|
|
#31
09-07-2023, 08:54 AM
|
|||
|
|||
I assume and hope Gibson will continue to push out the Custom Historic guitars they've been making the last few years, as pretty much all of them I have played have been fantastic. I can't really see myself paying more for the Murphy's though I look forward to playing them if/when they show up in my local shop.
|
|
#32
09-07-2023, 09:36 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Gibson is venturing into Breedlove territory here with the number of new product lines coming out. I love my Gibsons, but they need to find a way to streamline and drive clarity or they will risk diluting their brand IMO.
For a long time Martin has done a much better job clearly defining their offerings in the higher end acoustic market. Even the Gibson 'Historic series' while many are great guitars, contain a mix of modern and vintage specs. Standard Series (Modern) Standard Series (60's) Standard Series (50's) Vintage True Vintage Custom Shop Historic I'm sure I'm missing some, but that's a lot of different sublines with somewhat murky specs.
__________________
1949 Martin D-18 | 1968 Martin D-28 | 1949 Gibson J-45 | 1953 Gibson J-45 | 1955 Gibson LG-2 | Santa Cruz 000 Cocobolo / Italian Spruce | Martin D-18 1939 Authentic Aged | Martin Gruhn Guitars Custom D-21 Adi/Madi | Gibson J-45 | Fender American Elite Telecaster | Fender American Standard Stratocaster | Gibson Les Paul Standard | Gibson Les Paul Studio
|
|
#33
09-07-2023, 09:59 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
1) there is near consensus that the thinner, checked finish on the aged martins results in an audible change to the guitars tone. People who pay the upcharge typically prefer the sound of the aged model. 2) an original, playable, player grade 30s D18 is tens of thousands of dollars, and a 30s D 28 is significantly more than that. By comparison, the aged authentics are a fraction of that cost. As I see it, Gibson’s challenges are that, even despite recent vintage market inflation, these guitars are priced really close to their vintage counterparts. And it remains to be seen whether the aged models will sound any different or better than the regular Historic. I’ve also noticed that, especially the more recent historic Sunburst Gibsons have had a particularly swirled, blunted matte finish, which completely kills the optical depth of the otherwise spectacular Sunburst. I love that they are checking these thin finishes, but I think the higher grit buffing agent or steel wool or whatever they’re using is a huge mistake. Prewar, guitars, by comparison, has their finish completely dialed in. Last edited by zoopeda; 09-07-2023 at 10:14 AM.
|
|
#34
09-07-2023, 10:32 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
Quote:
Look no further than the latest 50’s and 60’s original guitars. The ones I have played are really good sounding guitars but they sure aren’t sounding anything like a vintage mid 50’s into 60’s J-45 or LG with tapered bracing. At least Martin got closer with the Marquis and Golden Era bracing. As for the aging process I don’t mind it at all. Good for Gibson on finding a higher end market. I probably won’t buy one because I am on a search for a pre 55 scalloped braced J-45 style guitar. I’m more interested in the likes of Fairbanks, Atkin, Walker or Kopp who seem to be interested in using a bracing and voicing style that is more accurate to the guitars they are copying. And the bonus is they are cheaper than Gibson’s Custom Historic line
__________________
1962 Gibson J-50 2019 Guild D-40E 2021 Martin D-18 1939 AA Last edited by Fireside_Guitar; 09-07-2023 at 10:42 AM.
|
|
#35
09-07-2023, 03:49 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
We are spoiled for choice and I've seen no guns to the head to make people buy them.
__________________
2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa
|
|
#37
09-08-2023, 05:26 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
A quick look at Music Villa listings shows the 33 L-00 Gibson Murph Labs as sold! Assuming it is the one in the Music Villa/Acoustic Letter video, it is possibly the only one made? I know nothing, just saying.....and I find it rather ironic that the L-00 sold first while the others sit waiting after Gibson disappointingly did NOT release an L-00 model with the Historic Series a couple of years ago!
Perhaps they DID notice my bleating? Probably not. Just packed up my sensational (7 or 8 years old now) Waterloo WL-14X after playing some country blues fingerpicking....perfect thanks Bill! I would love to play it next to the new Gibson L-00 Murph! BluesKing777.
|
|
#38
09-26-2023, 03:06 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Back in the spring I wanted to buy a new Gibson, and I was going to be in Houston for work so I stopped at Fullers. I gave myself permission to buy the guitar that spoke to me, independent of budget. I went in thinking that it would be a Historic J-185 or Hummingbird since I already have a great J-45. I played through the whole rack of Hummers, J-200's, J-185's etc. and they were all good but not great. Then I played the Martin Custom Shop Authentic Aged 000-28 and knew that it was the one. I played the non-aged side by side and was surprised by how much more I liked the Aged. It came home with me.
Last week I was in Bozeman and I stopped into Music Villa. I played the Murphy aged J-200, Hummingbird and J-45 and they were all fantastic. Totally next level from the Historics I played at Fullers, no comparison. I've played dozens of J-200's old and new and the Murphy was the best one I've ever played, hands down. If I hadn't just bought the Martin recently it would have come home with me. I wish I had that decision back. Yes, the prices are ridiculous- but the aging is way more than cosmetic on both the Martins and the Gibsons. Totally different, next-level instruments.
__________________
1943 Gibson J-45 Martin Custom Shop 000-28 Authentic Aged 1937 Voyage Air VAOM-4
|
|
#39
09-27-2023, 05:52 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I recently bought a 2002 50's RI J-200. And was extremely happy, it didn't have a mark on it. Looked brand new.
It has different bracing than my 2014 Ultimate and sounds much better to me. Bought the 1952 RI J-185 last year. Not crazy about the finish. But tone and playability is among the best in my arsenal. I don't care to buy an expensive guitar that has been beat up on purpose. But never say never, right? 200nat1.jpg 1952.jpg
|
|
#41
09-27-2023, 08:21 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I was surprised to see this amount of runout on the Murphy Lab J45 at Wildwood Guitars.
__________________
Every single person who mistakes correlation for causation ends up dying.
|
|
#42
09-27-2023, 11:13 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
Here's a Henderson going for $64k that has runout: https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/in...ed-spruce-701/ And a Jang for $15k with runout: https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/in...-007itaco0916/ And a Teel for $20k with runout: https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/in...-007itaco0916/ And on and on you can go finding more examples.
|
