First Post - Help me spend my money!

[1allspub]

I'd love to do that - admittedly I'm always in a hurry to get the next piece of gear but I know I'd be happy with that.

Patience is a virtue.

GAS is an immediate need!

Therein lies the dilemma.

 

[lanningwk]

Patience is a virtue.

GAS is an immediate need!

Therein lies the dilemma.

If you don't mind me asking - does your R8 offer a massively different playing experience than your LP traditional? Overall quality, feel, sound etc? I'm not sure that I've played a true CS Gibson. I have played a few Custom Shop strats and they differ in feel over my American strat but also I love them because of what they represent. I just wondered if I'd be happier with an R7 over a 50s Standard because it was an R7 or because it looked, felt, sounded, played different... by a decent price margin. If I found one around 3k vs the 2699 price on the standard, that would be a no brainer, but I'm wondering if I paid 3500-4000 if I'd really be getting that much more "guitar".

 

[1allspub]

If you don't mind me asking - does your R8 offer a massively different playing experience than your LP traditional? Overall quality, feel, sound etc? I'm not sure that I've played a true CS Gibson. I have played a few Custom Shop strats and they differ in feel over my American strat but also I love them because of what they represent. I just wondered if I'd be happier with an R7 over a 50s Standard because it was an R7 or because it looked, felt, sounded, played different... by a decent price margin. If I found one around 3k vs the 2699 price on the standard, that would be a no brainer, but I'm wondering if I paid 3500-4000 if I'd really be getting that much more "guitar".

The R8s I have have owned (a total of 4) do give a different playing/owning experience over, say my Gibson USA Trad... but "massively different"... I don't know if I'd qualify it as "massively". Keep in mind that when it comes to RIs, you are getting a guitar that is built in an entirely different facility (the CS is not in the main Gibson factory... it's a few minutes down the road in Nashville), and built to different specs than the USA models. And while the basic shape is the same, the difference in specs and build is indeed noticeable. RIs just feel different (especially VOS models)... better or worse is subjective and opinion-based, but there is clearly a difference. The binding is different, the finish is different, the hardware is different, the necks are generally different, etc. And they even look a bit different than the typical USA LP (ie, they more closely conform to vintage LPs than USA models do). Then there's the pickups. Custom Buckers are nice pickups... arguably better than anything in the USA stable. That said, I am a tinkerer (and tone-chaser) and always swap out the pickups for boutiques (yes, even CBs... as good as they are, they are not the best out there, at least not IMO/IME).

Now, older RIs I can't speak to (oldest I've had was a 2014), so if you were to get an older R7 you might encounter a different set of parameters which may make the experience of those guitars more or less like a USA model. That said... there is a certain mystique (or maybe it's just pride of ownership) that the RIs have. You know you've got something that is (or at least was at the time it was built) Gibson's best effort at making a copy of those old coveted 50s LPs. I know, I know... every year they say it's finally the closest ever. And every year something about them still isn't quite right, etc. I am under no illusions that my R8 is dead on to a real 58, but for a common guy like me it's as close to the experience as I'll ever have to what it was like to own one back in the day. And that is an experience that I have to admit, is pretty cool.

I will say that of all the Gibson LPs I have owned, 18 so far (both USA and RIs), that while I have had some USA LPs that were kind of... blah... all 4 R8s I have had were really good guitars. Luck of the draw? Maybe. But I've played a couple other RIs in stores too... and have yet to find one that wasn't a winner. So take that for whatever it's worth.

If you can manage to stall yourself long enough to get an R7, I doubt you'd be disappointed. That said, USA builds a great LP. Are they vintage correct? No. Are they trying to be? No. But they are still great guitars that look the part. But you already know that.

 

[rjwilson37]

Hmmm. Don't R7's have a very big neck?

 

[DaveSG]

I need to go try one out. I am honestly so impressed with my 04 LP that I was hoping to find one of the same era. Gibson had some dark days in the late 2000s early 2010s. I've heard good things about the new management though but I haven't played a modern era LP ever. I suppose I need to get on that.

I second this - First the goldtop, and also trying one out.

I've had 3 LPs...an early 70s LP Custom, a 2016 LP Standard Faded, and this new 2021 LP Standard 50s. The '21 is the nicest Gibson I've ever owned, and that is coming from an SG guy who has owned way more SGs than LPs. The necks are simply lovely - nice and full but not overwhelming. I never think about the neck...in a good way.

A goldtop is one of the classiest guitars you could ever own. You sidestep the entire 'nice top' ego wars (still fun to play in hah!) and can solely focus on feel and play.

Even after my '21, I'm tempted to look for a new left-handed goldtop and then do a '1957' conversion to black plastics, just because I've never seen another lefty like it. But that would just be for the looks. I can't really imagine anything better than the guitar I have...it does everything I need and so much more. It has surprised me with little hidden hints of the sounds of great, legendary LP tones I've enjoyed over the years. I was very much biased against the burstbuckers (from a guitar that I once owned that had BBs and was one of the worst guitars I've owned) and was SHOCKED at how well this guitar (equipped w/ BBs) translated vintage tones we all can recognize. It is such a neat and surreal experience to hear a certain tone on a favorite track, and then there it is, right there w/ your guitar!

