Is that Custom 57 BB worth it?

[Seymour Duncans]

So i'm thinking if it is really worth the extra £900 or so to get the historic or to just get the standard custom, I mean a custom isn't exactly standard, and i'm considering the R8 too, choices, choices. Your opinions, I am a blues, classic rock, heavy rock guitar player who likes a big rich tone I will be trying them out soon but what are your opinions on this choice?

 

[Liam]

You really do have to play both before making a decision like that. Personally, before I had a historic, my view was "how could it be worth it?" Nowadays I the answer to that question is, "not sure why, but it definitely is."

 

[Seymour Duncans]

Thanks for your reply, could you possibly tell me why it is worth it? Thanks.

 

[Tim Plains]

I don't have one...yet...but am getting one soon enough. A nice R8

Really, if you want a vintage sounding LP, you go for a historic. That's what I figure and that's the reason I want one - your reasoning may be different.

I'd say a historic IS worth the extra $$ because Gibson reserves their finer & lighter woods for the RIs. The guitar is a true solid-body with no weight-relief (whereas regular Customs are weight-relieved), long tenon, CTS/Bumble Bees and of course, BurstBuckers...but if you sit down, play it and don't like the feel/sound, than all these goodies are of no use to you, right?

Truthfully, I'm not too familiar with the historics. I've played a few acoustically to get a feel for them and have only plugged in one R7 into an amp. The R7 was a big disappointment, to be honest. It sounded bland and the tone knobs were basically useless - the tone was either on or off with no sweep. Apparently, this is typical of CTS pots - having no sweep - but I didn't know that until after I played the R7 when somebody on LPF told me. I still need to verify this for myself by basically plugging in a bunch of historics.

This hasn't persuade me from buying a RI, I just have to find the right one - and by that I mean one with a wide sweep. I know the simple answer would be to just replace the pots, but I don't want to modify any of my guitars. So, if you're looking for a guitar that allows you to ease the tone back to 6, a historic may not be the right one.

Now having said all that, I absolutely LOVE my 2007 Custom, which is not a reissue. She's just under 10 lbs, has a nice thick neck...not baseball bat thick like a R8, but much, much thicker than a 50s profile, and the widest and wildest tone range than any of my others! She sounds like two guitars in one...I absolutely love it!!

Sorry, I kinda went into left field there. Did I answer your question?

Edit: Well, since I am already in left field I'll tell you a short story. I put up my old amp for sale recently. An old timer around 55 years old came over to buy it. I asked him "What guitar do you want to play? I only have Gibsons." He said "Give me an older one 'cause new ones are junk." So, I thought OK, you're getting my Custom. He played it for around 10 minutes and then asked me if I was selling the guitar. Put a huge smile on my face. He bought the amp.

Basically, don't think the RIs are really better than the non-RIs - they're just different. It all depends what you're after.

 

[Liam]

Thanks for your reply, could you possibly tell me why it is worth it? Thanks.

Not really

I dunno, my fiist proper Les Paul was a 1990 Standard that I bought new. Still got it, still play it, but until last autumn I was really a Fender man. Had a bunch of other guitars, Gibson and others in-between, but always wondered why there was so much fuss about the historic collection.

In september/october I sold off a load of amps and effects, and realised I had raised enough money to buy a historic Les Paul, so bought a mint used R9.

The guitar is really quite special. I bought it to put under a bed for 10 years, but it's done lots of gigs now and is no longer mint. The neck is chunkier than I'm used to, but it's really stable. The finish is to die for. The tone is just amazing. I messed round with it at home and realised it's probably my main guitar for life, unless I ever find the money or have the luck to own a real 50s Les Paul.

Quite simply it's the best thing I've ever owned. I've had the usual Gibson factory output over the years (Les Pauls x 4, an ES345, a Firebird V, can't think what else) and the historic just has something really special about it. Like playing the guitar is an event in itself. Sometimes I'll stoop low in front of my amp just to hear the sound and feel the vibe during a gig. It's just awesome, so musical.

I've been modding it to make it look/sound a bit more like a real 50s Les Paul since, but even without that, it's just different from standard factory production. I could talk about tenon joints and wood and capacitors and pickups, but the fact is that 50s Les Pauls had something (I've played a couple now). The historics aren't the same, but they do carry some of that magic....

