2012 R7 darkback, WTF?

[Minibucker]

Ah....sweet.

 

[Ryan Givhan]

I agree with the sentiment expressed by the original poster, i.e., that a lot of recent darkbacks are too dark-looking or opaque-looking. Below are two photos of a 2009 darkback that I own (not a goldtop, though), shown next to a 2010 sunburst reissue that has the typical cherry-colored back. The first photo was taken with flash, whereas the lower photo is without flash. I'm generally OK with the darkback color on this guitar because it does actually have some degree of transparency to it:

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if i had a goldtop/darkback. this is what i would want it to look like, maybe slightly lighter brown. but basically this.

 

[moonweasel]

Yes, the Dave's run that I'm referring to was probably separate from the one to which your guitar belongs. But the run I'm referring to was also limited to only maybe ten or fifteen guitars. But, as I recall, they were all R-7 goldtops and they were not intended to be darkbacks, IIRC. Rather, they were supposed to be a more accurate-looking version of the natural-back goldtop color. And I do think that Gibson was successful in satisfying that criterion, as these guitars' backs were noticeably darker than the (IMO) too-light natural backs that Gibson has been offering in recent Historic Collection years. But not dark enough to be mistaken for a darkback. The serial numbers, too, were stamped in dark ink (as opposed to light-colored ink), so I don't think the guitars were 'supposed' to be darkbacks.

Anyway, since the last of these guitars sold, I've never seen them come up in any discussion threads, and I haven't seen a single one come up for sale used, nor does it appear that any further examples were ever produced. I would guess that Dave Rogers would remember them, though. I thought they were a great idea.
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I remember those guitars as well! They did look great. The reason I didn't catch on there at first is that the series you are referring to are, like you said, a more accurate natural back. This being a dark back thread through me a bit.

Just an FYI, I dug up my emails traded with Dave on my guitar. He was not satisfied with the dark backs Gibson was doing (the nearly black ones, which are NOT a new thing as people are implying, they were the "standard" darkback back then, circa 2003). So he worked with Gibson on a color and got Music Machine, his store, and one other (name escapes me) to do a batch order to split between the stores. It was 10-20 "accurate" dark backs. Mine is one of those, 8.7 lbs. Long time users here will remember how long it took me to find a lightweight R4, it was an 18 month odyssey back then. This was back in late '03 as I recall. My guitar is an early 04. Mine was shipped to Dave's, but was sold through Music Machine somehow. Confusing, but it was unsold new condition, for $1950 shipped. Those were the days.

 

[Minibucker]

'Gingerback' = win.

 

[Musicman]

Mine is dark but not black and I think it's getting lighter than when I first got it.

 

[MrBurst]

This is my mine I bought it from Vic DaPra

 

[Minibucker]

That one looks nice.

 

[wild.joz]

What Minibucker said.

I was at the same shop as my original post, and sure enough, the black back R7 was still there... I checked again, under different lighting conditions (natural, fluorescent and strong stage lights) and it's definitely solid black.