R0 2018 Historic Collection vs 2020 60th Anniversary V2/V3

[Syntek]

I am about to get a CustomShop R0, 2018 Historic Collection.

Gibson.com: Historic

Discover our outstanding array of instruments for any budget.

legacy.gibson.com

Besides burst colors and neck profiles, are there any other differences with the new 60th Anniversary V2 and V3?
I am not sure if the 2018 R0 has unpotted pickups, though. Please your insights.

 

[dyrhee]

I believe they started with the unpotted pickups last year in 2019 with the 60th anniversary R9s. That 2018 looks great!

 

[Thunder Dump]

Besides burst colors and neck profiles, are there any other differences with the new 60th Anniversary V2 and V3?
I am not sure if the 2018 R0 has unpotted pickups, though. Please your insights.

The only differences between a 2018 and 2020 are the unpotted (vs potted) pickups, knobs on the V1 (bell vs reflector), 60th Anniversary toggle switch cover plate, and burst colors (two each for V1/V2/V3, none of which were offered in 2018).

 

[Syntek]

What about Paper-in-Oil Capacitors? Someone told me that Gibson started with paper-in-oil in 2019.

 

[HIDDEN]

I’d stick with 2019 and newer due to the pickups, pots, caps, darker backs, ambered binding, etc

 

[HonestAl]

I've only just bought a Lefty 2018 Custom Shop '60 in Royal Teaburst (Right in the pic). I get confused over Custom Shop nomenclature so I'm guessing this is an R0?
In terms of the pickups, tapping the covers reveals they're a good bit more microphonic than similar ones on my 2002 Standard, so I'd assume they're unpotted - which I think is how they were way back then.

 

[HIDDEN]

^ nice guitars! FYI 2013-2014 are all “potted” (except certain CC models)
Starting in 2015TH models-2018 they were “lightly” potted
Finally 2019 and 2020 are all unpotted unless it’s specified in a MTM (made to measure orders)

 

[PeteNJ75]

I might be in the minority here, but I personally think 2018 was Gibson Custom Shop’s best year in the past decade. They just feel better to me than the 2019s and 2020s, and I’ve had some problems with the unpotted pickups when using gain at high volumes (squealing). I also own a 2020 V3 60th R0 and love it, plus there’s the collectibility factor with the 60th Anniversary, but personally I like my 2018s better. I have an R9 and R0 from 2018 and they are my best two guitars. I’m sure you’ll be happy with whichever one you go with - you really can’t lose either way, it’s just personal preference at this point. Go with the one you think feels and sounds the best, or has the top you like best.

 

[PauloQS]

What about Paper-in-Oil Capacitors? Someone told me that Gibson started with paper-in-oil in 2019.

Paper in oil capacitors started being used in 2019. Up until 2018 Gibson used non paper-in-oil capacitors. The giveaway is that protective tubing on non-paper-in-oil was bright yellow. The paper-in-oil bumblebee capacitors have a brown/orange tubing. On the picture bellow the top one is a 2016 reissue and the bottom is from a 2019 60th Anniversary R9. Although technically not a 2018, every 2018 historic I’ve seen or worked on, has the same capacitors as my 2016 R0.

 

[Whipsaw1]

I have a 60 RO made 12/10/18. It has audio pots like the 2019s. It has the non paper in oil Bumble bee caps with the yellow tubing like the 2018s. Is there a way to tell if it has the unpotted custombuckers without taking it apart?

 

[mplsrube]

What about Paper-in-Oil Capacitors? Someone told me that Gibson started with paper-in-oil in 2019.

That is true.