 

[LoKi]

I love Customs in general. I can't say whether or not the 57 is better, but it is a darker sounding instrument, really rich thick tone. Regular Customs have a 'snap' to them because of the thick maple cap. 57's are all mahogany, no maple.

I could go either way... Depends on the actual guitar.

 

[Seymour Duncans]

Yeah, i'm going to have to think hard, but most of all play hard. Need to play them really

 

[thinkvisual]

Yes - I've got a 57 VOS BB (1997) and there's something comfortable about the aged finish and lower-gloss gold...now beyond the look and feel: The sound is dark and rich...much "fatter" than the late 70's standard that I used to play. Yes the tone pots tend to have an on/off action, but I don't play Jazz...and the pots stay wide open all of the time. I also complement the thick dark woody tone with a 60's Marshall...nothing that a presence knob can't do! At less than 9.5 Lbs (non-weight relieved)...well how can you ask for anything more? The VOS line has all of the engineering and tonal goods to deliver...and adds a nice mojo-package that is more than just looks...again, it's comfortable...never worrying about a scratch here or there. Please play a VOS BB and see if it hits you the way that it did me.

 

[RobertF]

I say YES!

I 've had a 2007 two-pickup BB for a couple months now. when I first got it, it was a bit dark, with far less "snap" than my 02 R9 or my 98 R8, so that bugged me. I thought it was the Burstbuckers since that's what Gibbo's web site says is the spec for the Historic BB, so I was surprised to find a pair of '57 Classics lurking in the guitar.

I just got it back from Don "Toneman" Butler, who installed a set of stainless-steel bridge posts, changed the stock wiring to '50's wiring and threw on a gold Bigsby. I used the guitar for the first time in rehearsal this afternoon and it's a killer. Nice and snappy, with a good balance of brightness and creamy bass and mids. The bridge pick up is pure Led Zep 1970. Happily, there was no loss of sustain with the Bigsby install. Thanks to the wiring mod, there's no loss of treble with the volume turned down.

I had initially tried an epi BB beauty but that didn't make the cut. I tried several "regular" Custom Shop customs and they were nice guitars, but they didn't have the playability nor did they possess that nebulous, hard to describe "something" that the 57 VOS simply oozes.

So I would say if you can swing the extra dough, the 57 BB us well worth it.

Rob

 

[thinkvisual]

I just got it back from Don "Toneman" Butler, who installed a set of stainless-steel bridge posts, changed the stock wiring to '50's wiring and threw on a gold Bigsby. I used the guitar for the first time in rehearsal this afternoon and it's a killer. Nice and snappy, with a good balance of brightness and creamy bass and mids. The bridge pick up is pure Led Zep 1970. Happily, there was no loss of sustain with the Bigsby install. Thanks to the wiring mod, there's no loss of treble with the volume turned down.

Rob - Any pics of the "after" product. Sounds great...can't wait to see it. By the way, I was wondering if the insertion of 57 classics had anything to do with the point at which Gibson may have been in the produciton cycle (earlier numbered instruments with 57's or later with burstbuckers etc.). Also - how do those steel posts affect things? Any more sustain, or is it really just designed to keep the bridge from "swaying?"

 

[RobertF]

Dear ThinkVisual:

Here are a couple "after" photos with the Bigsby and two new P-up covers installed. Really looks nice and has that Jimmy Page vibe going.

As for the SS bridge posts, when I took the guitar to Don Butler, my major complaint was with the tone of the guitar --it was far too dark. Sustain was already incredible as was the action. I played Don's guitar which is the one in your avatar. Don's has the SS posts and unplugged, his guitar was noticeably brighter and louder than mine.

I'm happy to say that installation of the SS posts cured the darkness issue. My guitar is now quite bright and just rings out. A new set of strings reveals a round, almost metallic tone to the low E string which is quite impressive. The tone is now very similar to my '02 R9, which until I got the Black Beauty back, was my #1. There's no loss in sustain on the guitar, which is something that I was worried about with the Bigsby install. Who knows, maybe the SS posts assisted in that.

