Hey all, new to the forum, and while I've owned a few Les Paul's over the years, I just finally snagged my first custom shop guitar - a lovely '58 plain top reissue in iced tea burst. It's currently acclimating in the box, but will gladly post a photo once I get her unboxed!
Also, I'm in a position to grab a new CS SG, likely a '64 reissue and am debating the finish. I've scoured this forum about the Murphy Lab stuff, and am a bit hesitant due to the issues I've seen as far as flaking etc.
I'd be going the ultra light route if I went ML, and from the photos it doesn't appear to have any flaking issues, but still a bit apprehensive. The guitar I'm looking at was built in November of '21, so fairly recent build. I suppose my main question to the ML folks: is flaking to some degree expected on the ML guitars due to the formula/thinness of the nitro used? In a perfect world, I'd like it to remain in the state it currently sits - mild checking etc - and while I'm fully aware that it'll get the usual dings/scratches, I'd hate to have the finish peel/flake clean off!
I'm not usually one for relic's, but I'm finding myself drawn to the VOS/ML stuff, as it just adds some much needed character over the run of the mill standards I'm used to. But as I've seen posts showing ML guitars with flaking issues with similar build dates as this one, I can't help but question whether I'd be better off waiting a bit longer.
Unfortunately I'm not even remotely close to a shop that carries any of the ML (or VOS stuff for that matter) so I'm stuck with online retailers.
Edit:
Got 'er unboxed! So far so good! Far from a "pretty" top, but I really dig it. Like I said, this is my first CS and first VOS style finish - I'm usually pretty anal/ocd about swirl marks and scratches, but there's something freeing about this finish - it's a bit dull and swirled already, which means I'll spend less time stressing over it and more time playing the darn thing.
Also, I'm in a position to grab a new CS SG, likely a '64 reissue and am debating the finish. I've scoured this forum about the Murphy Lab stuff, and am a bit hesitant due to the issues I've seen as far as flaking etc.
I'd be going the ultra light route if I went ML, and from the photos it doesn't appear to have any flaking issues, but still a bit apprehensive. The guitar I'm looking at was built in November of '21, so fairly recent build. I suppose my main question to the ML folks: is flaking to some degree expected on the ML guitars due to the formula/thinness of the nitro used? In a perfect world, I'd like it to remain in the state it currently sits - mild checking etc - and while I'm fully aware that it'll get the usual dings/scratches, I'd hate to have the finish peel/flake clean off!
I'm not usually one for relic's, but I'm finding myself drawn to the VOS/ML stuff, as it just adds some much needed character over the run of the mill standards I'm used to. But as I've seen posts showing ML guitars with flaking issues with similar build dates as this one, I can't help but question whether I'd be better off waiting a bit longer.
Unfortunately I'm not even remotely close to a shop that carries any of the ML (or VOS stuff for that matter) so I'm stuck with online retailers.
Edit:
Got 'er unboxed! So far so good! Far from a "pretty" top, but I really dig it. Like I said, this is my first CS and first VOS style finish - I'm usually pretty anal/ocd about swirl marks and scratches, but there's something freeing about this finish - it's a bit dull and swirled already, which means I'll spend less time stressing over it and more time playing the darn thing.
Last edited by a moderator:
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Ty and 
and play her in good health!
