Gibson Custom Les Paul '59 VOS Guitar Review: Now Gibson and I are Both Bankrupt. R9 60th!

This week I'm taking a look at the 2019 Gibson Custom Shop 60th Anniversary '59 Les Paul Standard VOS in Slow Ice Tea Fade. This is basically the "holy grail" of guitars before you start getting into actual vintage guitars. Does it hold up? Is it worth it? Why did Gibson put out the world's weirdest PR video? Let's check it all out. #PlayAuthentic lol.
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[@TheGuitarPit]

4:00 Lol I guess a nylon nut is period correct! Ignore me :P Please post and let me know if I got any other details wrong! I'm still learning about Gibsons...

[@pastorkev777]

I rather have bone, white tusq, brass, aluminum or white horn over nylon.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Any reason? This one seems to work really well. I had a ton of trouble with the tuning on my last LP.

[@djt6546]

Oh and I just came across this recent UK article which again makes you feel good about taking the plunge on this R9 rather than the previous incarnations... guitar.com/review/electric-guitar/review-gibson-custom-60th-anniversary-1959-les-paul-standard/

[@SDPickups]

Actually nylon IS period correct. Its a specific type of nylon that was used and is not like what you think it is. Go on Ebay and you can buy replica nuts made of the same original nylon type.

[@saltyassassin]

I was just about to correct that. Lol. Jimmy Page kept the nylon nut on his Number One Les Paul

[@donharrold1375]

The distorted cowboy chords at the beginning weren’t very flattering.

[@RobertBakerGuitar]

noooo I just realized .....I'm NEXT!

[@TheGuitarPit]

IM SORRY FRIEND. IT'S YOUR TURN.

[@PooNinja]

R9’s so fine I hope your wallet don’t mind 😂

[@jorgegvb]

Baker, you are the Les Paul guy, you gotta do it! Don’t let us down! 🤣

[@phicun74]

That's right

[@emcg.9655]

Do It.. You'll never regret it

[@RobertBakerGuitar]

oooooooffff ......heavy breathing.......HEAVY BREATHING!

[@matthewf1979]

Side dots were originally tortoiseshell celluloid on all 50’s LP’s. It’s something that’s missed by a lot of people.

[@rubentrevino6288]

Those imperfections you talk about are supposed to be there for this guitar as they were in the original

[@mattharrison4238]

Congrats Chris! What an amazing instrument! It’s great to see some Gibson love amongst all the hate there’s been lately. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’ve made a boneheaded move, but I’ve always been a Gibson guy, so it’s more disappointing to me than enraging. Thanks for all the great content man, keep up the great work!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks Matt, appreciate it. Yeah they totally blew it, but it doesn't change my opinion of this guitar. I was slightly disheartened with my LP Standard because the neck just didn't work for me, but I LOVED the tone. Happy that this one completely resolves all my complaints. Great neck, no wonky tool marks, and the tone is 100% here. It was over priced in my opinion, but to be honest, I'd buy it again because I really do love it.

[@Oilid]

Congrats! Imo, Gibson should only sell Customs and stop wasting consumer's time and money and become a "DeLuxe" brand.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Haha! Yeah they really gotta fix the tool marks and wonky stuff on the USA stuff. It's crazy to see that on $2~$3k guitars. At least this one is clean...mostly haha.

[@frantisca]

Absolutely !

[@scboom374]

Those 60th anniversary guitars are the closest you’ll ever come to a real 59.

[@oig40203]

Good to see this! I literally just ordered my Wildwood spec 1960 Custom shop. I am very nervous about spending this much money but it is as close as I will ever come to having my dream 1960 Les Paul! Your looks and sounds great my friend!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Well, I hate to spoil it but I think you made the right choice. Yeah, it's a silly amount of money, but this is the ultimate les paul and has none of the fuss everyone complains about. This is basically the end of the road for that sort fo thing, so I think you chose wisely :)

[@JimmyPage968]

I’d like to state that the bleed from the binding is a thing that happened on the original guitars. It’s the aniline dye that leeches into the binding over time.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah, someone mentioned it's probably intentional. But knowing Gibson, intentional or not, same outcome lol. Either way, this guitar is an absolute beast and I like what they're making. Perfect, or not!

[@releshred1272]

The Guitar on the binding on the neck of my R9 is red since playing it so much. I dig the look!

[@hkguitar1984]

I have an older pre-custom shop custom ordered Gibson from 1986. It has proven to be a ridiculously great guitar in both craftsmanship and function. It stays in-tune, intonation doesn't drift and the action hasn't changed in almost 20 years of regular playing. It delivers everything you would expect from a custom shop guitar. Sometimes you do get what you pay for, it's just not usually cheap! Point I'm trying to make, the Custom Shop Les Paul I have has been played regularly for the last 33+ years and it still stays in-tune, stays in intonation and plays flawlessly after all these years of use. The cost of something like this spread out over many, many years takes a bit of the initial sting out of the original price. I'm the 2nd owner and have been playing it since 2001. Congrats on this purchase, it's a beautiful example of everything a Les Paul should be. Great review, thank you

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks HK, appreciate it. I really have been enjoying this thing. Can't get over the tone, tuning stability, intonation...the works. It's just right every time I pick it up. I hope I get the same 20+ years of enjoyment out of it that you have :)

[@ericpetrossian1582]

I’d Agree with you before I got my hands on a 1984 Tokai Ls-120 ( a 59 reissue 10 years even before Gibson was fucking up historic spec)

[@glennevans5824]

