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Opinion..what’s better?

15Window

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May 5, 2020
Messages
58
So I didn’t do a search so this might have been discussed already however, with the options out there now, who does it best? Collector’s choice, historic makeovers, Murphy lab?
 

corpse

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Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Tone-wise- aesthetically- historically- HM- by far.
Financially- probably a CC. But you have to get the right one- a Goldie, Peter Green, Nicky (speaking of which Hr Ellman??).
But it is close in certain cases, and there are OK HM's and ok CC's.
The ML's are too soon to tell.
 

Pellman73

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Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
Tone-wise- aesthetically- historically- HM- by far.
Financially- probably a CC. But you have to get the right one- a Goldie, Peter Green, Nicky (speaking of which Hr Ellman??).
But it is close in certain cases, and there are OK HM's and ok CC's.
The ML's are too soon to tell.
ha--- CHECK ABOVE this thread!! 🙃
 

Tim Plains

Active member
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Aug 1, 2013
Messages
795
I would rank HM as being best but it's not Gibson and some people / collectors care for originally, CCs next, and in house aging I mean ML last. I had a CC7 (2013?), overall sweet guitar, but I hated the bad aging job.
 

Pellman73

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Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
So I didn’t do a search so this might have been discussed already however, with the options out there now, who does it best? Collector’s choice, historic makeovers, Murphy lab?

I'm not an expert but I've had now two collectors choices and one historic makeover and no murphy lab but 3 Gil Yaron replicas, a couple R9's and now two Duane Hotlanta s .... They are all great. The thing about les pauls are there are so many rabbit holes to go down. What are you looking for? A particular flame ? a particular burst? a particular neck profile? A particular bridge sound, both sound, or neck sound? Do cosmetics not matter and its all about the sound of the instrument? The hardest thing is the guitar that might LOOK like your dream guitar might just not have the right chemistry with you. I got a Gil Yaron that is the most gorgeous looking guitar i"ve ever seen, but like going on a date with your dream girl you sadly find out maybe you have nothing to talk about !

They really are like women (I hate to say that). some you can love forever. Some are a one night stand. Some you'll pine for that you've lost for the rest of your life ! Some you can find a way to live with. The hard part is you've got to spend time with them to really find out if they are keepers or not! But what I"d say is there is a lot of fun in figuring that out

The historic makeovers, usually are kinda high priced for resale. Like if you spend 6G on an R9 and then 4500 for the historic makeovers it might be hard for you to sell that guitar for what you've bought it for-- however if someone has one and you want to buy it and its like 7G (braz board and the deluxe treatment) you might get yourself a killer guitar. They are really badass.... there's actually one on reverb right now (I just looked) that looks like Jimmy Page's #1 and is down to 7,495 (braz board)... that would probably be killer-- but without playing it its a lot to spend.

the murphy lab stuff people say is great and i haven't tried it

I think as Corpse said the collectors choice stuff is probably the safest (as long as you don't pay too much) investment where you could recoup what you spend as they are a limited run-- especially some of the more desirable ones. Someone can correct me here or not but pre 2015 the Collectors choice guitars did not have True Historic specs. I can tell you my Nicky (2015) is def a more resonant guitar than the Greg Martin (2013)

good luck
 

15Window

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Joined
May 5, 2020
Messages
58
I’ve got a CC#13 and #46, both aged versions. I’m not sure who did the relicing on those, if they are Murphys or not. I mainly play my 60th Ann ‘59 but after playing a ‘59 Murphy lab at Sweetwater yesterday, wow! I’m looking more into the ‘58’s at this point. Just kinda curious as to what the general consensus was.
 
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