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info on a new R0 I have purchased (2018) , came with standard (not reflector) knobs

hanban

New member
Joined
Feb 13, 2019
Messages
23
Hi all,

What am I missing? I thought R0 always come with reflector knobs. I got mine with standard knobs. also the neck feels a little fatter than the other 2018 R0 I have.

here is a pic. so what's the deal?:)


Screenshot_20190809-131128_Photos.jpg
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
An R0.
Many had regular knobs.
Mine has reflectors.
I don't like them.
 

John550

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
142
Do the tuners have a double cut ? I think you would be good to have both sets of knobs , if you prefer the reflectors .
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Double RING. Guitars have double cuts.

R0's have 3 versions representing the spec spread over the year 1960 as the model shifted away from the 59 specs.
 

Bruce R

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Joined
Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
Hi all,

What am I missing? I thought R0 always come with reflector knobs. I got mine with standard knobs. also the neck feels a little fatter than the other 2018 R0 I have.

here is a pic. so what's the deal?:)


View attachment 10076

Based on the photo of your guitar I would say that your R0 is likely based off the early 1960 models (the finish and the non-reflector bells knobs). The fat neck has me stumped, as a thin neck should distinguish the R0 from the R8's or R9's, but some early 60's did have a neck just like the '59.

From around mid year, on, Gibson started using the reflector top knobs and they changed the lacquer properties (or dye... somebody help me here!) in a way that the red in the sunburst did not fade. The term "tomato soup red" pretty much describes the color.

You are in good company though, as Clapton's "Beano" was supposedly an early 1960 model, as it had a thinner neck, but with regular bell knobs and the '59 shade of sunburst. His next one, the "Summers Burst," and his current one, are late model 1960 guitars with the red sunburst and reflector knobs.
 

CatManDoo88

Active member
Joined
Mar 3, 2019
Messages
156
Based on the photo of your guitar I would say that your R0 is likely based off the early 1960 models (the finish and the non-reflector bells knobs). The fat neck has me stumped, as a thin neck should distinguish the R0 from the R8's or R9's, but some early 60's did have a neck just like the '59.

From around mid year, on, Gibson started using the reflector top knobs and they changed the lacquer properties (or dye... somebody help me here!) in a way that the red in the sunburst did not fade. The term "tomato soup red" pretty much describes the color.

You are in good company though, as Clapton's "Beano" was supposedly an early 1960 model, as it had a thinner neck, but with regular bell knobs and the '59 shade of sunburst. His next one, the "Summers Burst," and his current one, are late model 1960 guitars with the red sunburst and reflector knobs.

When Gibson did the 50th anniversary R0s in 2010, they did 3 different versions. The "V1" was based on early 1960 Bursts and had the same paint job, tuners, knobs, and neck profile as a 59. They then did a "V2", which was intended to represent the mid-1960 Bursts, which still had the 1959 style knobs and tuners, but now had a slimmer, transitional neck profile (between the full 59 and the 60 slim taper). Finally, they did the V3, which is the R0 as we normally know it, double ring tuners, reflector knobs, and slim taper neck. For greater accuracy, the V3s only came in late 1960 tomato soup burst colour. It sounds like the OP got a V1 or V2-spec R0. I didn't know they made them after 2010. Could it be a M2M? Some retailers like Wildwood and Anderton's use the M2M program to basically order new stock of previous limited runs for retail.

BTW, Clapton's current burst does not have reflector knobs. I've watch the video of him playing While My Guitar Gently Weeps with George Harrison in the 1980s way too many times. :peace2
 

Bruce R

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
BTW, Clapton's current burst does not have reflector knobs. I've watch the video of him playing While My Guitar Gently Weeps with George Harrison in the 1980s way too many times. :peace2

CatManDoo88, I just found an excellent photo of EC in the 80's playing his current burst (or perhaps one of them?) and it does not have the reflector top knobs, as you said. Thanks for pointing that out. It seemed to have the bright red sunburst, so I just assumed.

I don't think I have seen much of that one in recent time, but others. Perhaps these have been one of the 5 "Beano" Reissues he got from Gibson?
 
Last edited:

CatManDoo88

Active member
Joined
Mar 3, 2019
Messages
156
CatManDoo88, I just found an excellent photo of EC in the 80's playing his current burst (or perhaps one of them?) and it does not have the reflector top knobs, as you said. Thanks for pointing that out. It seemed to have the bright red sunburst, so I just assumed.

I don't think I have seen much of that one in recent time, but others. Perhaps these have been one of the 5 "Beano" Reissues he got from Gibson?

Cool! Want to share that photo? I'm always up for seeing more shots of Clapton playing Bursts. Based on the photos on Burst Serial, it seems that the tomato soup red came before the reflector knobs. The knob change seems to be one of the absolute last changes during the year. There was even possibly some transitional paintjobs as Gibson tried to work out the fading issue. JJ Blair seems to think his mid-1960 Burst, Birdie, may have had a transitional paintjob. It has faded, but not in the same way as a usual 1958-1959.
 

PeteNJ75

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Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Messages
109
I bought a 2018 Wildwood-spec (Brazilian) R0 last year and they intentionally had it made using the V1 specs, with regular knobs and a neck somewhere in the middle. It’s definitely thinner than my R9 necks, but I wouldn’t really call it slim taper either. Slimmer, but nothing drastic. I personally like reflector knobs on 1960 reissues, so I bought a set of aged ones, and it looks awesome, but I still have the originals. Anyway, they’re super rare, so congrats!
34BC5C62-890A-4B09-902D-13B79F3CBB02.jpg
 

megatrends

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Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Messages
27
Hi all,

What am I missing? I thought R0 always come with reflector knobs. I got mine with standard knobs. also the neck feels a little fatter than the other 2018 R0 I have.

here is a pic. so what's the deal?:)


View attachment 10076

Beautiful guitar, congrats!! I love the top on that!!

Mine I got last week has according to CME "59 Body and appointments" yet has the reflector knobs. It also has a neck carve in between a 59 neck style and a slim neck, it's not slim and it's not fat, more like a C shape somewhere in between and it feels great! It also has the double ring tuners. This was true for the actual 1960 Gibsons which was for all intent and purposes for the beginning of 1960 the 1959 LP from what I understand in several books I have about it.

The neck shape was like a 59 also for part of 1960. I'm not sure what the 1959 body carve means on mine relative to the 1960 as I am not an expert on LP guitars but know what I have read. I do know the Historics mimic the 1960 in the same way, some have regular knobs and some reflector etc. I have a 58, 59 and a 60 and they are all slightly different with the top carve but not by much.

The newest 60 for me the 2018 in a Royal tea Burst which is pretty dark I thought.

View attachment 10188
 

Midnight Blues

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Feb 20, 2011
Messages
1,703
Nice! Congrats, HNGD
jam.gif
and play her in good health!
 

BluesForDan

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Aug 31, 2002
Messages
6,798
my '11 R0 in ebony came with standard knobs. and single ring tuner buttons. I haven't changed a thing on it except strings.

here it is beside its new sibling (Thanks, Mark)

rgvJ3K3.jpg
 

AA00475Bassman

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Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
If you're unhappy with the knobs send it over here that thing is gorgeous I will suffer with those knobs ..........!!!!!!!!!
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
Sweet top on that one.

Interesting "blonde highlights" on the board... perhaps the photo lighting?

Would love to see more pics! Congrats and enjoy in good health :salude
 
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