To HM or not to HM?!

[richp]

Guys,

I have a '14 R8 that I absolutely love, and I'm thinking about having the 'standard' service from Historic Makeovers performed on the guitar. I 'want' a brazzy board, but not sure it's worth the $$ to me. Also, I feel the new glues Gibson used in '13 & '14 don't warrant a neck reset. I AM interested in a top carve and refin w/ proper nitro. Just wondered if anyone has NOT been happy w/ their HM result. I've seen nothing but great reviews so far, just trying to do my homework before I pull the trigger.

Thoughts and HM porn welcome as replies!!

The subject guitar:


TIA

 

[richp]

The subject guitar:

 

[jamman]

Guys,

I have a '14 R8 that I absolutely love, and I'm thinking about having the 'standard' service from Historic Makeovers performed on the guitar. I 'want' a brazzy board, but not sure it's worth the $$ to me. Also, I feel the new glues Gibson used in '13 & '14 don't warrant a neck reset. I AM interested in a top carve and refin w/ proper nitro. Just wondered if anyone has NOT been happy w/ their HM result. I've seen nothing but great reviews so far, just trying to do my homework before I pull the trigger.

Thoughts and HM porn welcome as replies!!

The subject guitar:


TIA

You never will see anyone post that their HM was not the best thing ever . Never . That would kill the resale value of their guitar ....

The neck -reset ,from my understanding has nothing to do with what type of glue Gibson uses .

The Dish of the body , Kim ,IIRC has posted is very close now , so I doubt you'll see a difference . Unless you ask for something special to be done .

Nitro is a plus ,imo .

BRW is a plus ,imo . But it depends on if the board now and if your "happy" with it .

Another Plus , you have the chance to have the neck carve changed into something you like more and fits your hand better . making it very personal , and that, Is worth doing ,imo . I did one neck shave/reshape and the outcome is great . But I only paid $600 to have it done .

I would do it ,if I wanted it done . Imo , It's a personal thing . Subjective .

On the other hand , At 4K ,IIRC , I'd look at another guitar(maybe a 335) and have 2 types to use .

 

[Deus Vult]

Nailed it.

You never see a mediocre review of HM bc you can't send it back. Pay $4k for a Gibson and don't like it? Send it back. Don't like an hm or experience no change? You're out >$3k and your resale value is affected.

Can't speak to tonal changes (though as a scientist I tend to think the placebo effect plays a huge role) but I can say that HM guitars always look amazing when they are finished. Is it worth it ? Lots of people say yes. So if you want it and can afford then I say have it done and post lots of pictures.

 

[richp]

You never will see anyone post that their HM was not the best thing ever . Never . That would kill the resale value of their guitar ....

The neck -reset ,from my understanding has nothing to do with what type of glue Gibson uses .

The Dish of the body , Kim ,IIRC has posted is very close now , so I doubt you'll see a difference . Unless you ask for something special to be done .

Nitro is a plus ,imo .

BRW is a plus ,imo . But it depends on if the board now and if your "happy" with it .

Another Plus , you have the chance to have the neck carve changed into something you like more and fits your hand better . making it very personal , and that, Is worth doing ,imo . I did one neck shave/reshape and the outcome is great . But I only paid $600 to have it done .

I would do it ,if I wanted it done . Imo , It's a personal thing . Subjective .

On the other hand , At 4K ,IIRC , I'd look at another guitar(maybe a 335) and have 2 types to use .

Well, that's the other thing, the neck on this is already 'small' (to me) so I wouldn't have him do much to it. Thanks for your point of view!!

 

[Drew1986]

I personally would love to have a HM. But the kicker for me is the sheer cost of the work. From what I've seen your looking at a minimum of $2K and roughly a year of wait time. I'm sure they do wonderful work but for what it costs I'd probably buy another guitar...or two.

 

[BigDipper15]

They do not do a neck reset on the 13/14's since it's done properly with hide glue already and an RDS is a few hundred cheaper on a 13/14 due to this. I love my HM RDS. Is it the greatest guitar ever??? who knows..it certaintly is the best guitar I own. I'm aware of the placebo effect of things like this. It totally will change the feel of your guitar. If this guitar really is the one for you I would go for the RDS.

