Do R8’s and R9’s sound the same?

[bluesky636]

I have an R8 that I love. I have zero interest in an R9. If you want a guitar that will definitely sound different from your R8, do what I did and buy a Strat.

 

[Mr French]

I have an R8 that I love. I have zero interest in an R9. If you want a guitar that will definitely sound different from your R8, do what I did and buy a Strat.

No two guitars sound the same and that's a facts. It just does not work that way when it comes to lumber.

Buy the guitar that feels and sounds the best to you!

 

[kungpow!]

Yeah

 

[Six6String6]

I have an R8 that I love. I have zero interest in an R9. If you want a guitar that will definitely sound different from your R8, do what I did and buy a Strat.

Oddly enough I bought a Fender American Pro II last year, the Dark Knight with the rosewood fretboard. It’s a sweet guitar as well, so very different of course. So I do have a bit of variety in my humble studio. Sadly it does not diminish the itch for the R9.

 

[Six6String6]

Stuff I’ve got hanging around…

 

[Six6String6]

Another shot

 

[Duane_the_tub]

Stuff I’ve got hanging around…

I'd forget about the guitars and just sit at that keyboard until I could play every note on 5150.

 

[mjross]

Some R8’s don’t even sound like R8’s and the same with R9’s! That’s one of the cool things about Les Pauls. They all seem to have a unique personality.

 

[mjross]

If you want a good R9 to go with that R8 then you should. I shopped all humbucker historics and found the best one I had access to. It happened to be an R9. If sounding different is what you're after then go for a P90 equipped historic

Starting to dig that P90 thing! Just got a TV Yellow DC Special 60 Reissue that I’m really starting to like. Little noisy but diggin the tone!

 

[Dilver]

Obviously, no two guitars will sound the same. But I find it odd that no one has just come out and said it: there’s nothing structurally different between an R8 and R9 that would make them sound different from each other. In some instances R8s can have thicker necks, which might have a small impact on tone. But there are also R8s that have the same ’59 neck profile as an R9. A flamey-er (flamier sp?) top isn’t going to make a guitar sound different and some R8s have nicer tops than some R9s. So to answer the OP’s question about whether an R9 will sound different than an R8… no more than another R8 would.

 

[Six6String6]

Obviously, no two guitars will sound the same. But I find it odd that no one has just come out and said it: there’s nothing structurally different between an R8 and R9 that would make them sound different from each other. In some instances R8s can have thicker necks, which might have a small impact on tone. But there are also R8s that have same ’59 neck profile as an R9. A flamey-er (flamier sp?) top isn’t going to make a guitar sound different and some R8s have nicer tops than some R9s. So to answer the OP’s question about whether an R9 will sound different than an R8… no more than another R8 would.

Actually my opening question kind of prevented that by design as I do realize the structural and aesthetic angle of the comparison. I wanted to skip the stuff I already knew and save us the rehashing and to zero in on the tone. But I do appreciate the input, truly.

 

[AJK1]

My R9 sounds like Billy Gibbons and my R8 sounds like Mark Knopfler
And my Customs sound like Rawk !

 

[xguitardevilx]

I say, make the trade. Get that R9. I've always saved up some and traded in and up, and never regretted it. I have an R9 and R7 that both play leaps and bounds better than any other Les Paul I ever owned.

 

[golfnut]

Generally speaking, the R8s and R9s are supposed to sound the pretty much the same, the difference being down to the particular guitar.

Finally, a good answer. Geez some people explain it like no 2 R9's sound anything alike. If that were the case then why are so many chasing the sound of the 59 or 60, etc. Grab any year with the weight you like the neck that fits your hand and away you go.

 

[jono_3]

I tried a few R8's before when I bought mine and they all sound and felt different.

Similarly, I have two '65 Custom Shop Strats that were released a year apart, both spec'd essentially the same, both set up the same, also completely different sounding guitars.

If the R9 is good, grab it.

 

[mudface]

"Do R8s and R9s sound the same?"

They do when the Bass and Drums kick in.

 

[Linus]

Yes, they are the same.

When you are ready to get one try as many R7,8,9,0 as you can get your hands on until you find “the one”.

When I was ready I went to Mark’s Guitar Loft and plays around 25 different ones. I sorted them into “no”, “maybe”, and “yes” groups. Then I played the maybe and yes ones several times through different amps and unplugged. Eventually I had it narrowed down to 3 that I loved. Then I picked based on the appearance of the top.
Luckily for me that one also turned out to be a used one and was a couple thousand less than some others.

I still love that guitar.

 

[cholula69]

ToneQuest Report has done relatively extensive reviews and playing of R8s and R9s. Over the years, they basically commented that some sound better than others but are essentially the same guitars tonally. There were some nice R8s at Wildwood that sounded better than the R9s they had at the time and they were all in the same weight range. The R9s looked better from a cosmetic point of view but the R8s were significantly less expensive and sounded better to me. Good luck with your endeavor.

 

[kvstdoom]

I am down one Black Beaty now. Playing several analog synthesizers is so much more fun and creates much more music than several Les Pauls. Now there is some capasitors that makes some tonal difference.

Be carefull with the standard if you love it!

 

[Six6String6]

Ya’ I sort of like the Standard. I guess I will ponder it for a while more. And I have no qualms with my R8 as it stands so I can keep thinking about it for now.
I’ll play a few where I can for now