Played a Few Murphy Lab Gibson Acoustics Yesterday/Today -- My Thoughts

[ZeroFretWear]

Originally Posted by soups

I had the same question when I bought the floor model. How could I tell if anything happened on the floor?

I wasn’t referring to you. All good!

Were you referring to my post? Just expressing my opinion.
If you bought one of these and are happy with your purchase, that's all that should matter for you.
Now go and play that thing instead of getting into debates on the internet!

[soups]

Originally Posted by ZeroFretWear

Were you referring to my post? Just expressing my opinion.
If you bought one of these and are happy with your purchase, that's all that should matter for you.
Now go and play that thing instead of getting into debates on the internet!

The “terrible investment financially and tonally” seemed a bit abrasive in a thread where people were expressing their excitement for their new Gibson instruments. No big deal.

[ZeroFretWear]

Originally Posted by soups

The “terrible investment financially and tonally” seemed a bit abrasive in a thread where people were expressing their excitement for their new Gibson instruments. No big deal.

Was this a NGD thread? I don't think the OP bought any of these.
He said "It smelled like a Maaco car paint shop. Come on Gibson...really?"
Doesn't sound like excitement to me. Seems like he made the smart decision to pass (he usually does).

[mmarchi]

Originally Posted by ZeroFretWear

With the new Gibson, you're gonna lose at least 30-40% of the money you paid for it as soon as you bring it home. Terrible investment, financially and tonally...

Whoever considers a guitar purchase an investment needs to rethink their investment strategy. I”m waiting for your video comparing an identical vintage model to a new ML to show us why they are so much better. Without that anything you say is baseless and without fact. Time to step up…

[pcf]

I am a vintage Gibson guy but I will say they are building better guitars now than maybe ever. In 50-70 years these will be akin to the 30’s-early 50’s Gibsons we clamor for now.

[soups]

What we aren’t account for is that in 30 years these will be double vintage. Fake vintage and real vintage. Should bring premium dollars by 2054

[Mr. Paul]

Originally Posted by ZeroFretWear

With the new Gibson, you're gonna lose at least 30-40% of the money you paid for it as soon as you bring it home. Terrible investment, financially and tonally...

Do you remember saying this ...

"Am shopping for one of the Gibson Historic series acoustics. "

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=620847

[srick]

Happy New Year everybody.

Most of you know this, but it bears repeating, “Rule#1 on AGF is be nice.”

The arguments that we get into on the AGF are almost always subjective. Please allow folks the space to provide their opinions and leave it there. It’s not a competition - there are no points to be scored - there should be no ‘gotchas’.

Enough said.

I wish you all a good year full of music, health and joy.

Rick
AGF Moderator

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by ZeroFretWear

Was this a NGD thread? I don't think the OP bought any of these.
He said "It smelled like a Maaco car paint shop. Come on Gibson...really?"
Doesn't sound like excitement to me. Seems like he made the smart decision to pass (he usually does).

I think the head scratcher was the statement “[These guitars are a] terrible investment…tonally”. Financially—like buying a new car—it’s never the best move to buy new, but there is near consensus that the Gibson Historics represent a substantial jump in the Tone and Resonance department. Those who have played several or own a good one know exactly what we’re talking about. “Tonally,” the Historic J45 has been the best guitar investment of my life.

Please elaborate so we know what you mean by “terrible investment… tonally.”

[zombywoof]

As a starting point I do not think of old or new guitars in terms of better or not as good. They are simply different sounding. There is no way that say a recent production J200 is going to sound like one which rolled out of the factory in the 1950s. The reason is they are very different beasts structurally with the older ones having a bracing which was unique to that model. While I would guess Gibson was more concerned about supporting that big old top than anything else, in 50 or so years of playing Gibsons I have never held a maple body J200 in my hands I liked better than those. I would say the same thing about a 1930s L Series guitar. In this case while going with a bridge plate no thicker than a business card or two may be great when it comes to a hair trigger response and sound, it is also a warranty nightmare waiting to happen. When it comes to Banners, something different comes into play. No guitar on the face of the planet speaks as eloquently to a specific time and place as those instruments do. It is like you feel not as much as you own them as you have been appointed its caretaker. There is no way you can attach a price tag to that.

[mmarchi]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

As a starting point I do not think of old or new guitars in terms of better or not as good. They are simply different sounding. There is no way that say a recent production J200 is going to sound like one which rolled out of the factory in the 1950s. The reason is they are very different beasts structurally with the older ones having a bracing which was unique to that model. While I would guess Gibson was more concerned about supporting that big old top than anything else, in 50 or so years of playing Gibsons I have never held a maple body J200 in my hands I liked better than those. I would say the same thing about a 1930s L Series guitar. In this case while going with a bridge plate no thicker than a business card or two may be great when it comes to a hair trigger response and sound, it is also a warranty nightmare waiting to happen. When it comes to Banners, something different comes into play. No guitar on the face of the planet speaks as eloquently to a specific time and place as those instruments do. It is like you feel not as much as you own them as you have been appointed its caretaker. There is no way you can attach a price tag to that.

Thank you for the detailed summary on your experiences which is appreciated. Your response explains your view and does not come off and make it sound like those of us that have ML guitars (or "replicas" as ZeroFretHead likes to call them) threw away our money on guitars that are 10x worse.

[ZeroFretWear]

Originally Posted by pcf

I am a vintage Gibson guy but I will say they are building better guitars now than maybe ever. In 50-70 years these will be akin to the 30’s-early 50’s Gibsons we clamor for now.

Doubtful. For one thing, there are way more Gibsons being built today than were ever made in the 1930s and 1940s. Not just per year, but year after year after year. And they ain't stopping.
On the other hand, last I heard, they weren't building any more vintage guitars, other than replicas...

[SalFromChatham]

Count me in the camp that Bozeman is making incredible guitars today. Incredible.

Now I just need to find a magical Gibson that sounds huge but is comfortable like a 000.

[pcf]

Originally Posted by ZeroFretWear

Doubtful. For one thing, there are way more Gibsons being built today than were ever made in the 1930s and 1940s. Not just per year, but year after year after year. And they ain't stopping.
On the other hand, last I heard, they weren't building any more vintage guitars, other than replicas...

They aren't building anymore 2023 guitars either. Just bc a manufacturer is making exponentially more guitars today versus the 30's to 50's doesn't mean they are of lower quality, sound worse or will be less favorable in the future. We are doing more with less by the day in all aspects of life. (Get ready for drones to Uber you around by air instead of cars by asphalt.)

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by ZeroFretWear

Doubtful. For one thing, there are way more Gibsons being built today than were ever made in the 1930s and 1940s. Not just per year, but year after year after year. And they ain't stopping.
On the other hand, last I heard, they weren't building any more vintage guitars, other than replicas...

The problem is none of us know what those Gibsons from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s sounded like when they were brand spanking new. I dare say they were not born with that parched dryness they have acquired over the decades.