Do R8’s and R9’s sound the same?

[freebyrd 69]

It's not misinformation... again, that's like your opinion man. Mass has an impact on tone - it's basic physics - full stop. No one said heavier is better, simply said there is a trend as you go up/down weight... and of course on a unit by unit basis certain guitars buck trends - I'm sure your guitar is amazing. That said there are plenty of folks on these forums who have sworn off the lightest lesters due to bad experiences in the past.

In any case I'm done here. This is wild it's even a remotely controversial observation, it certainly wasn't when I was more active on the forums 10+ years ago.

Like, ok dude. Like, you can have your physics. I play guitar. In any event, the OP now has both sides of the story. Lol

 

[mudface]

I do know that a SG has plenty of warmth and sustain as any R8,... and it has a lot less mass than an R9.

 

[edro]

Most 'live' guitar I've played was a feather weight Tele....

 

[Luboy]

Not in my experience. I’ve owned well over 100 Reissues, not to mention countless other brands as well.

setup

 

[Luboy]

I do know that a SG has plenty of warmth and sustain as any R8,... and it has a lot less mass than an R9.

no. also, you gotta compare natural sustain. any guitar will sustain with some volume/feedback.

 

[freebyrd 69]

setup

I have all of mine professionally set up by a very well respected luthier in my area. I’d put either one of my sub 8.5lb R9’s up against any cinder block Les Paul you choose. Weight. Doesn’t. Matter.
You do have a point though regarding set up. Of all of the guitars mentioned that I’ve owned, there have only been a handful that have been “eh” after my guy set them up. Some better than others for sure, but very few “duds”.

 

[freebyrd 69]

no. also, you gotta compare natural sustain. any guitar will sustain with some volume/feedback.

Isn’t that kind of the point with an electric guitar? Lol. Why would I care about sustain sitting on my couch with it unplugged? Rarely am I ever on stage with an unplugged hushing the crowd so they can hear how long my guitar sustains.
Also, you are actually telling another member “no” about his guitars sustain? Lol. Jesus. Let me guess….you are an engineer of some sort? The “my theoretical hypothesis says heavier=greater sustain”. I’m just taking a guess here. Amirite?

 

[freebyrd 69]

I do know that a SG has plenty of warmth and sustain as any R8,... and it has a lot less mass than an R9.

Most 'live' guitar I've played was a feather weight Tele....

You guys….really? Quit exaggerating. Mathematically, what you say is impossible (apparently). You don’t know your own guitars from a hole in the ground. Lol.

 

[mudface]

no. also, you gotta compare natural sustain. any guitar will sustain with some volume/feedback.

I wasn’t suggesting, implying, guessing, or talking out my ass..... I said I know a SG has just as much warmth and sustain as a R8

Especially my Junior can sustain with the best of them

And I have an assortment of Les Pauls of various models and weights to compare it with...... and 2 R8s.

 

[edro]

You guys….really? Quit exaggerating. Mathematically, what you say is impossible (apparently). You don’t know your own guitars from a hole in the ground. Lol.

Seeing patterns is a good thing. Seeing patterns where there really isn't a big enough sample is not so good a thing....

A bud played a Gecko in a show that was one of the brightest Lesters I've heard. Therefore shit green paint makes em brighter.... Really brightened up under high temp stage lights.... Sounded better'n than in the dark.

The 'live' as hell Tele is commented about above tweren't even mine.... It was that light faded as hell bird shit green... So that green makes guitars sound brighter than other greens...unless it is Gecko green....under high temp stage lights.

The brightest Lester I think I've heard was an old beat up brown ugly as hell solid hog flat slab Lester with P90s...

Therefore, the brightest guitars are flat.... Obviously.

 

[Luboy]

Isn’t that kind of the point with an electric guitar? Lol. Why would I care about sustain sitting on my couch with it unplugged? Rarely am I ever on stage with an unplugged hushing the crowd so they can hear how long my guitar sustains.
Also, you are actually telling another member “no” about his guitars sustain? Lol. Jesus. Let me guess….you are an engineer of some sort? The “my theoretical hypothesis says heavier=greater sustain”. I’m just taking a guess here. Amirite?

amazing counter argument. there surely is a difference, but it doesn't matter to you. enjoy feeding back all day with your 5lbs basswood squier, nothing wrong with that.

 

[Luboy]

I wasn’t suggesting, implying, guessing, or talking out my ass..... I said I know a SG has just as much warmth and sustain as a R8

Especially my Junior can sustain with the best of them
View attachment 637892

And I have an assortment of Les Pauls of various models and weights to compare it with...... and 2 R8s.

View attachment 637895

I have played enough guitars and have done enough obsessive tests to not believe you. and i will not until i see and hear the comparison for myself. i also feel like my bullet strat sustains for days sometimes, but ultimately the recording says otherwise when i do the comparison with my LPC, the one that surely sustains longer than your junior SG.

 

[Luboy]

I have all of mine professionally set up by a very well respected luthier in my area. I’d put either one of my sub 8.5lb R9’s up against any cinder block Les Paul you choose. Weight. Doesn’t. Matter.
You do have a point though regarding set up. Of all of the guitars mentioned that I’ve owned, there have only been a handful that have been “eh” after my guy set them up. Some better than others for sure, but very few “duds”.

Weight does matter. Stiffness matters even more. Denser wood tends to be stiffer most of the time.

 

[mudface]

I have played enough guitars and have done enough obsessive tests to not believe you. and i will not until i see and hear the comparison for myself. i also feel like my bullet strat sustains for days sometimes, but ultimately the recording says otherwise when i do the comparison with my LPC, the one that surely sustains longer than your junior SG.

 

[Luboy]

View attachment 637898

hey, we all like to overrate our guitars. either that, or every les paul in your collection is a dud. the wraptail vs abr-1 does factor in, i'll give you that.

 

[Six6String6]

Jeez, and I only wanted to know about R8’s vs R9’s. Now look what I started. And to think I had my answer by post #67.

 

[Luboy]

Jeez, and I only wanted to know about R8’s vs R9’s. Now look what I started. And to think I had my answer by post #67.

that would be post #110 - you want an SG, not an R9.

 

[Six6String6]

Don’t want an SG

 

[1allspub]

As others have said, no two guitars sound the ”same” regardless of R-nomenclature (or lack thereof).

I will say though, that on the 2018 and newer Reissues, there is a distinct feel difference between R8s & R9s because of the different frets being used (R8s now have the skinnier “Historic Tall/Narrow” frets). Whether this fret difference has any affect on sound/tone is probably worthy of some debate, but it definitely affects feel and playability (at least it did for me when I owned both).

 

[mudface]

that would be post #110 - you want an SG, not an R9.

You’re as dense as the wood you’re talking about..... my SG reference is in regard to mass producing sustain as you have interpreted.

An SG having much less mass than a Les Paul Standard may have a slightly notable difference in sustain... that would be even less notable or entirely unnoticeable between an R9 and a R8 because of a even less mass difference between the two models.... than an SG.

How much sustain can you possibly use in any given song?

How often do you use that sustain unplugged?....... with an electric guitar?

You can scientifically analyze with whatever tools you want the mass and density of any given R8 and R9 and reveal whatever numbers you like..... in the real music recording or performing world it won’t mean squat to anyone’s ears.