in the age of instagram and the internet- are there any pics of the finish coming off in chunks? not saying it does not happen, but it seems there should be a few pics floating around showing it-
 
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