'57 RI black beauty question

[daisp]

Just wondering if the more recent '57 RI black beauty LP custom's are any good, I like my LPR9's so I think I'll like the neck, and I love the aged finish on them...but I've never played one. Anyone have one? Thanks!

[straycat]

If you want to see kick ass aged finishes go to rsguitarworks.net.The Gibson reliced finishes look unnatural to me.Not very good at all really.I have handled several Tom Murphy Gibson CS LPs and the work looks unfinished as in not complete.
RS guitarworks has a huge reputation on the LP forum and does work for lots of big names and relics or restores tons on vintage Fender and Gibson guitars and they are second to none in quality.
I used to tech there part time several years ago and got to work on lots of vintage guitars and learned a lot or the tricks of the trade.

[daisp]

cool thanks!

[DonP]

I have LP's and Customs but not a 57 Reissue, so it will be difficult to answer the question for you, "Are they any good". In fact, I doubt anyone here has compared recent 57 BB's to older 57 BB's. Try finding someone on the LPF who has a stable of 57 BB's - that person could tell you the changes made over the years and if recent 57 BB's have anything more desirable than an earlier year.

Compared to your R9, the 57 BB has a solid mahogany top, no maple cap. This will make the tone different than the R9. Might be different pickups as well. Also, BB's were known as "fretless wonders" in 1957 because they came with low frets. Research this because your R9 comes with medium frets, and you might not like the low frets. I sold my 72 Custom because I couldn't hack the low frets.

Try to find a shop with 57 BB's and play a few before dropping the cash.

[straycat]

Don P is right on the money, the frets kill it for me.

[daisp]

Good to know thanks guys..

[Bengal65]

I have LP's and Customs but not a 57 Reissue, so it will be difficult to answer the question for you, "Are they any good". In fact, I doubt anyone here has compared recent 57 BB's to older 57 BB's. Try finding someone on the LPF who has a stable of 57 BB's - that person could tell you the changes made over the years and if recent 57 BB's have anything more desirable than an earlier year.

Compared to your R9, the 57 BB has a solid mahogany top, no maple cap. This will make the tone different than the R9. Might be different pickups as well. Also, BB's were known as "fretless wonders" in 1957 because they came with low frets. Research this because your R9 comes with medium frets, and you might not like the low frets. I sold my 72 Custom because I couldn't hack the low frets.

Try to find a shop with 57 BB's and play a few before dropping the cash.

Yep to Don and Stray Cat Don, I had a '72 Tobacco burst that I bought new. I had never played a Les Paul when I bought it and learned the frets were the "fretless wonder" version. I bought it new in the '73, played it for awhile and learned there were Les Paul's that had bigger frets I finally sold it in 1996,. I guess, I couldn't part with it, since it was my first "real" electric guitar. Oh, and it had a 5 piece maple top on it as well. Nice huh?

[daisp]

That's good advice, I've played a mid 80's one but you always hear that the newer RI's are not as good, although my LPR9 is pretty nice. I guess im hoping someone out there has a new 57 RI with some feedback, there aren't any in my local music shops at the moment. I know it's a different guitar than my R9's..

[DonP]

but you always hear that the newer RI's are not as good

Who is feeding you this BS? The people on Harmony-Central?:ROTF:

Look, there will always be a lot of LP bashers out there. People feel like Gibson screws people on prices, etc. they come up with one excuse after another for bashing. Ignore the BS you read on these websites, and go out and try one for yourself. You found your R9 and you seem to like it right? What year is it? Fact of the matter is, if Gibson made shit guitars they would be out of business by now.

The latest Gibson I have is a 2004 R0 and it is my #1 out of over 25 guitars, so I don't buy into the idea that all newer ones are bad. But that doesn't mean I haven't seen bad ones. Go and find out for yourself.

[Bengal65]

Talking about recent reissue's, I have '68 Reissue LPC Triburst that is my Holy Grail. It's heavier than my '85 LPC by .6 lbs., but it really has tone for days! It was made at the end of 2006.

[daisp]

My '68 is really heavy too..great tone. My '59's are both '04 and I like them a lot... I also have an '87 white custom (Ala Rhoads) and a '97 Ace. Don't get me wrong Don P, I love these guitars, and i've always wanted a black beauty, I have played older ones, but i'm just looking for someone who has a newer RI, wondering how they stack up...thanks for the info guys!

[KennyF]

Talking about recent reissue's, I have '68 Reissue LPC Triburst that is my Holy Grail. It's heavier than my '85 LPC by .6 lbs., but it really has tone for days! It was made at the end of 2006.

I love the '68 RI Customs! A true "Player's" guitar, IMHO!

I've played a bunch of '57 LPC's and really liked the all mahogany (no maple cap). The frets were not an issue to me.

In the end, my R4 P90 wrap tail is my number one axe and that guitar pretty much blows all the nit pickin' hardware/p'up/neck size/etc discussions right out the window. That guitar is so simple and pure that it just WORKS!

I've said this many times before and I'll say it again...

We are living in the age of mail order, but I do NOT think that you should buy a guitar that way. I think that guitars are a very personal item that needs to be hand selected from MANY! Even when you think that you may have found the "RIGHT" one, you should go home without it. Then go back a few days later and try it again. If it still does it for you, have them do a quick setup on it and play it again. Then leave the store without it. If on the third visit, the guitar still does "IT" for ya, BUY IT!!!

[siggy14]

I owned a 2002 57 Reissue and it was a great sounding guitar, played great not to mention it looked so good. But i ended up selling it because of the Neck, my style is a mix of rythem and lead, and as it was a great rythem guitar, the neck was just way to thick to play lead with the level of comfort I am use too.

And someone mentioned they are all mahogany and this is true, so it is a warmer guitar, kinda of like my les paul custom lites which are also all mahagony.

I have settled on three Pauls, I am keeping my les paul custom lite with floyd for now, my stop tail custom lite is on fleebay as we speak.

I also have a 68 Tri-burst, and the guitar is heavy, but sounds so damn good. Great feeling neck and just good all around.

My third Les is a newer white studio and that is light, sounds great and plays great. We had another dicussion on here where two of us got the studio that was made around the same time, they must have had a good batch of something that week. This guitar is my player guitar and what i grab 90% of my playing time.

[daisp]

I love my '68 too...thanks guys