santacruz3600 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) Dear Gibson Community, I’m trying to gather information on my Gibson L-00 1937 Legend (Lee Roy Parnell specs). My guitar is a 2007 which I believe is the first run of this model, it has a few appointments that I do not see in later runs. 1. A rubbed (non gloss) ambered aged finish, sort of in between a VOS & a Murphy Lab Light aging. 2. The case is a Redline vintage style with brass color hardware, smaller than what was issued with 2008-current with Murphy Lab L-00. 3. Price adjustment, from what I’ve gathered on the internet in 2007 these were priced at $5,499 (map) with later issues price lowered to $4,499, this is from past Musicians Friend & Sweetwater advertisements. I noticed after the 2007 run the rubbed finish had ended & they were now a gloss finish, the cases changed to a larger remodeled vintage case with chrome hardware & the price decreased. My conclusion is the price was lowered because of less time spent doing the rubbed aged finishes. The case reengineered to have vintage accurate hardware with modern protection. If anyone has any further info about these guitars please chime in. 😊 Edited October 4, 2023 by santacruz3600 Add photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 J45NICK has one. Here's a link to one of the many conversations mentioning this model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) The L-00 Legend may be very hard to find now.... The new 1933 L-00 Murphy Lab light aged might be of interest and they actually seem to making them! In stock at Sweetwater! https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/L0033LA--gibson-acoustic-1933-l-00-murphy-lab-light-aged-acoustic-guitar-cherry-sunburst BluesKing777. Edited October 5, 2023 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 I would not throw any 1930s L Series guitar out of bed. Not hard to find one which gets you easily into the special category. But if you want a guitar which stands a good chance of it transcending that into very special your best shot is those built before around 1934. What elevated them above the crowd though was also their Achilles heel which is their scary light build. These things generally clock in at an ounce or two shy of three pounds. While a bridge plate with a thickness of .045" may be great for sound, it is not the best way to go if you want to avoid over the top bellying. I have always wondered though if I would have sprung for something like an L-00 Legend if I did not own a 1932 12 fret L1. If nothing else, the 1 3/4" nut and 2 3/8" string spacing at the bridge quickly makes it rise to the top of the Gibson heap. It also might be nice to own a version I did not have to worry about what gauge strings it was sporting. Interesting though in that I have never heard of any flattop offered by Bozeman to have a hand rubbed finish. Then again. I have never even seen a 2007 or there abouts version with a natural top. But it would also not be period correct for a guitar built in 1937. Gibson stopped going that route after 1933 because as it was more time consuming it was a way to cut costs. My '32 has what is considered a transitional finish which is a hand rubbed burst with a final sprayed coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, zombywoof said: I have always wondered though if I would have sprung for something like an L-00 Legend if I did not own a 1932 12 fret L1. If nothing else, the 1 3/4" nut and 2 3/8" string spacing at the bridge quickly makes it rise to the top of the Gibson heap. That 2 3/8" bridge spacing belongs to an ever decreasing little club! Wonderful combined with a big V neck for fingerpickers and thus the bane of flatpickers. And one of the reasons I love my Waterloo X and L...... Perfect! What else is in the club? Gibson L-00 Legend, you say? All Waterloos???; Martin OM18V, Martin OM18A. Can't think of another.... Have not found out the bridge spacing for the new Gibson L-00 Murphy Lab. BluesKing777. Edited October 5, 2023 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 6, 2023 Share Posted October 6, 2023 15 hours ago, BluesKing777 said: That 2 3/8" bridge spacing belongs to an ever decreasing little club! Wonderful combined with a big V neck for fingerpickers and thus the bane of flatpickers. And one of the reasons I love my Waterloo X and L...... Perfect! What else is in the club? Gibson L-00 Legend, you say? All Waterloos???; Martin OM18V, Martin OM18A. Can't think of another.... Have not found out the bridge spacing for the new Gibson L-00 Murphy Lab. BluesKing777. Amen Brother. The comfiest Gibson I play has a just under 1 7/8" nut, a V carve neck clocking in at a depth of 1.05" at the 1st fret, and in this case a 2 5/16" string spacing at the bridge. Thinking back on it though had I wanted a stand in for the L1, I might very well have opted for a Waterloo. I recall though when those first Waterloos came out, it took me maybe a year before I could get my hands on even one as every guitar Mass Street Music (which was 20 minutes down the road) got in was sold before it ever hit the shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 6, 2023 Share Posted October 6, 2023 10 hours ago, zombywoof said: Amen Brother. The comfiest Gibson I play has a just under 1 7/8" nut, a V carve neck clocking in at a depth of 1.05" at the 1st fret, and in this case a 2 5/16" string spacing at the bridge. Thinking back on it though had I wanted a stand in for the L1, I might very well have opted for a Waterloo. I recall though when those first Waterloos came out, it took me maybe a year before I could get my hands on even one as every guitar Mass Street Music (which was 20 minutes down the road) got in was sold before it ever hit the shelves. We never know anything! One of my justifications for a Waterloo when they first came out was that they were way more L-00 than the new Gibson ones and......ha ha, wrong.....easier to get than the vintage ones! Boing. Bong. Boing......A quick look on Reverb.com and it appears a used Waterloo is around double the new price I paid back when.... and they are not making many new ones. On another track - watching the Murphy Labs video, Murphy mentions he ‘rolls’ the neck edges like years of hand wear does. Who knew that acoustics were so sharp edged and uncomfortable, eh? But I have 2 examples - one is my Cargill custom 00 where he rolled all edges to give a fab ‘old leather glove’ feel (the neck and specs were based on my Martin OM18V, but more ‘rounded out’ by hand.) My other example is my Taylor 717e Builders Edition - every sharp thing is rounded off ‘for comfort’ - that was the claim. P.S. Still trying to find the bridge spacing on the Murph Labs L-00....... BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santacruz3600 Posted October 7, 2023 Author Share Posted October 7, 2023 I didn’t notice fretboard rolling in my L-00 murphy, edges are very sharp. I do think they do it on heavy relic 58-60 electric’s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 7, 2023 Share Posted October 7, 2023 40 minutes ago, santacruz3600 said: I didn’t notice fretboard rolling in my L-00 murphy, edges are very sharp. I do think they do it on heavy relic 58-60 electric’s. So you also have the new L-00 Murphy Lab as well as your L-00 Legend? Fantastic stuff, please report and compare! And please measure the bridge spacing (on both guitars) !!! Compare necks! BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 I had a Dwight Yoakam Honky Tonk Deuce that had the rolled fretboard. Most comfortable guitar I've ever played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santacruz3600 Posted October 9, 2023 Author Share Posted October 9, 2023 (edited) On 10/7/2023 at 2:22 PM, BluesKing777 said: So you also have the new L-00 Murphy Lab as well as your L-00 Legend? Fantastic stuff, please report and compare! And please measure the bridge spacing (on both guitars) !!! Compare necks! BluesKing777. Hi BluesKing777, The neck on the 33ML seems a hair bigger & a bit rounder than the 37L. Overall to my hand the 37L is more comfortable but we’re talking very slight & I love them both. I’ll have to get back on the bridge string spacing although I’ve noticed no difference. Tone on my ‘07 37L has always been tremendous (so lively with vintage character, well balanced), I don’t believe it has a thermally treated top. I suspect gibson only manufactured these type guitars when they got a batch of really good wood. The 37L’s tone & playability is very similar to the new 33ML an awesome pair! Perhaps at one point I’ll have to make a YouTube video comparing the two. Edited October 9, 2023 by santacruz3600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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