NGD : ´07 LPR0...and many questions

Hi all, I just joined the board but I have been a LP player since 1999.

Last week I decided to sacrifice my beloved ´97 LP Classic (and a Flying V 84 reissue) for my first historic : a R0 from 2007. Where I live R0s are pretty hard to find, I loved the slim taper neck of 90s Classic, this one is more D shaped but still better for me than a R8 or a R9.

I post some pics here and I would also ask some questions regarding the historic series, the specifications and how they have changed in the last decade.









So, this is the guitar, IMO it plays better than some more modern historic I tried (I remember I tried a Southern Rock Tribute and I wasn´t impressed), it has more output but I am not sure the PUs are original (they just have the PAF sticker), not sure of the colour either or the specs.

Questions:

1) Is it supposed to be a VOS model? When I brought it home I changed the strings and did my usual cleaning with the Gibson restoration kit....now the guitar looks less dull than previously, more like my old Classic and I am a littel disappointed because I liked the original finish. Is that a way to restore it?

2) Pickups: I assume it should come with BB1 and BB2s, I checked under the bridge PU and found just the PAF sticker...is there a way to understand if they are original or they have been swapped with some other PAF clones? As mentioned the guitar feels at a tad hotter than other historics, but it´s also true it has new strings and I like to keep the PU very close to the strings.

3) Colours: is it washed cherry? Or tangerine burst?

4) 2007 : was it a good year for R0s? I noticed that IMO the top is very nice, I have read somewhere that was the first year with hondurian mahogany, any other special info or remarkable about this R0?

5) How much the historics have changed in the last 12 years? I immediately noticed the ABR-1 bridge is the same as the one of my Classic, does it worth upgrading to a wireless ABR1? Same thing for the stopbar, I don´t think the lightweight type.

More pics.

My first Historic was an '07 R9- sorry not an R0. I loved the guitar but things come and go and i don't have the resources to keep a bunch of guitars around. Burstbuckers in the guitar and I liked (not loved) them.

Looks like Cherry to me and it should have burstbuckers I believe. As far as the finish I suppose it could have been VOS but I'm not sure. Either way enjoy!:salude

Welcome , Congrats on a most fine and beautiful R0 Les Paul . She is a beauty ! Before you go touching a hair on her , how do you like how she plays and sounds ? If Yes , then Don't touch a hair ! To my eyes , she is beautiful as is and looks like a Cherry Sunburst finish as her red to my eyes looks stronger than the washed cherry , I could be wrong so don't quote me , but she checks the boxes for me and after that if I liked how she played and sounded I would leave her be . If you don't care for her sound maybe try some ThroBak Pickups .

I like 2007's so much I bought two 4# apart as far as spec's play the sucker ! Welcome to the Forum ! [/IMG]

El Gringo said:

Welcome , Congrats on a most fine and beautiful R0 Les Paul . She is a beauty ! Before you go touching a hair on her , how do you like how she plays and sounds ? If Yes , then Don't touch a hair ! To my eyes , she is beautiful as is and looks like a Cherry Sunburst finish as her red to my eyes looks stronger than the washed cherry , I could be wrong so don't quote me , but she checks the boxes for me and after that if I liked how she played and sounded I would leave her be . If you don't care for her sound maybe try some ThroBak Pickups .

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Thanks everybody for the warm welcome, I wrote Gibson but never got an answer.

In comparison to my old Classic the finish on the is definitely brighter, almost orange/ vermilion at direct light and the grain of the wood is more visible.





The red of the top looks darker but color transition is more gradual, the guitar is 10 years old so it might have changed a bit.

Always in comparison to the Classic the frets are wider (surprise), the klusons work much better, the neck profile is not as thin but more interesting it's a sort of D, not a round C profile.

This is the first Historic that I played that feels good or better than my Classic (that's the reason why I didn't update so long), I haven't taken a picture of the pickups but there is no BB sticker, so they might be something else, perhaps you can see if the soldering is original.



I am an hard rock player, while they are better than current stock Historic custombuckers I might be needing more...power. On the Classic after many experiments in the years I settled for a set of Tonerider Rocksong, cheap Chinese PUs but I prefer to the various 59s, Antiquity, Alnico II Slash i tried...they are a little too "low end" for this Historic so I am looking for something more high end but I think my thing on LPs are Alnico II slightly overwound.

All Historics use Hondouras Mahogany. There is nothing "low end" about any of the Duncan Pickups". You found a keeper.

Big Al said:

All Historics use Hondouras Mahogany. There is nothing "low end" about any of the Duncan Pickups". You found a keeper.

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I was talking about Tonerider Rocksongs. Regarding SD, IMO they are overrrated, in particular the Jazz and JB are the worst pickups I've ever owned. The 59 is IMO mediocre, Alnico II pro Slash were quite harsh, almost acid sounding...and I have a Marshall AFD amp! Regarding the "good ones", I like the CC very much, and the Distortion is a good pickups for 80s metal, as well as the parallel axis, but all of those are not suitable for a Les Paul Reissue IMO.

For the top, I assume is quartersawn and bookmatched Eastern maple, isn't it? AA grade?

P.S. Gibson has answered me : the only new information is that the color confirmation, it's washed cherry.

I disagree about the SD's. Maybe the opinion is over rated. Any pickup you prefer is appropriate for this guitar. If you need more, get more.

The top looks to be quartersawn, off bias cut, Western Big Leaf Maple.

I was finally able to upgrade the pickups, in the end I got a Dimarzio ´59 neck and a custom Benson (A2, 9.5 kOhm) PAF..very good service.

Very happy, I also bought a set of Kluson double ring with single line but I am unsure if to install them or keep the originals.

Here there is a picture with my new Tokai.