Hey folks,
Just wanted to share my latest "project".
I got a new 2010 R8 solid body back last year from Marks Guitar Loft. She was gorgeous as is...the best looking R8‘s to cross my path personally. She’s a solid body with a lightly figured top and a bit of mineral streaking. I’d say she has a minimally thick neck for an R8. Definitely beefier than a R9, but not as thick as I’ve felt other R8’s at. And...somewhere under 9 lbs...
Out of the box...this guitar sang...she had a different voice than what I was used to...couldn’t nail what it was...but she sounded great.
Well, after my first HM RDS...I knew nothing less would be acceptable. Yeah, there’s that much of a difference/improvement. So, off it went to Kim in Florida for a full RDS package.
I got her back yesterday...and I spent a good part of yesterday partially deaf due to playing it with my loudest amps. Not the brightest thing to do up close...but I just couldn’t put it down...and it had to be at volume! My words can’t adequately convey how nice this guitar looks and sounds. I was Honestly impressed and in awe when I laid eye’s on her. I asked for bourbon burst...and that’s what I got. Just gorgeous...
Of course, Kim always puts on the nice little touches that make a difference...like rolling the binding on the neck...gives it that great comfortable feel... Aging the tuners (I sent him new nickel rotomatics in the package)...bridge and tailpiece. Nothing is overdone...everything is perfection IMO.
...aging... Cracked in all the right places...and it’s just gorgeous on the headstock...
So, how’s she sound?
Acoustically this guitar resonates and vibrates like crazy. You give it a good chord and BAM...she’s ringing like there’s no tomorrow. You can feel it everywhere...in your hands and in your gut...hows that for resonance! I feel as if she’d vibrate out of my hands if I wasn’t holding on good enough! yeah...bit exaggerated on that last bit...but it’s an emotional thing to hold a beast and have it rumble like this one does.
She’s definitely got a different voice than my R9...more bottom end and thump by far. What comes to mind when I play her and hear her is ...ZZ top...some Joe Walsh... Free...etc...
I’m ecstatic about how she sounds. Talk about growl...she’s got it. She cleans up beautifully as well. I get this shimmer at every chord strike...and sustain is just great. I think she has a great organic tone to her.
As incredible as the pictures look...she’s just so much more in person. The look, smell, feel and sound...just incredible. Like I said...not only a tangible thing...but a deeply emotional experience.
I couldn’t be more pleased at the results both tonally and visually. I, in all honest, could never leave a LP stock again knowing what HM can do for these guitars. Just my 2 cents on that.
Well, I suck at good pics...so, here you can see some that Kim did up. By far a better job than I could do. I’d have to say...these pics are true to real life in color.
