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new guitar purchase, can't decide...

wild.joz

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
1,934
Hi, Historic experts :)
Went to my favorite guitar shop today, and I'm torn between a R7 goltop natural back and a R8 plaintop in faded tobacco (more or less).
Both sound great, weight pretty much the same, look good, priced the same, but I can't afford both!
which one would you go for and why? I'll probably be picking one or the other early next week.
 

Ace139

Active member
Joined
May 29, 2003
Messages
1,759
I would go with the R8. To me the burst is what a Les Paul should be. Once you have a burst then you can go gold top or black custom.

Let us know how it turns out!!
 

hank

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
1,828
If you can only have one, I'd go for the burst. I have one R8 burst and three historic goldtops. Yikes!
 

Todd Louis

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Messages
14,526
Your first one, then the 58'

Funny my first Historic was a 57' GT
 

jbzoso2002

New member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
1,089
I was on the same fence, my buddy Mars Hall
said get the burst. He has an R7.

Im very glad I did, even though its a plan top there's
still some interesting stuff going on with the grain.

I do like Gold tops very much though.

Jimmy

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reswot

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
3,295
If you get the R8, you'll just want an R9!

I bought an R8 first, then a G0. I settled in with an R9 and an R7.
 

vintage58

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
3,958
Hi, Historic experts :)
Went to my favorite guitar shop today, and I'm torn between a R7 goltop natural back and a R8 plaintop in faded tobacco (more or less).
Both sound great, weight pretty much the same, look good, priced the same, but I can't afford both!
which one would you go for and why? I'll probably be picking one or the other early next week.
One way of looking at it is, a 'burst could be argued to be the most iconic variant of the Les Paul concept/design, right? So, look at it this way: a real 'burst could technically have been a plaintop, but it could never have been a goldtop. So, an R-8 is at least within the realm of possibly looking like a 'burst, whereas a goldtop can only look like a goldtop. (All this, of course, only matters if you happen to: (a) agree with the above starting premise — i.e., that a cherry sunburst Les Paul represents the most evolved and/or iconic variant of the Les Paul design; and (b) care what the guitar looks like, in addition to how it sounds and plays.)

Anyway, I guess my vote would be for an R-8 with a top that looks 'burst-like (and some do possess that quality more than others).
.
 

Aloha_Mark

New member
Joined
Dec 15, 2011
Messages
495
Put a blindfold on and ask the salesman to hand you each guitar to demo. Buy the one that doesn't fall out of your hands.

Seriously, in this price bracket, choose the one that sounds best. Try it out on the most expensive Marshall or Fender amp in the store.
 

BluesBurst

New member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Messages
224
Put a blindfold on and ask the salesman to hand you each guitar to demo. Buy the one that doesn't fall out of your hands.

Seriously, in this price bracket, choose the one that sounds best. Try it out on the most expensive Marshall or Fender amp in the store.

This is what I was going to suggest.

Particularly being your first, it HAS to feel and sound right, the icing can come later. You have to get the cake right first!!!
 

bildo

Member
Joined
May 18, 2010
Messages
93
This is what I was going to suggest.

Particularly being your first, it HAS to feel and sound right, the icing can come later. You have to get the cake right first!!!
Do this.

My wife had me do it once when I was on the fence over a couple of guitars. I went in with my heart(read eyes set on a particular color)set on one I thought. Removing the visual factor brought me one of my favorite guitars and not the one I thought I would pick. Now if you will just look at it. Don't do this.
 

bluesforstevie

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2002
Messages
12,771
Did you look in the Goldtop control cavity? Maybe there's some figure...a potential burst waiting to come out? Just adding to the mayhem.

Personally I can live easier with a gold top than a plaintop. The GT wears better IMO.
 

MapleFlame

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Play as many as you can and pick the one you bond with and also plays well.
 

MCHolley

Member
Joined
May 30, 2004
Messages
600
Buy them both, and it'll be a nice start to a collection....

Funny though, I have 2 R8's, but have never found a R9 that I really loved the neck on....but some R7's, and R4's....and never a R0.... I like a thicker neck.

Good luck!

Mark
 

wild.joz

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
1,934
Thanks all for taking the time to give your opinions.

To steven: I ask because I can't decide and just look for advice. I'm not asking someone to decide for me, just asking for opinions from people who own one or several historics.

To Aloha Marfk: that's an idea, I'll do it next week when I'll go back to the shop.

To bleusforstevie: There is flame that you can 'see' through the goldtop... I'm just not one to go for refinishes etc... but, it crossed my mind (actually I'm still thinking about it). I've got to admit that GTs age pretty well....

To McHolley: I wish I could, but as I said, I can't afford both at the same time.


I must add that this is a guitar i'll be gigging with regularly so it is not going to be in it's case or on a wall 90 of the time. It's going to see sweat, blood, dings and scratches...
 

Ken Fortunato

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Messages
2,742
I actually prefer plaintops... I also prefer the beefier neck profile of the R8...

If you feel the same way, then the R8 is a no brainer...

However, if the R8 neck profile doesn't work for you, and/or you really like flame tops, then I would say, wait, save a little more money and buy what you want.

By the way... I also think that goldtops are best described as, "understated elegance"...
 
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