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60th anniversary R9 - what upgrade?

qazyeh

New member
Joined
Mar 30, 2003
Messages
6
I have had my 60th anniv R9 for more than 6 months now and it is my favourite Les Paul. Acoustically it is very resonant and sounds great.

I am always trying to improve my guitars whether it is upgrading electronics or change of parts and I wonder what could be done for this guitar - I have not clued up on all the changes Gibson have made to R9's over the years but according to Gibson the 60th anniv R9 have the best spec parts Gibson ever offered.

I would like to know if there is any way that I can make it better - What upgrades have you put in your 60th R9?
 

mlaw

New member
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
12
Agreed, I've made changes to many of my guitars including swapping pickups out of True Historic Les Pauls, but my 2019 R9 is near perfect. I will not touch it. Even the truss rod cover is a better repro than the True Historics.
 

Tim Plains

Active member
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Messages
795
I'd say 2019/newer are to the point where they don't need the typical upgrades like pickups/pots/caps (unless you just want to try different pickups) aside from maybe a complete refinish with correct nitro if there's a hole burning in your pocket.
 

C-4

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
1,776
The only thing I am going to try is changing out the bridge, studs, and thumb wheels to Faber chrome plated brass parts, to see what it sounds like.

If I like it, fine, if not, I'll put the original parts back on. Other then that, I'm very happy with my 60th.

I would not have decided to try this change, but was reading someplace, maybe here somewhere that the Faber stuff is closer to the original parts in metal alloy type, and that the new parts Gibson is using give the guitar a slightly less full sound, wherein the higher strings are dying out leaving more of the lower strings sustaining.

I don't know if this is going to mean anything, but it's a harmless change.
 

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus pickups bring the rock and the roll ! That's exactly what I changed out
 

GotTheSilver

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2007
Messages
2,433
I've had a 2020 R9 for three or four months now. It is by far the best Les Paul I have ever played. I don't plan to change a thing!
 

NotJeffBeck

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
24
The case.
That's no joke. The old style Lifton case is fun to have, but it really doesn't support the guitar that well. I tried several cases and ended up with an SKB "The Les Paul" case, Even that one was not made with the 60th R9 in mind, more like the Traditionals. I had to press down the foam padding in two places to match the neck and 17 degree headstock angle, but once I did, it fit very well, supports the neck, keeps the headstock in the air, not touching anything and is well made. That's the case I would use to take the guitar out of the house.
 

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I really like the medallion switch plate cover as I think that it is very cool . My 60th anniversary R9 is very cool and plays so nice .
 

BurstFan

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2013
Messages
128
Pickups!

I know many will disagree but here's my explanation.
The custombuckers are very clever designed. As a manufacturer you are trying to sell a product
that should be as consistent as possible. Of course parts vary, e.g. the wood, electronics, how parts interact and many many more variables. We all know that there can't be two same guitars even if built with the same parts by the same luthier. The custombuckers are a very sterile pickup, there's not much musicality in these pups. But Gibson did that on purpose. Because our ear gets fooled.
This clean sound makes our ears believe the guitar sounds open and has "clarity". It also helps very much to cope for muddy neck pup position tones. Like I said this sterile sound is good for Gibson because it evens out the sound of the guitars to make them much more "comparable". I do have a 2019 60th anniversary LP myself and played many many historics. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad sound at all, but I'm missing the musically with these pickups. The Custom Shop LPs being produced since 2018 are some of the best I would say. I just changed the pickups and did leave the electronics stock. The pickup change was a huge improvement in tone. Of course pickups and guitar need to match and it can take a while to find the right set.
But if you do find the right match it can make a big difference.
 
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El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Pickups!

I know many will disagree but here's my explanation.
The custombuckers are very clever designed. As a manufacturer you are trying to sell a product
that should be as consistent as possible. Of course parts vary, e.g. the wood, electronics, how parts interact and many many more variables. We all know that there can't be two same guitars even if built with the same parts by the same luthier. The custombuckers are a very sterile pickup, there's not much musically
in these pups. But Gibson did that on purpose. Because our ear gets fooled.
This clean sound makes our ears believe the guitar sounds open and has "clarity". It also helps very much to cope for muddy neck pup position tones. Like I said this sterile sound is good for Gibson because it evens out the sound of the guitars to make them much more "comparable". I do have a 2019 60th anniversary LP myself and played many many historics. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad sound at all, but I'm missing the musically with these pickups. The Custom Shop LPs being produced since 2018 are some of the best I would say. I just changed the pickups and did leave the electronics stock. The pickup change was a huge improvement in tone. Of course pickups and guitar need to match and it can take a while to find the right set.
But if you do find the right match it can make a big difference.
Very interesting perspective and I like how you describe the Custombuckers being "sterile" . I also agree with you that it is not a bad sound at all , and to me sounds weak , as if they were wound a little bit hotter they would be nicer to my ears . As always tone/sound is subjective to each ones ears , so what sounds good to some will sound different to others and that's the spice of life where we are all different and unique . It's probably where Gibson Custom is coming from to have them be middle of the road sort of same as in food dishes where one salts to taste versus killing something with a ton of salt . Good analysis I have to tell you .
 

PHILBERT

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
1,659
Pickups!

