my last historic was a 2013. what changes can i expect?

[ppgf]

​with my incoming standard 2016 r8? thanks in advance.

 

[captainvideo]

My first historic was a 2016 R8 my second was a 2013 R4. So I went the other way I guess.
I did do some research I guess 2013 was the year they started making some changes that most forum users seem to think are improvements.

I know my 2016 has R before the serial #. My 2013 looks like an old Gibson serial number and there is no R. This seems to really aggravate purists. If I hadn't read about it I probably wouldn't have noticed. I also remember reading that they use hide glue in more places in 2016, although they did use hide glue in 2013 as well.

I guess the main thing for me is they are both awesome guitars and if it wasn't for the internet and specs I wouldn't have noticed any of these things.

You're going to love your 2016 R8. I have two of them now!

 

[CAGinLA]

​with my incoming standard 2016 r8? thanks in advance.

Rosewood attached to the neck with hide glue - the only major change from 2013 (aside from the R added to the serial).

 

[Top Gun]

The pore filler and dye used on the neck, back and sides is the biggest noticeable difference. It is much darker in color on the 14's, 15's & 16's. And unfortunately it tends to bleed into the binding much more too.

 

[J.D.]

2013 has the aniline dye back in the pore filler. 2007-2012 doesn't.

 

[marshall1987]

When was the truss rod sheath removed from the specification? Was that 2013? What about the steel tailpiece studs?

 

[DANELECTRO]

Don't the 13's have the same specs as the 14's?

 

[J.D.]

All those changes happened in '13. Only difference between '13 and '14 I am aware of is the hide glue between the fretboard and neck ('13 still has tite bond). '15 got the f'd up "CS" neck tenon and '16 is back to '14 "standard" Historic spec (except with the "R" serial number prefix).

 

[CAGinLA]

When was the truss rod sheath removed from the specification? Was that 2013? What about the steel tailpiece studs?

2013 for the sheath. I want to say 2011 for the steel studs, but someone else probably knows better.

 

[CAGinLA]

'15 got the f'd up "CS" neck tenon

(with the dirty little secret that the Custom Shop continued to make "discontinued", 2014 spec'd Historics throughout 2015, all with 2014 serials)

 

[B Ingram]

(with the dirty little secret that the Custom Shop continued to make "discontinued", 2014 spec'd Historics throughout 2015, all with 2014 serials)

Yep, I've got a "2014" R9, made in October 2015 (per warranty card). Serial # starts with "94_____" as Indravayu notes.

 

[ppgf]

thanks for all the thoughtful replies!