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Black beauty custom weight?

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
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4,679
Stupid question of the week… In the last 25 years I’ve had more than 60 historics come and go… Mostly flametops, a couple goldtops here and there… I have on the way my first ever R7 black beauty… A triple pickup, about time that I got one!... But here’s the question. Why does it seem to be almost impossible to find any of these less than 9 pounds including the two pickup no Bigsby models?... We all know that maple is heavier than mahogany so with these being custom shop and all mahogany I would expect that they should be as light or lighter than the flametops on average… so how come ?
 

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
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4,679
Sorry. Just did some more searching and it appears I answered my own question… Apparently the custom shop intentionally when sorting for weights saves the heavy wood for the black beauties… And I guess for no good reason other than people sort of expect it… I have a 2011 triple pickup on the way to me and it’s 9 lbs. 1 oz. Considering that the third pickup adds more than a quarter of a pound I guess I should consider myself lucky!
 

Señor Verde

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Messages
621
Bummer. As much as I'd like to have a Custom, I'm also one of the wimps that is concerned with the weigh of the guitar... Congrats on the score, but where are the obligatory pics?
 

Dr. Green

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Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
I have one thats 8.4 lb

true BB 57 reissue - solid body - 2 pup

2010 no bigsby

its bitchin - huge tone

I have thought about ebaying it but hesitate because I will never find one this light again

ebay-bb3.jpg

ebay-bb1.jpg
 

Tommy Tourbus

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Jan 1, 2005
Messages
871
Customs are thicker than Standards for one. And that they have a sharp radius around the back of the body and aren't rounded off also accounts for a little extra wood. So it's gotta be that. Also, it's just the 50's reissue Historics that are all mahogany. All other Customs have a maple cap
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
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683
The other customs also have the wrong tuners (grovers )

and the dopey CS serial numbers
 

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
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4,679
hmm.... didnt know customs were a different body size.... Gibby really goes out of their way to use a different size back for custom?
 

Progrocker111

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Dec 10, 2003
Messages
4,013
Many new 57 RI Customs are under 9 lbs. I have had a 2018 one with precise 8.5 lbs only. They are using very light mahogany these days.
 
Last edited:

Logjammin

Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2020
Messages
38
I had a 2019 57 Reissue Custom that was 8.6 lbs. Don't see newer ones come up very often, but when they do, they seem to be light weight.
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
Many new 57 RI Customs are under 8 lbs. I have had a 2018 one with precise 8.5 lbs only. They are using very light mahogany these days.

how much under 8 lbs ?

for example have you seen a real all mahogany / real ebony that was 7 1/2 lb ?

do you know of any dealer who now has a under 8 pound BB for sale ?
 

renderit

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
WAAAAAAY UNDER 9!

36175746281_73b68829bc_4k.jpg
 

MWR

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Joined
May 16, 2004
Messages
2,510
WAAAAAAY UNDER 9!

36175746281_73b68829bc_4k.jpg

I really want one of these P90 & Staple P/U Customs. Impossible to find and the ones that come up for sale are crazy money Gibby needs to start making these again or if they still make them, make more. YMMV

 

Dr. Green

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Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
good grief -

saw a BB like mine and just a few years different in age that is a hair under 11 lb :##

mine is 8.4

any comments ?
 

Ed A

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Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
4,679
Just got my 2011 R7 Black Beauty... its a reall beauty!... will post pix soon.... has three pickups and Klusons, weighs in at 9lbs. exactly... which is fine with me.... (extra pup adds over 1/4lb.)... there may be some around that are lighter, but the vast majority (of used ones anyway) are heavier...
 
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