I know many will disagree but here's my explanation.
The custombuckers are very clever designed. As a manufacturer you are trying to sell a product
that should be as consistent as possible. Of course parts vary, e.g. the wood, electronics, how parts interact and many many more variables. We all know that there can't be two same guitars even if built with the same parts by the same luthier. The custombuckers are a very sterile pickup, there's not much musicality in these pups. But Gibson did that on purpose. Because our ear gets fooled.
This clean sound makes our ears believe the guitar sounds open and has "clarity". It also helps very much to cope for muddy neck pup position tones. Like I said this sterile sound is good for Gibson because it evens out the sound of the guitars to make them much more "comparable". I do have a 2019 60th anniversary LP myself and played many many historics. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad sound at all, but I'm missing the musically with these pickups. The Custom Shop LPs being produced since 2018 are some of the best I would say. I just changed the pickups and did leave the electronics stock. The pickup change was a huge improvement in tone. Of course pickups and guitar need to match and it can take a while to find the right set.
But if you do find the right match it can make a big difference.

THIS! :dude:

Spot on, mate. I too liked something about the Custombuckers, but found the low end lacking. I thought the A3 magnets made it more defined (and that may be true), but after experimenting with an old set of Classic 57/57+ in my 2018 Murphy Monster I discovered much of the touch sensitivity and "growl" was the wood and glue used to make the LP resonate like no other I have tried before. That experiment got me to order another set of ThroBak SLE-101's. That should hit the spot.

I also tried a Tradition Pro with 57 Classic/Super 57 A3T and A3R pickups to compare with my Alnico II 57 Classic/Super 57 Trad Pro. The results were interesting. Great tone, but a bet "harder" sounding in the mids (1.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz area...I think). Did great on the single coil selections, and not bad on humbucking tone either. Maybe if the magnets were weaker, and pickups not wound as much, this would have been a fantastic choice for my CS LP. My guess is that Burstbuckers being asymmetrical in coil winding makes them all too bright and sometimes shrill. But I need a set I can trust to give me exactly what I am looking for. Jon makes 'em...and they LOOK FANTASTIC. Those pickup covers are the best repro covers I have seen to date. It's an image that has been permanently "burned into my brain" since the 60's and 70's. See examples of CB vrs TB below on my 2018 Murphy Monster:

IMG_3057.jpg
IMG_2626.jpg
IMG_3531.jpg
IMG_3532.jpg

Phil
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
THIS! :dude:

Spot on, mate. I too liked something about the Custombuckers, but found the low end lacking. I thought the A3 magnets made it more defined (and that may be true), but after experimenting with an old set of Classic 57/57+ in my 2018 Murphy Monster I discovered much of the touch sensitivity and "growl" was the wood and glue used to make the LP resonate like no other I have tried before. That experiment got me to order another set of ThroBak SLE-101's. That should hit the spot.

I also tried a Tradition Pro with 57 Classic/Super 57 A3T and A3R pickups to compare with my Alnico II 57 Classic/Super 57 Trad Pro. The results were interesting. Great tone, but a bet "harder" sounding in the mids (1.5 kHz to 2.5 kHz area...I think). Did great on the single coil selections, and not bad on humbucking tone either. Maybe if the magnets were weaker, and pickups not wound as much, this would have been a fantastic choice for my CS LP. My guess is that Burstbuckers being asymmetrical in coil winding makes them all too bright and sometimes shrill. But I need a set I can trust to give me exactly what I am looking for. Jon makes 'em...and they LOOK FANTASTIC. Those pickup covers are the best repro covers I have seen to date. It's an image that has been permanently "burned into my brain" since the 60's and 70's. See examples of CB vrs TB below on my 2018 Murphy Monster:

View attachment 11823
View attachment 11824
View attachment 11825
View attachment 11826

Phil

Besides delivering the "tone" ThroBak has the "correct" covers . The eyes and ears don't lie !
 

guitplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
2,114
I replaced the 2 VOL pots. Kept the underwound neck wildwood spec.
Swapped out the bridge for a good ole Dunc Antqu.

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/185825126@N07/50210752791/in/dateposted-friend/" title="DSC_0007z"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50210752791_6ec042f60d_z.jpg" width="640" height="429" alt="DSC_0007z"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>[/FONT]
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I replaced the 2 VOL pots. Kept the underwound neck wildwood spec.
Swapped out the bridge for a good ole Dunc Antqu.

<script src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8" async=""></script>

That's a beauty , love the figure and color ! What is the color or shade of burst called ? Is that Bourbon Burst ?
 

stephan_l

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
582
Pickups!

I know many will disagree but here's my explanation.
The custombuckers are very clever designed. As a manufacturer you are trying to sell a product
that should be as consistent as possible. Of course parts vary, e.g. the wood, electronics, how parts interact and many many more variables. We all know that there can't be two same guitars even if built with the same parts by the same luthier. The custombuckers are a very sterile pickup, there's not much musicality in these pups. But Gibson did that on purpose. Because our ear gets fooled.
This clean sound makes our ears believe the guitar sounds open and has "clarity". It also helps very much to cope for muddy neck pup position tones. Like I said this sterile sound is good for Gibson because it evens out the sound of the guitars to make them much more "comparable". I do have a 2019 60th anniversary LP myself and played many many historics. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad sound at all, but I'm missing the musically with these pickups. The Custom Shop LPs being produced since 2018 are some of the best I would say. I just changed the pickups and did leave the electronics stock. The pickup change was a huge improvement in tone. Of course pickups and guitar need to match and it can take a while to find the right set.
But if you do find the right match it can make a big difference.

UR right. I didn´t liked the CBs in my 2016 R8. Sounded exactly like u wrote. I put in BBs, same year produced as the BBs in my CR8 from 2007.......Sounds much better now, but in no way like my "Cloud9". Maybe its the guitar itself, but i guess the journey is not over yet :##
 
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El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I have a question about the Burst Bucker pickups like the 1 & 3 , what magnets do they come with ? (sounds like A5 to me ? ) Also while we are on this subject I have to think Gibson Custom would have a real winner on there hands if they had used A5 magnets in the Custombuckers versus the A3 magnets . Thoughts anyone ?
 
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