Played a 2016 R8 Gibson Aged Les Paul Yesterday...My Thoughts

[GearHo]

Lets face it to put real aging on a guitar basically made of formica, is not an easy task. I know I have said it before but my dog had seven puppies right on top of this guitar, cant buy that mojo, Joe Joe,

 

[freebyrd 69]

Yes it looks nice enough. But your comment about old and tired is bull$shit. My pissy rant was not about your guitar. Yeah I will take and buy a nice shiney one any day over fake wear. If your too damn lazy to play your own guitar to have honest wear and pay extra for it then good for you. Now if I have taken your comment the wrong way then sorry man I am not trying to piss anyone off.

+1 on the old and tired. Next you can start a thread about Gibson QC, top wrapping, and how heavier guitars sustain longer....those are all subjects that need more discussion as well. LOL

I clicked on the thread to see your thoughts on playing the damn thing, and there was zero to do with that. It was just as you said....a pissy, subjective, rant. Buying/liking aged guitars is 100% subjective. Some like it, some don't. I do, and I've owned a few dozen over the years, but none in the stable right now. I like the feel and look of some of the aged one's. That being said, I've seen some poor aging jobs as well. Murphy and Johnson are normally outstanding. Now for the real question....pick guard on?

 

[mudface]

My 1978 CSB Custom I've had since 1980,.... not a lot of wear on top, but the back of the neck is worn pretty good and chip of binding at the 17th fret marker on the high side,... (from a ride cymbal crashing into it from our aggressive drummer),... while it was still pretty new. Love this guitar to death.

 

[GearHo]

Look man....maybe I jumped to comment too soon and I am not trying to offend anyone. But my OP was not saying anything against relic guitars. It was how this one I held in my hands looked like a scratch and dent guitar and not that I think relic guitars suck.

So with that said......I am not trying to come across the wrong way. I am glad you have many to choose from to jam on everyday. But I bet if you saw the same guitar I did you would probably think the same as I did. Aged hardware on a new guitar with surface scratches is not a relic job.

No thin skin here....I can take it and dish it out. So sorry for the b.s. comment of my previous comment. Like I said.....this post was not about knocking relic style guitars. Only about the R8 I saw the other day.

No worries , what you have to do is stick to what you like best, shiny or aged it makes no difference. I have owned many aged guitars from Murphy to Dave Johnson, to Dan Strain, Custom Shop, Vince Cunetto era, and beyond.

Other than the look, what I like about aged guitars is not worrying about the finish doinks I constanty put on them. That is the relic it yourself groups recommendation, just play it. Then I go to resell it, and the same relic it yourself police, say "that LP has a big scratch, here, and a ding there, and on and on.

Because your new, and I am old enough to repeat myself and be forgiven. Let me share why.

I bought a 2000 Historic flametop, one of the best tops I have ever come across, sounded fabulous, had everything going for it. I changed the knobs, and put a one inch gash right by the tone control knob. Made me sick that I disturbed a beautiful top, and I swore off new shiny, keep em nice, guitars for as long as possible.

Don't confuse aged guitars with anyone trying to fool others, I don't know anyone who has ever bought an aged guitars that said they were trying to fool their friends, or just wanted someone else to apply the elbow grease.

If your like many of us here, you will go through one guitar after the next and never experience a life long instrument. I bet I have had twenty guitars in the last five years come and go, and probably twenty more.

Play what you like, let me do that too.

 

[GearHo]

+1 on the old and tired. Next you can start a thread about Gibson QC, top wrapping, and how heavier guitars sustain longer....those are all subjects that need more discussion as well. LOL

I clicked on the thread to see your thoughts on playing the damn thing, and there was zero to do with that. It was just as you said....a pissy, subjective, rant. Buying/liking aged guitars is 100% subjective. Some like it, some don't. I do, and I've owned a few dozen over the years, but none in the stable right now. I like the feel and look of some of the aged one's. That being said, I've seen some poor aging jobs as well. Murphy and Johnson are normally outstanding. Now for the real question....pick guard on?

I swear to God Jon, I am going to say it...……..get off my …..lawn.

Besides, I may as well play a fake guitar while I am faking a song written by somebody else.

 

[freebyrd 69]

I swear to God Jon, I am going to say it...……..get off my …..lawn.

Besides, I may as well play a fake guitar while I am faking a song written by somebody else.

My dad can beat up your dad!

 

[GearHo]

Well he's not my real dad, so whatever.....

 

[BigTim]

+1 on the old and tired. Next you can start a thread about Gibson QC, top wrapping, and how heavier guitars sustain longer....those are all subjects that need more discussion as well. LOL

I clicked on the thread to see your thoughts on playing the damn thing, and there was zero to do with that. It was just as you said....a pissy, subjective, rant. Buying/liking aged guitars is 100% subjective. Some like it, some don't. I do, and I've owned a few dozen over the years, but none in the stable right now. I like the feel and look of some of the aged one's. That being said, I've seen some poor aging jobs as well. Murphy and Johnson are normally outstanding. Now for the real question....pick guard on?

Oh yes I did play it and you did not get down to there or passed it up...no cork sniffing SOB here. No pickguard either. Now that that is out if the way

 

[freebyrd 69]

Oh yes I did play it and you did not get down to there or passed it up...no cork sniffing SOB here. No pickguard either. Now that that is out if the way

I was interested because 2016 is the ONE year I have never even laid my hands on, and was a bit of a cluster for Gibson. I see the set up was off for you now. I probably would have liked it.....I like the action a bit higher than most.

