Killer Historic Makeover R9

[alexanderja]

Well.... to be honest, I put a lot of effort into this video before all the shit started, so im gonna post it even though 'certain' parts of it leave a slightly bitter taste in my mouth now.

Many of you know how I feel....and if not, im sure someone will eventually whisper it to you through the grapevine of truth and fair play.

Lets please leave the politics out of this thread cos as you've seen, it will get pulled otherwise

All I want to say is ...

This guitar is amazing, .. I love it

and

Kim LaFleur, thanks for being straight up with me all the way, Historic Makeovers is a FANTASTIC set up

* NOTE - Ive added all the photos from the original thread and video in post 47
Hope you enjoy the video for the images, process and music if nothing else.

click on the yellow link below to watch the vid -

[chinbb]

Congrat!! Fantastic guitar!!

Tone report PLEASE!!

Also can u post the pictures as you did in the original thread??

[alexanderja]

I'm so busy at the moment, and it takes a while to do, but when I can I will.

[andy k]

That's awesome
I have a collection of pics of closeups of wear and ageing that has built up from this forum,
Yours looks very authentic when compared,
What amp are you using in the clip?-- and it would be nice to hear a less compressed version of the audio--any chance of a link to a better quality MP3??
I'm in London too-- so if you ever want to do a straight A-B comparison with a couple of mine drop me a line--
Cheers
Andy k

[PHILBERT]

ahh...I got it now, alexanderja. The last thread started out real good, but I know where it went. I'm very glad it all worked out for you in the end. Sweet guitar!

[alexanderja]

Originally Posted by andy k

What amp are you using in the clip?-- and it would be nice to hear a less compressed version of the audio--any chance of a link to a better quality MP3??
I'm in London too-- so if you ever want to do a straight A-B comparison with a couple of mine drop me a line--
Cheers
Andy k

Tempting as it is to take credit for the audio on the video, it wasn't me or the guitar in question. I only had the editing software on my phone to make the vid, so I had to overlay a track from my phones mp3 catalogue. I'll endeavour to do some recordings at some point in the near future though. Good to hear there's some more Historic fans in London ..... would be good to all meet up at some point :-)

[Rev.WillieVK]

Beautiful guitar!!! Now go play it and git'cher ya-yas out!!

[Otto 57]

Beautiful makeover. Congrats!

[J T]

Woo hoo! That was awesome! Congratulations on that guitar. It looks great!

[Doc Sausage]

An incredible amount of great work by an artist...But I just don't get the concept. I know, no politics but, if it's really not 50 years old, it's not. Oh well, maybe I'll come around someday. Let's just hope it's not when I unsuspectingly spend $100K on a made-over unit. Guess I'll seek some expert advise right here before I do that.

Nice fiddle.

[Rare Form]

Originally Posted by chinbb

Congrat!! Fantastic guitar!!

Tone report PLEASE!!

Also can u post the pictures as you did in the original thread??

Ah, he just wants the picture of the wife playing the guitar. All the others are in the Youtube video.

[alexanderja]

Oh yeah .... that I can do

[tuberide]

Originally Posted by alexanderja

Tempting as it is to take credit for the audio on the video, it wasn't me or the guitar in question. I only had the editing software on my phone to make the vid, so I had to overlay a track from my phones mp3 catalogue. I'll endeavour to do some recordings at some point in the near future though. Good to hear there's some more Historic fans in London ..... would be good to all meet up at some point :-)

Can you identify the audio for us? Beautiful guitar.

[alexanderja]

.

[alexanderja]

.

[alexanderja]

Originally Posted by tuberide

Can you identify the audio for us? Beautiful guitar.

It was a demo of Gary Moores Dont Believe a word performance from the Monsters of Rock concert......done by Guitar Techniques Magazine as a tuition article. I have the mp3 and backing track if you want it

[samuel]

Originally Posted by Doc Sausage

Let's just hope it's not when I unsuspectingly spend $100K on a made-over unit. Guess I'll seek some expert advise right here before I do that.

