HORRIBLE QUALITY CONTROL (pictures). (1958 Murphy Lab Les Paul ultra light aged)

[Loycole]

Over 2 months ago, I bought a brand new R8 Gibson Murphy Lab Les Paul Standard ultra light aged from a guitar store in Tampa FL. After playing it for a couple weeks I noticed that the finish was flaking off the guitar at the heel where the neck and body join (see photos), I googled the issue and found out this was a pretty common problem with the first run Murphy Lab guitars so I contacted Gibson and requested a replacement.

About a month later and after several back and fourth phone calls, I received a replacement guitar that was the same model and finish as the first guitar. After inspecting it I was extremely angry to discover that this guitar had literally THE SAME PROBLEM as the first guitar, the finish on this replacement guitar was flaking off of the headstock (see photos). I was told these guitars were being removed from circulation so I have no idea how one was sent to me. What is even more egregious is that this guitar had a full pre-packed checklist filled out but somehow the inspector didn't notice the finish falling off of the headstock.  

I emailed the customer service person who had arraigned the first guitar to be shipped pictures of the new guitar and what was going on, after a lengthy apology I was told that a replacement would be rushed out ASAP and after sending in my shipping info, have yet to hear back from this person (this was about a week and a half ago).

So now I'm once again locked in a back and fourth battle with Gibson customer service to try and get a new guitar to replace the replacement. 

It is absolutely unacceptable and borderline criminal to be treated this way after dropping 5 grand that I spend years saving up for to buy a nice guitar for myself.  You won't find a bigger Gibson fan than me and I've been treated with such negligence that I can never see myself dropping another cent on a new Gibson ever again. 

I guess at this point I'm just looking for advice on how to deal with this. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by Loycole

[IanHenry]

I sympathise with you on this, for a product at any price to arrive in that condition is pretty poor.  Thankfully Gibson's customer service department are being helpful to you, so that's the way to go, I'm sure you'll get the guitar you want (and paid a lot of money for!) if you persevere.

I know the Murphy Lab have employed a different type of finish for their guitars and there has been unforeseen problems with it after people have had their guitar a short while but sending one out from the factory in that condition is just not on.

Good luck with the next one.     

[Eracer_Team]

If I was a "guessing " person,  I would suspect Murphy aged products have their nitro significantly dried out compared to the 'normal ' run .

It would help with the hazing and checking they do to make a guitar look played in aged.

I would think that dryer nitro would also chip easily too. 

Good luck with your returns

[rct]

I don't know how you are dropping these cents, for the third time now.  Tell them to keep it and give you your money back.  It's the only thing that will make you happy and them get the flick.

rct

[mrichard27]

I hear ya.....  I bought one of the 60th anniversary Les Pauls, $6,500 bucks.... 

1.  The silver "reflector" fell out of the volume knob after about a day.  (They sent me a new set of knobs)

2.  The saddle screws were so bent, I couldn't even turn half of them to intonate the guitar.  And if you did turn it, sometimes it would end up touching the string..   My guess is they just hammered in the string slots too hard.   They looked like little bananas when I took them out.    (I bought new screws from Philadelphia Luthiers)

3.   The truss rod cover was so loose it buzzed when I first played it.    That was a fun one to figure out...   Where is that buzz coming from......  

4.  You've probably all seen the dye coming out of the thing and going into the binding...  Which is insane....  

I know none of it is major stuff, but from the Custom Shop???  The "pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality and sound excellence" as they say.....    My very first guitar that was like 50 bucks didn't even have any of these problems..... 

[rct]

1 minute ago, mrichard27 said:

I hear ya.....  I bought one of the 60th anniversary Les Pauls, $6,500 bucks.... 

1.  The silver "reflector" fell out of the volume knob after about a day.  (They sent me a new set of knobs)

2.  The saddle screws were so bent, I couldn't even turn half of them to intonate the guitar.  And if you did turn it, sometimes it would end up touching the string..   My guess is they just hammered in the string slots too hard.   They looked like little bananas when I took them out.    (I bought new screws from Philadelphia Luthiers)

3.   The truss rod cover was so loose it buzzed when I first played it.    That was a fun one to figure out...   Where is that buzz coming from......  

4.  You've probably all seen the dye coming out of the thing and going into the binding...  Which is insane....  

I know none of it is major stuff, but from the Custom Shop???  The "pinnacle of craftsmanship, quality and sound excellence" as they say.....    My very first guitar that was like 50 bucks didn't even have any of these problems..... 

But...you keep...

eh, nevermind.

rct

[mrichard27]

And I will again....     I know it  🤣

[Twang Gang]

Several reason to never buy an "aged" beat up guitar from the factory.

[Sgt. Pepper]

The guitar is fake aged . . . so isn't there supposed to be bumps and bruises on in, and places where finish is checked and damaged.

Isn't that is the whole premise behind these 10k new guitars that are supposes to look like  they were thrown around in an Orangutan cage for a several days?

Your complaining that the fake aged guitar you paid for looks aged . . . I don't get it.

How is QA  supposed to know it f-ed up. its supposed to look f-ed up.

Next time buy a pristine new one and age it the way most of do with years of play, or a belt sander if you want quicker results.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper

[kidblast]

I guess at this point I'm just looking for advice on how to deal with this. 

since you're askin,, how's bout...

