Question about a 2001 Gibson Les Paul R8

[R'nien]

I have been looking at this Les Paul on Reverb. I really like the color and top and I would consider making an offer to the seller but there is one thing that is holding me back. It's the Nashville bridge. The seller doesn't know exactly what year the guitar is but I can tell it's a 2001 because of the round inlays. This guitar should have an ABR-1. Did Gibson put any Nashville bridges on any reissues besides the Felder? Here's the link and if anyone could post pictures of it that would be great. I don't have the ability at this time.

Gibson Custom Shop '58 Les Paul Standard Reissue - Bonamassa Pickups | Dash's Shop | Reverb

'58 Les Paul Standard Reissue, freshly tuned-up with Bonamassa Humbucker pickups. Some wear on the head and body but otherwise in great condition - plays like new. There is some uncertainty about the year of manufacture - Gibson serial numbers only telling one so much - but the genera...

reverb.com

 

[Tim Plains]

Someone drilled out the bridge posts for bushings. I had a VOS SG where someone did that and it's one of the few mods that bug me. I ended up selling that guitar fairly quickly and it took a while to move it because of the bushings.

 

[mudface]

Yup a 2001.

It is some kind of limited model because there are no extra tuner holes,... these are factory Grovers.

I would check the serial with Gibson and see what they say.

 

[kakerlak]

Yup a 2001.
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It is some kind of limited model because there are no extra tuner holes,... these are factory Grovers.

I would check the serial with Gibson and see what they say.

Good catch. And makes it possible the Nashville bridge was a factory install -- some sort of vintage-modern run, and might also mean other non-standard specs, like neck profile and pickups/switching (now a moot point). It could also be that somebody wanted to buy a little extra adjustment room for that G saddle, which looks like it might be sitting beyond the range of an ABR-1 centered on the same studs.

 

[mudface]

Good catch. And makes it possible the Nashville bridge was a factory install -- some sort of vintage-modern run, and might also mean other non-standard specs, like neck profile and pickups/switching (now a moot point). It could also be that somebody wanted to buy a little extra adjustment room for that G saddle, which looks like it might be sitting beyond the range of an ABR-1 centered on the same studs.

Also the Bridge pup ring is wider on the bass side....is that some kind of built in tuner ring like on Epi's??

 

[kakerlak]

Also the Bridge pup ring is wider on the bass side....is that some kind of built in tuner ring like on Epi's??

Gotta be -- I think I can see the hint of a clear strip/window along the side that would make sense for one of those. I remember Stew-Mac offering them about 20 years ago.

[EDIT] It might be a good idea to insist on clear pics with that pickup pulled. If it's been on there a good 15-20 years or was screwed down extra tight, it could easily have left an area of uneven finish fade/yellowing and/or an impression in the finish.

 

[mudface]

This is an odd one for sure.

 

[kungpow!]

Not touching that with a 10 ft pole

 

[R'nien]

It’s literally the 2020 edition.

 

[J50315]

Not sure if this helps, but here’s my 2001 R8 for reference

 

[R'nien]

Not sure if this helps, but here’s my 2001 R8 for reference
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Yeah yours looks correct. On the one listed the bridge isn’t correct, the bridge pickup ring is too large and the only 2001 58 reissues with Grovers were the Authentic ones with aged hardware. Not saying it’s a fake at all but I wish it was more clear what has been done to it.

 

[Sct13]

ask to look under the neck pickup, ask to look in the control cavity.

The headstock shape is wrong to m, but it could be a camera angle thing.

The bridge is an immediate turn off for me and its literally the first thing I look at.

The inlays look correct for a 2001 era ....and yea WTF is up with that pickup ring...? And what's up with the 2014 claim?

Move along....nothing to see here .....

 

[Michael Matyas]

That does not look like a Nashville bridge to me. In the close ups I can see a retainer wire holding the saddles in. The bushings do look like Nashville style. There's a lot of weird stuff going on here.

EDIT: Sorry, looked at the wrong guitar. Definitely a Nashville bridge on the guitar in question. Why did Gibson ever switch to those crappy bridges? Nothing wrong with the ABR-1 as long as it's located properly.

 

[cherrick]

Run away

 

[DBDM]

The whole reason they use the metal anchors is because the metal-in-wood part sometimes fails and the bridge posts strip out the wood. Entirely possible that happened here--or it could be factory but I am unaware of that configuration in custom shop guitars. I am fairly sure that is an ABR-1 mounted in metal anchors--just like they are doing on the recent Standards. I see nothing wrong with that guitar but would not pay full price.

 

[Clabbe]

I have been looking at this Les Paul on Reverb. I really like the color and top and I would consider making an offer to the seller but there is one thing that is holding me back. It's the Nashville bridge. The seller doesn't know exactly what year the guitar is but I can tell it's a 2001 because of the round inlays. This guitar should have an ABR-1. Did Gibson put any Nashville bridges on any reissues besides the Felder? Here's the link and if anyone could post pictures of it that would be great. I don't have the ability at this time.

Gibson Custom Shop '58 Les Paul Standard Reissue - Bonamassa Pickups | Dash's Shop | Reverb

'58 Les Paul Standard Reissue, freshly tuned-up with Bonamassa Humbucker pickups. Some wear on the head and body but otherwise in great condition - plays like new. There is some uncertainty about the year of manufacture - Gibson serial numbers only telling one so much - but the genera...

reverb.com

Hi - Here is my J Bonamassa Signature Aged Les Paul - He turnes the bridge inwards as on the Reverb guitar so the adjustment screws are towards the pickups. Also he "wraps around" the strings. The Reverb gúitar looks like a R8 Bonamassa conversion with the pickups. Kind Regards - Claes

 

[Clabbe]

Hi - Here is my J Bonamassa Signature Aged Les Paul - He turnes the bridge inwards as on the Reverb guitar so the adjustment screws are towards the pickups. Also he "wraps around" the strings. The Reverb gúitar looks like a R8 Bonamassa conversion with the pickups. Kind Regards - Claes

Bonamassa original skinnerburst

 

[jstarr823]

That POS is fake AF.

 

[integra evan]

Run

 

[jstarr823]

Fretboard looks like baked maple.