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Some CS 59 questions on modding

Tone Chasr

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Joined
Apr 27, 2021
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4
Hello friends
I'm eyeing up a CS 59 2018 and has an expected price of about £5800 here in the UK.

I have just traded a 2013 Standard LP and once upon a time I had planned a new Brazilian rosewood from a luthier I know, as I wasn't too impressed with the FB on the 2013.


Here's the question:
What would I do to the value of the 2018 CS 59 I have my eye on if I had the whole fretboard replaced with a vintage spec'd Brazilian Rosewood FB? I'm not decided if I would do it, I just don't know the market for these guitars well enough. Quality wise, the new fretboard would be about as good as you can get, as the luthier who would be doing it is a specialist in these guitars.

Thanking you
 

C-4

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Jan 5, 2005
Messages
1,776
Make sure you get paperwork showing that the fret board you are having installed can be proven to be real brazzy.
There is a company here called Historic Makeovers and they hand out certificates showing each thing they did to guitars they worked on.

I would also make sure the guitar you are going to do this to is a special one. Too many times, players change out things on a guitar and then find that they wish they hadn't. What you are doing is more radical then someone changing out pickups, and plastic.

You may find that the sound, or feel, or both do not change up the guitar as much as you may wish it had. Finding a LP that makes you excited without changing anything out will be worth more to you in the long run, me thinks. In any event, best of luck in doing your desired changes.
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
I don't think replacing the fretboard with a Brazilian board on a 2018 CS 59 would increase the value or enhance the sound & playability of the guitar whatsoever.
I dare say that it might even decrease the value without enhancing the sound & playability.
 

EXPLRGAB

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Jul 4, 2020
Messages
108
You are talking major surgery, time and cost. with the money spent modding......maybe you are settling on the 2018 too soon. Continue the search..accumulate more resources...find another guitar.....Seems like you are looking for something else....If the guitar is not a keeper to begin with.....and this is ultimately unknown....The guitar may be good to go right out of the box...what is your objective on such a subjective concept ?
 

Mattyboy75

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Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
94
I’m no expert or luthier but; Is there any particular reason you want to do this? The FB on the CS will likely be different to the 2013 standard that you didn’t like. Has the CS got fret nibs on the binding? Will your new luthier be able to reinstate them or will you care if he can’t?
 

AA00475Bassman

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Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
Do it if YOU want , effects of value would be minimal .

Although I would not give a Historic a second look if the guitar had such a extensive modification, you might really narrow your used buyer pool .
 

clearmudd

Active member
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
499
I would search out a spectacular 2012 with the two piece fretboard for the project. Most 2012 R9s can be found for less than average R7s..... Just a thought.

I got my 2012 R9 (avatar) for cheap a couple of years back for HM project,....but fell in love with it and had no desire to change a thing..... this can happen too;)
 
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Any Name You Wish

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Joined
Apr 15, 2021
Messages
493
I agree with a couple of posters above. Find a factory one if you can because lots can go wrong even in the hands of an expert. I went down a Brazilian rabbit hole once with D28 acoustic and ended up with a guitar I did not like.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I don't think replacing the fretboard with a Brazilian board on a 2018 CS 59 would increase the value or enhance the sound & playability of the guitar whatsoever.
I dare say that it might even decrease the value without enhancing the sound & playability.
I have to agree . It all depends if you plan on keeping the instrument ? then mod on . Or if you plan on selling at some point it might affect the price / value . Also the neck could get dinged up by removing the fingerboard .
Make sure you get paperwork showing that the fret board you are having installed can be proven to be real brazzy.
There is a company here called Historic Makeovers and they hand out certificates showing each thing they did to guitars they worked on.

I would also make sure the guitar you are going to do this to is a special one. Too many times, players change out things on a guitar and then find that they wish they hadn't. What you are doing is more radical then someone changing out pickups, and plastic.

You may find that the sound, or feel, or both do not change up the guitar as much as you may wish it had. Finding a LP that makes you excited without changing anything out will be worth more to you in the long run, me thinks. In any event, best of luck in doing your desired changes.
So true , as It will not be a sonic/ sound /tone changer . It is more cosmetic and bragging rights , not that there is anything wrong with that at all .
 

surfreak

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May 6, 2002
Messages
1,115
I think that if it weren't for places like this, you wouldn't even consider doing such a mod to a CS guitar.

I vote a resounding no, and if you really like the look of a Brazilian rw fingerboard, buy a LP that comes stock with it.
 

axeman565758

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Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
1,204
any mods to your guitar should never be done for value/resale purposes.
Any extensive mods may NOT increase your value, you may also be reducing your buying pool. I for one would shy away from any kind of structural mods, unless it was dirt cheap.....and maybe not even then. But that's just me.
 

Tone Chasr

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Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
4
Thanks for all the advice, guys. Gave it all a good think and decided I'd be happy to do it on the right guitar, but for this the right guitar for this would be a brazi spec'd guitar from factory. So I'll wait for that day.

Until then, I have a really unique looking Burny on it's way to me from the states. The best I can date it is between 1979-83 given the headstock and pots. I wont be doing any mods to this.

ktbnujntfiepmhzikzsu.jpg
 
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Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
So, ...... you get a Burny that is very inaccurate and has a certain appeal, big in the 70's and early 80's. Cool then, but I can't say they scratch my Les Paul itch in this century. They have their fans, that's a fact. Anyway, this guitar won't get modded but you felt fine ripping off the fingerboard of a new Custom Shop 1959 Replica?

So you bought this instead because you just have to have a Brazilian board on a new R9?? Brilliant, you got the right one.
 

Tone Chasr

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Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Messages
4
So, ...... you get a Burny that is very inaccurate and has a certain appeal, big in the 70's and early 80's. Cool then, but I can't say they scratch my Les Paul itch in this century. They have their fans, that's a fact. Anyway, this guitar won't get modded but you felt fine ripping off the fingerboard of a new Custom Shop 1959 Replica?

So you bought this instead because you just have to have a Brazilian board on a new R9?? Brilliant, you got the right one.
Dafuq? Rein in back in there, buddy lol

This Burny is just another guitar cus its cool af. I'ma wait for a brazi spec'd Gibson to come my way. This thread was just asking some questions on a thought I had, for a market that I don't know too well. To do this on a saaaaay sub $1500 wouldn't faze me, but anything over that, let alone a $6/7k guitar is different. S'all good
 
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