 

[BigTim]

I was interested because 2016 is the ONE year I have never even laid my hands on, and was a bit of a cluster for Gibson. I see the set up was off for you now. I probably would have liked it.....I like the action a bit higher than most.

Well it is 3500.00 if your interested plus tax probably. The managers name is David and it is in the guitar center in Cool Springs TN 6153715338 is the number. Big fat chunky neck too.

 

[freebyrd 69]

Well it is 3500.00 if your interested plus tax probably. The managers name is David and it is in the guitar center in Cool Springs TN 6153715338 is the number. Big fat chunky neck too.

Thanks for the info. Friends don't let friends buy from Guitar Center. LOL. Seriously, I won't buy from them except the one time a year they have Ernie Ball strings so cheap that Sweetwater can't even match it. $3500 is about $500-$700 too much for that guitar, unless the top just KILLS. Don't mind the chunky necks though!

 

[BigTim]

No worries , what you have to do is stick to what you like best, shiny or aged it makes no difference. I have owned many aged guitars from Murphy to Dave Johnson, to Dan Strain, Custom Shop, Vince Cunetto era, and beyond.

Other than the look, what I like about aged guitars is not worrying about the finish doinks I constanty put on them. That is the relic it yourself groups recommendation, just play it. Then I go to resell it, and the same relic it yourself police, say "that LP has a big scratch, here, and a ding there, and on and on.

Because your new, and I am old enough to repeat myself and be forgiven. Let me share why.

I bought a 2000 Historic flametop, one of the best tops I have ever come across, sounded fabulous, had everything going for it. I changed the knobs, and put a one inch gash right by the tone control knob. Made me sick that I disturbed a beautiful top, and I swore off new shiny, keep em nice, guitars for as long as possible.

Don't confuse aged guitars with anyone trying to fool others, I don't know anyone who has ever bought an aged guitars that said they were trying to fool their friends, or just wanted someone else to apply the elbow grease.

If your like many of us here, you will go through one guitar after the next and never experience a life long instrument. I bet I have had twenty guitars in the last five years come and go, and probably twenty more.

Play what you like, let me do that too.

Dude that would make me piss all over myself and cry too. Yeah man the one good thing about a relic job is if you ding it or scratch it it is all good. I have an SG that has been around the block. If someone scratches it and handed it back to me I would never know they did it. However I have one les paul that if someone put a scratch on I would be just like you were with the one you had.

I have had a ton of guitars bit am generally a one guitar kind of guy. So I have been thinking of making my les paul it and just getting rid of the rest. It is not a reissue and not regular custom shop either....kind of an oddball and it is all nice and pretty. Was told by guitar center headquarters It is a 1 of 1 custom ordered through them after I never got any real answers from Gibson themselves. So I may go ahead and change over to just it. The bridge gold finish is starting to fade from it staying most of its life in the case anyways since 2008.

 

[BigTim]

Thanks for the info. Friends don't let friends buy from Guitar Center. LOL. Seriously, I won't buy from them except the one time a year they have Ernie Ball strings so cheap that Sweetwater can't even match it. $3500 is about $500-$700 too much for that guitar, unless the top just KILLS. Don't mind the chunky necks though!

I hear you but they just got it in is Sat. You may luck out and get it down. But yeah man....they had way too many new guitars with "special touches" from the customers already hanging new on the racks there.

 

[freebyrd 69]

Dude that would make me piss all over myself and cry too. Yeah man the one good thing about a relic job is if you ding it or scratch it it is all good. I have an SG that has been around the block. If someone scratches it and handed it back to me I would never know they did it. However I have one les paul that if someone put a scratch on I would be just like you were with the one you had.

I have had a ton of guitars bit am generally a one guitar kind of guy. So I have been thinking of making my les paul it and just getting rid of the rest. It is not a reissue and not regular custom shop either....kind of an oddball and it is all nice and pretty. Was told by guitar center headquarters It is a 1 of 1 custom ordered through them after I never got any real answers from Gibson themselves. So I may go ahead and change over to just it. The bridge gold finish is starting to fade from it staying most of its life in the case anyways since 2008.

Pics of yours?

 

[Tim Plains]

Then you've never seen one of Dave Johnson's guitars in person.

I have but still prefer Dan's work.

 

[GearHo]

Big Tim, if you are serious about getting a good les paul, this is the place to be, in the classifieds. You will get a better price, and a better guitar than GC. Most guys here know their stuff, and have above average guitars to resell. I have sold quite a few great sounding guitars, to get the next better sounding great guitar.

GC is asking a lot for an aged r8, that is not appealing according to your observation.

IMHO, you can score a very good sounding Les Paul for 2500 or even less. I have seen some great deals recently here that are very tempting.

 

[GearHo]

I have but still prefer Dan's work.

Having owned three guitars by Dave, and five by Danocaster, both guys are at the top of their field. But I do like Dan the best.

 

[BigTim]

Pics of yours?

I will post the pics on my computer....you may have saw or already in another thread but it is candy apple red 2008 custom with long neck tennon abr1 bridge deluxe tuners bb1 and 2 pick ups with a regular CS serial number. I cannot post the imgur link from my cell.

 

[swampblues]

Sound and playability is most important to me, true aging is usually found on the great ones. It can shine like a new penny and suck or look like a turd bucket and sing like a bird. Like Billy G says nothing wrong with a few trash marks

 

[buckwild]

I have but still prefer Dan's work.

Wow I dunno man, Dave's work is really authentic when I've looked at it side by side with real vintage wear etc. Not saying anything against Dan, he's awesome!