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Pre Historic 1989

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
One I like better than my R9!
2970_p39638.jpg
 

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
Interesting grain on that 91!! Is it a Standard or a reissue?
 

wildwall

New member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
109
It is a standard made in 1991-not a re-issue. It has a 1991 serial #- although I am not sure if Gibson was calling them standards back then.
 

Rafael

New member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
811
Newbie Question, thanks in advance for the help. Could you guys please define:

- Pre-Historic
- R8, R9, etc...

I got a 1989 Std, how do I know if it is pre-Historic? Is it better or worse to be PH? Price changes?

thanks

Rafael
 

frisco

Formerly greeny
Joined
Jun 21, 2002
Messages
801
historics are a line of Gibson's guitars made to vintage specs, nice woods, pickups (57's PAFS, Burstbuckers) old style wiring, etc. The production began in the early or mid 90's - i'm not quite shure - and through the years it has improving to have more acuracy.

R8= is a reissue of a 1958 Les Paul
R9= is a reissue of a 1959 Les Paul
R0= is a reissue of a 1960 Les Paul

there is some difference between those guitars so i will recomend you to do a search for more info.

Pre-historics, that's the term for vintage reissues before the historic line.

If your guitar has the "standard" trussrod cover, my guess will be that it's a regular standard from that year - if it's a flametop, could be a standard plus, because that was the name used to difference plain from flame tops from the regular line - if it doesn't have the "standard" trussrod cover you may have a chance that it could be a pre-historic.

hope that helps
 

frisco

Formerly greeny
Joined
Jun 21, 2002
Messages
801
gentlemen those axes are some fine beautys
congrats

:dude
 

Rafael

New member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
811
Thank you so much.
It does have the STANDARD writting, and it does not have Flame top. Its probably a regular.
I just called the import company here in Brazil, and the Historics do not reach down here except if you pay in advance. A normal 2004 STANDARD retails for 3.2k dollars (USA) in Sao Paulo (damn taxes!!!!), so these Historics would be very very expensive.
Anyway, I'm happy with my old timber piece hehehe

Rock on guys

Rafael
 

snglcoil

New member
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
126
Rafael said:
Thank you so much.
It does have the STANDARD writting, and it does not have Flame top. Its probably a regular.
I just called the import company here in Brazil, and the Historics do not reach down here except if you pay in advance. A normal 2004 STANDARD retails for 3.2k dollars (USA) in Sao Paulo (damn taxes!!!!), so these Historics would be very very expensive.
Anyway, I'm happy with my old timber piece hehehe

Rock on guys

Rafael

you can pretty easy distinguish the Production Models from the preHistorics, the PreH´s do have an inked-on serial# like the old ones, the Production Standards do have the regular serial# imprinted on the back of the headstock. There are a handful of other things that are obviously different (Cutaway binding comes to mind), if you´re interested, read Mike Slubowski´s article in the "Articles" section.

BTW, Gibson started the preHistorics in the early 80´s and they were not at all limited to sunburst or flametop models. I happen to own a (very nice indeed) 1988 preH Goldtop for instance.
Cheers.
 

moonpie

In the Zone
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
9,781
:eek:la singlecoil
I've also got an 88 57 RI GT - 8 0552

Mine has the circuit board pups.
 

snglcoil

New member
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
126
moonpie said:
:eek:la singlecoil
I've also got an 88 57 RI GT - 8 0552

Mine has the circuit board pups.

:salude

Mine is 7 0962, that makes it a 87 of course, 88 was a typo (87 is even cooler cos the serial# starts with 7.... *hint hint*)

It had the Classic 57, but since a couple of months pleases my ears with 59 Voodoos and the RS kit...

I love this guitar....

goldtopfront.jpg
[/IMG]
 

Elmore

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2003
Messages
1,853
Pre-Historics will also have thin binding in the cutaway where the maple cap is visible. They will also have two piece tops and are generally lighter. Gibson used their best ingredients for these. I prefer to upgrade the pots, caps, and pickups if one is to be your main player. I really like the sunbust color used on the mid to late eighties models. A good upgraded pre-historic is a fantastic Les Paul and can hang with any of them.
 

moonpie

In the Zone
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
9,781
The two piece top is not true for all gold tops. Mine has a three piece top.
 
Last edited:

snglcoil

New member
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
126
moonpie said:
The two piece top is not true for the gold tops. Mine has a three piece top.

My Goldie has a centerseamed two piece top however. You can even guess some flame if the light is right (but No!, I will not refinish it... :bonk
 
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