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1999 R9 40TH ann.....

CR9

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Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
1,608
ALL '99 '59's were 40th annv. guitars and came with COA's. I've never heard of or seen one that wasn't. And you could get the BOTB book, strap, COA and your brown reissue Lifton case with EVERY '59 made that year by sending in your warranty. Without sending in the warranty you'd only have the guitar, black case, hang tags and warranty. The Murphy aged '99's were the same deal except you got a hard cover BOTB book and a 2nd COA.

So what you are telling me is that when Edwin Wilson, the guy in charge of the Historic program at the Custom Shop, told me that there were 2 40th ann. models and a general production model, he was mistaken? Maybe too many years of sniffing lacquer....
 

Gold Tone

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Apr 2, 2002
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goldtone, if you bought a guitar that is anything close to this one, you made a great deal at $1800. Theft by agreement! :)^)

Mine was one of the VERY few eastern maple plaintops. Really nice vintage looking plaintop with lots of figure and mineral streaks, darkburst. Plain top made it less expensive but the rarity is cool. Even with that $1800 was CHEAP!! I've seen them for usually for at least twice that and up to $4000.

GT


R9013-1.jpg
 

Mark Kane

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Jul 18, 2001
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5,742
So what you are telling me is that when Edwin Wilson, the guy in charge of the Historic program at the Custom Shop, told me that there were 2 40th ann. models and a general production model, he was mistaken? Maybe too many years of sniffing lacquer....

Either he misunderstood the question or you misunderstood the answer because what you posted isn't correct.
 

markguitar

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,375
So what you are telling me is that when Edwin Wilson, the guy in charge of the Historic program at the Custom Shop, told me that there were 2 40th ann. models and a general production model, he was mistaken? Maybe too many years of sniffing lacquer....

Well, to me that means 2 -40th models: Tom Murphy aged and non-aged = 2. "General production" meaning std. production non- Historic, non- 40th annv. Les Paul Standard.

Plain and simple, if the 1999 '59 reissue R9's were made in the year of the 40th anniversary of the original, how could they not be 40th anniversary guitars?? They all got the same appointments, same COA's, same hang tags, same reissue paperwork in the little wax paper envelope, same dealer cost and on and on and on...........
 

j e gray

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Aug 24, 2002
Messages
290
Mark is as right as rain. I bought mine new in Nov. '99
from Gruhn Guitars. It came with all of the goodies he
described. I also have the Gibson brochure that came
stapled in an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine. From
that brochure:

"When you purchase this fine instrument, you will
also receive a deluxe Gibson Custom Shop case
AND a 1959 Reissue case just like the one issued
with the original guitar. You'll also receive a genu-
ine leather 1959 Reissue Guitar Strap, a copy of
Beauty of the Burst by Yasuhiko Iwanade, and a
signed Certificate of Authenticity."
 

class5lp

Well-known member
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
1,629
OK fella's this is the way I remember how it was back in 99. There were many variations of the 59 40th anniversarry guitar offered. But before I tell you about them let me say that there were also non 40th anniversarry 59 LP's that were offered in 1999 that did come with a cert but it did not say 40th anniversarry on it. We have seen many examples of this guitar and the cert and the only thing it had in common to the 40th anniv. of the 59 Les Paul was that it was that it was built in the 40th anniversarry year but not an official 40th annv. guitar. Think of it like back in 2002 when Fender USA did the 40th annv. model of the 62 Strat and that was the official 40th annv. model but they still made the regular 62 reissue Strat that was not. OK back to the 40th annv. Lesters. There was the plain top, AAA flame Maple top, and the AAAAA killer top 40th annv. guitars all available in 99. All were eligible to receive the strap, BOTB book, and extra case. Then Vintage World commisioned Murphy to do run of aged 59 annv. guitars belived to be about 100 pieces but some memebers here report seeing serial numbers as high as 150. There was also two different runs made for Yamano the Japanese importer being a 59 40th annv. model with a flame Maple and the Killer top 59 40th annv. guitars that were aged by Tom Murphy and they had a R9K designation in the control cavity and some of these are verified by Gibson as Brazilian Rosewood finger board guitars. Now I know you dont agree with me Mark on the R9K guitars that went to Japan and thats ok but this is the way I remember the 40th annv year back in 99 which was all verified to me by Tom Murphy and Edwin Wilson. Here is link that will help. Remember guys by putting our heads together and having discussions like this will keep our hobby alive and healthy.
Regards,
C5

http://www.gibson.com/whatsnew/pressrelease/1999/mar5b.html
 

trendkiller

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Joined
Mar 18, 2002
Messages
454
Hi.
Mine '99 R9 has the "R9 designation in the control cavity ".
This makes me wonder even more why this would not be a 40th ann guitar.
I guess I have to try to track down the cert (if it ever came with the guitar).

I understand the example with the '62 Fender ann guitars.
No "dissing" of Fenders (I love my old strats), but I guess a mass produced
strat would be easier to split in two version vs a '99 RI LP with all the works involved with the historics.

Still, I'm not 100% convinced if there are a std production 1999 59RI's AND a
40th anniversay model, both beeing the exact same guitar.
What would Gibson gain with this?
As far as I can see, "if" there were 2 runs....why would a customer buy the
"non-ann" model for approx the same price?
It's some $$$$ for a Historic, and we all knew about the 1999 model beeing the 40th ann year for the 1959.
I would think that Gibson would try to sell every single LP that year as a
40th ann LP, yep to have a good sales year for the 59RI.
After all, it really means something for the most of us. I guess....

Any more comments?
Thanks.
2B
 

Takeaway

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2007
Messages
326
This is a really interesting thread. I wasn't into Historics in 99 and i'm learning alot. I'd love to see an R9K - does anyone know of any pictures?

