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Difference between 59 2018 and 2019 60th anniversary?

Morgan24

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Nov 1, 2020
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Is there any difference between a 59 from 2018 and the 2019 anniversary. Plastic parts, pickup, neck shape, hide glue, etc.
 

C-4

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Jan 5, 2005
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1,776
I had a M2M2018 R9 and a 60th Anny 2019 R9.
I found that the dishing was just a bit more dished on the 60th. The neck was definitely more '59-ish with a Carmelita carve on the 60th, and I haven't looked, but was told the electronics on the 60th R9 are better.

This takes nothing away from the 2018 R9 I had, but I MUCH prefer the 60th R9 by far.

ymmv
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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As i have both years ( 2 Brazilian R9's from 2018 ) and a 60th anniversary R9 from 2019 . Pretty close as the neck profile is the Carmelita profile which is slimmer than pre late 2017 R9's profile which i liked better . The electronics were updated in 2019 with no wax potting for the Custombucker pickups , and the wiring harness features Paper in Oil caps .
 

Morgan24

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Nov 1, 2020
Messages
138
As i have both years ( 2 Brazilian R9's from 2018 ) and a 60th anniversary R9 from 2019 . Pretty close as the neck profile is the Carmelita profile which is slimmer than pre late 2017 R9's profile which i liked better . The electronics were updated in 2019 with no wax potting for the Custombucker pickups , and the wiring harness features Paper in Oil caps .
Do you prefer the no wax, paper in oil caps and vintage correct tapering?
 

El Gringo

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Do you prefer the no wax, paper in oil caps and vintage correct tapering?
I play thru high gain Marshall 2555X's , so my pickups must be wax potted . If you play thru a Fender type tweed style amps or low power/low gain amps then un potted pickups will work best and get you more upper range tones . The Paper in Oil caps are very good and i love them , even though if i was blind folded i would not be able to pick them out on a listening test versus mylar caps or orange drop caps or similiar style caps . Gibson Custom is using more vintage accurate materials as in the glory years , so that is a blessing in and of it self and i could not be any happier with the most recent years offerings coming out of Gibson Custom . I am a huge fan of all Gibson Custom offerings as they are awesome . As always listen with your ears to the tone and feel and play ability of the instrument and it has to make you happy and don't get caught up on what others say , because it's your money and no one else's that will pay for the goods and you have to be happy and satisfied at the end of the day , also it never hurts to do your homework and know exactly what you want and don't let anyone tell you other wise . As far as neck profiles i prefer the larger size profile necks on the R9's and really love the R8's as those are bigger and feel better in my hands , but once again that is very personal choice , and if you can try before you buy or know exactly what you want for neck size which matters ! Best wishes !
 

Morgan24

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Sadly I am living in a place where it is impossible to try any Custom shop Les pauls. Have to buy one to try one😆
 

SoK66

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Aug 31, 2009
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Sadly I am living in a place where it is impossible to try any Custom shop Les pauls. Have to buy one to try one😆

Given the cost of these guitars it pays to take a trip to a quality dealer, like Wildwood or Norman's, etc. and try as many as they wil allow you. My experience is there's a LOT of variability guitar to guitar, and, sadly, many have flaws in details or setup that are inexcuseable on an instrument in this price range. Voice of experince here, try 'em before you buy 'em!
 

Brek

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May 23, 2020
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62
Given the cost of these guitars it pays to take a trip to a quality dealer, like Wildwood or Norman's, etc. and try as many as they wil allow you. My experience is there's a LOT of variability guitar to guitar, and, sadly, many have flaws in details or setup that are inexcuseable on an instrument in this price range. Voice of experince here, try 'em before you buy 'em!

100% concur with this. At this price, see it in flesh, play it, take some good photos study them, compare to other pics and make sure there are no obvious bits of shoddy finishing.
 

Morgan24

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Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
138
As i have both years ( 2 Brazilian R9's from 2018 ) and a 60th anniversary R9 from 2019 . Pretty close as the neck profile is the Carmelita profile which is slimmer than pre late 2017 R9's profile which i liked better . The electronics were updated in 2019 with no wax potting for the Custombucker pickups , and the wiring harness features Paper in Oil caps .
Hi El Gringo. Have you noticed any difference in quality, tone, sustain or anything else between the two 2018 and the 2019 anniversary? Same neck profile on all three?
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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Hi El Gringo. Have you noticed any difference in quality, tone, sustain or anything else between the two 2018 and the 2019 anniversary? Same neck profile on all three?
None , with the exception of some changes as listed above . I really think you can't possibly go wrong with a 2018 and forward Gibson Custom Les Paul .
 

