Hate for Brazilian Murphy Lab LP's

[Swild904]

Just my 2 cents.... I snagged a Tom's Lemon second hand for a pretty good discount from MSRP.... it is hands down the best reissue 59 ive ever seen/played. Under 8 lbs.... the A5 pickups are so nice .... (I'm also a huge Throbak enthusiast but won't be changing these)....
It's a superlative guitar... hate them if you want. 20k IS steep.... but my Gawd it's sweet.

 

[Swild904]

Just my 2 cents.... I snagged a Tom's Lemon second hand for a pretty good discount from MSRP.... it is hands down the best reissue 59 ive ever seen/played. Under 8 lbs.... the A5 pickups are so nice .... (I'm also a huge Throbak enthusiast but won't be changing these)....
It's a superlative guitar... hate them if you want. 20k IS steep.... but my Gawd it's sweet.
View attachment 28387

Sorry I will add one small caveat.... the Brazilian board while beautiful... doesn't mean ANYTHING in my humble opinion. It's just a cool flex kind of thing... if this guitar just had a great regular board it would still be amazing. Picture below is Left to right the Brazilian, my M2M 59 in poppy burst, and my Historic Select R8 from 2015.

 

[jb_abides]

Lovely. Congrats.

 

[Walnut's Nutwalls]

Beautiful guitars! Is there any material difference in playability between it and your other two guitars?

 

[J.D.]

Of course BRW matters when you are paying a premium for historical accuracy.

You can get a very good sounding and playing electric guitar these days for a grand.

 

[Swild904]

Beautiful guitars! Is there any material difference in playability between it and your other two guitars?

Thank you! The necks are very different. The HS8 is thicker as you'd expect but not clubby like some R7's I've had, but the R9 necks are perfection. The belly contour on the two R9's is very nice compared to less curvature on the HS8. I put Alnico 2 low output KZF throbaks in the HS8 and they are really sweet.
The M2M has the stock A3 custom buckers and in this guitar they sound so good so they are staying. The A5's in the Brazilian are the most aggressive but can be finitely dialed with the vol/tone pots. Each has a unique voice and feel. They are all on the lighter side (not chambered).

 

[Wasatch]

Very nice. No hate here, I’ve just always wondered why they are $20k….. a regular Tom-painted is $12k and a BR fretboard is only around $200. So I’ve always wondered where the extra $8k comes from.

 

[CS Murphy 'R9]

Sorry I will add one small caveat.... the Brazilian board while beautiful... doesn't mean ANYTHING in my humble opinion. It's just a cool flex kind of thing...




View attachment 28388

I love that way Todd Louis put it, "Brazilian boards are like Leather seats!"

 

[CS Murphy 'R9]

Just my 2 cents.... I snagged a Tom's Lemon second hand for a pretty good discount from MSRP.... it is hands down the best reissue 59 ive ever seen/played. Under 8 lbs.... the A5 pickups are so nice .... (I'm also a huge Throbak enthusiast but won't be changing these)....
It's a superlative guitar... hate them if you want. 20k IS steep.... but my Gawd it's sweet.
View attachment 28387

Definitely zero hate here! That Guitar is stellar! I really wanted one of these but the price knocked me out of the race so I had to go with a 2023 ML heavy aged in Golden Poppy burst at half the cost
and while it is not the Brazilian I originally wanted it sure is a damn good satisfier otherwise. I will eventually get a Braz R9 but for now my ML is getting a lot of play time!

 

[brandtkronholm]

Just my 2 cents.... I snagged a Tom's Lemon second hand for a pretty good discount from MSRP.... it is hands down the best reissue 59 ive ever seen/played. Under 8 lbs.... the A5 pickups are so nice .... (I'm also a huge Throbak enthusiast but won't be changing these)....
It's a superlative guitar... hate them if you want. 20k IS steep.... but my Gawd it's sweet.
View attachment 28387

Now that I’ve read your post and drooled over your photo, I kinda hate not having a Brazilian Murphy Lab Gibson! Other than that, no hate here either!

Dang that’s a nice looking top!