Just finally got a used R9…I waited a long time …I’m 66…have Les pauls even slash…but R9 is just like a warm bath…just ahhhhh…👍👍🤣

[@BAMozzy69]

At the end of the day, if you like a guitar - the way it looks, sounds and feels, regardless of who makes it, that's all that matters. You can even forgive very minor issues (if there are any) but if something doesn't grab you, even minor things are bigger than they perhaps should be. I know this guitar had fewer minor issues but also twice as expensive too. I am not saying they matter at all but if you like the guitar, they matter less if they matter at all. I must admit that I like the R9 too, and also blame Bryan Cote, Cheddar and now you too. I won't be in the market for one in the near future as I have just bought the PRS Special 22 Semi Hollow (limited edition) in Charcoal Cherry Burst. Therefore I can't see myself being in a position to add an R9 without selling guitars that I have no intention of losing. I am surprised about the nylon nut though, I would of expected Bone back then - obviously not as they are supposed to be 'Authentic' and that means you are now playing 'Authentic' LMAO

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah you're exactly right. Not my favorite brand, price, or shape, but it plays so well and sounds so big... I just love it.

[@BenCoombs]

I'm SO screwed, I swear the only Gibson bursts I like are the R9's....yep screwed....

[@TheGuitarPit]

I'm sorry Ben! You must eventually give in. There is no other option! R I P!

[@sgmarshall3]

If you sell one kidney and one lung, you should almost have enough money

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@sgmarshall3 You can actually get a real 1959 Les Paul for 1 kidney. Just sayin'.

[@sgmarshall3]

@@TheGuitarPit I won't ask how you know that! Lol

[@BrianSGuitars]

I got to play several of these VOS Les Paul's at Gearfest. Fell in love with one particular '60 version they had in a Iced Tea Burst. They kept marking it down tempting me! I had leave before I did something stupid!! 🤣

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah this thing just has a vibe I can't resist. Something about the way it resonants and sounds. The neck is a complete winner too. Good stuff, wish it didn't cost me TWO great guitars though.

[@BrianSGuitars]

@@TheGuitarPit They had them marked down to around $5800 for Gearfest, but on Saturday I went back over to the Gibson tent to check them out again as it wasn't as crowded and they got all the way down to $5000 on both a '60 and '59 I loved. I'm going to send you a link to the '59. No one has purchased it yet.

[@VictoryGuitarShop]

Yes we know, unless they are made in the last 5 years or so they don't compare to this recent generation. These finally have the closest specs to the original and you can definitely hear it.

[@karlstevens7062]

I'm sorry, but isn't this Gibson bashing week ? When you get a Gibson that suits you .... everything is right in the world.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Ha, yeah. I guess this video's timing isn't great. I'm disappointed with Gibson's video but extremely happy with this guitar. So hey, I'll survive :)

[@OzzGuitar]

Gorgeous😍🤘😍

[@twantheunisz9281]

my dream guitar ever since owing a P90 loaded gibson les paul deluxe

[@TheGuitarPit]

I didn't know it was my dream guitar until I got it! A pretty pleasant surprise!

[@twantheunisz9281]

@@TheGuitarPit yeah dude, You keeping this one?

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah certainly. But hey, that can always change :P

[@twantheunisz9281]

@@TheGuitarPit well hey in case You ever wanna Just give it away to me free of charge I'll be right here.

[@papasmamas1]

And thats how a guitar with balls sound

[@juanvaldez5422]

Oh no! You forget to put a piece of tape over that headstock... oh wait, even that won't save you... muhahaha. Nice axe and review.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Damn, they're gonna come for me! I'm toast!

[@juanvaldez5422]

@@TheGuitarPit Well, if some strange, coked looking fellow knocks on your door at 3 am rambling about 'iconic' this, authentic 'that'... don't answer

[@g405t]

The real ones used tortoise shell for neck dots.

[@Danny-wv8ec]

A beautiful guitar, i have a 2012 LO Traditional and i love it. I can stare at burst LP all day without playing it and not get bored.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah it's weird because it's not like a super "special" top or anything. It just looks right, if that makes sense. Classic!

[@Danny-wv8ec]

I have a strat as well and i’ve played and check a lot of other guitars, only the Gibson has this affect on me. I do love Parkers but i haven’t seen one in person, maybe if i ever do it will have that same feeling on me.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I can stare at a Parker for 100 years. I absolutely love them. But man, the experience of playing them is pretty disappointing when you compare to something like a Gibson. They feel pretty small and lifeless, if I'm honest.

[@smeerdude]

awesome!!! told you these things are special! congrats brother!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah man....nooooo joke eh? Love it so far. Plays like a dream but sounds like a Les Paul. The playability was what my last one was missing. This one is perfecto.

[@tacoconch7678]

@6:16 The original 58-60 bursts did use red tortoise shell for the player dots. It's a very little known fact. I didn't realize the new Historics were this accurate. Pretty cool!

[@tacoconch7678]

Oddly enough, the maple caps on the originals were not attached with hot hide glue. The fretboards were though. Here's a really cool video where I got the information. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXeXg4WwbNKtgrM

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah! I didn't know until I started researching it for the review. Very different. Super cool look, but it threw me off when I first saw it. I thought they had made some sort of mistake because you can see half to the binding and partially to the neck wood. Unique!

[@tacoconch7678]

@@TheGuitarPit Congrats on the new guitar! I'm about to buy a Historic r8. I just hope the neck isn't too big. Great video man!

