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Classic 1960 RI vs Historic R0

class5lp

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May 10, 2005
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Many years ago before I got so invoved with the historics I had every Classic in every color I think. They are fine instruments. The obvious things that come to mind as differences between a reissue and a 1960 classics are pickups, weight relived body on the classic, tuners, bridge, aluminum tail on reissue, green inlays on classic, long neck tenon, no pup covers on reissue, body binding, ect ect. I have taken classics and changed the pickups to burst buckers and have found the tone be near a reissue. They are a great way to go for someone wanting a reissue 60 but only has the $$$ for a classic. I think by now everyone knows why the tops were so great on the classic premium plus guitars. The other thing I want to mention is that with the prices of the classic premium plus these days a guy can buy the GC R0 for less or about the same money and have a little better guitar.
 

phil47uk

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Apr 17, 2002
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If it's any help, here is a 1995 Classic P.P neck on the left compared to a 2003 R0 on the right.
Not the best of pics to show both necks, but you can clearly see there is a difference.

R0Classicnecks.jpg


Phil :)
 

Primative

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Feb 12, 2004
Messages
458
When I go into GC, I always look at what they have and compare to my 1993 Classic Plus. Sometimes I really inspect them. I have yet to notice a Standard that was the same build quality as mine. To be fair, the reissues are so high up on the wall that I usually don't bother to look at them, but do admire them from a distance. Gibson looks to have lowered the bar on the current Classics. I have also noticed some really good looking plain tops that were a spitting image of R8's.
watermark.php
 

Dr.Rock

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Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
251
What about a LP Standard with a 60´s neck? Maybe this is closer to a R0.
 

Dave Carpenter

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May 3, 2005
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Primative said:
When I go into GC, I always look at what they have and compare to my 1993 Classic Plus. Sometimes I really inspect them. I have yet to notice a Standard that was the same build quality as mine. To be fair, the reissues are so high up on the wall that I usually don't bother to look at them, but do admire them from a distance. Gibson looks to have lowered the bar on the current Classics. I have also noticed some really good looking plain tops that were a spitting image of R8's.
watermark.php

:jim She is a beuaty! :salude Okay you changed the knobs and the pick ups and ..???
 

Black58

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Oct 28, 2005
Messages
10,139
Primative said:
When I go into GC, I always look at what they have and compare to my 1993 Classic Plus. Sometimes I really inspect them. I have yet to notice a Standard that was the same build quality as mine. To be fair, the reissues are so high up on the wall that I usually don't bother to look at them, but do admire them from a distance. Gibson looks to have lowered the bar on the current Classics. I have also noticed some really good looking plain tops that were a spitting image of R8's.
watermark.php
OH MY F-N GOD!! My first LP was a '93 Classic Plus! Ser.#3-2706. Bought it new. Installed Grovers, '57 Classics, those exact knobs you've got there and even bought a blank truss rod cover and painted the "WHOLE" bevel white! It looked almost identical to yours! Mine didn't come with a pickguard, though. The top was spectacular. Could very easily have been called a "Premium Plus" top. I think I was lucky when I bought it as they weren't using that designation yet! Sold it in '96. There, began my quest for something A LOT closer to the originals. :)
 

Primative

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Feb 12, 2004
Messages
458
Well, I changed the truss rod cover, installed historic spec rings, the reflector knobs, and currently have a set of SD 59's in her. I hope to aquire some antiquities for Christmas!!!! I still have the "Classic" on the head stock however. BTW, it does have the thin binding in the cut-away.
My serial is 3 3336. There is another member here who has serial 3 3275 or soemwhere thereabouts.

The guitar really slays many others I have played!

I wonder if the amber will get darker over time? So far under the pickguard the color looks slightly more orange in color, or a deeper amber.
 

Dr.Rock

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
251
phil47uk said:
If it's any help, here is a 1995 Classic P.P neck on the left compared to a 2003 R0 on the right.
Not the best of pics to show both necks, but you can clearly see there is a difference.

