58 Historic Re. Neck Shape

[Toby Boy]

I've had this guitar for quite awhile now. Came up from Sauls shop, to Blue Ridge Music in Lucadia.
J R called me knowing I was in the market for something like this. He had this R8 and a Gold top and asked me if I'd like to see them before they went up on the wall?

Played them both. And in my hands they pretty much were the same. I was doing heavy construction back then so the neck thickness wasn't an issue. The R8 came home with me.
Fast forward, retired and haven't played out in 3 or 4 years.
A friend of mine played it the other day and said, man this neck is huge!
Was he just used to playing today's guitars, unaware its a reissue or just dislikes larger necks.

I told him it's a reissue and that's how they were made back then. I thought he would know this being co owner of a guitar repair shop here in town.

So, I'll admit, I did lose some sleep over this.
Am I looking for a warm hug and a pat on the back?
There, there, it's ok, he just doesn't understand, but we do.

 

[jb_abides]

Who cares what he says, how does it feel in your hands now?

If you liked it then, chances are you'll like it again once you get reacquainted and re-acclimated.

 

[goldtop0]

I'm a '50s fat neck fan.
The size of the necks on all Gibsons has decreased markedly since around 2011, they're not what they used to be.
Only way you can get fatter ones now is with the M2M program and that costs a little more.

 

[Toby Boy]

Thanks a hole bunch guys. I like What JB abides said in his post.
My other guitar is a Les Paul std. Plus.
Very slim neck on that one.

 

[jb_abides]

Enjoy both. Enjoy all. If they work for you and sound nice.

Your Standard probably has the asymmetric slim taper, which is quite out of the 'norm' when compared to the universe of neck profiles but perhaps the most produced of all Lesters.... so go figure.

Not sure why the repairman said what he said, but we all have biases and choices we offer without much moderation. Keep you own counsel or at least an open mind.

I started on a skinny 62 tele, moved to a slim taper 60 Classic, now have R4/6/7/8/0, Customs, ES, fat SG Jr, all manner. I struggle a bit with a Martin vintage big-V but take it all in stride.

Glad you asked not just take someone's word... maybe sage, maybe foolish. Only you can say.

Saul sold good ones to me, I am sure that one will sing again.

Good luck!

Here's my R8, it's got a proper R8 neck too! Because a thread needs pics...

 

[Tollywood]

@Toby Boy I’d love to see her.

 

[renderit]

I have a BUNCH that were made in the 2013-2016 time frame and the necks are all larger than most I have tried since.

As a matter of fact (and I have stated it many times) I can feel which one it is blindfolded because of the size they made them.

The first R4 (2014) is a LOG. Almost a U.

The first R6 (2016) is slightly smaller but still big.

R7 - (2015) I would call beefy but again slightly smaller than the R6.

R8 - (2015) slightly smaller

R9 - (2013) is what I call the perfect 59. Just right for you bears out there.

My R0 (2014) is that weird neck that is skinny front to back but wide fingerboard.

The later ones I have are not as large on the lower R number.

After 2016 the ones I have are not as obvious when I grab them.

Seems like they started trying to get a more 59 like shape out of them.

 

[Patrick Ginnaty]

I love the shape of the neck on my '98 R8.

 

[corpse]

Well don't get to fuzzy about JB- all his are backwards.

 

[Any Name You Wish]

Here's my neck shape test when I look at new guitars. Can I play the Clapton Layla riff smoothly on it? If not, then that's probably not the neck for me. There's a couple of other riffs I try too. My ES 335 has a rather fat neck, but I live with it because the thing has absolutely killer tone. I gotten more picky about neck shape as I get older. I never played an R8. Tried an R0 and that was too skinny. R9 just right. The R8 might be your "just right."

 

[renderit]

And I went the other direction.

I used to want a skinny neck.

Later SG's and such were good as some 60's 3XX.

Now I want a wide variety.

I start cramping up on one size and find the fatter ones I last longer on...