[@SteveTemplePilot]

Oh dude the R9 sounds a million times better.

[@silvioschurig749]

Are you sure you can still say Gibson and show _their_ logo on one of _their_ guitars on KZbin?

[@TheGuitarPit]

I should call them and say hey, I heard you wanna work with me. Give me $100, please.

[@hkguitar1984]

@@TheGuitarPit If you call them within the next week or so, yeah, they might take you up on it. Maybe even send you a big Gibson Banner and some strings too!

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

I love my 60th anniversary. It’s so beautiful and plays like a dream. Best Gibson I’ve ever owned.

[@starrguitarworks]

Congrats! A 58 Historic is tops on my list... you just confirmed that it’s worth the upgrade over my 2017 Standard.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I really do believe the customs are an upgrade. I was skeptical because that isn't the case at most brands. A Suhr Pro is the same fit/finish/hardware as a Suhr Custom.This however, is not. Highly recommend it, but I also think Gibson should make these the STANDARD of their fit/finish and get their act together a little bit :)

[@starrguitarworks]

The Guitar Pit Agreed.

[@demuthjesse]

"Karma police, copyright strike this man...."

[@TheGuitarPit]

Noooooo! Don't take my $2.23 in youtube monies!

[@JimDewdGuitars]

Wow that's just a fantastic sound. And that color is perfect. Awesome review!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah it sounds HUGE. I dono what kinda magic they're working but damn...incredible.

[@dalepal]

That’s a beautiful guitar and if it’s special to you that’s all that counts. It would be a shame if they didn’t make sure everything is right on a guitar that expensive.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I felt "this should be right for this money" on the LP Standard I had too, but it just had too many "Gibson quirks." This one, thankfully, is spot on in every way :)

[@dakotamorgan6594]

Gibson, the Harley Davidson of guitars.

[@MartinCliffe]

In my (albeit limited) experience the best Les Pauls come in the 8.5-9lb range. This one looks and sounds great. Congrats :)

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah this thing smokes. I absolutely love it, and it plays like butter. I did see a couple for 8lbs, but they weren't marked down the same way this one was. I couldn't spend $5500+ to save a half pound lol.

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

Mine is 8.8 lbs and feels just about right. Not overly heavy like my 9.4 lbs 50’s Standard.

[@JuddLofthouse]

Great review Chris but you haven’t been posting lately I hope you are well my friend 👍👍I’ve missed you

[@ajpeagle]

Oh all the faults are actually there because they are on the originals . They are essentially a replica of the best 59 and better than many originals. I have played and worked on more than 10 originals and at least 50 R 9s.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I wonder if the inlays are CNC'd with a little gap to fill on purpose, or if they actually do them by hand...

[@ajpeagle]

@@TheGuitarPit They are almost entirely CNC but tooling is to replicate the jigs. Better really. Everything about this years R9 is exactly as the customers always wanted. There is no better Les Paul. Yes it has all the issues that originals have but that is what makes it. Try a Suhr Aura if you wanted all the details fixed, flawless but somehow not as inspiring .

[@tomrosa4248]

Chris, I recently got an R9 and I am really happy with this guitar, it is way better than a production model standard. I think it is worth the money and I would consider getting another Custom Shop Les Paul in the future.

[@DRIIC-qw8us]

Shop for the top and you'll have a great looking guitar. Play a few and pick the best sounding and you'll have a great sounding guitar.

[@vintagesoul5146]

I always come back to this clip. Are you still happy with the 60th? Would you say it's your favorite?

[@neilmc250]

Really enjoying your videos Chris ; one of my fave guitar channels!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks, appreciate i!

[@simonwilliams9916]

And introducing the latest addition to the tone equation “tone glue”! Seriously though great review and lovely guitar. Ahhh Gibson the sound of shooting yourself in the foot! 😂😂😂🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks Simon! I think the guitar sounds much better if the toneglue is mostly tendon and not animal carcass and bones. I know a shop that uses tendon only glue. It's rare, you gotta know a guy. Alternatively, I heard hoof-only glue is the best but I've never found a vendor.

[@simonwilliams9916]

The Guitar Pit hahaha that’s lovely. I’m now googling hoof glue!

[@techlaw997]

Can you do a video comparing the R8 and the R9?

[@thadlogan51]

Why would you play such a great something guitar through a digital pedal... makes it sound like a cheap Chinese toy or epiphone versus custom shop Gibson...

[@tacoconch7678]

@9:24 Blackwater Park riff coming through!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Best album of all time!

[@vabyanvaneudaimonia2712]

I was happy to hear an Opeth Riff in a R9 demonstration :)

[@JimmyPage968]

Play it, love it and let it age. It’ll look amazing when that nitro begins to check.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Sure do. Still pick it up almost every day. There is something different about it that keeps me coming back. Even unplugged...just feels right.

[@JimmyPage968]

The Guitar Pit I’m glad to hear that! I don’t have a 59 Les Paul, but I have a few vintage MIJ Les Pauls that are amazing. I pick at least one of them up every day. They just feel better than any Gibson USA that I’ve played. Unfortunately, I don’t think Gibson will make any of the 59 60th in left handed though.

[@Bordeaux0929]

So....do you still have it 2 years later?

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

You play some really bad chords. 😂 J/K Some dissonant chords just don’t sound good under gain. Just thought I’d point that out. The rest of the review was great though. I just got one these 60th Anniversary ‘59’s and it is one great guitar. 🤙🏼

[@AlistairAnderson-q1w]

So you're bankrupt as well welcome to the club, and sold your PRS to finance buying that les paul don't loose any sleep on that decision, nice finish is that a iced tea finish, the only thing I dislike with the custom les pauls is the heavy binding bleed from the over heavy analin dyes. Doth mine have binding bleed.