R0Classicnecks.jpg


Phil :)


R0 neck -> 50´s Standard???? Maybe?? :wha
 

57Lefty

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Jun 7, 2005
Messages
1,037
One is a production line guitar , the other a custom shop. The only time I see the classic referred to as an RI is when someone on ebay is trying to rip somebody off.
 

440gtx6pak

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Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Messages
319
There are alot of posts here, so I tried to make sure, this was not mentioned already.
(if it was, my apologies)

Guitar Center has another 1960 version, which while not officially listed as a Historic,
it has most features of one... the Long Neck Tenon, aged hardware, etc.
I think its basically an RO with plaintop and a few minor changes.

==========================================================

here is more info on it:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/gibson/dispProd.cfm?itemid=1

(disclaimer on the new LPF NO PRICE DISCLOSURE RULE)
the above link is a public webpage for all to see, readily listed on the GC website.
 

ScreaminG

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Joined
Apr 17, 2005
Messages
283
440gtx6pak said:
Guitar Center has another 1960 version, which while not officially listed as a Historic,
it has most features of one... the Long Neck Tenon, aged hardware, etc.
I think its basically an RO with plaintop and a few minor changes.

I have one of the GC R0 and love it. It is a custom shop Historic with a plain top and the caps are ceramic disk.
 

440gtx6pak

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Dec 29, 2005
Messages
319
ScreaminG said:
I have one of the GC R0 and love it. It is a custom shop Historic with a plain top and the caps are ceramic disk.

I'd love buying one myself... but I am trying to convince myself not to.
(They offered me a killer deal, but I have more than enough guitars)

How heavy is your GC-R0? ..
the one I looked at, was not bad at 9lbs even (considering this is in the R8 pricerange)
 

phil47uk

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Apr 17, 2002
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Oooops. Sorry just posted the same pic as Dr Rock did....
amended.....

Hi Dr Rock. The R0 neck has the same shoulders as the 50's Standard, but the back of the neck is shaved flatter.
The 60's standard is more like the Classic, both having an elipse shaped neck profile.

Phil. :bh
 
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Classic

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Dec 6, 2004
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1,624
I've recently been weighing up the options on a R0 to go with my '99 Classic. BTW, my classic has a one piece back and an ABR-1 tail piece. Think I might have struck lucky with it as the various changes appear to have started happening from about then...

I swapped out the ceramic pickups for a set of SD '59's because I just didn't get on with the high outputs (always fighting them to get the sound and tone I wanted) and it now sounds and plays like a beauty!!! Wouldn't sell her for the world!!

I can't believe Gibson have done down the LP Classic. Whilst I understand they want to boost the sales of their flagship models, to me the classic was a sensible alternative to the Standard et al. I wont be purchasing a post 2000 model Classic - that's for sure!!!
________
Blonde live
 
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Choctaw

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Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
2
the Classic has those nasty fake looking inlay.

I agree with you on the lack of class concerning the inlay work on the LP Classic...they would look much better with the nice WHITE inlay instead of putting off color yellowish inlays. My LP standard has white and to me looks much better.
 

kink56

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Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
IMO the early 90s were the pinnacle of Gibson USA Les Paul quality. I have has several 91-93 Standards that were simply fantastic in build and finish quality. I do not think you will ever be able to find a new Standard or Classic that would compare to an older (90-93) USA Les Paul. The Classics were premium Les Pauls in the earlier years, now they are cheaper than the Standard, and have two piece backs and are a shadow of what they started out to be.
 

MIKE20

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Aug 11, 2004
Messages
7,688
IMO the early 90s were the pinnacle of Gibson USA Les Paul quality. I have has several 91-93 Standards that were simply fantastic in build and finish quality. I do not think you will ever be able to find a new Standard or Classic that would compare to an older (90-93) USA Les Paul. The Classics were premium Les Pauls in the earlier years, now they are cheaper than the Standard, and have two piece backs and are a shadow of what they started out to be.

...I agree and have been saying that ever since I bought my early '93...
 

MIKE20

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Aug 11, 2004
Messages
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Picture171.jpg



...R0 and '93 Classic..

classic93004.jpg


...'93 in it's current state...
 
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