 

[58fan]

Sorry I will add one small caveat.... the Brazilian board while beautiful... doesn't mean ANYTHING in my humble opinion. It's just a cool flex kind of thing...




View attachment 28388

Man you had me until you said Braz boards don't mean ANYTHING to you. Great tops and pickups are everywhere but Braz boards not so much. It's the Braz board that gets you to the doorstep of a burst ... not "aging", plastics, etc.

Gorgeous guitar and imo it's the Braz board that makes it not just another pretty face. You may want to stop calling it "the Brazilian" if it doesn't mean "ANYTHING".

 

[CS Murphy 'R9]

Now that I’ve read your post and drooled over your photo, I kinda hate not having a Brazilian Murphy Lab Gibson!

 

[charliechitlins]

I've had Supros and Danelectros with Brazilian boards.
Melody Makers, too.
Does my '65 Firebird have Braz?
I don't even know.
It's totally meaningless and has nothing to do with making music.
Cool looking Lesters ya got there, though.
I wouldn't kick any of them offstage unless they put a beer on my amp.

 

[Big Daddy Class]

You are in the wrong place if you want hate for that beautiful guitar. Congrats. I always say, "get the guitar YOU want." As long as you can afford it and your family still eats tonight, I applaud it.

Just be very very careful (read "don't") take it on any international trips without proper paperwork both directions. They WILL take it at international customs. Last I checked the CITES permit is $300 each way.

 

[Swild904]

You are in the wrong place if you want hate for that beautiful guitar. Congrats. I always say, "get the guitar YOU want." As long as you can afford it and your family still eats tonight, I applaud it.

Just be very very careful (read "don't") take it on any international trips without proper paperwork both directions. They WILL take it at international customs. Last I checked the CITES permit is $300 each way.

Great feedback and great tips... promise I won't take this out of the country....

 

[Wizard1183]

Very nice. No hate here, I’ve just always wondered why they are $20k….. a regular Tom-painted is $12k and a BR fretboard is only around $200. So I’ve always wondered where the extra $8k comes from.

Comes from FLEX

 

[charliechitlins]

So I’ve always wondered where the extra $8k comes from.

It's because you WANT one.

 

[mikeslub]

Very nice So I’ve always wondered where the extra $8k comes from.

The extra $8k comes from the Perfect Robust Optional Finish Invented (by) Tom - otherwise known as PROFIT.

Seriously, though, it's a very cool guitar. I have been known to drink the Murphy Kool-Aid myself on several occasions. Congratulations!

 

[57gold]

Don't hate mine.

Lucky to score one at 20% discount. Bought because I didn't have an LP to play out, had several LP-style instrument like Retrospect, JG Bluesmaster, Collings CL, but my LP is a "too clean" 1957 GT. Too clean for the local bar or Legion Post jam. With all the excessive relic work, would have preferred some light checking on thin finish, but that's not an option and Gibson won't put a BRW board on

Less love for the A5 Custombuckers. Through my amps, Mercury V, Bloomfield Drive, K60..., seemed kind of harsh and not open like a vintage PAFs (have had 10 instruments with vintage PAFs), so swapped in some of Ron Ellis' LRPs, to get to my tone.

In the FL sunlight:

The ML finish for dark bursts is pretty translucent.

 

[Wizard1183]

Don't hate mine.

Lucky to score one at 20% discount. Bought because I didn't have an LP to play out, had several LP-style instrument like Retrospect, JG Bluesmaster, Collings CL, but my LP is a "too clean" 1957 GT. Too clean for the local bar or Legion Post jam. With all the excessive relic work, would have preferred some light checking on thin finish, but that's not an option and Gibson won't put a BRW board on

Less love for the A5 Custombuckers. Through my amps, Mercury V, Bloomfield Drive, K60..., seemed kind of harsh and not open like a vintage PAFs (have had 10 instruments with vintage PAFs), so swapped in some of Ron Ellis' LRPs, to get to my tone.

In the FL sunlight:

The ML finish for dark bursts is pretty translucent.

Price you paid and no catalin switch tip?