[@wiseguy9202]

Tis a beautiful guitar sir however the asymmetrical neck is not the same as the 60's slim taper neck. And yes the inlays were done by hand unlike the Standard USA models which were done on the CNC as you've guessed.

[@gilbie38]

I love this guitar! Sounds great. Did you get the clear clarity on the neck pick up when you reduce the volume to about 4 or 5? Just wondering.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah it cleans up nicely. I don't think the volume was rolled down in any of the sound clips though. Just overall a blast to play and sounded good on just about any setting I threw at it.

[@gilbie38]

@@TheGuitarPit Awesome! I have a 2018 traditional with PAF clones with a 50s wiring set up. My next goal is the 60th anniversary. Thank you for the post!

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

You probably know this by now but those side dots are supposed to be tortoiseshell to mimic the original 59 LP. all the old originals had those. they were not black like most think.

[@SixString_J5]

To me it's too muddy. I like vintage pups, but maybe not that vintage, lol. I get they are good for a lot of genres, but just not my cup of tea. Cool guitar, and I understand why people like it, but I prefer a modern instrument... especially at this price point.

[@TheGuitarPit]

It's strange because the lower strings have a dark bassy feel to them, but the high strings ring out bright...even on the neck pickup. I was also using the AC-20 patch on a couple of the sound clips, which could come off as muddy. I kinda like that vintage mud though :)

[@SixString_J5]

@@TheGuitarPit The sound has its place for sure. Not for me, I'm more into the 80s-90s 'vintage' if I go oldschool. Most of the 60's 70s musicians I like were on single coils.

[@PhilMoseleyMusic]

Beautiful guitar man! :)

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks Phil! Yeah it's perfect, in my opinion. Guess I'm stuck with it! :)

[@historiclp4577]

Is your headstock streight, when looking at it from the tip of the headstock, body on the ground? My R0 seems to be slightly clockwise

[@flipmcdonought5835]

Got to 20 seconds.

[@frantisca]

Hi Chris. First of all, congratulations for that beautiful instrument. The top is stunning. As to the rest, I can only agree with you. I have acquired last year a 2012 R9. It is one of those with the 2013 specs: VOS, period correct hyde glue, custombuckers, long tenon etc. I have played PRS, Collings, good and not so good Gibsons but let me tell you: this one is the best, nicest, most resonating, playable guitar I've ever played. Although the body is solid mahogany, the guitar is light: 8.26 lbs. The neck is just a dream: fits my hand like a glove. Everything is flawless: the finish, the fretwork, the nut and YES it stays in tune !! And that smell... : everytime I get it out of its case it's enchanting ! I'm no expert either but I believe the nut is period correct and if it's not, I couldn't care less. This IS the guitar of my life and if there is one to keep, this will be the one. I think that the craftsmen at the Gibson Custom shop are between the best at guitar making in America. If Gibson made a mistake, it was to multiply the ranges, models, colors, types and what have you. Give the people what they want: a good, nice, quality guitar with no frills that plays right, sounds right, looks right. Forget the switches, push-pulls and what have you: with a couple of Custombuckers, the right tapers and caps you can get about any tone you want, from jazz to rock, from blues to country. This is the most versatile guitar you can dream of. if Gibson had been concentrating on building just those, they could probably have got their prices down a bit and build their reputation back as a premium manufacturer. Believe me: this one has nothing to envy to a PRS, Collings or other boutique brands. The Custom shop IS a boutique brand. And these guitars are their masterpieces. I have sold a 1971 Les Paul and a Custom Strat to purchase my R9 and I never looked back. I just can't put this guitar down \m/

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks Cool Rene! You're right on the nut. But exactly...just the entire thing...feel, tone, finish, smell...flawless. It's an incredible instrument and I'm glad I gambled on the price. It actually delivers on exactly what I was hoping for. Beautiful.

[@waxman9550]

holy gain!

[@nuendo2496]

22:21 Yikes.....PRS ???? Toy plastic guitars played mostly by KZbin kids or paid endorsers.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Bad take, boomer.

[@troywm1016]

Holy Gain!

[@MitchHaman]

I'm so behind watching videos. Congratulation and I'm glad you finally found a LP that you like. I guess you'll keep this one. It sure has that LP sound which I love. Your LP cost over double what I paid for my 2019 Standard Blueberry burst. If you'd ask me 4 years ago if would buy a guitar over $2500, I would have said never. Lol. Now mine has the burstbucker pro and the HP performance thing (the one with the dip switches). Not sure why all the hate on youtube about the dip switches. You don't have to use them. Mine is getting the proper setup now and I can't wait till it gets back.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yup, this'll do it. Only LP I'll need. Absolutely love it. And yeah, price creep is real. But it's important to get something you're happy with. If you're spending that kind of money, you gotta be 100% happy. So I'm really glad you ended up returning the last one and getting one you love. As for the switches, yeah Gibson people are maniacs. When researching for this video, I saw on the forums people saying that previous R9's are garbage, this R9 is ok, the historic recreations NOT by Gibsons are better, and only a real 59 is "good." I think they're just taking it all too seriously. As long as you love it, then it's a victory in my book. And like you said, just ignore the switches and push pulls...who cares!