 

[NotScott]

I have had two done by Kim. The first one I wasn't sure what to expect. I liked the sound of the stock guitar and the feel of the neck but the color of the guitar was just putrid and all of the things that modern Gibsons get wrong, wrong board, wrong inlays, wrong truss rod, wrong binding, wrong colors, wrong glue, wrong dyes, wrong nitro, wrong plastics, razor blade checking, pencil marks, etc. just made me want a vintage guitar. However, a vintage version would cost me a lot more and I would constantly have to worry about gigging it or even just playing it at home as it accumulated regular wear and tear. Since I am a player and not a collector who merely frets over resale, I sent it off to Kim for the complete package. The guitar came back completely transformed. It was so good, I then sent another to Kim for the same service.

Both guitars give me the vintage feel, sound, look and even smell at a fraction of the cost of the real thing and I don't have to worry about any wear and tear they accumulate. Both guitars give me exactly what I need and I have no desire to replace either with either a vintage guitar and especially not with an overpriced new Gibson.

All that being said, I am not sure I would send a 13 or newer in for a complete makeover. There are other talented guys out there who can do the remaining services and offer them ala carte, providing you with more options at a more flexible price.

If you have a 12 with a sandwich board or something earlier that you can pick up for cheap, I would definitely send it off to Kim. The transformation will amaze you and you will have a much closer to vintage guitar at a cost a lot less than what Gibson wants for their super duper truer historics or whatever they call them now.

 

[Sct13]

Kim has a form now where you dictate EXACTLY what you want. So there is no weird miss communications between you, Kim and the guys doing the work, this will avoid disapointment when getting your guitar back.

It is next to impossible to get the neck exactly the same a it was when it left, it is going to loose some wood due to sanding. But you can specify the measures or go with his formula ....

You write your parameters on the form. There is lots of space for free text and areas where you will check boxes. Very intuitive. Kinda like ordering a car in the 1950's and 1960's

They will do the build as close to your expectations as possible....

If you havent already seen it I have another one in progress, and Alex the painter, did what I asked him to do.

The top carve is different than a historic, My first one was excellent and I asked for a deeper dish if possible with this one, (But I think a template is used)

There is the fact that it Will be a different guitar when you get it back, there is no doubt that it is a 50/50 chance that you will love/hate the changes. You'll love it ...I can't promise....but you will

It is true that no one WANTS to say that they have made a mistake with an HM....however, thats on them (or me) because I was the owner....and the ultimate descision was on me. I accept that possiblity. RE-sale??? not a good idea if you planning to movie it along, Yet anyway, they may become even more desireable as things move forward....I would not call it a break even venture just yet.

Buit if you want Vintage vibe.....Better than 250k

And no one should have to defend that choice. An honest and unbiased review of mine will follow....

An honest and unbiased review is also on my you tube channel with my first one as well.

 

[rvschulz]

before i would spend $3K on a redo ... i'd do some SERIOUS guitar shopping. $3K + your LP can get a SERIOUS axe ... CC of some sort and while i'm not dissing HM ... i prefer buying a guitar off the rack that plays exactly like i want, sounds like i want and looks 'good' way before stressing over the 'vintage vibe'

i'm not a vintage vibe person. you might have figured that out.

if you are after all the perfectly old looking distressed look, i understand.

 

[Big John]

...Just wondered if anyone has NOT been happy w/ their HM result. I've seen nothing but great reviews so far, just trying to do my homework before I pull the trigger...

You don't hear about the negatives because the unsatisfied customer does one of two things: (1) keeps his lips shut when he sells it or (2) gets it re-done by somebody else. This isn't a dig against HM at all. I'll bet everybody here $100 that all the forum fave shops (HM, GY, TB, RR, DJ, British Secret Service, Down Under Wonders, etc., etc.) have had a number of unhappy customers. It's just the nature of the beast when it comes to high dollar custom work.

I seriously doubt you will ever see a lot of negative stuff out in the open...very rare.

 

[FKO]

You don't hear about the negatives because the unsatisfied customer does one of two things: (1) keeps his lips shut when he sells it or (2) gets it re-done by somebody else. This isn't a dig against HM at all. I'll bet everybody here $100 that all the forum fave shops (HM, GY, TB, RR, DJ, British Secret Service, Down Under Wonders, etc., etc.) have had a number of unhappy customers. It's just the nature of the beast when it comes to high dollar custom work.

I seriously doubt you will ever see a lot of negative stuff out in the open...very rare.

This applies to pretty much all guitars, especially the pricier ones... like a 59 Burst;
Jamman: "You never will see anyone post that their "fill in the blank" was not the best thing ever . Never . That would kill the resale value of their guitar ...."

 

[THDNUT]

Personally I'd spend the HM money on another used historic, but, it's your money.

