R8 solid or chambered?

[JimmyJimmy]

Casually looking to get an r8. Seen a lot for sale made in 2008. These are quite light, so are they chambered, or just a light solid wood? Also have they improved the r8 since 2008?

[kdm]

it's easy to tell if they are chambered - they have a CR serial #.
Improvement took place in 2009....

[planks]

These (list below) changes were introduced in 2009. The debate goes on about if this was in fact an overall improvement or not. I vote yes!

Nylon 6/6 nut
Improved ABR-1 bridge (no-wire, tighter tolerances)
Historically correct nickel-plated brass bridge saddles
Correct alloy saddle adjustment screws
Bridge height-adjusting thumbwheels are now thinner
Neck profile changed - now has less "shoulders"
Audio taper CTS pots
50s wiring
Pickup routes adjusted so that pickups will be parallel to the strings
Top carve changed to be closer to several original '59s that were scanned
Body perimeter change - slightly tighter in waist, cutaway area refined to be more like originals
The maple cap is very slightly thinner, the mahogany body is very slightly thicker
The fingerboard is slightly thinner
The step from neck heel to back of body is taller and more correct
The taper of the "maple window" under the binding in cutaway is more accurate
The maple spline (filler strip) in the tenon is more accurate
The edge radius on the backside of the body is tighter (less rounded)
The "mustache curve" of the headstock top has been flattened slightly
The control cavity plate has been relocated, has the correct side taper, and now uses the correct ABS plastic
The pickguard shape has changed slightly
The pickguard bracket and screw have been changed
The truss rod cover has been reshaped to be more accurate
The serial number location is slightly lower and more correct
Dial pointers are less sharp
The strap button screws are longer
The jack hole is now the correct 1" diameter
The toggle switch nut has more correct knurled pattern

[JimmyJimmy]

Originally Posted by planks

These (list below) changes were introduced in 2009. The debate goes on about if this was in fact an overall improvement or not. I vote yes!

2009 CS LP Changed Features:

Wow! Thanks for the info. Guess thats why so many 2008 for sale...

So, are there two models, a chambered and solid? Thought an r8 was an r8 so to speak.

[planks]

Yep, they made/make both solid and chambered ones.
As kdm pointed out, you need to check the serial number (or get the information from the seller).

[planks]

Some info here The Cloud 9 Series - History of the Chambered-Reissue about the chambered reissues.

[shesrealfine]

Originally Posted by planks

These (list below) changes were introduced in 2009. The debate goes on about if this was in fact an overall improvement or not. I vote yes!

I continue to be shocked that there is any debate over this, especially given how picky many or even most here are about historical accuracy.

But you're correct, it does go on.

My theory is that folks who own and love pre-2009s just put these changes into a state of denial, but that's just my theory...

[guitarnut_germany]

there are GREAT sounding chambered reissues... and there are GREAT sounding non-chambered ones. In fact, speaking of historical acuracy, I read an interview with Lynyrd Skynyrds Ed King awihle ago, where he speaks on his new CHAMBERED historic (not sure if it was an R9 or an R8) and says that it MOST acurately resembles the feel and sound of his original 59 burst.... I will post the interview as soon as I find it. (for all those "historically acurate" freaks out there ) And, no, I don't own a chamber R8/R9, but I don't mind owning one

[RUFFCUT]

Here are some shots of the chambering on my CR8...

[manotso]

And here is my historical ''inaccurate'' R8 2008





If you are happy with your instrument and the amount of money that you need to spent for it, then go and get it. I was also skeptical until I went and tried out.

A good instrument is a good instrument despite production year and company. Gibson is a big company with very good products (at least most of the times). It makes sense that has also marketing department..

[RAG7890]

CR8's are awesome guitars.

The inaccuracy argument is BS IMHO............no Historic is accurate. They are all a representation of what has passed before.

[kdm]

Originally Posted by RAG7890

CR8's are awesome guitars.

Yes, they are very nice instruments. I play a 2010 CR8 for one year now and I'm very happy with the sound, playability and the quality of the craftmanship !

The Official R8 owners club

[CRobbins]

I vote for a solid body guitar.

[LPCollector]

Originally Posted by CRobbins

I vote for a solid body guitar.

You have never owned both, obviously!
CR's are another beautiful color, to paint your musical picture with!

CR0:

[AxeBuilder]

I have a solid R9 that only weighs 8.5 lbs (fairly light). This is chambered territory....

[RAG7890]

Originally Posted by AxeBuilder

I have a solid R9 that only weighs 8.5 lbs (fairly light). This is chambered territory....

A great weight for a solid body, no doubt.

But you need to droop another 1lb to be in CR8 territory.

In addition, the acoustic chamber DOES make a difference to the sound.

