considering moving from R8 to R9...talk me down

[your idol]

So today i played a couple R9s and it pains me because i love the look and feel of my R8 but I've now found that the R9 is kind of my Goldielocks neck.

for years i have been a 60s neck guy but they began causing me numbness in my thumb and pad and tendon pain in my palm...no bueno
I got my feet wet with a nice R8 as most of you know and its stunning and im pain free...i can play for hours now and no issues!

Now i face some issues. The R9 leaves me pain free as i play it and my fingers feel a LOT less clumsy when accessing the upper frets...stretches dont feel so long either...its a lot more effortless.

IMO my 01 R8 IS an R9 with a fatter neck than the average R9...the quality is there..the weight is there...the top rivals most R9s i come across ...same electronics...the quality of my R8 is out of sight.

thing is people try and justify a SILLY difference in price unless you're a dealer..dealers are getting tit for tat when it comes to 99-01ish R8 vs R9 and rightfully so in my opinion. ITS VIRTUALLY THE SAME DAMN GUITAR.

now that I'm finding the R9 may be a lil more my style for the neck purposes only I face a couple ugly things...either i make the leap into the market and get gouged for a neck profile or i get my neck shaved on my perfect R8 and DESTROY the value....i know value schmalue-you gonna play it or invest it..but if sh!t hits the fan the guitar is the first thing to go and i need to know im not gonna get raped so i cant really bring myself to give er a shave.


put yourself in my shoes...what do you do?
Ideally I hunt down someone with a comparable R9 who wants all the looks with a fatter profile but I don't even know how to go about it...that seems like a needle in a haystack situation. do i shop it at guitar shows...even at that round these parts you don't see Historics at shows and if you do it's going to out to make money with them at the highest value and you at the lowest...which i'm not knocking...they run a business, not swap inventory for fun.

so what do you do people? do you take a hit for no reasonable reason? do you torch the value of an instrument you could barely afford for comfort? do you wander the earth searching for bizzaro you? do you say f*** it and just take up banjo?

i know some will say suck it up but now that i know there's something more comfortable for me and easier for me to play and the fact i can't just play any neck profile and adjust to it...it actually causes damage.

i come seeking the advice of you wise ones.

 

[JMV]

Since you already love your R8, I'd just send it to Greg or Roman to have them work their magic on the nwck if you're THAT desperate for that change. Otherqise, I'd keep the R8 and leave it be.

 

[RAG7890]

So today i played a couple R9s and it pains me because i love the look and feel of my R8 but I've now found that the R9 is kind of my Goldielocks neck.........................

..........................i come seeking the advice of you wise ones.

I'll post more later YI, but seriously............you just have to spend less time in Vic DaPra's music store. All that eye candy will drive you insane. I mean, look at the rest of us.

 

[HOT-BRIT]

just get what makes you happy

 

[LPV]

How about a historic make over with a neck reshape ?

 

[your idol]

I'll post more later YI, but seriously............you just have to spend less time in Vic DaPra's music store. All that eye candy will drive you insane. I mean, look at the rest of us.

funny thing is Vic's didn't cause GAS for the R9...the one i played there was nice and felt good but it was not the culprit...it was the fact i played 3 R9s in one day at 3 different shops and was floored by how much easier and useful the fretting was on all 3 ...truly effortless in comparison to the focus i have to put in on the R8 especially when when cramming my chubby digits into the tight spots...the little bit of extra dexterity was noticeable...it was actually the third one i tried that gave me the ah-ha moment. look forward to more input from you as always, your opinion is highly regarded. i mean im even willing to take a downgrade in top for upgrade in playability.

 

[pmonk]

Real men play R9!

 

[your idol]

How about a historic make over with a neck reshape ?

yeah if i had the cash to do it im sure i would for several reasons...for what itd cost me i could almost just go buy a used R9 and keep both. HM is sweet but too rich for my blood

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Tough call. It definately doesn't help spending time on the forums as it causes lots of GAS and may cause you to desire "better" than what you already have. Having said that, are you sure the neck is that big of a deal and that your not just trying to justify a better top, etc? Maybe you just have a bad bad case of GAS and should sleep on things for a while to be sure you don't make a mistake that you will regret.

