Historics v standards

Hootsmon

Gibson Historic guys, pipe up with your opinion on the difference/merits of a Historic over a STD

Forge

I'll follow this one closely...I have been lusting for a mate's R7 and it looks like he is ready to sell!

Hootsmon

I've been a hankerin' for a '58

Hootsmon

are R7s the gold tops?

Forge

Yes they are indeed - Gold Top, natural back, big neck and BB1 / BB2 pickups.

koss59

When you get a good one they're in a completely different league. But be warned they're not all good. The 2 that I've kept have been better than the vintage examples I've played too. Get yourself to coda music and play as many as you can and you'll soon start to see the differences.

Forge

I shot out the R7 against my LP Standard...

Standard                          Historic R7

Ebony Nitro                      Gold Top Nitro

60's neck                          Slightly bigger than 50's neck

Modded BB pros (A2).      BB1/BB2 pickups

2 piece back .                   1 piece Honduran Hog back

Quick connect system.     CTS pots & PIo caps

Luthier setup                     Shop setup

What struck me was the weight difference, the R7 was pretty light. Overall mine played better but I believe the R7 would outplay the standard with a pro setup, there was hardly anything in it. Tone wise not much in it either, the R7 is slightly "woodier"...maybe because of a combination of unpotted pickups, weight, pots and caps.

Fit and finish is better on the R7, it outclasses the Standard which is well built but not free from little defects (around the bridge posts, fret nibs).

crunchman

koss59 said:

When you get a good one they're in a completely different league. But be warned they're not all good.

This.

When I bought my R8 I was looking to buy a Traditional but as @koss59 said this one was in a completely different league.  I have played (and owned) other Custom Shop guitars that were not as good though.

Forge

I need to try a few more R7 for sure - the one I played was better than my Standard (already very good) by a little margin but I would not say it was in another league.

stonevibe

My R7 is pretty nice. I bought it off of Shugz a few years ago and it plays and sounds great. Better than all the Standards I have owned in the past.

I also love a fat neck, so it felt comfortable straight away.

ICBM

Forge said:

Tone wise not much in it either, the R7 is slightly "woodier"...maybe because of a combination of unpotted pickups, weight, pots and caps.

Whatever it is, it isn't the caps. They don't have any effect on the tone, apart from just the value.

I would say the weight is a factor - lighter ones generally do sound more middy or 'woodier', heavier ones sound more bassy/treble or 'steely'. Thicker necks tend to sound middier as well, thinner ones brighter. (In my opinion.)

Forge

That's why I like a reasonably light LP with a fat neck and slightly bright A2 PAFs then!

Dave_Mc

I'd take most things over an STD. I think they're called STIs now, though.

Hootsmon

Forge said:

I shot out the R7 against my LP Standard...

Standard                          Historic R7

Ebony Nitro                      Gold Top Nitro

60's neck                          Slightly bigger than 50's neck

Modded BB pros (A2).      BB1/BB2 pickups

2 piece back .                   1 piece Honduran Hog back

Quick connect system.     CTS pots & PIo caps

Luthier setup                     Shop setup

What struck me was the weight difference, the R7 was pretty light. Overall mine played better but I believe the R7 would outplay the standard with a pro setup, there was hardly anything in it. Tone wise not much in it either, the R7 is slightly "woodier"...maybe because of a combination of unpotted pickups, weight, pots and caps.

Fit and finish is better on the R7, it outclasses the Standard which is well built but not free from little defects (around the bridge posts, fret nibs).

2 piece back! when did Gibson pull this stunt?

richardhomer

hootsmon;237054" said:

2 piece back! when did Gibson pull this stunt?

They've been doing it on lower-end ones for about 10 years. It seems to be the norm across 'production' models now, including SGs.

It is a moot point as to whether is makes any difference, but like laminated rosewood and baked maple fingerboards, it's a break from tradition - and we all know how much we guitarists hate that!

I would suggest that as various methods of weight-relieving Les Pauls have been used for years that (outside of Historics) LPs haven't been made the 'traditional' way in living memory.

Hootsmon

two piece backs are a step too far IMO.....soundwise or no

Hootsmon

I think Sgs would be two piece anyway as they don't have the maple cap.......the juniors and specials are two piece

richardhomer

hootsmon;237161" said:

two piece backs are a step too far IMO.....soundwise or no

Probably in much the same way that pancake bodies were in the Norlin years...

jd0272

hootsmon;236908" said:

I've been a hankerin' for a '58

Yer not alone. I've a '93 R6, stunning guitar, but the '60's profile tires my hand. Eyeing an R8 at Coda, and one at World Guitars.

Adamski

The 'woody' tone and better feel of a custom shop is far and away better than any of the standards I have played. They are the only Gibson's I would buy and are worth the cash IMO. You still have to search for a great one though!

Forge

Am I wrong thinking that since 2010 steps have been taken to get the Historic series specs even closer to the originals?