1999 and 2000 Gibson Les Paul R9's: Lets see em

Red Baron said:

I used to own this one many years ago, lovely guitar I'm sure you'll be very happy with it. Btw the black case is original, they didn't come with Lifton's back then.

This was part of a small run of ultra-flamey top guitars ordered by Ronn David in 2000.

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Wow, gorgeous guitar! Regarding the Lifton comment, I know that my '99s came with both Lifton cases and black Custom Shop cases, so I know they were available back then...but probably only as a special order at an up-charge.


Frank

markguitar said:

I owned this guitar at one point and may have sold it to Red Baron. That guitar was part of a run of about 50 guitar that Ronn David got that all had killer tops. I bought around 15 of them from Ronn. When he first got them he told everybody that he paid a big up charge for them because of the tops but that was BS as I later found out that they costed him the regular price. He shopped them around to his big customers for stupid money and got $10,000.00 for a few of them including this guitar. And 7-8K for some others. A guy in Texas named Dewey bought it. He paid 10K and there was an extra sheet stapled to the invoice stating that Dewey could not return the guitar because he had Ronn install the pickguard as Ronn had the guitars done without the guards installed. He use to be a member here many years ago and we then referred to the guitar as the "Dewey Burst". He felt pretty burnt on the deal and moved the guitar fairly quickly to Ed Refalko another member at the time. I then bought it from Ed.

Just trying to give you the story behind the guitar and not really trying to slam Ronn from Vintage World. He did a lot for the Historic line and always got some of the best tops. But I can't say his business practices were always up to snuff.

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Man I love the internet!!!

Thanks so much for this insight markguitar...really something! I think the name "Dewey Burst" should remain, and I shall now refer to it as such.

Yep, the receipt says $10,000 (I've not seen it - verbatim from seller). Not sure about the pickguard document.

It's interesting that this guitar keeps getting moved on - makes me wonder why...hmmm, thinking too much is not a good thing sometimes.

It still amazes me that there is no one doing a quality Lifton RI style case...surely they'd shift 300+ a year or so at $200 ea??

Wow - Dan has worked on this guitar!

http://www.lespaulforum.com/dan2/danstuff.html

Yeah, That's it!

Shame Ed and Dewey are no longer active for comment.

pinefd said:

Regarding the Lifton comment, I know that my '99s came with both Lifton cases and black Custom Shop cases, so I know they were available back then...but probably only as a special order at an up-charge.


Frank

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Gibson had a promotion deal on the '99 R9's.

They came with the black case, but if you sent the warranty and a copy of your sales receipt to Gibson, they would send you the Lifton case and a copy of BOTB.
:salude

This is my '99.

ZZ Not said:

This is my '99.

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schwing!!

dibs! :2cool

Hi gangs, I'm wondering if 1999 les paul R9 has bumblebee caps, anyone can share their guitar's cavity photo?

I find a R9 but I don't know why it is so cheap price.

http://www.j-guitar.com/product_id1006052.html

That Cherry on bmj's 99 is about as good as it gets. Looks like it's an inch thick.

bruce00 said:

Hi gangs, I'm wondering if 1999 les paul R9 has bumblebee caps, anyone can share their guitar's cavity photo?

I find a R9 but I don't know why it is so cheap price.

http://www.j-guitar.com/product_id1006052.html

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The '99 R9 Les Pauls came with tiny ceramic caps, not bumblebees. I believe the bumblebee caps were reissued starting in 2003, although their construction was not the same as the original '50s bumblebees.

'99 thread revival....

I have two 2000 R9’s and they are the arguably the best guitars I own. Great era for these guitars. Much fewer of them made and maybe a little more of a hand made feel to the workmanship. I have new ones and they’re very nice as well but different somehow. Of course the age of these Y2k’s is a factor. Love the 99’s as well. First year they started getting it right.

There are over 150 99R9 pix here:

http://www.ggjaguar.com/r9pix.htm

Y2K Wildwood Spec Killer Quilt (Stephens Design HD-61/HD-SN Pups)

For the life of me I cannot seem to post large pictures. It is a miracle that I can even post these itty bitty ones so here it is.

2000 Lemonburst Yamano built by Mike MaGuire # 9 0503 "Tupolo Honey"

This is my number one, Tupolo Honey, when it was rather new. It is a Lemonburst 2000 that reminded me of the Robert Johnson Burst I so admired. The serial number is even in the same 9 0500 range so I thought that was kinda cool. The guitar has been used pretty hard, having been on the road with me from 2000 to 2013 and has faded to a very sweet lemonburst with no red at all in the top and most of the red on the neck played off!! The little dings and wear are all organic and honest and the Lipton has a very cool aspect and vibe now. As you can see I replaced the excellent sounding Classic 57 PAF Gibson hum buckers for a set of Duncan Antiquities from the late 90's. I installed a Vibramate mounted Bigsby B5 some time ago and it suits this guitar very well. I happen to think the B5 is better, IMO and have always liked it on Les Pauls. I use the Bigsby a lot and the Vibramate mounting option makes it a painless and easily reversible mod. This guitar is supernatural in its feel and tone and though not as pretty as some of my others, most every guitarist that plays them single this one out as the best. I agree.



1999 Cherryburst R9 #9 9720 "Lipton"

Lipton is a gorgeous 99 with that killer burst used back then. It has faded naturally to a beautiful rusty, ruddy red brown Tea Burst color. The flame on this one is different from every angle and it has more shimmy than a carnival side show dancer!! I installed the pair of Double Cream PAF's Timbuckers he wound for me to Ed A specs and on my Gibson Shawbucker bobbins. Those pickups will never leave this guitar. I also put a Vibramate mounted B7 Bigsby on Lipton because I needs me some whambulational options for playing my best. I lots Vibramates and think the Bigsby works better with it than mounted directly to the wood. The angles are better and I think it sounds better. This is another killer playing and sounding Millennial Les Paul with a very woody tone and sweet voice. Lots of growl when you dig in but overall sweet and woody. The necks on these turn of the Century Les Pauls are my favorites of all the Historics I own and find them ideal for me. Not quite as spectacular sounding when compared to Tupolo Honey, but still a very, very good sounding Les Paul and great in it's own right. I really like the way this one sounds with any of my Blackface Fenders and it loves the 55 Tremolux being a very good match with that amp. Lipton is probably my prettiest Les Paul and it really does have a strong visual vibe hard to capture in a photo.

Big Al said:

For the life of me I cannot seem to post large pictures. It is a miracle that I can even post these itty bitty ones so here it is.

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That should do it. Not too shabby at all.

deytookerjaabs said:

That should do it. Not too shabby at all.

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Thank you very much sir. I am a ludite with this stuff. I will try to have updated pictures taken, at their best angles of course, and post them. They both have aged nicely, though Tupolo Honey really has quite a vibe now.
Thanks again for the help.

Big Al said:

Thank you very much sir. I am a ludite with this stuff. I will try to have updated pictures taken, at their best angles of course, and post them. They both have aged nicely, though Tupolo Honey really has quite a vibe now.
Thanks again for the help.

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Sorry to derail the thread but I been meaning to ask this question after seeing'em on many pics: what brand of strings are those that still have the red threads by the ball end??

I've seen that on flatwounds before but the roundwound ones are a mystery to me.

deytookerjaabs said:

Sorry to derail the thread but I been meaning to ask this question after seeing'em on many pics: what brand of strings are those that still have the red threads by the ball end??

I've seen that on flatwounds before but the roundwound ones are a mystery to me.

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Gibson Pure Nickle Les Paul Signature strings. .009 - .046