1: get yer money back

2: buy a new Gibson that hasn't been "artificially aged"

3: move on with your life

I don't get this "aged" stuff,  I really don't..  I mean how the heck do you know what's intended as part of the aging process, or.... what's not??? 

is there a rule book?

a guide to "artificially aged" guitars??

again, I don't get it.........  I never will..

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by kidblast

[Mr. Gibson]

I put a scratch on my 50k dollar skid steer. That kinda hurt. 

[kidblast]

1 minute ago, Mr. Gibson said:

I put a scratch on my 50k dollar skid steer. That kinda hurt. 

don't despair! there's touch up paint for that dude

[Sgt. Pepper]

Help my overpriced fake aged guitar looks overly fake aged and I want my money back.

Gibson doesn't warranty the finish on their guitars. Go right to #10.

This Warranty Is Subject to The Following Limitations:

THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER:

1. Repairs of cosmetic defects that are listed in the Warranty Evaluation, which can be found in your purchase materials.
2. Any instrument that has been altered or modified in any way, or upon which the serial number has been tampered with or altered by any party other than Gibson or a Gibson Certified Service Center.
3. Any instrument whose warranty card has been altered, or upon which false information has been given.
4. Any instrument that has been damaged due to misuse, negligence, accident, or improper operation.
5. The subjective issue of tonal characteristics.
6. Shipping damages of any kind.
7. Any instrument that has been subjected to extremes of humidity or temperature.
8. Normal wear and tear (i.e., worn frets, worn machine heads, worn plating, string replacement, scratched pickguards, or damages to or discoloration of the instrument finish for any reason).
9. Any instrument that has been purchased from an unauthorized dealer, or upon which unauthorized repair or service has been performed.
10. Cracking, discoloration, or damage of any sort to the finish or plating for any reason.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper

[Sgt. Pepper]

On 9/29/2021 at 1:20 PM, kidblast said:

I guess at this point I'm just looking for advice on how to deal with this. 

since you're askin,, how's bout...

1: get yer money back

2: buy a new Gibson that hasn't been "artificially aged"

3: move on with your life

I don't get this "aged" stuff,  I really don't..  I mean how the heck do you know what's intended as part of the aging process, or.... what's not??? 

is there a rule book?

a guide to "artificially aged" guitars??

again, I don't get it.........  I never will..

 

You don’t get it cause your not some rich NFL owner who has millions in disposable income to throw away on guitars your cronies come over to ogle at that you don’t and can’t play. 

[Karloff]

aged you wanted, aged you got ...

 

[kidblast]

1 hour ago, Karloff said:

aged you wanted, aged you got ...

 

Exactly...

that's what confuses me about this whole topic.

 

[Repo251]

But why buy a guitar with such an outrageously disingenuous look at an even more outrageous price?! It’s such a ridiculous emperor’s new clothes idea. Sympathy, goes without saying, but just buy a standard and play it a lot and leave it out of its case. You can’t buy a history!

Edited October 22, 2022 by Repo251

[marco mancini]

How can anybody goes  back  to Gibson  and saying  that the guitar is ruined when  they sell at 9 k  something like this ? 

https://ibb.co/4YT3wTB

[NighthawkChris]

7 hours ago, marco mancini said:

How can anybody goes  back  to Gibson  and saying  that the guitar is ruined when  they sell at 9 k  something like this ? 

https://ibb.co/4YT3wTB

Usually when you buy a new guitar, you get a return period. If you aren’t, who are you buying a Gibson Custom Shop from then you’d have to ask yourself. If you keep the reliced guitar and don’t turn it in within say a month, that’s on you. During that return period, you should be allowed to turn in the guitar for any reason. If you spend 9k, look that guitar over the best you can before committing to keeping the purchase alive. 

[SteveFord]

I just looked in the mirror, I've been over reliced.

I wonder if I can get an exchange?

[kidblast]

18 hours ago, marco mancini said:

How can anybody goes  back  to Gibson  and saying  that the guitar is ruined when  they sell at 9 k  something like this ? 

https://ibb.co/4YT3wTB

yea looks like possibly something along the lines of a Murphy Labs custom shop model.  

Some people actually will pay a high premium on these guitars that have been artificially aged.

[badbluesplayer]

Yeah.  Don't buy a shiny new guitar.  Buy one that's been beat up on purpose and complain that it's too beat up.

I may be stupid, but I'm not buying a new guitar that's been beat up and now they want twice as much for it because they beat it up for you, and how exactly is it not beat up correctly?  It looks pretty beat up to me.

I would never pay twice as much for something that's messed up on purpose. 

Maybe I'll go smash my truck into a tree a few times and see how cool that is.

[badbluesplayer]

Send me $10,000 and I'll send you a new Les Paul Standard AND a certificate for 10,000 hours of experience in your chosen field of endeavor.  For a limited time.

[GuitarsAnn]

Buying a fake aged guitar is right up there with buying expensive jeans with rips and holes. I'll age my clothes, myself,  my guitars, and anything else I own all by myself, thank you!

[Sgt. Pepper]

11 minutes ago, GuitarsAnn said:

Buying a fake aged guitar is right up there with buying expensive jeans with rips and holes. I'll age my clothes, myself,  my guitars, and anything else I own all by myself, thank you!

But Gibson and Tom do it for you for only 6 - 10k. I've said it before. No one buys a new car, and goes home, and kicks in the front quarter panel with a steel toed boot, and says it now looks cooler.