Murphy Labs finish defects

terada

HandwrittenHero said:

PSA: Willcutt's Sell One Month Old Used Murphy Lab Defect as New | My Les Paul Forum

That is not a good look.

Ok, for me this is worse than the initial issue.

Anyone can f up, but how you make it right is the most important bit.

That is truly appalling.

Collings

GoldenEraGuitars said:

That line between the knobs doesn’t look like delaminating lacquer, the edges are quite ragged and none of the surround area shows signs of lifting.

The description of the issue suggests that the flaking follows the checking. It does look strange  

Lebarque

GoldenEraGuitars said:

That line between the knobs doesn’t look like delaminating lacquer, the edges are quite ragged and none of the surround area shows signs of lifting.

Someone's keyed it I reckon. :0)

ICBM

It actually looks like a shrinkage split in the maple which has fractured the finish off around it. If it is that's even more worrying than the finish problems, since it would imply incompletely-seasoned wood.

Offset

GoldenEraGuitars said:

That line between the knobs doesn’t look like delaminating lacquer, the edges are quite ragged and none of the surround area shows signs of lifting.

Agree. Looks like a vandal has taken a bradawl to it.

RaymondLin

ICBM said:

It actually looks like a shrinkage split in the maple which has fractured the finish off around it. If it is that's even more worrying than the finish problems, since it would imply incompletely-seasoned wood.

That’s really rushing things.

wraub

From a thread on another forum, allegedly from a retailer involved:

" We are currently in contact with Tom and the Custom Shop to get their input and thoughts. This is a very unique situation, in that it's not actually an issue with the lacquer formula. but rather, it's an issue with a specific batch of aniline dye/pore filler used during the staining process of the back and neck. Apparently, instead of hardening to a more concrete-like substance, the dye mixture stayed more like a dry powder, floating on top of the instrument, which prevented the lacquer from properly adhering to the instrument itself, and resulting in flaking after the aging process. The darker the aniline dye filler, the more aniline dye mixture being used and therefore, the more susceptible the instrument is to flaking."
" Currently, Gibson Custom is willing to refinish any instruments with this issue, free of charge, so these would certainly qualify, should you allow them to proceed. Our understanding is that this is a relatively small pool of instruments."

ICBM

wraub said:

Apparently, instead of hardening to a more concrete-like substance, the dye mixture stayed more like a dry powder, floating on top of the instrument, which prevented the lacquer from properly adhering to the instrument itself, and resulting in flaking after the aging process.

That's certainly what the wood under the finish looks like in the picture above - coated with a dry, dusty layer.

If so you have to ask why they didn't notice that before applying the finish...

Philly_Q

ICBM said:

wraub said:

Apparently, instead of hardening to a more concrete-like substance, the dye mixture stayed more like a dry powder, floating on top of the instrument, which prevented the lacquer from properly adhering to the instrument itself, and resulting in flaking after the aging process.

That's certainly what the wood under the finish looks like in the picture above - coated with a dry, dusty layer.

If so you have to ask why they didn't notice that before applying the finish...

It's extremely shoddy.  You can just imagine someone going "this isn't right".... then being told "just spray over the top and nobody will ever know".

ThePrettyDamned

Philly_Q said:

ICBM said:

wraub said:

Apparently, instead of hardening to a more concrete-like substance, the dye mixture stayed more like a dry powder, floating on top of the instrument, which prevented the lacquer from properly adhering to the instrument itself, and resulting in flaking after the aging process.

That's certainly what the wood under the finish looks like in the picture above - coated with a dry, dusty layer.

If so you have to ask why they didn't notice that before applying the finish...

It's extremely shoddy.  You can just imagine someone going "this isn't right".... then being told by Tom Murphy "just spray over the top and nobody will ever know".

FTFY

skunkwerx

Philly_Q said:

ICBM said:

wraub said:

Apparently, instead of hardening to a more concrete-like substance, the dye mixture stayed more like a dry powder, floating on top of the instrument, which prevented the lacquer from properly adhering to the instrument itself, and resulting in flaking after the aging process.

That's certainly what the wood under the finish looks like in the picture above - coated with a dry, dusty layer.

If so you have to ask why they didn't notice that before applying the finish...

It's extremely shoddy.  You can just imagine someone going "this isn't right".... then being told "just spray over the top and nobody will ever know".

Well its hardly surprising after seeing some of the neck joins on the R8’s 

Musicman20

That should go back to Gibson.  I like Sound Affects - it's not fair they have to deal with it. 

HandwrittenHero

https://guitar.com/features/gibson-mat-koehler-memphis-to-nashville/

Part way down that article they ask about the finishing issue. Apparently it’s just severe checking caused by dealers and customers failing to acclimate the guitars properly and is know to happen with vintage examples too. Apparently.

chris78

I’ve just read that article too. I’ve read it as Gibson trying to shift the blame to their customers for their finishing defects.
In my experience of nitro, opening a case too soon can lead to checking, but I’m yet to see paint drop off as a result.

RustySpanner

Overpriced toss, built by amateurs and sold to idiots by shysters.  

SidNewton

RustySpanner said:

Overpriced toss, built by amateurs and sold to idiots by shysters.  

Yeah, but apart from that they look great value for money.

guitars4you

chris78 said:

I’ve just read that article too. I’ve read it as Gibson trying to shift the blame to their customers for their finishing defects.
In my experience of nitro, opening a case too soon can lead to checking, but I’m yet to see paint drop off as a result.

I don't know if it is still the case with new Gibson Guitars - But certainly it was a while ago - The dealer had something like 30 days to make a claim on a new guitar, that was shipped to them with any warranty defect, from when it arrived into stock - So if they had a 100 guitars shipped and did not open them all straight away, and opened say 'excess/back up stock' as required at a later date, then found an issue upon opening the package, then to late - This did not have any impact on the customers warranty rights, but I don't know how well Gibson support the dealer customer warranty, or the dealer carries the can - You'd have to ask Peach, Coda etc on this 

3/4 years ago I had such an issue on a New CS Relic Strat - Might be the only instance I had - Fender immediately accepted it as their fault - De-lamination - And accepted it back for a re-fin as required - No questions asked whatsoever 

HandwrittenHero

chris78 said:

I’ve just read that article too. I’ve read it as Gibson trying to shift the blame to their customers for their finishing defects.
In my experience of nitro, opening a case too soon can lead to checking, but I’m yet to see paint drop off as a result.

Yep, struck me as muddying the waters with a half truth.

Two can play that game though. Apparently the ML finish is so temperature sensitive Gibson are saying you shouldn't open the case unless they've had at least 5 hours to adjust to temperature. So I'd say they're only good as ornaments, they won't stand up to the rigour of gigging or taking out to a jam.

Philly_Q

chris78 said:

I’ve just read that article too. I’ve read it as Gibson trying to shift the blame to their customers for their finishing defects.
In my experience of nitro, opening a case too soon can lead to checking, but I’m yet to see paint drop off as a result.

Agreed.  He may have a point about letting guitars acclimatise after a big temperature change, but if you fail to do so the paintwork shouldn't end up looking like an old beach hut after a particularly harsh winter.

wellsyboy

If I was going to drop that sort of dough I would get a Collings CL Deluxe - worse thing I ever did was letting one go