Gibson Murphy Lab Gone Acoustic

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

My three year old Historic looks about like that now lol. I wonder if they’ll do them more aggressively in the future.

Checked finish looks cool. Has anyone taken a condensed air can to a J45 standard or historic? I’d be curious to see if it checks nicely or if they’re plasticized like martins.

I can’t speak to the acoustics but on the finish on the electrics cracks with duster with ease. Can't say the same about an aged Martin.

[btc5865]

Love the look of the pickguard, wonder how easily it will scratch off

[abn556]

I played a couple of Murphy Les Pauls at the Gibson Garage. I have to say while I am not a fan of aging in general, that the two I played were great guitars that really had that old guitar feel to them. Rounded, smooth edges on fingerboard binding gave them a great feel to your hand. Super comfortable to play.

[davenumber2]

Originally Posted by btc5865

Love the look of the pickguard, wonder how easily it will scratch off

I believe HB pickguards are etched so it won't scratch off.

[buttahneck]

I just picked up a new J-45 50s original last weekend, 2022 model. There is no way that I would pay $6500 to have a slightly more broken in feel, thinner finish, and thermally aged top. after trying out over a dozen J-45s before finding the right one, I picked out one that was huge, open, and warm in the bass/midrange. Plus the neck is amazing for a non-custom shop guitar. I don't plan on ever selling it, so I think if I play it enough, in 10-15 years it will be worn in, aged, and a complete killer. There seems to be something personally satisfying of doing the break-in yourself and hearing the instrument open up over time---plus giving it your own wear marks.

if I was that kind of money for a murphy lab, I think it would be cool to have a Collings, Santa Cruz, or Atkins instead just to try something different.

[ThePanda]

These will be overpriced, but I am 100% positive they will feel good in the hands.

The Custom Shop Aged electric guitars feel really nice to hold and play.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by davenumber2

I believe HB pickguards are etched so it won't scratch off.

Yes, but they do lose the paint definition. I'm not young enough to worry about it. A bird is a bird, either hummingbird or dove. You lust to have one or not. I think replacements from Gibson are around $250. The knockoffs are cheap looking.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by buttahneck

I just picked up a new J-45 50s original last weekend, 2022 model. There is no way that I would pay $6500 to have a slightly more broken in feel, thinner finish, and thermally aged top. after trying out over a dozen J-45s before finding the right one, I picked out one that was huge, open, and warm in the bass/midrange. Plus the neck is amazing for a non-custom shop guitar. I don't plan on ever selling it, so I think if I play it enough, in 10-15 years it will be worn in, aged, and a complete killer. There seems to be something personally satisfying of doing the break-in yourself and hearing the instrument open up over time---plus giving it your own wear marks.

if I was that kind of money for a murphy lab, I think it would be cool to have a Collings, Santa Cruz, or Atkins instead just to try something different.

It's not just about broken-in feel and thinner finish. The overall build and materials are much different. It would be more like comparing an Epiphone inspired by Gibson to a J-45 Standard. It might not be worth it for everyone and I'm not saying standards aren't great guitars but it is like apples and oranges. The good thing is there are a lot of choices for the player.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

It's not just about broken-in feel and thinner finish. The overall build and materials are much different.

Do we know if these Murphy Lab Historic series acoustic actually have a thinner finish or other build changes like a Martin Authentic Aged? So far, all I’ve seen from Gibson is that they start with a Historic series guitar and age it from there. I will say, handling the Historics and Authentics side by side, the Gibson finish SEEMS thinner. But I wouldn’t trust an email from Gibson customer service on that, so who knows?

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by buttahneck

I just picked up a new J-45 50s original last weekend, 2022 model. There is no way that I would pay $6500 to have a slightly more broken in feel, thinner finish, and thermally aged top. after trying out over a dozen J-45s before finding the right one, I picked out one that was huge, open, and warm in the bass/midrange. Plus the neck is amazing for a non-custom shop guitar. I don't plan on ever selling it, so I think if I play it enough, in 10-15 years it will be worn in, aged, and a complete killer. There seems to be something personally satisfying of doing the break-in yourself and hearing the instrument open up over time---plus giving it your own wear marks.

if I was that kind of money for a murphy lab, I think it would be cool to have a Collings, Santa Cruz, or Atkins instead just to try something different.

It’s true that at these prices, you can get a scallop braced 50s J50…

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

It’s true that at these prices, you can get a scallop braced 50s J50…

Yes, it sure is a funny old world, eh?

The video with Molly Tuttle shows the guitars look like nicely treated vintage Gibsons......never seen one of those! I suppose they are out there hiding....question being...can Gibson make them any better now than a vintage one repaired and patched?

Retail (full?) on Sweetwater for a J45 Standard is $2,999, the Custom Shop Historic J45 1942 is $4,999 and the Murph Lab listed above in magazine article for $6,499....so $3500 extra for basically what a friend of mine could do to the Standard in one or two gigs with his gigantic triangular metal pick guitar killer!

They didn't bring out a Custom Shop Historic L-00 for some unknown reason when the series was released a couple of years back,so I can't compare L-00s.

I better go play my fully sensational 7 0r 8 year old Waterloos some more.....


BluesKing777.

[martingitdave]

Before they give the guitars to Molly for “real reactions” to their new line, they should tune them. She probably didn’t want to tune during the reaction video and they are just sadly out of tune. Hard to notice anything else.

[davidd]

They sure sounded weak to my ears. Very thin.

[davenumber2]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Before they give the guitars to Molly for “real reactions” to their new line, they should tune them. She probably didn’t want to tune during the reaction video and they are just sadly out of tune. Hard to notice anything else.

Yeah, when she started play the J-200 it made me cringe. Like, can you guys not hear that? A lot of people are going to be watching the video. You'd think they would want them to sound the best they can.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by davenumber2

Yeah, when she started play the J-200 it made me cringe. Like, can you guys not hear that? A lot of people are going to be watching the video. You'd think they would want them to sound the best they can.

I was actually surprised at how they sounded in this video vs their regular Historic clips. I wonder if something’s up with the recording on this music villa one. Sounds better on mollys imo…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_con...ature=emb_logo