2007

[MartinLau]

Some years ago, I read online about how the custom shop used Honduran mahogany or something similar in 2007.

So when this 2007 junior showed up locally, I went to check it out (and of course ended up buying it). It might very well be the most resonant mahogany guitar that I have ever owned.

In Denmark, where I live, it isn’t easy to try out a lot of custom shop guitars, so I thought I'd check in here to hear, if somebody with more experience with older and newer custom shop guitars, could say if 2007s still are worth pursuing over the more recent guitars? Of course instruments should first and foremost be judged individually, but you still see statements like "this period is the best since the 50's".

Anyway, here is my junior in sight and sound:

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Very nice JR - this is my 2007 R8 I bought this new in my subject opinion these are great guitars with the Honduran I had two sold one to a friend he flipped it .

 

[El Gringo]

Very nice JR - this is my 2007 R8 I bought this new in my subject opinion these are great guitars with the Honduran I had two sold one to a friend he flipped it .View attachment 28608

Love this one !

 

[corpse]

I don't think there is a great deal of variation from year to year in Historic Juniors. I miss my 2005 (IIRC) TV.
Doug and Pat did a detailed playing review of vintage vs historic Jrs and said they liked the new ones better. I don't think they are over the top with superlatives.
Of course YMMV.

 

[J T]

Back in 07, we started noticing that the guitars coming out of Gibson were really nice. They had great tops beautiful fingerboards. However, there was not a lot of buzz/hype around them. That was maybe a great "under the radar" year for these guitars. I bought a Jr. that year, but unfortunately, there was a serious truss rod problem with it and I sent it back after one day. Other than that I would have kept it. It was really nice.

Here's my 07 R9.

(Digital emphasizes the red. I should edit that photo to pull back the reds a bit to show a truer representation of this one.)

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Post #5 - JT R9 is outstanding !

 

[DANELECTRO]

2007 was a good year for wood.

A 2007 Chambered R8 with an R9 worthy top:







2007 R9


Alongside the Berman Burst poster from the 1982 Guitar Player magazine:

 

[garywright]

.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Berman’s flame is much narrower..you got the stud slots alignment same and tp dropped other than that I don’t see a resemblance

 

[garywright]

.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

 

[rockabilly69]

I'm glad youl ike your new guitars CONGRATS! But my 2007 R7 that I bought online was the WORST of any Gibson Historics I've owned. The 2007 wood year thing didn't work in my favor. That was a total dud of a guitar. Resonant 2007 Honduran Mahogany good wood year? NOT!!! I set it up perfectly, and swapped out the electronics, but nothing helped that dog. I put the stock parts back on it, and traded it into Guitar Center and applied some of the credit towards a Firebird that was another piece of crap. It sounded great, but in the first week of ownership the neck pickup cover fell off during a showcase that my band was playing. And then a few eeks later two of the banjo tuners develped serious slipping problems. Since I bought it new, Gibson sent me some replacment tuners and a new neck pickup. I replaced the parts and sold it a few days later. I have since bought three other Historic LPs, and one newer USA Firebird, and they've all been stellar. I just had a bad run for a bit starting with that crap 2007 R7

 

[AA00475Bassman]

I'm glad youl ike your new guitars CONGRATS! But my 2007 R7 that I bought online was the WORST of any Gibson Historics I've owned. The 2007 wood year thing didn't work in my favor. That was a total dud of a guitar. Resonant 2007 Honduran Mahogany good wood year? NOT!!! I set it up perfectly, and swapped out the electronics, but nothing helped that dog. I put the stock parts back on it, and traded it into Guitar Center and applied some of the credit towards a Firebird that was another piece of crap. It sounded great, but in the first week of ownership the neck pickup cover fell off during a showcase that my band was playing. And then a few eeks later two of the banjo tuners develped serious slipping problems. Since I bought it new, Gibson sent me some replacment tuners and a new neck pickup. I replaced the parts and sold it a few days later. I have since bought three other Historic LPs, and one newer USA Firebird, and they've all been stellar. I just had a bad run for a bit starting with that crap 2007 R7

I purchase my 2 2007's from my brick & mortar Gibson local dealer - family owned - that also paid huge cash to handle the Historic line - A dealer at the time I had , have purchased many several Historic line guitars . Also I did not buy the 2007 because it was a 2007 PURCHASED BOTH from my local dealer because they were good sounding & well made guitars - I also will add I knew nothing of the Honduran wood at the time of purchase . Last thing I would do is pretty up a pig with new - different pickups in my subjective opinion will will do little or nothing to a turd all one does is put a little paint on a turd with new pickups . Buying a guitar on line has a risk factor - I have purchased off dealers web sights mainly Daves Guitars another family run store with very good results Ive purcased 4 Historics from Daves the first one I purchased in person . Sorry you had a bad experience with your 2007 - I find this not the fault with the year of production .

 

[jb_abides]

2007 been veddy, veddy gute to me!

 

[doublea]

I had a 2007 R9 that was killer. Only negative was it was a bit heavy.

The guy that bought it had me send it to directly to Historic Makeovers on his behalf and he had the full package done. This was in 2010 or 2011 IIRC. It ultimately ended up in France and last time I checked was with a third owner in Italy. I wish I had gotten a picture of it post the makeover.

 

[Tim Plains]

I remember reading on this forum, years ago, that Honduras was only used for a short period during 2007 but internet chatter ballooned it to the whole year. Personally, I don't chase specific years or specs and would rather have great sounding guitars from any random year over so-so guitars from "special" years.

 

[Hamerfan]

Don‘t whether my 2007 R8 has Hondurian or not, but it has one classy dark’n’streaky Madagascar RW fingerboard.

 

[gkelm]

I bought the 2007 R9 on the left 15 years ago, and no other Les Paul prior or since can touch its tone. The other two are more recent acquisitions, both 2007. I’m a fan!

 

[RJLII]

I have an R6 and an R8 from 2007. They are both very resonant, and the one piece backs look great.