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Are thre any 2002 R9's?

Todd Louis

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Re: Are there any 2002 R9's?

2002 was a big year for the '59 changes:
BB2 & BB3 (later on in the production cycle the 58s got them too).
Non-Gibson marked Klusons. Plain, not marked with Kluson either.
Wireless ABR (with bridge pieces that fall out).
Thinner jackplate and toggle switch.
Sharp inlays.
Tuning pegs lined up correctly.
Better coloration on knobs.
Lifton case.
A bunch of "goodies" - framed Les Paul 'swatch', cable, strap, etc.

The 59s went for $5,500 ($1,000 more than the 1999s) and the 58s (washed cherry and flametop) went for about $3,200.

When they started production on the 2003s, I believe that every model started getting these features (but they changed to BB1 & BB2) and the priced dropped back to $4,500 for the 59s.
A few thinds to clarify here.
BB where 1 and 2 and that is the year they started un officially the PU's in the 02' 59's where the transition BB's with no PAT No. Sticker.
The Tuners where marked.
The Lifton started in 01'
In 03' more changes went into effect that remained till 09'
The price was dropped and BRW was added.
 

John Potter

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Mar 18, 2009
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Todd,

It may well be that my tuners were the only ones that were blank, but they were.

With regards to BB2&3 vs BB1&2: It is something that I recall, as I also recall that for 2003 they went to BB1&2 to be more "vintage". I seem to recall some discussion here about that but, alas alak, age may be playing tricks with my memory! :)

But, it seems to be something that Danelectro recalls as that's how he has things written up in the Historic LP transitions/changes.

I pulled mine out and there were no markings of BB#. Don't recall PAF sticker, but I can check.
 

J.D.

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May 24, 2006
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I think they also made the switch in 2002 to the 500k linear cts pots, however, the markings were on the backs in 2002 and on the side starting in 2003.
 

Todd Louis

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Re: Are there any 2002 R9's?

Todd,

It may well be that my tuners were the only ones that were blank, but they were.

With regards to BB2&3 vs BB1&2: It is something that I recall, as I also recall that for 2003 they went to BB1&2 to be more "vintage". I seem to recall some discussion here about that but, alas alak, age may be playing tricks with my memory! :)

But, it seems to be something that Danelectro recalls as that's how he has things written up in the Historic LP transitions/changes.

I pulled mine out and there were no markings of BB#. Don't recall PAF sticker, but I can check.
But remember the Custom Authentic had the real first BB's and they could have had the 2 and 3...I think they did...
I have a CA from 05' I have to look at the BB there in storage....:rofl
That is cool about you tuner...I don't think I've seen that.

In all the 02' where a hodgepodge of things a real transition year to say the least... To the modern Historic. or the 03' to 08' era.
But in truth the 09' really didn't have much change.
 

Todd Louis

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Re: Are there any 2002 R9's?

Didn't the '99 R9s have a Lifton as one of two cases ?
Not all of them just certain ones.
The anniversary one's had the lifton and you got a Hard Boud BOTB copy.
 

Steven

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Re: Are there any 2002 R9's?

Not all of them just certain ones.
The anniversary one's had the lifton and you got a Hard Boud BOTB copy.

Yepp, and why did you say 2001 then ? Wasn't all the '99 R9s Anniversaries ? My '99 R9 has a orignial Lifton, and a original 'soft' BOTB.
 

Todd Louis

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Re: Are there any 2002 R9's?

Yepp, and why did you say 2001 then ? Wasn't all the '99 R9s Anniversaries ? My '99 R9 has a orignial Lifton, and a original 'soft' BOTB.
No the reg 99' came with the old case.
It was in 01' that it was stand issue for the 59'
 

Steven

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Okay, whats the difference between a regular '99, and a Annversary '99 ?
And how can one spot the difference ?
 

tspoon

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Apr 27, 2006
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Seriously, two cases and hardback copy of BOTB book........

Technically, same guitar, but like the 2009 gold coa, all the 2009's were technically
an anniversary........

I think the 99's had coa's and Murphy painted 100 of them.......

Some R9K Killer Tops that year.....

Frank or Mike could really nail down the differences.......

Some Plain Tops were also available.......
 
Last edited:

tspoon

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A "special order" '02 R9, with Braz, Murphy painted and aged, vintage '59 profile neck, hand selected wood, and weighing it at 7.6 lbs., unchambered (and now sporting a set of vintage zebra PAFs):


Frank

Frank, I think that is the rarest Historic out there, and the nicest.....

A grand trophy......
 

markguitar

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Nov 27, 2001
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ALL 1999 R9's were considered 40th Annv. guitars. They ALL came with the black case and when the warranty was sent in, Gibson then shipped the customer the brown reissue Lifton case which included the case candy. I sold many of these guitars in that year and never heard or saw one thing about 2 different models.
 

markguitar

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Nov 27, 2001
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The 2002 R9's did have Burstbucker 2&3's and many had zebra coils. I removed the covers on a number of the '59's I had. There also were some different tuners on some of the R9's. I know that Ronn David from Vintage World bought reissue single line Kluson tuners and put them on many of his guitars that he sold. If I remember right, the pots may have been linear and they were all NOS pots that dated anywhere from the '60's to early '80's.
 

Steven

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ALL 1999 R9's were considered 40th Annv. guitars.

Just what I thought. Thanks Mark.

99.jpg
 
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