[@GuitarHack66]

I can hear the Gibson love in your voice. Welcome to the dark side buddy. Cheers

[@TheGuitarPit]

I only have you to blame for starting me down this dark path to begin with!

[@GuitarHack66]

@@TheGuitarPit I was tempting you with regular Gibson. I didn't expect you to go full custom shop on me 😆

[@TheGuitarPit]

It comes full circle, I will torture you to buy one on your show tomorrow. I'm relentless!

[@Bierce88]

That sound is to authentic you better be careful.,

[@TheGuitarPit]

I played this authentic tone for 2 hours and was served with a court summons immediately. Shoot.

[@joelmiddaugh8229]

The nylon nut is period correct. Definitively.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah I stickied the correction. Figured it wouldn't be but yeah, pretty cool. It sure works!

[@homer7504]

But where did you get this beauty from??

[@TheGuitarPit]

Eddie's Guitars, they had a 15% deal at the time.

[@BrandonBames]

Great video as always Chris! Just FYI, Mojotone makes oil filled capacitors that are only $10 a piece. If you're ever experimenting it might be worth picking up one or two. Keep up the great work!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks man! And good tip. I think I was thinking of Emerson brand or something. I priced them out once and totally bailed on the plan when I realized it was going to increase the price of a pickup swap by 35% or something.

[@frantisca]

Brandon Bamesberger MojoTone, Jupiter, Jensen are all great replacement caps !

[@toddflowers8052]

That is my" holy grail "guitar Chris as I was born in 59 and will be 60 in October so, if you want to give me a birthday gift you have my address ! ;-) Nice demo and review buddy !

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah it very well might be the holy grail, you're right. I wish it didn't cost me 2~3 guitars I love, but I'm glad I checked it out. Phenomenal guitar. They made right on all the stuff my last one failed to deliver on.

[@toddflowers8052]

@@TheGuitarPit Glad you like it ! Enjoy !

[@SDPickups]

Its a fail, as all Gibson Les Pauls are since back then. Take a magnet and see if it sticks to your thumbwheels and posts the ABR1 sits on. It will. FAIL. Originals were brass, steel kills tone. Dump the bridge, they are shrill and tinny, get a Faber ABRH which is the closest I've found in sound to my several vintage ABR1's I own and play. Tail piece should be aluminum 28-32 grams. It isn't. Check the tailpiece bolts, they should be steel, they're not. Check the length, they should be long like originals were, and the anchors should be long as well. They're not. Check the braided wire. It should have the white Celanese layer inside, so far I've only ever seen them use it in the True Historics. Fail. Check the bee cap, inside the plastic shell is a dollar capacitor, last I heard they were cheap film caps, but supposedly they're using PIO's now from Wesco. Measure the pots, they should be 500K and higher, they're not. And probably still using linear pots that never appeared on any 59 Les Paul. Fail, fail, fail. Pull the neck pickup out and see if it has a long tenon joint. If it doesn't send it back, you got ripped off.

[@hellsSG]

Did you buy it online or picked it out in person?

[@TheGuitarPit]

I bought it online because it was so discounted. I couldn't really afford the retail, but saw this one drop to $4600. I had just sold 2 nice guitars and figured it was my only change to go for it. I would have liked to pick one in person but I wanted to save the cash. Thankfully, it worked out!

[@geet77777]

whats the weird gibson video?

[@TheGuitarPit]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIfKm396jZ55atE

[@MattsGAP]

Nice to see that you got a Gibson you're happy with, and nice to hear some Radiohead

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks buddy! Really, REALLY happy with this one. I probably kept the gushing to a minimum to remain semi fair but I'm having a blast with this thing.

[@MattsGAP]

@@TheGuitarPit Yeah, looks and sounds amazing, great choice!

[@Guitarverse77]

Good lord thanks alot now I need one ugh. Lol

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah beware. These are good and will cost you your soul if you touch one haha.

[@tomfoolery2082]

Thinkin a period correct would b bone . Wondering what amp ya got goin , sounds real good . Guitar and amp.

[@TheGuitarPit]

For these clips, I used an AxeFX2. The (Morgan) AC-20 and Friedman BE patches. Didn't make many tweaks to either of them. I think I added a drive pedal for a couple of them, and had a EP boost on the floor which I used once or twice. Pretty simple setup! Those custombuckers really sound great I thought.

[@tomfoolery2082]

Cool ! Thx.

[@PooNinja]

but no tape on the headstock? :D

[@TheGuitarPit]

CALL US, BRO. WE WANNA WORK WITH YOU! WTF, SHOW THAT LOGO.

[@PooNinja]

😂✌🏽

[@ronimusala]

That's so #authentic

[@ScottAcy]

Why are you selling it?

[@TheGuitarPit]

Bought a used 594 which was half the cost, more comfortable, and sounds....almost as good? Not *as* good, but close enough for me. The R9 is better, but I'll take the cash at this point.

[@williamwinn948]

love Gibson nothing feels or plays like one never had any problems with mine. congrats on your new guitar Beautiful.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks! Yeah, this one is such a solid winner. Really surprised me. Love it!

[@shaft9000]

@@TheGuitarPit Congrats. Gibson's can be totally hit or miss at times - but man when they hit it right, there's just no denying how fantastically 'right' the things are.

[@holmes1978]

Great video Congratulations I wish you showed your Lifton case in detail as well ! Beautiful

[@hadtodoit4391]

I have a question I have a R9 and ot was lemon burst. But I had a costume air brush of zombies put on it to make it mine . Did I just wreck the value and make it worthless?