So I'd say if your guitar is a bit on the dark side and that bugs you, the SS posts are worth a try. Don also did the 50's wiring mod to my guitar and that has eliminated the treble loss as the volume pot is turned down. I use my volume controls a lot live, so that was a good mod. I'm planning to do the 50's wiring thing to all my Les Paul's.

I'd also like to make a plug for Don Butler, who in addition to being a great amp guy, is also a wonderful guitar tech. Don has been taking care of my stuff for nearly 10 years and his work is first class! You forum members in the LA area should really give Don a try if you haven't already.

Don't know why Gibson might have strayed from the Burstbucker specs on these guitars. I've read on several boards that folks with 2007 BB's have found 57' classic's in thier guitars as well. Could be a supply thing, a change in spec --who knows...its Gibson.

Here's a URL link to a sound bite with the guitar. This was recorded at rehearsal on Friday with a digital recorder set up in the room, so quality is not the best, but you'll get the idea of why I'm thrilled with this guitar!

SoundClick artist: The Beat Boys - page with MP3 music downloads

The link is to my old Beat Boys page. The band in the clip is my current one, The Jill Warhol Band.

TV -- I'd really love to see some close-up shots of the 3p-up one of yours.. she' s a beuaty!

Rob

 

[stinger]

Dear ThinkVisual:


Don't know why Gibson might have strayed from the Burstbucker specs on these guitars. I've read on several boards that folks with 2007 BB's have found 57' classic's in thier guitars as well. Could be a supply thing, a change in spec --who knows...its Gibson.

Rob

I was told on the Gibson Customshop forum that they did not change the spec on the pups and that I should contact customer service about getting some BB's from them. Wouldn't surprise me if they ran out of Gold covered BB's and substituted 57's and the admin at that forum was never told.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

If I were going to spend the money for ONE newer Les Paul, it would always be a Historic. But, I would make sure it is one that suited me. Yes it is very likely that non Historic Customs may sound better than some Historic ones. But in general the Historics are going to be better.

I have no use for non Historic Les Pauls anymore, unless we are talking about the 80s and early 90s.

In short...why settle?

PLUS you can get a used R7 Historic BB cheaper than a NEW Customshop (non-Historic) BB,,,why buy new? The non Historic BBs do not have the long tenon either.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

Yes - I've got a 57 VOS BB (1997) and there's something comfortable about the aged finish and lower-gloss gold...now beyond the look and feel: The sound is dark and rich...much "fatter" than the late 70's standard that I used to play. Yes the tone pots tend to have an on/off action, but I don't play Jazz...and the pots stay wide open all of the time. I also complement the thick dark woody tone with a 60's Marshall...nothing that a presence knob can't do! At less than 9.5 Lbs (non-weight relieved)...well how can you ask for anything more? The VOS line has all of the engineering and tonal goods to deliver...and adds a nice mojo-package that is more than just looks...again, it's comfortable...never worrying about a scratch here or there. Please play a VOS BB and see if it hits you the way that it did me.

1997 VOS? VOS started in 2006 and Custom Authentic started in 2003. A 1997 Custom would be a full gloss.

 

[thinkvisual]

1997 VOS? VOS started in 2006 and Custom Authentic started in 2003. A 1997 Custom would be a full gloss.

Oh man...got my decades mixed up - I must be working way too hard. 2007, 2007, 2007...I'll say it 3 times and perhaps I'll remember. Man...that was scary.

 

[docadillac]

It is completely subjective. I have owned a '57 BB reissue. It was a three pickup model. It was a beautiful player and had a rich tone that was warm and articulate. I could play blues and rock or whatever I wanted. Sustain for days. The only thing it wouldn't do was metal and that I attribute to the pickups which were '57 classics. Change the pickups and it will outchunk and outthrash any guitar made today. If I could do it again I would in a heartbeat. It is a tone monster and beautiful to boot!!

 

[thinkvisual]

Well just opened up my 2007 (57 VOS 3PU) Black Beauty and low and behold...drum roll please...'57 CLASSICS!

I can't say that I mind because the darn thing sounds incredible through my 60's blackface deluxe and my '69 Marshall...but I've not compared it with the same model fitted with BurstBuckers...what to do, what to do...