 

[RAG7890]

funny thing is Vic's didn't cause GAS for the R9...the one i played there was nice and felt good but it was not the culprit...it was the fact i played 3 R9s in one day at 3 different shops and was floored by how much easier and useful the fretting was on all 3 ...truly effortless in comparison to the focus i have to put in on the R8 especially when when cramming my chubby digits into the tight spots...the little bit of extra dexterity was noticeable...it was actually the third one i tried that gave me the ah-ha moment. look forward to more input from you as always, your opinion is highly regarded. i mean im even willing to take a downgrade in top for upgrade in playability.

Thanks YI.................FYI I just sent a pdf summary of real '58 - '60 neck measurements to your Email address & it bounced back. Thought you might find this informative.......I certainly did.

It was put together ages ago by a Forum brother (I keep forgetting his name so I have to keep apologizing.........& I can't take credit for the summary). I can't upload here because the file size is too large.

 

[your idol]

Thanks YI.................FYI I just sent a pdf summary of real '58 - '60 neck measurements to your Email address & it bounced back. Thought you might find this informative.......I certainly did.

It was put together ages ago by a Forum brother (I keep forgetting his name so I have to keep apologizing.........& I can't take credit for the summary). I can't upload here because the file size is too large.

ill pm you my new email addy....old one has been hacked so many times and started spamming business and personal contacts and both sides could see the others on the email....made for some bad juju and a ruined birthday surprise so i killed the email entirely. thanks in advance

 

[The Refugee]

I'd say contact someone with a gregtastic/ROMANtic personality and ask them what they would charge to shave some junk off the neck.

To some it might kill resale value, but you seem to love that R8 of yours, so who gives a damn?

 

[your idol]

Tough call. It definately doesn't help spending time on the forums as it causes lots of GAS and may cause you to desire "better" than what you already have. Having said that, are you sure the neck is that big of a deal and that your not just trying to justify a better top, etc? Maybe you just have a bad bad case of GAS and should sleep on things for a while to be sure you don't make a mistake that you will regret.

no its funny its really not GAS. i had my R8 on me today and went side by side with what i consider to be a lesser topped guitar in terms of my taste...i LOVE my top and unless Frank Pine is coming off one of his Giant Killer topped R9s for charity there's really VERY few tops I'd ever put above mine as far as personal tastes are concerned...but the feel difference in playability has me willing to take a much milder top..this whole situation has ZERO to do with aesthetics. i know how to battle GAS for sure..im all pro. the feel is the real deal on this one. I had a 60s profiled necked paul, the R9 and my R8 lined up side by side by side today and there was a huge visible difference between the 3.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Real men play R9!

Real Men with small feet that is....

 

[nicolasrivera]

I'd say contact someone with a gregtastic/ROMANtic personality and ask them what they would charge to shave some junk off the neck.

To some it might kill resale value, but you seem to love that R8 of yours, so who gives a damn?

This is the best advise!!!!!

 

[The Refugee]

This is the best advise!!!!!

Oh gosh, Nico complimented me.

*blushes*

I feel like Taylor Swift at the VMAs

... wheres that jerk Kanye

 

[Chinese Knockoff]

Fcuk it. Do it. You like your guitar now? You'll like the new one even more.

 

[your idol]

Fcuk it. Do it. You like your guitar now? You'll like the new one even more.

always my voice of reason! if youre ever laid off just apply for the shoulder devil position

 

[decoy205]

If you trade for the R9 make sure its better for you then the R8 because otherwise you will miss your R8.

Roman himself would say if you dig that guitar shave the neck and make it yours. its just a guitar and it's a tool.

There are many people who can give you an exact neck shape. Since you're in PA you can probably swing by BCR Greg's try out vintage guitars until you find a neck you like and he can match it. How cool would that be?

 

[your idol]

If you trade for the R9 make sure its better for you then the R8 because otherwise you will miss your R8.

Roman himself would say if you dig that guitar shave the neck and make it yours. its just a guitar and it's a tool.

There are many people who can give you an exact neck shape. Since you're in PA you can probably swing by BCR Greg's try out vintage guitars until you find a neck you like and he can match it. How cool would that be?

you know thats a pretty coo idea...high on my list