Nice fiddle.

Not gonna happen..

It would have to mysteriously turn up and that would raise too many questions here. There are lots of smart people on this forum and we already have a good record and photos of the known bursts out there.

[SFK]

Cool video documentation of a VERY cool guitar.

It'd be hard not to be thrilled with that one.

I'm glad you have 'er back.

That is a great backing track. I'd love to have a copy if you have the time.

Enjoy your guitar. It's a beauty.

[Classic71]

I can't see the video!

But I can see the boobs!

Two outta three ain't bad!

EDIT:- Got the vid on YouTube, no panic!

[tuberide]

Originally Posted by alexanderja

It was a demo of Gary Moores Dont Believe a word performance from the Monsters of Rock concert......done by Guitar Techniques Magazine as a tuition article. I have the mp3 and backing track if you want it

Much appreciated Alexanderja

[bugman4214]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[shep79]

Originally Posted by Doc Sausage

An incredible amount of great work by an artist...But I just don't get the concept. I know, no politics but, if it's really not 50 years old, it's not. Oh well, maybe I'll come around someday. Let's just hope it's not when I unsuspectingly spend $100K on a made-over unit. Guess I'll seek some expert advise right here before I do that.

Nice fiddle.

My thoughts exactly. I don't know if these are the "politics" that I am supposed to be shying away from?! It's a cool guitar...and it looks nice...I just don't understand the concept of pretending it's something that it really isn't. Not looking for an explination. Nice guitar...thanks for sharing.

[alexanderja]

Originally Posted by shep79

My thoughts exactly. I don't know if these are the "politics" that I am supposed to be shying away from?! It's a cool guitar...and it looks nice...I just don't understand the concept of pretending it's something that it really isn't. Not looking for an explination. Nice guitar...thanks for sharing.

Firstly, no that's not the politics you were s'posed to shy from ....... and secondly, if it had been..... what a shite job you'd of done of leaving it alone !

[Doc Sausage]

Originally Posted by samuel

Not gonna happen..

It would have to mysteriously turn up and that would raise too many questions here. There are lots of smart people on this forum and we already have a good record and photos of the known bursts out there.

That is comforting on many levels. Seriously, some of this relic-ing is truly amazing.

[j45]

Originally Posted by Doc Sausage

That is comforting on many levels. Seriously, some of this relic-ing is truly amazing.

Yes, it is pretty good but I seriously doubt anyone who would be in the market for the real thing would be fooled for a second.

[J.D.]

I still can't understand why you did this job to this particular guitar though. I mean this was a really nice, near mint R9 from the confirmed Brazilian run already and had considerable collectable value. You would have been much further ahead to start with a used, non-BRW R9. Or should I say you could have had the same end result for a fraction of the net cost starting with a used, non-BRW R9. Personally I don't care for the double-staining. But if you are happy with it, that is really all that matters, so who cares what any of us think. JMHO.

[Zoomer]

Originally Posted by J.D.

I still can't understand why you did this job to this particular guitar though. I mean this was a really nice, near mint R9 from the confirmed Brazilian run already and had considerable collectable value. You would have been much further ahead to start with a used, non-BRW R9. Or should I say you could have had the same end result for a fraction of the net cost starting with a used, non-BRW R9. Personally I don't care for the double-staining. But if you are happy with it, that is really all that matters, so who cares what any of us think. JMHO.

I agree that top might have fetched $10,000+ now not to mention 10 years from now.

[stock_hippie]

wow on post #12!

[alexanderja]

Originally Posted by J.D.

I still can't understand why you did this job to this particular guitar though. I mean this was a really nice, near mint R9 from the confirmed Brazilian run already and had considerable collectable value. You would have been much further ahead to start with a used, non-BRW R9. Or should I say you could have had the same end result for a fraction of the net cost starting with a used, non-BRW R9. Personally I don't care for the double-staining. But if you are happy with it, that is really all that matters, so who cares what any of us think. JMHO.