[@boyabundance]

25:11 is my favorite part

[@TheGuitarPit]

Monty is pretty bad. Chewing up my R9 :( Whyyyyy.

[@AkiraSpectrum]

Great video. If you can scrape up the funds I'd like to see a review of an Anderson guitar (a Drop Top model or something like that), or maybe an ESP USA. Alternatively, I wouldn't mind seeing you review some more budget guitars like the Charvel DK24.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I had just sold the Vigier and was hoping to pick up a Anderson Angel, but the guy returned it. So I gotta resell it and wait again hah. Brutal! As for the Charvel, I've heard kinda hit or miss stuff about them. Some reviews seem to love them, but I've had a fair number of comments from people saying they bought one and it had fret problems and other issues with them. Kinda weird for $1000 and MiM...

[@AkiraSpectrum]

@@TheGuitarPit Bummer!! Yeah, I heard mostly positive things about the Charvel DK24s with roasted maple necks, but have seen a few with some fret sprout issues--which should be less common on roasted maple. Who knows? Either way, if they are mostly consistently good, then they would be fantastic buy's for their price-point. The only thing they don't have in terms of features are SS frets--other than that they have all the cool modern appointments (roasted/caramelized maple, luminlay's, gotoh bridge, duncan pickups, locking tuners, tusq nut, recessed input jack).

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@AkiraSpectrum I think the color kinda put me off too. Maybe they'll do a color refresh. I'd love a clean white one.

[@AkiraSpectrum]

@@TheGuitarPit Makes sense. I kinda dig the colors myself (green, orange, shell pink, gray). What do you think about the Primer Gray (?) color? I believe they have a white dk24 now but that one is a Charvel USA and is pricey. Maybe they'll do a white for the MiM's next year.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I don't hate the colors... but in the past, the satin flat color stuff always looked really plain. Maybe it's better in person. Yeah I'm hoping they put out the gloss white one, even if it's a couple bucks more.

[@Silkaz7]

Wtf are gibson bankrupt again? 😰

[@TheGuitarPit]

Ha, no they fixed that I think :) But after buying this, I should probably be bankrupt haha.

[@Silkaz7]

@@TheGuitarPit haha I feel ya, just bought a core PRS and I'm in a similar situation, but I guess it's worth it, cheers mate!

[@onesandzeros]

Hi Chris, I hope all is well with you. Haven't seen a video in a while. I was trying to understand the differences between VOS, ML, etc and was happy to see a Guitar Pit video in the results.

[@somebodyelseuk]

Nylon nut is period correct. What isn't period correct is the use of hot hide glue for the maple top. They used to use it for the fingerboard and neck joint, but not for the top.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Ah, very interesting. Good to know, thanks!

[@somebodyelseuk]

@@TheGuitarPit It was because of the curing time and process. They originally used phenol formaldehyde resin for the top. I don't know what the hazards of that resin are, but phenol and formaldehyde are seriously nasty chemicals, so they probably use HH glue, because PFR is either too dangerous or even banned. They'll never be 100% accurate, simply because certain chemicals used in nitro formulations and plating processes have been banned over the years.

[@djt6546]

I got my 60th anniversary more or less the same time as Cheddar. We were comparing notes on case candy😊 One of the things that I spotted while playing in the store and leaving the guitar on a stand between playing, was that it requires far less tuning tweaks than expected. It’s great to hear you found the same. Maybe this flagship model really did get a good general QC overhaul for 2019. I also agree with you about the colours, too many names with slight differences. You just gotta get eyes (& hopefully hands) on the guitar before you pick. I know it’s still silly money (but you can twist some stores down 15% if you’re a good regular customer at this game). Regardless of price as it is a companies flagship after all. It is a VERY nice guitar to play and own as a nod to guitar history. Could be the best R9 yet given the good quality and lower price point compared to the previous “True Historic”. Gotta say I would be gutted if I spent even more on a True Historic 2 years ago. That said I was so disappointed with what Gibson & Agnesi came out with recently. You know you must be slightly obsessed with guitars when you feel bad having bought something you love from a company that later exhibits questionable behavior in public. Why do we care so much?... Does Gibson not see that if they just get the basic guitar building right at a fair price, they would be on a rocket ship of success... But maybe the team in the VERY TOP of the ivory tower are just operating in another dimension to even the likes of puppets like Agnesi and maybe even the new CEO. Perhaps the faces and wishes of the management we see publicly can’t even save Gibson from self destruction. If it’s ruthless business first and guitar building lower down the order of priorities, they may not be able to redeem themselves 😕

[@TheGuitarPit]

Wow, 100% agree on all fronts. Thanks. And you're right, I've seen a couple shops mark them down to $5k new which I think is STILL A TON but it's getting hard to argue. They really are that special. I can't get over mine still. I realize most would argue it's not better than 2 Les Pauls or whatever...but for me, it is. I have a dozen guitars and one that stands out among the pack is worth 10x more, not 2x more to me. My previous LP was fine but I wasn't playing it much. That guitar is effectively worth $0 to me. I don't play it, it takes up space, and I wish it was better. The R9 completely resolved 100% of that and I absolutely love it. And great point on the true historics. I wonder if these R9s hurt their resale value?

[@hkguitar1984]

@@TheGuitarPit Good Point, maybe they will effect the previous R9 prices. I think that is good for someone looking to pick up a used R9 at a fair price. It's also refreshing to watch for 30 minutes and not hear any complaining or Gibson bashing! Not saying they don't deserve it, it's just getting old that's all.