 

[FKO]

Come to think about it... HM is really like getting a boob job for your girlfriend or wife... You can't get a refund if you don't like the new boobs, however, you can pay to have them redone...

 

[Drew1986]

Come to think about it... HM is really like getting a boob job for your girlfriend or wife... You can't get a refund if you don't like the new boobs, however, you can pay to have them redone...

The best analogy I may have ever herd.

 

[Sct13]

There was an independant review done by tone (something or other) magazine....it was not flattering....but I will contest it whole heartedly....

HM does good work...and go to lengths to be sure your custom job is done right....he could not stay in buisness this long if it didn't produce excellent results.

I'm will to do an un biased report....just send me your guitar for a 4 month, "assesment" that will judge playability, rigidity, tonality, top carve and nitro elasticity...then we will send it to Kim who will do this makeover for free.....

Then as an independant "analyst" I will give the world the best un biased review ....it will not be polluted by the fact that it was my guitar, ..or my money....or my probable poor choice.....I will have no interest in the test (except that I get to do the test). It will be documented to the miniscule, and even better..... blind tested with a few local forum members....



Right!!!

What is being asked borders on the improbable or the impossible..... no one would offer thier failed choice up to scrutiny for fear of embarrasment more so than resale....

You have to go into this knowing that resale $$ go away. And Kim NEVER stated that it will go up...its not even implied.

I'm a scientist....I try to leave out all external factors when juding anything, however subjectivity rules with guitars ....and that pollutes the end result.

Same goes for boobs

I'm a nurse, I have seen one or two boob jobs go very bad....

A nasal plasty too...

 

[Bristol Posse]

Guys,

I have a '14 R8 that I absolutely love,

Then why change anything?

 

[richp]

Then why change anything?

you know... the 'chase'.. I hear folks rave about their HM's and it makes me wonder \ want one..

 

[Falconbill]

Guys,

I have a '14 R8 that I absolutely love, and I'm thinking about having the 'standard' service from Historic Makeovers performed on the guitar. I 'want' a brazzy board, but not sure it's worth the $$ to me. Also, I feel the new glues Gibson used in '13 & '14 don't warrant a neck reset. I AM interested in a top carve and refin w/ proper nitro. Just wondered if anyone has NOT been happy w/ their HM result. I've seen nothing but great reviews so far, just trying to do my homework before I pull the trigger.

Thoughts and HM porn welcome as replies!!
The subject guitar:
TIA

The '14 R8 in your pic looks outstanding. If you absolutely love it, I wouldn't touch a thing and certainly wouldn't want to be without it for 4-6 months.

My motto: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[jamman]

There is the fact that it Will be a different guitar when you get it back, there is no doubt that it is a 50/50 chance that you will love/hate the changes. You'll love it ...I can't promise....but you will

NOPE , Same guitar ,just re-worked to a higher standard that Gibson doesn't/can't offer .

It is true that no one WANTS to say that they have made a mistake with an HM....however, thats on them (or me) because I was the owner....and the ultimate descision was on me. I accept that possiblity. RE-sale??? not a good idea if you planning to movie it along, Yet anyway, they may become even more desireable as things move forward....I would not call it a break even venture just yet.

Saying, no ones wants to say they have made a mistake ,implies they did say that .... Where ??? I don't ever recall seeing that

Buit if you want Vintage vibe.....Better than 250k

What's "Vintage Vibe" ???

An honest and unbiased review of mine will follow....

An honest and unbiased review is also on my you tube channel with my first one as well.

Really ????

Then What is being asked borders on the improbable or the impossible..... no one would offer thier failed choice up to scrutiny for fear of embarrasment more so than resale....

Wrong ......It's always about the $$$$ First and last .If someone decides they don't like the job done , It's about all the $$$ paid to get what they don't like done . They already are embarrassed

You have to go into this knowing that resale $$ go away. And Kim NEVER stated that it will go up...its not even implied.

A loss upon resale is the norm . Some have tried to profit from having an HM done ,but from what I've seen it's mostly a fail for that .

I'm a scientist....I try to leave out all external factors when juding anything, however subjectivity rules with guitars ....and that pollutes the end result.

Same goes for boobs

I'm a nurse, I have seen one or two boob jobs go very bad....

A nasal plasty too...

Sounds Scientific to me Mostly about that Honest review you'll give . And Subjective at the same time

Once I finish checking ALL the Boobs I'm interested in , I'll check back in with a FULL completely subjective report (Nursing degree not needed either )