Murphy Lab Chicken Pox

[calieng]

Well I went to check on my last of the original Murphy Lab guitars and it has finally fallen ill to Murphy Lab disease. Looks like chicken pox this time.

Not peeling off but little round spots have popped off while just sitting in a guitar stand. There was no missing finish on the back originally and the headstock is magically chipping away on its own too. This guitar is basically unplayed since purchase and a fairly light cherry color back.

Bye bye urine burst my old friend....

 

[spartacus slim]

Aww no, not even the urine burst was spared!

 

[Slashperryburst]

Urine burst? I realize that you've probably put a bunch of photos up, but could you share a picture of it?

Really feel sorry to all those who've bought a ML guitar and been disappointed. My BB5 was a huge financial stretch for me, but it was my dream guitar and hasn't disappointed me. From what I gather, the ML guitars actually seem to be pretty special, but Gibson obviously dropped the ball on this. Big time. I hope each and every one of you are taken care of.

 

[calieng]

I actually thought that this one was going to be ok. It had a fairly light cherry back and usually just the darker cherry finish had the peeling.

I actually dug it out because I was going to put it up for sale.

Now it goes back to Gibson instead....just when I think I am out they keep pulling me back.

The finish is just too thin and is disintegrating as it ages. You can scrap it off with your fingernail.

More finish gone on the edges too.

 

[BDW60]

Well I went to check on my last of the original Murphy Lab guitars and it has finally fallen ill to Murphy Lab disease. Looks like chicken pox this time.

Not peeling off but little round spots have popped off while just sitting in a guitar stand. There was no missing finish on the back originally and the headstock is magically chipping away on its own too. This guitar is basically unplayed since purchase and a fairly light cherry color back.

Bye bye urine burst my old friend....


View attachment 567708

View attachment 567709

Oh, piss! Et tu, UB?

 

[cmerch]

If you buy a ML guitar, urine for a big surprise!

 

[Slashperryburst]

I actually thought that this one was going to be ok. It had a fairly light cherry back and usually just the darker cherry finish had the peeling.

I actually dug it out because I was going to put it up for sale.

Now it goes back to Gibson instead....just when I think I am out they keep pulling me back.

View attachment 567762


The finish is just too thin and is disintegrating as it ages. You can scrap it off with your fingernail.

More finish gone on the edges too.

View attachment 567765

I love a nice plain top. I'll take that over a flame top any day. Shame about that one.

 

[scovell001]

Word is that Gibson are destroying these faulty guitars instead of refinishing them, is that true ?

 

[MCT]

If you buy a ML guitar, urine for a big surprise!

Best post of the day

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Does anyone know the % of ML’s that this happened to? I have one of the first ML R8 Flametops and have zero issues with the finish.

 

[calieng]

Does anyone know the % of ML’s that this happened to? I have one of the first ML R8 Flametops and have zero issues with the finish.

I am now 10 for 10 for defects of ones with a cherry back with dates ranging 2020 to June 2021.

These are all the guitars I have packed and returned so far....

2 heavy aged '60 (Wildwood)
1 UL and 1 heavy '59 (Willcutt) and 1 heavy '59 replacement from Gibson
1 light aged '59 (Guitar Riot)
1 UL '59 (Replay) and 1 UL replacement from Gibson
1 light '58 (HOG return pending)
1 UL '59 (Parkway - item refused - finish defective on arrival)

 

[calieng]

Word is that Gibson are destroying these faulty guitars instead of refinishing them, is that true ?

That's what they tell me. And then I get someone else's repaired guitar as a replacement (that also turned out to be defective) and others online mention waiting for their repairs to be completed so who knows....

 

[AmpliFIRE]

I am now 10 for 10 for defects of ones with a cherry back with dates ranging 2020 to June 2021.

These are all the guitars I have packed and returned so far....

2 heavy aged '60 (Wildwood)
1 UL and 1 heavy '59 (Willcutt) and 1 heavy '59 replacement from Gibson
1 light aged '59 (Guitar Riot)
1 UL '59 (Replay) and 1 UL replacement from Gibson
1 light '58 (HOG return pending)
1 UL '59 (Parkway - item refused - finish defective on arrival)

Gotcha. How many others besides you have had these issues?

 

[calieng]

Gotcha. How many others besides you have had these issues?

I do not know but it I had to return all 10 out of 10 you can guess it is a mojority of those who purchased from 2020 to mid 2021. Many do not realize that they have a problem yet and some others have decided just to put up with it so I really do not know how many Gibson is replacing or repairing.

 

[BigJim]

Just not worth it...

 

[ElChoad]

Look at the bright side. You saved money by not having to pay for the next level of aging. It is doing it on its own. Go with it.

 

[spartacus slim]

Look at the bright side. You saved money by not having to pay for the next level of aging. It is doing it on its own. Go with it.

This viewpoint might make sense if the flaking finish on the ML guitars corresponded to anything seen on vintage examples, but it doesn’t.

