1999 Gibson Les Paul R9 rocks on everything EXCEPT the pots and caps?

Hey fellows, I heard people saying 1999 Gibson Les Paul R9 are a pretty good and authentic reissue except for only one thing, the pots and caps(ceramic) are the most disappointing part that comes with the R9. Can any luck have the 1999 owners explained it a little bit to me? Or do you upgrade them?

Looking forward to it

bruce00 said:

Hey fellows, I heard people saying 1999 Gibson Les Paul R9 are a pretty good and authentic reissue except for only one thing, the pots and caps(ceramic) are the most disappointing part that comes with the R9. Can any luck have the 1999 owners explained it a little bit to me? Or do you upgrade them?

Looking forward to it

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According to who? You haven't even got one, or listened to it, yet you are posting on a few threads about pots/caps. You haven't gotten the guitar yet and your looking for faults and mods. Why?

Buy another year if you need specific specs to feel good. 99's are good to go as is and need no mods. The specs of 99-00 are unique and of all my Historics they are my favorites.

Big Al said:

According to who? You haven't even got one, or listened to it, yet you are posting on a few threads about pots/caps. You haven't gotten the guitar yet and your looking for faults and mods. Why?

Buy another year if you need specific specs to feel good. 99's are good to go as is and need no mods. The specs of 99-00 are unique and of all my Historics they are my favorites.

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i like your ponit!

Bruce00, The 99-00 have big/tall 6100 style frets, (YEAH! my faves), 500k pots, early gen 57 Classics sound great, but everyone has their own favourites and have a cool vibe.

Newer versions are more vintage correct if that is important.

bruce00 said:

Hey fellows, I heard people saying 1999 Gibson Les Paul R9 are a pretty good and authentic reissue except for only one thing, the pots and caps(ceramic) are the most disappointing part that comes with the R9. Can any luck have the 1999 owners explained it a little bit to me? Or do you upgrade them?

Looking forward to it

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Aluminum tailpiece, steel studs for tailpiece and Nylon nut. Without these, it is closer to Gibson USA than to original design, TONE WISE.

However, if you do not play loud and do not play through a proper tube amp or do not hear a difference in tone Gibson USA LP vs Gibson Rx, ignore this post.

And if you do hear well enough and play as it was intended by design, Nylon nut is $18 and Kluson tp and studs are $35, total less than $70 with shipping.

korus said:

Aluminum tailpiece, steel studs for tailpiece and Nylon nut. Without these, it is closer to Gibson USA than to original design, TONE WISE.

However, if you do not play loud and do not play through a proper tube amp or do not hear a difference in tone Gibson USA LP vs Gibson Rx, ignore this post.

And if you do hear well enough and play as it was intended by design, Nylon nut is $18 and Kluson tp and studs are $35, total less than $70 with shipping.

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BULLSHIT!!!!
I don't know where this crap comes from, it sure ain't from listening. I directley A/B'd my 00 with the HOG's 59 with Andy Babiuk and a forum brothers 57. We could not find a negative tone effect and it was a dead ringer for the 59.

I know some great players and not a one of them can hear and identify a flippin' nylon nut and tailpiece studs and tailpieces have wildly different minor effect on tone and not always for an improvement.

In fact those that make these claims only seem able to after being told what nut or tailpiece is on the guitar in question.
Yeah, they lack the tone only in the imagination of those without experience.

The claim about loud amps or tube amps is another lame statement used way too often to justify some fanciful tone proclamation.

If it can be heard at all it can be heard at any volume with any amp.:bigal:bigal

Having played and owned a few R9s from 1999 and 2000 I have to agree with Big Al here. Stock setup sounds fine on those R9s and under no circumstances do they sound like exactly a regular Gibson USA Standard. Having done a bunch of ill advised "upgrades" to the stock wiring and pickups on 2003 and up versions of Les Paul Historics the benefits gained were slim to none in the grand scheme of things although I could maybe sleep better thinking I'd done all I could do at the time to get the best out of a very expensive guitar. At this point in time, if I were to snag another 90s Historic that was stock and in working order there's no way I would mess with anything on it. YMMV.