Bulwark

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Jun 22, 2019
Messages
52
Having swapped out the potted Wildwood-spec Custombuckers on my ‘18 R9 w/ Brazilian board w/ two different sets of unpotted, I will say that unpotted is a tonal improvement (like taking the covers off... but twice), and like Gringo said, it comes with a considerable wail/squeal liability in an extremely high gain or high volume context. That said, my two amps are a 20w Plexi (SV20H) and a Blackface Deluxe (‘64 HW), so yeah, easy to tame.
The other changes were largely cosmetic: silkscreened “Les Paul” logo shifted ~1 cm and changed tint of gold, bevel on truss rod cover, PIO caps (tonal impact? Maybe, but also cheap and easy to monkey with, so meh), aging of inlays...

If like Gringo and I, you’ve got your own preference of pickups in mind anyway, 2018 onward are nigh indistinguishable.
 

STC

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Feb 26, 2019
Messages
104
Did you make a call on which one to go for?

I was getting caught up in specs and dead set and convinced I was going to get a 2019... then got a 2018 that I just couldn't stop thinking about. I was convinced I was going to get a dark burst - tobacco or bourbon and then got a heritage cherry. Sometimes it doesn't quite workout as planned!

Like Gringo - run through higher gain Marshalls so wax potted is probably right for me.
 

El Gringo

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Having swapped out the potted Wildwood-spec Custombuckers on my ‘18 R9 w/ Brazilian board w/ two different sets of unpotted, I will say that unpotted is a tonal improvement (like taking the covers off... but twice), and like Gringo said, it comes with a considerable wail/squeal liability in an extremely high gain or high volume context. That said, my two amps are a 20w Plexi (SV20H) and a Blackface Deluxe (‘64 HW), so yeah, easy to tame.
The other changes were largely cosmetic: silkscreened “Les Paul” logo shifted ~1 cm and changed tint of gold, bevel on truss rod cover, PIO caps (tonal impact? Maybe, but also cheap and easy to monkey with, so meh), aging of inlays...

If like Gringo and I, you’ve got your own preference of pickups in mind anyway, 2018 onward are nigh indistinguishable.
I would also have to caution you that playing thru a 20w plexi will be dicey if the pickups are not potted .
 

El Gringo

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Did you make a call on which one to go for?

I was getting caught up in specs and dead set and convinced I was going to get a 2019... then got a 2018 that I just couldn't stop thinking about. I was convinced I was going to get a dark burst - tobacco or bourbon and then got a heritage cherry. Sometimes it doesn't quite workout as planned!

Like Gringo - run through higher gain Marshalls so wax potted is probably right for me.
wax potted for sure
 

Bulwark

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Jun 22, 2019
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I would also have to caution you that playing thru a 20w plexi will be dicey if the pickups are not potted .
It can be for sure, especially if a fuzz pedal is involved. But, it’s nothing that can’t be managed by space and positioning. The sweet harmonic feedback sure is easy to conjure though.
Going a little off topic here, but I was surprised to see that bumping down to 5 watt mode didn’t do a ton for dB level, it just lost some thump, some sparkle, and somehow a little dynamics and a little compression at the same time.
 

El Gringo

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It can be for sure, especially if a fuzz pedal is involved. But, it’s nothing that can’t be managed by space and positioning. The sweet harmonic feedback sure is easy to conjure though.
Going a little off topic here, but I was surprised to see that bumping down to 5 watt mode didn’t do a ton for dB level, it just lost some thump, some sparkle, and somehow a little dynamics and a little compression at the same time.
The dreaded squealing is a major annoyance for sure , but you are right and I do agree about distance and positioning . Also the sweet harmonic feedback is sure nice . As far as bumping down the volume to the 5 watt mode , for some it works . With my 2 2555X half stacks , early on I tried the half power mode (50 watts ) and it was so lame and devoid of life and tone that I have been on the 100 watt modes ever since . I guess I understand it in theory and concept but my ears don't , which is what it's all about to please ones ears .
 
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