 

[calieng]

Look at the bright side. You saved money by not having to pay for the next level of aging. It is doing it on its own. Go with it.

Here is a Murphy Aged 2015 True Historic '59. The extent of finish loss was a few flakes on one corner of the headstock where there was already factory finish removed by the aging process. The guitar is completely intact otherwise after 6 years of ownership.

That was my expectation for reasonable wear on the finish. Not peeling and flaking and chicken pox on all 10 out of 10 guitars from a particular series within days, weeks, or a few months.

Just to give some perspective on it. Thanks.

P.S. Check out how thin the finish is on the headstock (they just got the finish a little too thin on the headstock on this one - the rest of the guitar finish appears a little thicker).

This is the same reason the Murphy Lab finishes are failing. Not just defective pore filler but the nitro was too thin. They have a finish that is thinner and more brittle than anything Gibson put out before. The True Historic finish did not get brittle until it aged for years as it has plasticizer in it.

Real 1959 Les Pauls had a thick finish (from what I understand). Thats why real 1959s took years and years to age naturally. And Historic Makeovers uses a thicker finish than Gibson (just no additives) based on their trial and errors with finishes.

 

[strat1701]

for the amount of $$$ these go for, I'm glad I passed on this run.

sorry to those who have QC issues.....I'd be pissed too....

 

[timdcarroll]

I haven't put anything out here for awhile ... as a matter of fact, not since my initial posting asking about my 1997 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Heritage Dark Burst (for sale on Reverb right now).

When I first heard about the Murphy Lab issues I jumped all over the Light Aged versions. When there's blood in the street, it's a buy signal for me ... that's when you get your best deals. Nobody has a crystal ball. Who knows what thiese things are going to be worth (up or down). First off, my deepest condolences to all of you who are disappointed (or serverly pissed) and are suffering from buyers remorse ... it's a whole lot of $$$ for a guitar. Back to the current and future value ... Just maybe this is going to be the identifying attribute to the originality of the guitar. I don't think anybody is going to be out there attempting to forge or copy this finishing process. If the prices really go down, I won't be running away, I'll be buying! These guitars play amazingly well.

Oh, by the way, I bought three brand new lightly aged at a relatively bargain price and I love them. I'm in a different world than most of you (not rich but retired). I bought two Dirty Lemon LA and one Cherry Teaburst LA. I picked one Dirty Lemon for me to play the crap out of and the other two for my two sons to put under their beds for 15-20 years for speculation of value increase. I don't particularly care what the finish does at this point ... it'll be their problem ... I'm 68. By the way, I'm keeping them in my possession until I believe its the appropriate time to pass them along. Again, I'm deeply bothered by the QC or QA of the Custom Shop and am so sorry for all of you who've saved and dreamed ... but fear not, what appears to be a nighmare, very well could be a huge profit in the end.

Lesson learned by me: I save a whole lot of $$$ (relatively speaking) while I was in the Army and got out in 1974 ... I had a 1968 Gibson SG that I had bought brand new ... then in 1976, Gibson announced they were reissuing the Explorer ... I immediately ran down to Lopez Music on E Street in San Bernardino CA (the location of the original McDonalds) gave old man Lopez (as we all called him respecfully) and ordered one and paid for it in full with the promise that he'd let me pick the one I wanted out of the 3 he ordered. I waited, waited, waited and waited for months and finally they came in. I went right down to Lopez Music and Mr. Lopez had all three laid out waiting for me. Well, I'm here to tell you, they were all pieces of crap. Talk about lack of QC. There was glue showing in places you'd hate and the neck ... well it wasn't what I expected being way fatter than I expected ... I couldn't tell you what the case looked like but I didn't like it ... the point being, it was a huge mistake. I've never been that unhappy with a purchase of a guitar ever. It cost me $760 out the door. Well life happened and I got married and ended up selling it for what I could get ... $380 to put tires on my wife's Pontiac Firebird. Should have kept it, look at the prices now. The point being, you never know. I'd advise everybody to hang on to these guitars ... let them naturally relic, it's better anyway. Again, this could be the key to their future value.

Good luck to all and love your guitars ... they play exceptionally well!

As a side note, I purchased a Wildwood 10 51' Nocaster Heavy Relic Aged Vintage White ... it flaked for quite awhile, I really like the way it turned out after the flaking stopped (see below).

EDIT: 10/26/21
If you're going to play a guitar for a long time, things are goin to happen and it's not going to look like a brand new guitar forever (now, I get these extreme cases but the slight chicken pox, a chip here and there, well that's part of what it would look like eventually anyway. Case in point; the last imageS below is my 1997 Custom Shop Les Paul that I've played the crap out of. I wore the frets entirely down to the point of needing a fret job. And, some accidental bumps here and there causing chips, scratches, pock marks and finish wear. If we're buying "Relic'd" instruments they're going to look "Relic'd". If we're buying new instruments they're going to look "Relic'd". AGAIN, I REALIZE THESE EXTREME FINISH ISSUES ... GET THEM REPLACED OR RETURNED.