My 40th Anni is a bit of an anomoly. Its a Murphy, with a factory Bigs AND stud holes, and was made in 2000 (and came with the 40 Anni cert). Seriously!
 

Basher

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2002
Messages
94
Mine was one of the VERY few eastern maple plaintops. Really nice vintage looking plaintop with lots of figure and mineral streaks, darkburst. Plain top made it less expensive but the rarity is cool. Even with that $1800 was CHEAP!! I've seen them for usually for at least twice that and up to $4000.

GT
R9013-1.jpg
Lovely guitar GT.

Out of interest, how would I know if a plaintop was "Eastern" maple?
Does the existence of them mean that there is a more common "Western" maple version?

I understood that my 99 plaintop (came with cert, BOTB book, strap etc) was pretty common as it's really just an R8 that got the upgraded name for 1999.

Still, it's a very nice guitar and I love it:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1141/1350715152_de4de0468c_b.jpg
 

Steven

Banned
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
1,534
Torbjørn...
Allle R9s fra 1999 er 40th Anniversarys. Værre er det ikke.
 

Wally

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Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
Mine was one of the VERY few eastern maple plaintops. Really nice vintage looking plaintop with lots of figure and mineral streaks, darkburst. Plain top made it less expensive but the rarity is cool. Even with that $1800 was CHEAP!! I've seen them for usually for at least twice that and up to $4000.

GT


R9013-1.jpg

GT, I would have to call that one TWister due to the figure on the bass side. Definite vortex.

Interesting thread. The stamp in my control cavity reads 'R9'.....no 'K'.
I guess I got one of the ugly stepsisters.
 

swervin55

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Jul 17, 2006
Messages
377
IMO this thread is need of additional pics...one of each color. Meet the 40th anniv. sisters:applaude

2dabq69.jpg

mmaql2.jpg
 

Gold Tone

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Apr 2, 2002
Messages
6,825
Lovely guitar GT.

Out of interest, how would I know if a plaintop was "Eastern" maple?
Does the existence of them mean that there is a more common "Western" maple version?

I understood that my 99 plaintop (came with cert, BOTB book, strap etc) was pretty common as it's really just an R8 that got the upgraded name for 1999.

Still, it's a very nice guitar and I love it:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1141/1350715152_de4de0468c_b.jpg

Thanks! I was looking for a really great sounding and playing guitar on e-bay a few years ago. I needed something to gig with without taking out my more valuable guitars (because as any steady giggers know....shit ALWAYS happens!). I was looking for a beat up Historic but came across this one in my search and hit "Buy it Now" for $1800. It wasn't beat up but was cheap. I stuck SD Anniversary PAF's in it and vintage early 70's Grovers. Refret with a little bigger wire and an RS 4/6 nylon nut. It now has Vintage Clone plastic, Pigtail hardware, CTS pots, Luxe Bees. Love this guitar. If you are ever unfortunate enough to see me play live I'll be playing this guitar.

I was told that there were only something like 40 R9 Plaintops in 1999......surely only a few Darkburst.

I am confident it is eastern maple due to the tight grain and the dead give away mineral streaks.

Nice axe in your link! I love a plaintop with interesting grain.
 

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
ALL '99 '59's were 40th annv. guitars and came with COA's. I've never heard of or seen one that wasn't. And you could get the BOTB book, strap, COA and your brown reissue Lifton case with EVERY '59 made that year by sending in your warranty. Without sending in the warranty you'd only have the guitar, black case, hang tags and warranty. The Murphy aged '99's were the same deal except you got a hard cover BOTB book and a 2nd COA.

+1
 

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
Of course, as usual there WERE Yamano versions that differed from the ones for the US market, but the 4 models (outside special orders or special runs for YAMANO etc) were the Murphy, the Killertop version R9K, the normal 40th version and the Plaintop. As far as I know they were ALL 40ths (unlike this year's 50th for the R8) It IS possible that some got ordinary COAs...but I have ALSO seen Y2K R9s with a 40th anniversary COA!! SN 9 0xxx. Gibson is not consistant, we all know this.
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
Kink56 wrote: "Gibson is not consistant, we all know this."
So it seems. As I noted in my post above, my guitar was sold in the brown case only with tags and small paperwork. The black case and the COA were not there. My brown case instead of the black is an inconsistency according to what's been written here.
Just think.... this debate about this situation is occurring only 8-9 years down the line from 1999. Wait until some years ahve gone by. They really will have somethings to debate then, eh?
 

AtomEve

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2002
Messages
4,666
You had to send in the warranty card to get the BOTB and extra case. I think my cert came at that time as well. I mailed my card in 2003 and still got all the stuff! :dude:
 

markguitar

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Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,375
Kink56 wrote: "Gibson is not consistant, we all know this."
So it seems. As I noted in my post above, my guitar was sold in the brown case only with tags and small paperwork. The black case and the COA were not there. My brown case instead of the black is an inconsistency according to what's been written here.
Just think.... this debate about this situation is occurring only 8-9 years down the line from 1999. Wait until some years ahve gone by. They really will have somethings to debate then, eh?

Wally, Since you didn't get your guitar new from the original dealer it shipped to from Gibson, it's hard to say for sure what case it came with. At that time, the only way you could get the brown case was to send in your warranty as stated before. The guitars were shipped to the dealers in the black Historic cases only. For most of the first year of the brown cases you couldn't even order or buy one separately because Gibson was so far behind in getting them out to customers that had already bought guitars! Lots of people waited a long time for them. The original owner probably kept the black case. Many people like the black case better because it's safer. I've bought and received in trade many '99's in the brown case and was told up front by the original owners that they were keeping the black case for another guitar.
 
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