I know you mentioned that you may be concerned about finding one from the same era (i.e. getting one as good as your old one) but each guitar does need to be judged individually, as they are all their own thing. However, most people who have picked up one of the new 50s / 60s LP Standards just adore them. Most nitpick threads have to do with small QC issues and even then, many of the new owners are tempted to keep the guitars due to how great they otherwise are.

Best of both worlds would be be to pick out a 100-mile radius, and try every new LP Standard you can get your hands on. Pick the best one, and you'll also be able to do a hands-on inspection before you buy so there will be no QC surprises. That's exactly what I would do if I had the luxury of being a righty and having guitars in the stores that I could try out!

Good luck! (and make sure you post a 'NGD' thread when you pick up your new guitar!)

 

[ElChoad]

The Trad Pro’s all have 60’s necks if I’m not mistaken. Depending on the year, the regular Traditional had the 50’s necks. It’s best if you can hold them and see for yourself.

Wrong. I bought a Trad Pro II Goldtop new in '14 that has a '50s neck. It feels great. And a few mods later, it is the way a LP should be.

 

[MP4-22]

YES. This is exactly what I'm talking about. I've heard of Wildwood and I watch videos of that Greg Koch guy all the time but I didn't know they had hand picked LPs. Thanks so much

Neither did i... till after i bought a regular one !!

Wildwood in my experience has the best stock....provides great customer service, free setup with your choice of strings, and a cool t shirt.

 

[budg]

My vote is Goldtop. Just bought my 50s standard and I’ve been looking for a great LP for a long time. These Standards are great guitars. The quality is certainly there. I love everything about it . Build quality is spot on, it’s not too heavy, very resonant , nut is cut perfectly and the BB 1&2 pickups just sing. The grain on the back is very nice , plus that Goldtop , wow!

 

[lanningwk]

Folks - I really appreciate everyone's input. I just found a deal on reverb this morning for a 2020 Standard '50s goldtop with what looks like a decently figured back and neck. I'm stoked to get it in the mail this week. I'll post pics as soon as it comes in!

 

[rjwilson37]

It's crazy that Wildwood charges an extra $300, I guess because they get better stock.

 

[lanningwk]

I second this - First the goldtop, and also trying one out.

I've had 3 LPs...an early 70s LP Custom, a 2016 LP Standard Faded, and this new 2021 LP Standard 50s. The '21 is the nicest Gibson I've ever owned, and that is coming from an SG guy who has owned way more SGs than LPs. The necks are simply lovely - nice and full but not overwhelming. I never think about the neck...in a good way.

A goldtop is one of the classiest guitars you could ever own. You sidestep the entire 'nice top' ego wars (still fun to play in hah!) and can solely focus on feel and play.

Even after my '21, I'm tempted to look for a new left-handed goldtop and then do a '1957' conversion to black plastics, just because I've never seen another lefty like it. But that would just be for the looks. I can't really imagine anything better than the guitar I have...it does everything I need and so much more. It has surprised me with little hidden hints of the sounds of great, legendary LP tones I've enjoyed over the years. I was very much biased against the burstbuckers (from a guitar that I once owned that had BBs and was one of the worst guitars I've owned) and was SHOCKED at how well this guitar (equipped w/ BBs) translated vintage tones we all can recognize. It is such a neat and surreal experience to hear a certain tone on a favorite track, and then there it is, right there w/ your guitar!

I know you mentioned that you may be concerned about finding one from the same era (i.e. getting one as good as your old one) but each guitar does need to be judged individually, as they are all their own thing. However, most people who have picked up one of the new 50s / 60s LP Standards just adore them. Most nitpick threads have to do with small QC issues and even then, many of the new owners are tempted to keep the guitars due to how great they otherwise are.

Best of both worlds would be be to pick out a 100-mile radius, and try every new LP Standard you can get your hands on. Pick the best one, and you'll also be able to do a hands-on inspection before you buy so there will be no QC surprises. That's exactly what I would do if I had the luxury of being a righty and having guitars in the stores that I could try out!

Good luck! (and make sure you post a 'NGD' thread when you pick up your new guitar!)

I meant to respond to this earlier and got busy... life of a high school teacher haha.

I appreciate the time you put into this response and I'm definitely planning to post my NGD as soon as the goldtop comes in this week!

A good friend of mine is a lefty. In 2004, my best friend from high school bought the Desert Burst Standard that I now own. I envied it for years and finally bought it off of him. My lefty friend, on the same day, ordered a goldtop. This was 2004 - long before the days of sweetwater and reliable internet searching. He wanted a goldtop with a light back and had to call 32 different Gibson dealers nationwide to finally source one. I'm sure you've dealt with similar southpaw discriminations in your day, too!

One thing he and I share in common though is that all those years ago and still to this day we both consider ourselves "strat guys"... hell, I'm a strat guy - he's a strat aficionado. But both of us oddly enough own more Gibsons than Fenders at this point haha.

 

[DaveSG]

Very nice!

I hope you get one that ticks all your boxes. Just such a great guitar. Please share when you get it!