As Mark said......................."CR's are another beautiful color, to paint your musical picture with"..........I concur.

[guitarnut_germany]

The Gibson Classic Interview: Lynyrd Skynyrd

I understand that you were at Gibson Custom Shop's Summer Jam a few weeks ago.

A couple of friends from the East Coast, they come down to the Custom Shop Summer Jam, and they invited me over to the party. Once I got there I saw that they had all these Les Pauls on the wall, and this guy says, "I want you to try this guitar." It's a 1958 Les Paul reissue, a chambered guitar. They've routed out some of the mahogany and then put a maple top on top of it. I said, "Sure, I'll try it out." Well, I played it acoustically because to me that's the test of a real good electric guitar, if it has a real good resonance acoustically. And it had it. I said, "Okay, now I need to find an amp." So he finally located, out in some trailer, a little Epiphone amplifier. I plugged it in and the guitar just melted in my hands. And it sounded great. I said, well, I think this guitar sounds and plays as good as my '59. So I bought it. I brought it home, and that was about, maybe three weeks ago. I've been playing this guitar every day. It’s funny. I went up and got my '59 out the other day, because I've been playing this new one now for three weeks, and I plugged it in, and sure enough, it's the same exact thing.

That's amazing.

Yeah, it is amazing. The new guitar has a little bit fatter neck. But as far as tone and feel and just the way every note, you can feel go through you, it's the same experience. See, that's the thing. It's the same experience. I am just as satisfied playing the new one as I am the old one, and that's the key to it, is what makes you feel that feeling of satisfaction when you play it, is when every note just rings true and it has that honk to it.

How else does it compare to an original '59?

Well, as for an original '59, like I said, I've owned five of them, and I've played quite a few more, and a lot of them are great guitars. You might find a couple that aren't as good. But I think a lot of it had to do with the old wood they were making guitars with back then. I mean those guitars sounded as good the day they were made. A lot of people think it's the aging of the wood. For the old ones, I think it had a lot to do with the wood itself, but I think the fact with the new one that they hollowed out some of the mahogany and were able to, how can I say this, compensate for the lack of the aging of the mahogany. They were able to compensate the resonant factor in this body, and the maple on top is real nice and the neck is really great. I think it's the closest thing you can get to an old Les Paul, and to me it's just as satisfying.

[RAG7890]

+ 1 GG.

It was the 2007 Summer Jam..............just before I had a brain explosion & bought 4 CR8's.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by RAG7890

+ 1 GG.

It was the 2007 Summer Jam..............just before I had a brain explosion & bought 4 CR8's.

I have one CR8 and I'm gassing for another.

[konrad gibson]

love 58s, I have two unchambered ones. That´s my 2011 lemonburst and my 2008 washed cherry

[trmckn]

You could always split the difference and go with a "double carve". That's where they create a chamber by reflecting the top carve on the underside of the top. They are great looking and great playing LPs in my opinion.

[Danelectro]

My #1 2007 CR8. Best Neck, best tone, best weight of any Les Paul I've owned.

[guitarnut_germany]

Originally Posted by trmckn

You could always split the difference and go with a "double carve". That's where they create a chamber by reflecting the top carve on the underside of the top. They are great looking and great playing LPs in my opinion.

that's one of my favorite colors there, some REALLY nice flames there as well! What year is this LP?

[Big Red]

Originally Posted by LPCollector

You have never owned both, obviously!

In my book that top is almost perfect. One of the best I've seen in a while, anyway. Great pic LPCollector

[CRobbins]

Originally Posted by LPCollector

You have never owned both, obviously!
CR's are another beautiful color, to paint your musical picture with!

CR0:

No offense intended, and none taken. Thanks.....

[shesrealfine]

Here's my 2011 CR8.

7 lbs. 1 oz. of pure joy.

[trmckn]

Originally Posted by guitarnut_germany

that's one of my favorite colors there, some REALLY nice flames there as well! What year is this LP?

I think it's a '11...but it's possible that they shipped in late '10. S/N's are all hand-written proto's.

They're as inexpensive as any new historic, and this one at least looks and plays as well as any reissue that I've ever had. Can't say that's because of the double carve topology for sure, but for whatever reason, it is really nice. And, I find the tops on them (they're R8s) to be more R9.

[kdm]

Originally Posted by trmckn

You could always split the difference and go with a "double carve". That's where they create a chamber by reflecting the top carve on the underside of the top. They are great looking and great playing LPs in my opinion.

have you ever compared it to a chambered reissue....!?

[b3john]

LP, I never get tired of seeing your CR0!

Originally Posted by LPCollector

You have never owned both, obviously!
CR's are another beautiful color, to paint your musical picture with!

CR0:

I gotta get me one of them!

[Catfish]

A gratuitous photo of my CR8, nick-named Bandit Country