CS 58 and 59 Neck Profiles versus current (2019 to present) USA Standard 50s

[Jasonj]

Hello,
I am sure this has been addressed in this forum but was hoping to get some reliable information regarding how the neck profiles of 58 and 59 custom shop LPs compare to the currently produced USA standard 50s. I have a few USA stand 50s which have a pretty chunky neck, but i really like it. I have been contemplating getting a custom shop but was unsure which neck profile I might prefer. I have a Slash November Burst (currently for sale on Reverb) and two Wildwood 50s standards. I have asked a few people at various well known guitar stores and on youtube and the answered have been unclear and even contradictory. I just had a guy (an excellent player who has his own well known blues website) tell me that he thought that both the 58 and 59 were slimmer than the current 50s standards. Conversely a guy from "Dave's Guitar Shop" in WI tell me that both the 58 and the 59 were bigger than the USA 50s! I find the latter difficult to believe. My wildwood standards are pretty chunky and I dont have small hands. Any info would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Jasonj]

I found a good older thread on this topic! Sorry to bore people with the same old questions! ???

 

[1allspub]

No worries. Don’t know what you found in old the thread, but from my personal experience, 2018+ R8s and R9s are indeed slimmer feeling than 2019+ 50s Standards. It’s not so much the depth (a given R8/9 maybe be larger than a given 50s), but the RIs have smaller shoulders and it’s the bigger shoulders that really makes the 50s Standard feel chunkier.

Sounds like the guy at Dave’s is thinking of the way CS & USA LPs were prior to 2018/9. He probably just doesn’t realize things have changed in recent years because what he said would have been true back then. Not now.

 

[Jasonj]

No worries. Don’t know what you found in old the thread, but from my personal experience, 2018+ R8s and R9s are indeed slimmer feeling than 2019+ 50s Standards. It’s not so much the depth (a given R8/9 maybe be larger than a given 50s), but the RIs have smaller shoulders and it’s the bigger shoulders that really makes the 50s Standard feel chunkier.

Sounds like the guy at Dave’s is thinking of the way CS & USA LPs were prior to 2018/9. He probably just doesn’t realize things have changed in recent years because what he said would have been true back then. Not now.

Thanks for your reply and explanation, makes sense. I actually just ordered a brand new 59 reissue in dirty lemon, murphy ultra light aged! It looks very similar to the youtuber "Tomo Fujita's" if you're familiar. Nice wide / wavy , more mild flame. Excited to get it. Luckily the shop has a 14 days return policy if I don't dig it for some reason. Got a good deal too, these shops will definitely knock quite a bit off the list price if you ask!

 

[Any Name You Wish]

I find this contour gage to be really helpful in figuring out what neck shape suits me best, and it is only $10.....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004T7RA?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

My favorite neck is my R9, and I've used the gauge (and calipers) to compare necks and even shaved necks down if they are too fat.

Also, the thinnest part of the neck (in my experience measuring lots of them) is on either side of the first fret. Take the measurement close to the fret. Necks get a little thicker toward the nut and this can give an incorrect reading.

Or, just go by feel. That works too.

 

[corpse]

Most 2018 R9’s and after are Carmelita profile on the R9. It’s a very comfortable shape slimmer than previous custom shop guitars. Kim at historic makeovers used to say the 60s neck was the most accurate to 59 specs but I think that is changed.

 

[MarcB]

I spoke to a dealer in Italy the other day about his 58 TH RI.. asked if the neck was a typical 58 size and he responded that the 58 and 59 RI 2014/15 TH’s both came with a standardised 59’ish neck carve.. ?
Which in all the research I’ve been doing recently on the true historic, I have never once come across this information before..

 

[1allspub]

I spoke to a dealer in Italy the other day about his 58 TH RI.. asked if the neck was a typical 58 size and he responded that the 58 and 59 RI 2014/15 TH’s both came with a standardised 59’ish neck carve.. ?
Which in all the research I’ve been doing recently on the true historic, I have never once come across this information before..

That doesn’t sound right. But then again dealers (of any product) are often the source of as much bad info as good.

 

[MarcB]

That doesn’t sound right. But then again dealers (of any product) are often the source of as much bad info as good.

I agree.. it was kinda obvious he was just trying to sell the RI “58” with the allure of a “59” to warrant “59” prices. Which tbh.. put me off instantly.. as I’m not prepared to deal with anyone who uses bull to sell an instrument. I/we also know that a RI 58 neck is, by the very definition of the model spec, chunky’er than a 59 and is documented very well by the manufacturer and owners.. all be it that the necks “can” differ in chunk/girth.

 

[Jasonj]

I ended up getting a new 59 reissue Murphy lab lightly aged in dirty lemon. I just got it yesterday, and while it’s a beauty, and the neck felt great to me, not that much different than my standard 50s (maybe slimmer actually), unfortunately it came set up poorly. High action, rough frets, played like a guitar that been hanging in a guitar store for a long time. I have 14 days to return it for refund but decided to take it to my local tech for a good set up to see if it plays more like I expect. I’m hoping for a good outcome. If not I’ll send it back and keep looking!