[@djt6546]

@@TheGuitarPit A quick look on Reverb and I am very surprised there are still True Historic's going for silly money. I feel sorry for anyone who buys them at $6,000-9,000. By Gibsons own admission the latest 60th anniversary is the most truthful replica yet. We're not just talk plastics this time, but PuP's and wiring/capacitors too. Our 60th anniversary models will of course also be superseded. But one really cool thing about this model is that it will always be instantly recognisable as 2019, the 60th year. No discussion or ambiguity as to whether there was any difference between one bought in 2014 and 2016 or standard historic vs true historic. This is definitely a practical fact if we ever come to sell them at some point in the future. In my opinion if you want a new one (and personally I like the idea of owning a new guitar, something I can truly call my own with theoretically lifetime support as original owner) this is the best LP R9 to date. I expect the next big statement date will be 70th anniversary. 65th anniversary doesn't have the same ring to it and 10yrs later is a reasonable time for them to come up with even better marketing, oops sorry I mean real improvements ;-) I just feel amongst all the years of tweaks and marketing so far, this is the best R9 quality vs price ratio yet. Enjoy your beautiful new instrument and thank you for making me feel a littler better about my own purchase, despite Gibson doing their best to make me feel bad about lining their pockets right now ;-)

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@djt6546 Pffff 60th?! You should see my 100th anniversary! They used a time machine and brought back the guy who hand carved the necks! Get outta here with that offbrand 60th! But yeah great points and I totally agree. I'm enjoying every second of it, wasteful of not :)

[@zombie92272]

In my opinion... The ONLY way these can be made more authentic is if Gibson somehow sneaks in some Brazilian Rosewood in the country for their fretboard... & I don’t see that happening anytime soon unless it’s in very small exclusive batches... love mine... It’s an heirloom type of guitar

[@tonlarj37]

Wait.... what?! Awesome! Congratulations! 🤘

[@TheGuitarPit]

Ha, sneaky eh? :)

[@tonlarj37]

The Guitar Pit yes. should never underestimate ones sneakiness. ;)

[@DEZZA12]

My epiphone standard has these fillers, so i dont think its because its done by hand

[@TheGuitarPit]

Fillers? Where?

[@DEZZA12]

@@TheGuitarPit the inlays on the fretboard

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@DEZZA12 Maybe. I believe this one is trying to be as accurate to the old ones as possible. My previous USA Gibson did not have any sign of that, it was perfectly fit with no filler whatsoever.

[@megatrends]

Yes, the dot inlays are actually tortoise shell on the originals so they replicated that. The frets are smallest on the 58 and I have a 60 where they introduced the med jumbo size. I have a 2016 R8 and a 2016 R9 which are also good but not as "true to the originals" as these newer ones we got.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah, the side dots totally caught me off guard. I thought it was a mistake at first. But after I saw it, I actually really like it. Just a little unique flavor on something that oozes weird features. And wow, you have two of em eh? Do you prefer the R8 or R9?

[@barneychamorro]

what is the weight of your R9?

[@TheGuitarPit]

8.6lbs if I recall. I've seen them as low as 7.9lbs.

[@barneychamorro]

The Guitar Pit i am about to buy one that’s 8.2. Do you think it might be too light?

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@barneychamorro Lighter the better, from everything I've heard. Used prices dictate that as well. Might as well, 8.2 sounds great to me.

[@donciseau]

Great video!

[@ajpeagle]

Nylon 6 nut is right as said below.

[@Eventual420]

Good for you Chris. Great review.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks Solar! Really enjoyed the overall vibe of this guitar. I know they are a "rip off" but it really feels like it's meant to be played. I spent a lot of time just playing one big chord and letting it ring for a minute. Can't get enough of the tones.

[@Eventual420]

The Guitar Pit, myself bewildered at the acceptance of the Authentic video. Gibson essentially offered to buy advertising from TV & Film industry, saying ‘just ask’ for the money, talk to us, we would consider paying you to not cover our brand with tape... and the misguided lost it. Another facet was the PRS crowd, another honorable US brand that ain’t cheap, demanding $1000 perfection from Gibson in one breath, and then denouncing $1000 in another. I have every respect for PRS players, I think they’re a little too glamorous, wood and stain wise, for the money. But could not be happier for their enthusiasts! Hell yeah, I love it when people pimp their brand. But then along comes Gibson and suddenly the table has been flipped. Lastly, approaching 50 I remember when everything was MIA, that’s Made In America. The benefit to that is, or should I say... Was, was that manufacturers needed US labor, they would pay living wage plus benefits, which was the taxes were paid (good for Uncle Sam) and the employee received Health Insurance. When a large corporation shopped for 100 policies, they were given better rates, and this kept the overall cost of insurance down. For those who grew up outside the states, that means nothing to them, and they don’t see why US citizens who have been around a long time would even bother trying to save 65 jobs in Memphis. In 2018 Memphis was closed. All of those guitars made in Memphis (my 335) deemed unworthy, but I beg to differ. The guitars I bought from 2014 Gibson have no flaws, unless I did them. Like the time I set my Les Paul in the stand but didn’t hook the neck into the stand, as it fell, I grabbed for it... but missed and slammed it into the Explorer, giving it a huge gash 1/8 wide right where they break. Boom, bang, everything hit the floor. I picked them both up, feeling $2000 poorer, and could care less. Same great instruments, same kill balls tones. Gibson makes great instruments, if you are willing to pay full price, then that should come with no flaws. For me, Guitar Center, Platinum Room, a selection of guitars that passed every inspection and were awarded platinum status. I shopped online and then drove across 3 state lines to get to New Orleans. There she was, paid the LA State Sales Tax, and came home with no blems on it, anywhere. Very happy with it. Love the nibs, one of my favorite parts of Gibson USA. The Gibson Foundation was responsible for providing health care to aging musicians. They built schools around the world. Look them up now. How are the families in Memphis? Did they relocate? Darrel Braun, and many other younger generation, misguided individuals from abroad, hold your brands up to Gibson and you’ll see that they have done less, in the history of 100 years, they’ve done less for people around the world, they’ve done less for Americans and Europeans, for Africans and Australians period. Not even Fender can approach them. Good people support them, and realize the problems are in the mirror. Defeat that.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I think the main problem with that video was the tone and serial killer stare. It just had REALLY off delivery. Came off as super aggressive and threatening. I totally get that they need to protect their property, and that can be decided by the courts, not me. But that video just felt really off. Either way, I obviously still support them because I just spent a fortune on this guitar and love it. I think they probably have a couple more transitional pains to overcome but they'll get there :) Either way, it's a wonderful guitar and would rebuy it in a heartbeat. So I guess that speaks for itself.