Cool story about the strats. I should have my first strat coming soon. I had a little deal w/ one of my guitar-playing co-worker friends. He would get his first Gibson and I would get my first Fender. He found a smoking deal on a totally mint 2020 LP Tribute in Honeyburst locally (I got to pick up for him) Then I found a desert sand Fender Highway One in left hand from '06 (and not local lol). It is living at my dad's place and I'm hoping to eventually take hold of it.

And yes finding lefty guitars, especially if you are looking for a a very specific guitar, its VERY hard. You often have to take what you can get or find, and hope you get a good one, because a lot of times it won't be local to you. Funny thing is that back in the day, I ordered a left-handed custom shop SG Standard VOS reissue (left-handed) and it was probably one of the worst guitars I've owned. But, took a chance on this latest one (50s LP Std) and its hard for me to imagine getting a better guitar. So so glad I grabbed it. I have a feeling you're going to really love this goldtop.

You are a brave man working in HS these days! I used to work w/ high schoolers a few years ago in a leadership program we did and a few of them played guitar and we'd have fun shooting the breeze talking shop.

 

[lanningwk]

View attachment 583515

Very nice!

I hope you get one that ticks all your boxes. Just such a great guitar. Please share when you get it!

Cool story about the strats. I should have my first strat coming soon. I had a little deal w/ one of my guitar-playing co-worker friends. He would get his first Gibson and I would get my first Fender. He found a smoking deal on a totally mint 2020 LP Tribute in Honeyburst locally (I got to pick up for him) Then I found a desert sand Fender Highway One in left hand from '06 (and not local lol). It is living at my dad's place and I'm hoping to eventually take hold of it.

And yes finding lefty guitars, especially if you are looking for a a very specific guitar, its VERY hard. You often have to take what you can get or find, and hope you get a good one, because a lot of times it won't be local to you. Funny thing is that back in the day, I ordered a left-handed custom shop SG Standard VOS reissue (left-handed) and it was probably one of the worst guitars I've owned. But, took a chance on this latest one (50s LP Std) and its hard for me to imagine getting a better guitar. So so glad I grabbed it. I have a feeling you're going to really love this goldtop.

You are a brave man working in HS these days! I used to work w/ high schoolers a few years ago in a leadership program we did and a few of them played guitar and we'd have fun shooting the breeze talking shop.

I have a 2002 Highway One in honey blonde with a maple fretboard. I paid $400 for it in 2004 at a guitar expo in SC. I now have two Les Paul standards (when my Goldie gets here), a 2019 SG special, a Martin HD-28 and a Taylor 214ce - all of which are “worth more money”…. But let me tell you this - if the house caught fire and my wife and kids were out, I’d go back in to save the Strat. Maybe it’s a sweet player. Maybe it’s a tone monster. Maybe it was my first real guitar. Maybe a combination of all of those things. But I wouldn’t take 10,000 dollars for it.

 

[JMP]

The R8s I have have owned (a total of 4) do give a different playing/owning experience over, say my Gibson USA Trad... but "massively different"... I don't know if I'd qualify it as "massively". Keep in mind that when it comes to RIs, you are getting a guitar that is built in an entirely different facility (the CS is not in the main Gibson factory... it's a few minutes down the road in Nashville), and built to different specs than the USA models. And while the basic shape is the same, the difference in specs and build is indeed noticeable. RIs just feel different (especially VOS models)... better or worse is subjective and opinion-based, but there is clearly a difference. The binding is different, the finish is different, the hardware is different, the necks are generally different, etc. And they even look a bit different than the typical USA LP (ie, they more closely conform to vintage LPs than USA models do). Then there's the pickups. Custom Buckers are nice pickups... arguably better than anything in the USA stable. That said, I am a tinkerer (and tone-chaser) and always swap out the pickups for boutiques (yes, even CBs... as good as they are, they are not the best out there, at least not IMO/IME).

Now, older RIs I can't speak to (oldest I've had was a 2014), so if you were to get an older R7 you might encounter a different set of parameters which may make the experience of those guitars more or less like a USA model. That said... there is a certain mystique (or maybe it's just pride of ownership) that the RIs have. You know you've got something that is (or at least was at the time it was built) Gibson's best effort at making a copy of those old coveted 50s LPs. I know, I know... every year they say it's finally the closest ever. And every year something about them still isn't quite right, etc. I am under no illusions that my R8 is dead on to a real 58, but for a common guy like me it's as close to the experience as I'll ever have to what it was like to own one back in the day. And that is an experience that I have to admit, is pretty cool.

I will say that of all the Gibson LPs I have owned, 18 so far (both USA and RIs), that while I have had some USA LPs that were kind of... blah... all 4 R8s I have had were really good guitars. Luck of the draw? Maybe. But I've played a couple other RIs in stores too... and have yet to find one that wasn't a winner. So take that for whatever it's worth.

If you can manage to stall yourself long enough to get an R7, I doubt you'd be disappointed. That said, USA builds a great LP. Are they vintage correct? No. Are they trying to be? No. But they are still great guitars that look the part. But you already know that.

^^^*This^^^