 

[Any Name You Wish]

I ended up getting a new 59 reissue Murphy lab lightly aged in dirty lemon. I just got it yesterday, and while it’s a beauty, and the neck felt great to me, not that much different than my standard 50s (maybe slimmer actually), unfortunately it came set up poorly. High action, rough frets, played like a guitar that been hanging in a guitar store for a long time. I have 14 days to return it for refund but decided to take it to my local tech for a good set up to see if it plays more like I expect. I’m hoping for a good outcome. If not I’ll send it back and keep looking!

Good luck, I'm sure it will be fine. Most of them need a little set-up work when new. I ask, who doesn't like dirty lemon? Dirty lemon is the bomb.

 

[Jasonj]

Good luck, I'm sure it will be fine. Most of them need a little set-up work when new. I ask, who doesn't like dirty lemon? Dirty lemon is the bomb.

Yea, I guess I did have one of my wildwood USA standards come with rough frets one time, but they paid to have me send it back and they made it play like butter. So hopefully this dirty lemon ends up being great. Yea I really like the for and finish if the new one. It’s got a nice wide / wavy flame that is a bit more understated, which is what I wanted. And the aging looks legit, have a classic old LP look. I hope it works out. I had read last night that some people had trouble getting the action lower on these CSs due to how big the bridge pick up ring sits. I guess you could always just put in a different ring. I don’t need crazy low action but I like to have the option, especially for a guitar that’s worth more than my old 2007 lex GX 470! Ha

 

[Jasonj]

Good luck, I'm sure it will be fine. Most of them need a little set-up work when new. I ask, who doesn't like dirty lemon? Dirty lemon is the bomb.

Man I got the guitar back today and I just don’t think I got a good one. My tech even said he wasn’t impressed and said my wildwood standards play a lot better. The guitar is beautiful and in that respect it’s a winner and I like it more than my others (and my others are beauties) but I played it a lot this evening, going back and forth between one of my wildwood standards, and my standard played way better. I feel like this 59 is a fight to play, feels stiff, rigid, I can’t totally explain it. It was also kind of buzzy and the action was not even that low. And while the neck is comfortable, I think it felt slimmer than my 50s standards. Maybe I’m a 58 guy! I need to get to a quality shop that has all these and try them out. Luckily the shop I got this 59 has a 14 day return, I’ll just lose the shipping and the 55 bucks I paid my local tech for a set up. It’s a bummer, but I’ll be patient and find one at some point.

 

[renderit]

I found the necks on the 2013 thru 2016 varied A LOT.

Both on the R's and the TH's.

The dealer is incorrect on this point.

I have a metric shit ton of them from this era and the necks are all over the place.

 

[MarcB]

Do you think the “neck” guy at Gibson is told to differ the neck carves and only has a guide as to how thick or thin they should be, or do you think it depends on the day?

 

[MarcB]

Man I got the guitar back today and I just don’t think I got a good one. My tech even said he wasn’t impressed and said my wildwood standards play a lot better. The guitar is beautiful and in that respect it’s a winner and I like it more than my others (and my others are beauties) but I played it a lot this evening, going back and forth between one of my wildwood standards, and my standard played way better. I feel like this 59 is a fight to play, feels stiff, rigid, I can’t totally explain it. It was also kind of buzzy and the action was not even that low. And while the neck is comfortable, I think it felt slimmer than my 50s standards. Maybe I’m a 58 guy! I need to get to a quality shop that has all these and try them out. Luckily the shop I got this 59 has a 14 day return, I’ll just lose the shipping and the 55 bucks I paid my local tech for a set up. It’s a bummer, but I’ll be patient and find one at some point.

Shame this never worked out for you.. but hey..
on to the next... ?

 

[Jasonj]

Shame this never worked out for you.. but hey..
on to the next... ?

Yep, the search continues!

 

[MarcB]

Yep, the search continues!

For me it’s half the fun.. so much choice !!!

 

[Jasonj]

For me it’s half the fun.. so much choice !!!

Yea, the search does provide some kind of dopamine rush!!! I have some nice standards so I’m gonna try and be patient and wait for some good ones to pop up. Will likely try for dirty lemon again but maybe just VOS and skip the Murphy lab thing. I had originally just wanted the VOS and was all set to get one and it sold right before I pulled the trigger. Then I saw a good deal on the ultra light aged….

 

[MarcB]

Yea, the search does provide some kind of dopamine rush!!! I have some nice standards so I’m gonna try and be patient and wait for some good ones to pop up. Will likely try for dirty lemon again but maybe just VOS and skip the Murphy lab thing. I had originally just wanted the VOS and was all set to get one and it sold right before I pulled the trigger. Then I saw a good deal on the ultra light aged….

I’ve been perusing the used market daily.. i’ve recently come to realise that the 60th anniversary model is one to consider.. as it’s VOS and also historical in its construction.. and on the right day by the right seller can be in the same ballpark prices of standard VOS.