JD, when I bought this guitar I had been looking for a number of years for a particular type of flametop. I'd bought and sold a few, each time replacing with a bigger top. I'd been in touch with the likes of Frank Pine and Rob Lpflametop, offered them to buy guitars like the boatanchor etc , but those are rarely for sale....... I was chasing my ultimate flametop. When I saw this one for sale it had just the top I was after, ... the Brazilian aspect was no bother to me at the time , and the premium for the braz was just a pain. I did pay a lot for it, partly because of the Brazilian .. and partly because of the top, but it was to be my only Les Paul ..and I wanted it . I never bought it as a buy to sell investment, and whichever way you look at it, I was always gonna pay big bucks for a huge flame ... braz or not ( look at the price that guitars like the Bengal tiger go up for.... no braz there) . So once you remove the whole inclusion of value and investment, all that's left is a guitar .... that you love..... then modding it, swapping bits ... or having it made over is no big deal. Yeah its cost me a LOT more than its worth now, but I've had 2 years to pay the debt off ... and yeah its been a possibly more pricey route than could have been done,.... but who gives a piss, one life, live it ! !

[alexanderja]

Basically , this picture says it all for me...... and i've always been shit with money

[Classic71]

What's done is done, it was obviously a trying 2 years for the OP and I personally am just happy that he has received and is delighted with the end product. Most people here have searched or are still searching for what they ideally want in a Les Paul, and it looks like mission accomplished here (and then some!) for one person - that can't be bad, whatever the motives or whatever the guitar was or is now.

[LPCollector]

[pinefd]

Once again...absolutely gorgeous, Jake! Congrats!


Frank

[alexanderja]

Cheers

[Manolian]

Originally Posted by alexanderja

Oh yeah .... that I can do

Lovely indeed.

[alexanderja]

Her bottom half is even better..... but this ain't really the forum for those pics

[jimmyace2006]

Originally Posted by alexanderja

Basically , this picture says it all for me...... and i've always been shit with money

This guitar looks very familiar. Did you recently buy it off ebay? (forgive me - I have not seen any other threads)

It actually reminds me of a 2003 braz I recently purchased:

[Classic71]

Originally Posted by alexanderja

Basically , this picture says it all for me...... and i've always been shit with money

A very minor observation - just looking at the flame at the centre seam join - if the bottom half of the top had been pulled back about a centimetre before glueing wouldn't that have made the flames more evenly lined up and better bookmatched? Or have the halves been aligned like this on purpose for a reason?

I must confess to a certain lack of knowledge about the methods and practicalities of cutting and matching billets of maple - the subject of book matching/flitch matching etc. has always confused me no matter how many times I read BOTB, not to mention flat sawn tops, quarter sawn tops, rift sawn tops etc. For example, why can't all maple tops be book matched? Sorry to go OT a bit!

[alexanderja]

Originally Posted by jimmyace2006

This guitar looks very familiar. Did you recently buy it off ebay? (forgive me - I have not seen any other threads)

It actually reminds me of a 2003 braz I recently purchased:

Very nice purchase... that's a beauty but no, I bought it about 3 years ago privately.

[alexanderja]

Originally Posted by Classic71

A very minor observation - just looking at the flame at the centre seam join - if the bottom half of the top had been pulled back about a centimetre before glueing wouldn't that have made the flames more evenly lined up and better bookmatched? Or have the halves been aligned like this on purpose for a reason?

I must confess to a certain lack of knowledge about the methods and practicalities of cutting and matching billets of maple - the subject of book matching/flitch matching etc. has always confused me no matter how many times I read BOTB, not to mention flat sawn tops, quarter sawn tops, rift sawn tops etc. For example, why can't all maple tops be book matched? Sorry to go OT a bit!

I'll let someone else chime in on this ..... but from some angles the top on this guitar looks quite matched.... and from others, VERY mismatched.