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Tone turds ....

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
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683
any photos of Historics that look fantastic but after trying everything you could think of still dont sound so great ?

this could be due to things like a loose neck joint or a "clunker " piece of wood for the back
( maybe the wood has too much silicon )

the most interesting would be the ridiculously ornate "Utima " models with the blister tops and the fer de lance ornamentation

in other words a guitar that is all "show" and no "go "

 
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Les Paulette

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Apr 3, 2021
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94
I dont have any historics or anniversaries..but the title of this thread tickled my funny bone..had to take a peek..lol
 

renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
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Common term. I even made a logo fer it!

37180511471_d387af2615_k.jpg
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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Such hearsay to disparage Gibson Custom . They choose a higher quality of wood ,thus they answer to a higher authority !
 

Red Baron

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Jul 14, 2004
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I've been lucky that most of the Historic's that I've bought from overseas have been consistently good, except for this 2010 R8 that I bought from Japan - it looked amazing and even after changing all of the hardware it still sounded meh!

Interestingly the best sounding Historic that I've ever played belonged to a friend (a 2000 R9), and it was also one of the ugliest with a horrible BBQ top...
 

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Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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I've been lucky that most of the Historic's that I've bought from overseas have been consistently good, except for this 2010 R8 that I bought from Japan - it looked amazing and even after changing all of the hardware it still sounded meh!

Interestingly the best sounding Historic that I've ever played belonged to a friend (a 2000 R9), and it was also one of the ugliest with a horrible BBQ top...
So a vivid well figured quartersawn top is ugly and you fling the cliched BBQ top label like we should all recoil in disgust. hmmmm Nope, don't feel it.
 

Red Baron

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So a vivid well figured quartersawn top is ugly and you fling the cliched BBQ top label like we should all recoil in disgust. hmmmm Nope, don't feel it.
Sorry I don't get your reply Big Al... we all have different tastes, but an ugly top is an ugly top any way you look at it.

I think if you saw the top I was referring to, you would have recoiled in disgust, then you would have plugged it in and given that ugly duckling a big wet kiss because of how good it sounds. šŸ˜
 

El Gringo

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So a vivid well figured quartersawn top is ugly and you fling the cliched BBQ top label like we should all recoil in disgust. hmmmm Nope, don't feel it.
I like the top and I would own it .
 

jrgtr42

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Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
Sorry I don't get your reply Big Al... we all have different tastes, but an ugly top is an ugly top any way you look at it.

I think if you saw the top I was referring to, you would have recoiled in disgust, then you would have plugged it in and given that ugly duckling a big wet kiss because of how good it sounds. šŸ˜
I agree with you that an ugly top is an ugly top - but I'm with Al; that's not an ugly top.
 

65Firebird

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Oct 14, 2019
Messages
110
The "ugly" R9 Red Baron talked about hasn't been posted here. The guitar you all say looks great (I agree) is the "turd" R8 he mentioned. At least it says so on the photos.

Of all the forums I visit, I think this is the one where people misunderstand each other the most :ROFLMAO:
Yes, I think the photos are of the Tone Turd not the plain top!
 

Red Baron

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The "ugly" R9 Red Baron talked about hasn't been posted here. The guitar you all say looks great (I agree) is the "turd" R8 he mentioned. At least it says so on the photos.

Of all the forums I visit, I think this is the one where people misunderstand each other the most :ROFLMAO:
Yep you read my post right thin sissy šŸ‘
 

AA00475Bassman

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Apr 26, 2016
Messages
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The "ugly" R9 Red Baron talked about hasn't been posted here. The guitar you all say looks great (I agree) is the "turd" R8 he mentioned. At least it says so on the photos.

Of all the forums I visit, I think this is the one where people misunderstand each other the most :ROFLMAO:
It's puzzling, the comments some must for sure not read the post and definitely not read any of the preceding posts .

Trying to solve last night's Chinese algebra and posting is not recommended !!
 
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El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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I've been lucky that most of the Historic's that I've bought from overseas have been consistently good, except for this 2010 R8 that I bought from Japan - it looked amazing and even after changing all of the hardware it still sounded meh!

Interestingly the best sounding Historic that I've ever played belonged to a friend (a 2000 R9), and it was also one of the ugliest with a horrible BBQ top...
Maybe try some ThroBak pickups ?
 

Dr. Green

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Dec 12, 2018
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683
this thread should have a special video associated with it
while I doubt this is Big Al's "cup of tea" I think many of you will love it

 

Red Baron

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Jul 14, 2004
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Maybe try some ThroBak pickups ?
Funny you should mention Throbak's, I actually put a set in that guitar, as well as replacing the tailpiece, studs, and bridge with Pigtail parts. The addition of those parts improved the sound, but not by enough to make me want to keep it.

That guitar really highlighted the importance of the wood, although many would have been fooled into thinking that it's a great sounding Les Paul if they had judged it solely on it's acoustic sound. It was loud and alive when played unplugged, but just didn't have "that" sound when amplified.
 
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latestarter

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Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
Recently had a tone turd R8 on the bench. New. Lots of high frets and generally poorly seated. Installed new taller wider frets ( the reason for the job) glued in (hide) and it was a tone turd no longer.
 
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