 

[brandtkronholm]

I've had this guitar for quite awhile now. Came up from Sauls shop, to Blue Ridge Music in Lucadia.
J R called me knowing I was in the market for something like this. He had this R8 and a Gold top and asked me if I'd like to see them before they went up on the wall?

Played them both. And in my hands they pretty much were the same. I was doing heavy construction back then so the neck thickness wasn't an issue. The R8 came home with me.
Fast forward, retired and haven't played out in 3 or 4 years.
A friend of mine played it the other day and said, man this neck is huge!
Was he just used to playing today's guitars, unaware its a reissue or just dislikes larger necks.

I told him it's a reissue and that's how they were made back then. I thought he would know this being co owner of a guitar repair shop here in town.

So, I'll admit, I did lose some sleep over this.
Am I looking for a warm hug and a pat on the back?
There, there, it's ok, he just doesn't understand, but we do.

Helen Kane?
(That nifty '20s avatar.)

 

[jb_abides]

Now I want a wide variety.

I start cramping up on one size and find the fatter ones I last longer on...

Don't let the wife see this out of context

 

[SoK66]

My '06 R9 has a rather chunky neck profile with shoulders, my '19 R8 has a perfect '59 profile. I conclude I have an R9 with a '58 profile, and an R8 with a '59 profile. Both are awesome Les Pauls.

 

[Toby Boy]

Thanks guys. Y'all the best.

 

[corpse]

My '06 R9 has a rather chunky neck profile with shoulders, my '19 R8 has a perfect '59 profile. I conclude I have an R9 with a '58 profile, and an R8 with a '59 profile. Both are awesome Les Pauls.

There wasn't a ton of consistency on the pre 2013's so your read is correct. Back in the day that's what really put Historic Makeovers in the biz- the neck shape. The really correct 59 profiles were the 1960RI according to Kim.

 

[Toby Boy]

Wow! What a beauty. I'll see if I can get a pic or two tomorrow. I don't have any on file at the moment.
Although, I did get a chance to do a quick weight check today. 9.7 lbs. Not to shabby.

 

[Toby Boy]

Wow, 4:30 am, and I just can't stop playing this guitar.
Time to call it a night. Or morning.
I might swing by GC and get a proper weight tomorrow.
This is one guitar I'm glad I've held onto all these years.

 

[somebodyelseuk]

I've had this guitar for quite awhile now. Came up from Sauls shop, to Blue Ridge Music in Lucadia.
J R called me knowing I was in the market for something like this. He had this R8 and a Gold top and asked me if I'd like to see them before they went up on the wall?

Played them both. And in my hands they pretty much were the same. I was doing heavy construction back then so the neck thickness wasn't an issue. The R8 came home with me.
Fast forward, retired and haven't played out in 3 or 4 years.
A friend of mine played it the other day and said, man this neck is huge!
Was he just used to playing today's guitars, unaware its a reissue or just dislikes larger necks.

I told him it's a reissue and that's how they were made back then. I thought he would know this being co owner of a guitar repair shop here in town.

So, I'll admit, I did lose some sleep over this.
Am I looking for a warm hug and a pat on the back?
There, there, it's ok, he just doesn't understand, but we do.

I've a 60th Anni R9, a '21 R7, a '15 Tokai '59-a-like, and an '82 Yamaha SG2000S, all with near identical neck dimensions and profiles. I have big hands, so big necks suit me better.
I'd be quite happy to concede that I'm not sensitive enough to tell the difference, but I have numerous other guitars, with varying neck dimensions, that seem dramatically different to each other. I find that if I play a guitar for long enough, a couple of days, my hand 'memorizes' that neck and then when I play one of the others, what may have seemed a thin neck, seems a bit heftier.
Everything feels thin after the 'LPs', but if I spend a week on a recent Strat Ultra, even a '60s Strat profile feels like a baseball bat.

At the end of the day, they're my guitars. I bought them for me to play, so I really couldn't care less whether anyone else likes the necks.
FWIW, when anyone comments on my 'baseball bat necks', I just tell 'em "I have huge hands." and give 'em a wink and a grin.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

My neck profiles have always been all over the map .