2012 R8 Custom Order Historic Makeovers ®

[hoss]

Hi,

you might have seen the thread about my tour to the Gibson facilities in Tennessee, June 2012. I've gotten the once in a lifetime chance to order a Custom Shop Historic Les Paul built to my own specs. I've chosen a wild grain maple plank to be fitted on to an R8 with Darkburst paint, Grover tuners and double cream pickups (DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAFs).

The guitar ("Faye", as I've always loved the darkburst/double cream look of 9 2314) turned out to be amazing.

After knowing Kim LaFleur from the LPF for years, I finally met him at the Arlington guitar show in October 2012. Actually, we met on the hotel shuttle at DFW airport.

Kim had brought a bunch of Historic Makeover Les Pauls to the show and he opened the cases right there in the hotel lobby and put them into our hands. It was a jaw dropping experience, the finish, the feel...

So my little Faye went back overseas to get a Historic Makeover. Color is not going to change a lot (less orange/red and a thinner rim), pickups will be Rick Norman Racquels from Dr. Vintage. I liked these a lot at Rick's booth in Arlington.

This is all very exciting as the guitar is special to me since I selected the raw wood plank and I think a Historic Makeover is bringing Historics as close as possible to vintage Les Pauls.

That said, I think the new 2013 features are great. But a Makeover is much more than binding, hide glue and tr condoms. The re-carves, the fretboard (with inlays and nut) and especially the lacquer,...

I will continue posting pics of the progress. Here are pics of the top plank, the original guitar and the stripped guitar as it arrived in the Florida Sun.

 

[RAG7890]

Looking forward to this one Hoss.

 

[oli]

Cool ! Looking forward to it too

 

[Sct13]

on board!

 

[kracdown]

Every time I try to think I don't need to send my Les Paulls to HM, one of these pops up!

 

[JPP373]

Kim and his crew do Amazing work...i have a 2003 LP Braz board that HM did and turned out so good I want to do a few more. Btw excellent choice of wood for the top. You have the Burst Historic grain pattern nailed for a 58. This will be a Fun ride..
question ..how does one go about choosing the wood and specs for a personally done LP at the Gibson Custom Shop?

 

[JimmyAce2006]

Hi,

That said, I think the new 2013 features are great. But a Makeover is much more than binding, hide glue and tr condoms. The re-carves, the fretboard (with inlays and nut) and especially the lacquer,...

Kim told me that most of the ones made in 2009+ do not need a top re-carve or a neck re-carve because Gibson got very close with the 50th anniversary changes (and going forward). And the Gibson inlays are allegedly the same source as Kim's for 2012+. Not sure about the nut, but I thought they changed that with the 50th anniversary as well....? Also, and I am sure many people will scream when I say this, but didn't Gibson fix the lacquer for 2013? So if all of this is true, you are really getting the braz fret board. Though others will argue that Kim's stuff is better than Gibson's factory stuff. And I am sure there is a whole debate for that. But how much better? I am sure it is subjective when it comes to a cost / benefit analysis.

That said, your guitar looks pretty awesome as is!

 

[hoss]

Thanks, guys!
@JimmyAce2006: Mine is a 2012, so it does not have the new features and has a double layer board.
It will get a neck and top re-carve.
The Gibson nut is Nylon, but it's molded and not carved from a 6/6 Nylon bar. It feels and looks different.
Gibson did not fix the lacquer, only the hide glue in 2013.

 

[Sct13]

"Fixed the lacquer?"

You mean a 2013 is subject to checking? This would mean that their warranty claims could skyrocket.

 

[hoss]

"Fixed the lacquer?"

You mean a 2013 is subject to checking? This would mean that their warranty claims could skyrocket.

Right. That's why they are still using the soft paint.

 

[Mike60]

Right. That's why they are still using the soft paint.

fake nitro...which will soon be repaired on my Factory Burst.

 

[Mike60]

....This is all very exciting as the guitar is special to me since I selected the raw wood plank and I think a Historic Makeover is bringing Historics as close as possible to vintage Les Pauls....

...

 

[Curlymaple]

. Here are pics of the top plank, the original guitar and the stripped guitar as it arrived in the Florida Sun.

Hoss, it doesnt look like the same maple top but a very nice guitar non the less....

...and for sure HM will take it up on the next level

 

[LPCollector]

 

[Sct13]

fake nitro...which will soon be repaired on my Factory Burst.

What...are you saying? You too? A Mmmmmake Over?

 

[Mike60]

What...are you saying? You too? A Mmmmmake Over?

sure...once the double rings arrive..it goes...all I really want is a slightly thinner profile on the neck but while its there...may as well RDS it.

 

[hoss]

Hoss, it doesnt look like the same maple top but a very nice guitar non the less....

We had a HUGE discussion about that on the German forum:

It IS the same maple top. But the raw plank is 1" thick and they sand away more than half of that when it is glued to the body. Wild grain figures change A LOT when you sand through them.

 

[hoss]

Out with the old and frets and bushings in with long bushings and studs.

 

[RAG7890]

We had a HUGE discussion about that on the German forum:

It IS the same maple top. But the raw plank is 1" thick and they sand away more than half of that when it is glued to the body. Wild grain figures change A LOT when you sand through them.

+ 1, Hoss is correct. Pick a Maple top & then watch it change when the the top carve is finished & again when it is sanded. Happens most of the time.

Certainly happened to both Maple tops that were used for my two recent builds.

 

[musicmaniac]

Looking forward to seeing the finished product.