Les Paul R8 etc.

thegummy

Quick question re: this forum's favourite guitar:

What specifically does the R8, R9 etc. refer to - does it just mean a Custom Shop reissue of the year in the number (58, 59 etc.) or does it refer to something more specific?

Or is the question redundant and the Gibson Custom shop only have one guitar that's a 1958 re-issue?

GluedtoMusic

Yes it means the year 58, 59 etc, but the exact specs of the reissue will depend on the year it was made (they are slowly making them more and more accurate with each new reissue).

thegummy

GluedtoMusic said:

Yes it means the year 58, 59 etc, but the exact specs of the reissue will depend on the year it was made (they are slowly making them more and more accurate with each new reissue).

Surprised to hear that they weren't replicating all the specs from day one for the re-issues.

Is it that all the important specs like neck size and shape etc. were always the same on the reissues as on the originals but each year they get even more anal about the tiny details like the type of glue used etc.?

GluedtoMusic

thegummy said: Surprised to hear that they weren't replicating all the specs from day one for the re-issues.

Is it that all the important specs like neck size and shape etc. were always the same on the reissues as on the originals but each year they get even more anal about the tiny details like the type of glue used etc.?

Yeah so this year's R9 was mostly minor tweaks (slight logo change, inlay colour change, paper in oil caps etc.) but interestingly the R8 run that was popular on here actually had a 59 shape neck.

thegummy

Thanks for the answers bro.

Definitely surprised that some of them don't even have the correct necks - that's more like "classic vibe" to me than a direct reissue.

Was just having a look after watching a Rig Rundown with Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown. The prices are just insane though, they're even out of fantasy browsing range lol. Unfortunately my dad wasn't in Aerosmith so I can't get one for xmas like the guy in the video.

johnl

Remember these were originally completely handmade guitars, there's no "correct" neck. There's just a range of values and 1958 guitars are on average thicker and 59s and later tend to be thinner. There are original 59s with necks that we'd think of today as a 58 reissue neck and vice-versa. 

RandallFlagg

I think the latest reissues now have smaller frets on the R7s & R8s which is period correct. 

hyperben

thegummy said:

Thanks for the answers bro.

Definitely surprised that some of them don't even have the correct necks - that's more like "classic vibe" to me than a direct reissue.

Was just having a look after watching a Rig Rundown with Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown. The prices are just insane though, they're even out of fantasy browsing range lol. Unfortunately my dad wasn't in Aerosmith so I can't get one for xmas like the guy in the video.

To say the 2017 R8s have R9 necks is true, but that’s only because Gibson incorrectly defined what a 58 and 59 neck is in the first place when they started doing the reissues. The documented neck profiles of the originals are generally a fair bit smaller than the reissues. The necks on the 2017 R8s is actually a very typical original 58 profile.

Limehouse_Blues

hyperben said:

thegummy said:

Thanks for the answers bro.

Definitely surprised that some of them don't even have the correct necks - that's more like "classic vibe" to me than a direct reissue.

Was just having a look after watching a Rig Rundown with Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown. The prices are just insane though, they're even out of fantasy browsing range lol. Unfortunately my dad wasn't in Aerosmith so I can't get one for xmas like the guy in the video.

To say the 2017 R8s have R9 necks is true, but that’s only because Gibson incorrectly defined what a 58 and 59 neck is in the first place when they started doing the reissues. The documented neck profiles of the originals are generally a fair bit smaller than the reissues. The necks on the 2017 R8s is actually a very typical original 58 profile.

This. R8s from several years ago were like baseball bats / telegraph poles compared to real 58s. 

Monstronaut

Generally speaking a '58 reissue will be slightly heavier, have a less flamed maple top and smaller frets than a '59/'60 reissue. 

The extra grand doesn't get you much more but for some it's a deal breaker. I don't have either at the moment but the smaller frets on '57 and '58 reissues don't work for me and I like my guitars to be as light as possible so if I was in the mood for another LP I'd hold out for a '59 or '60.

darthed1981

thegummy said:

Definitely surprised that some of them don't even have the correct necks - that's more like "classic vibe" to me than a direct reissue.

I think if Gibson did a Fender and released superb copies of vintage guitars on their junior brand like that, the world might explode, or something.

Ossyrocks

I have played an original 58 Les Paul side by side with a 59, there was very little difference in the neck profiles.

Jonathanthomas83

The 2017 R8's also had medium jumbo frets, which I'm not sure "normal" R8's do.

Brize

Jonathanthomas83 said:

The 2017 R8's also had medium jumbo frets, which I'm not sure "normal" R8's do.

R8s have always had medium-jumbo frets - this was only changed in 2018 to the period-correct smaller frets.

Jonathanthomas83

Brize said:

Jonathanthomas83 said:

The 2017 R8's also had medium jumbo frets, which I'm not sure "normal" R8's do.

R8s have always had medium-jumbo frets - this was only changed in 2018 to the period-correct smaller frets.

Cool.