[@Eventual420]

The Guitar Pit, my hats off to ya.

[@tomfoolery2082]

Even with its shortcomings and quirks , theres somethin about a gibson les paul . Glad for ya .

[@TheGuitarPit]

Sure is! A little extra mojo on this thing for sure. Love it!

[@Bran5d0n]

Hello! Happy christmas, are the screws rusty? Or is the design?

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks, merry Christmas to you too! This is the VOS finish, which stands for "vintage old stock." So yeah, it's on purpose. They tried to make it look like a "new" guitar from 60 years ago, but no major dings or scratches. They also do a full relic version which has the checking and wear.

[@justinvernal]

Almost as good as ephiphone almost🇺🇸👌

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah, they're basically the same :P

[@maxloyd9682]

How it compare to a suhr modern plus? Is this guitar better ? In what ways ?

[@TheGuitarPit]

Not really related. They sound different, feel different, play different. To be super reductive, personally, I like the way the R9 sounds more. The Suhr modern is better feeling and more comfortable. The R9 may be "easier" to play though, due to the shorter scale. The R9 is basically the best of the best. The compromises you're making here are to taste...shape, color, etc. I don't think it can be beat on tone or playability, unless you need a thin neck, stainless frets, or a double cut body. That said, the Suhr modern absolutely rocks and is well under half the price.

[@shaft9000]

The nut is just half of the tuning stability problem. The OTHER end - the bridge - has saddles and string break-angle(s). Many LPs rub the strings against the top-back corner of the bridge - creating an additional friction point. Some players will then over-wrap the strings, so to keep a "decked" tailpiece. Or you simply raise the posts off of the top (check the string clearance with a sheet of paper) as it's designed to be, however odd it may look to some, and consequently flatten the break-angle(s).

[@shaft9000]

In my experience, getting a really excellent GIbson out of a retail store is a serious challenge. The axe's setup being a guaranteed lost-cause is the least of one's troubles there. I have two gibby LPs, a StudioDeluxe in '09 and now a 'New Traditional' 2013 I found just a few weeks ago. I played about ten sub-$2k ones before buying the first one, a very good guitar but not amazing. I played another 30 or so sub-$5k LPs before I bought the '13 T, including a couple of R8s and several Heritage H-150s. The '13 T just ~somehow~ was made correctly in the Nashville plant. Enough time, care and attention was given - the nut and binding is clean and tight; the only build flaw on it is 1/32" of orange peel of the laquer all along the the neck joint. That's IT. It sounds superb, classic 57s no weight relief, fat '59-ish neck. TL;DR = getting a production Standard that's ace is possible - you just have to be determined, play the danged things in person and avoid retail.

[@JuddLofthouse]

What a guitar with no points? Are you ok 😃😃Great review great guitar 👍👍

[@TheGuitarPit]

Ha! Yeah, I still don't love the shape, but can't complain about anything else. This thing absolutely crushes in the places it matters. 10/10, hah.

[@Bran5d0n]

Is a good option a les paul 2013 r9?

[@TheGuitarPit]

I'm not an expert on them, so I'd hate to give you wrong advice. I'd research it the best you can. I'm sure most R9's are lovely guitars, but I do know there were a couple different options/features per year. For example, I knew I wanted the custombucker pickups and liked the the 60th's anniversary spec list so I went for it.

[@elvis_chen]

Congrates for getting the flag ship of Gibson!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks, still love it!

[@BruceBurger]

I got two perfect Les Pauls, and another I ended up selling because it just sucked. I even put a string butler on it and it still went out of tune. 🤪🍔 Now I’m kind of gasing for a 59 LP 🤯😵😭

[@TheGuitarPit]

My experience exactly. Did you see my LP standard review? Identical situation. String butler, etc. This thing, on the other hand, is an absolutely god-tier guitar. Stunning. I hate to pour oil on your fire but...go check one out :)

[@TangoDownOIF]

I have an R8, and I 100% agree with you. Mine stays in tune better than any guitar I’ve ever had. I do 1 and a half step bends and it’s still in tune. I can’t get it to go out of tune. Not sure if Gibson just puts more attention to their custom shop, but I’ll never let mine go.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah even in bad weather, it seems to really hold up well. I hadn't played mine for over a week and just picked it up. Very close to dead on, which is incredible considering how much trouble I had with my previous Gibson.