NighthawkChris

The CST3s are ebony. The one with the trem is RW as it is an ST3.

That’s the limited run 2009. I’ve seen a few of these recently but I haven’t had bad enough GAS to pull the trigger on it. Then again, I have enough guitars and more guitars means more maintenance haha! Although I’ve been debating what guitar I might want next - that GAS bothering me again... It’s a disease 😂 only cured with a nice purchase or four

Bring back the Nighthawk - not just the Epiphone NH. I'd be geeked to buy a new NH, but probably will never happen in the Gibson lineup. And if they were brought back, do it like they were in the 90s. I don't like those 2011 or 2013 models and I don't like the Epi-hawks. While they're at it, bring back the Blueshawk. It's a love it or hate it guitar, but I know the used market is pretty hot for NHs - if they're priced right. The rare ones go very fast. I was lucky when I bought my CST3... Literally SCOURED the web to find a shop that had one. I ended up finding one backwoods shop in Montana that had a CST3. Total luck, but glad I found it It's my avatar FYI. Here's a better image of my 3 NHs. Hard to see the figuring on the one in the middle because the red is so dark, but up close it has some nice patterns going on like it does in the amber finished spot. The one with the trem is pretty plain, but still it is a nice player. The one on the left has a flamed top like CSTs do, but it's one of those flames that only comes out in the right lighting. This one is a little bit more beat up than the other 2.

Mur-fee lab guitars

OK, maybe not a belt sander, but clearly parts of the guitar where they wear away finish to the bare wood - and clearly noticeable dings on various locations (heavy aged especially). This is a relic... I see TONS of these now on Reverb and you pay a few K more for this labor to relic. Belt sander, whatever, there is finish missing around the headstock edges, worn finish on the backs of these guitars, etc. Chemicals... what then I wonder... It is mechanically wearing down a finish prematurely. I'm with you on the immaculate guitar bit though. That's my flavor of new guitar. Always has been, always will. I own 2 R9s, 2 R7s and a 68RI. Love their Historics, but none are Gibson issued relics. The VOS is typically the way these Historics come but the finishes are perfect on these with some crap on the HW to make it look old. You can even polish that crap out if you so choose. And with you on the cases. They aren't as protective as they could be IMHO. This is why I have a dedicated non-Gibson case to transport to wherever when the need arises.

To the point of buying relics, but used... better prices and you deal with someone else's fu**ery. Dings, scratches, etc at a discount because you know how bad people are hurting for money these days... Screw buying a $7k reissue that was put in Gibsons freezer and razor bladed “strategically”... You know the guys relicing these guitars probably laugh hysterically when they make these haha! They’re like, “Can you believe someone’s gonna buy this s*** for more than I make in a month!” Then they continue to take the sanding belt to that beautiful base finish on some beautiful flamed maple...

Wow that’s a real nice strat right there! I’m jealous haha! Congrats and enjoy for many years!

OK, so I am with you on the whole Gibson not trying to save the planet bit - they're a company that makes guitars with available materials to make profit like every other company doing business. What should be done about the guitars that they make that apparently don't use either IRW or ebony? I just don't see this as a betrayal of any sort. I haven't been sold on anything about saving the planet when I buy a guitar - from anyone... FYI, I own 13 guitars with ebony, maple, IRW, Bolivian RW (Pau Ferro), and whatever rosewood Gibson was using in the 90s (so confused now), and even the dreaded Richlite... I literally cannot tell the difference between these guitars because they use one material or another.

I am not understanding those that are not happy with the Gibson fretboards of present day. What kind of wood (or material) should Gibson use to make you happy? Literally, we were all mad at Richlite, so we are now using real WOOD, and that's an issue. Do we object to prices because we can't put unsustainable woods on a guitar? Not trying to bust balls here, but I for one don't get my panties in a bunch about fretboards. Gibson isn't the only guitar maker that is trying new materials out and neither these other companies are reducing prices because it is "unacceptable" rosewood. So explain this to an insensitive dummy - i.e. me.

My 1994 LP Standard has the binding covering the seam in question here. So yes to confirm about some years using thicker binding strip around this cap.

@Rabs I’m with you in the triburst as a personal fave! I like red guitars and red necks!

Yeah I don’t get the whole paying (a lot) extra for beat up guitars. I’ve spent some dough on some reissues and don’t regret it one bit, but they aren’t relics. Also paid used prices too where I got “better” prices. As far as Gibson going all in on selling more relics for $7k and north of that, not too sure about that...

OK, this is the second time you've posted about your TV yellow LP Special and it is not helping my GAS out 😄

Well hopefully you don't need to worry about neck angles, screws coming up too far out of the saddles, etc. My American Fenders are pretty top notch if I don't say so myself. I am more of a Gibson guy, but Fenders are awesome guitars - being that I like Strats and Teles.

I beg to differ that the glue was needed because you won't be doing this repair again next time you take out the screw. Glad you used wood glue too instead of super glue...

@kargausa you said you bought the LP in 2016. This guitar wasn’t made in 2016, correct? Just curious when it was built. The serial number should be able to give you an idea when it was made. So if it’s a bit older guitar all the more reason this is how it’s gonna age. Nitrocellulose finishes won’t last forever unfortunately. Just keep it clean with a soft cloth rag and should look good for many years to come.

Wouldn't feel bad or worry about this. It's not a defect, it's just what solid finish Gibsons do. It shouldn't get much worse so long as you continue to take care of the guitar. I highly doubt that you'll see finish start chipping off if you are taking care of it like you said. And something like this wouldn't even be a deal breaker if you ever wanted to sell it. So rest assured, nothing functionally gonna go wrong because of what you're seeing. As guitars get older, they are gonna show their age, especially if they are played.

To add, R7s and R8s also have tall skinny frets with baseball bat necks. R9s have a less fat neck profile and lower, a bit wider frets. I have an R7 GT, Black Beauty R7, and 2 R9s. R9s I have found where you can get a nice light weight guitar which I also like a ton. Don't have an R8, but they are more like an R7 regarding frets and neck profile based on what I've heard/read. R8s usually have anywhere from a plain top to somewhat flamed top. But some R8s have some real nice flames that could pass for R9s, so they are out there. But generally, R8, I'm thinking plain top. Price difference... Gibson says they put the most select woods to things like R9s - lighter, more flames, etc. Not that other Rs have crap, just that the R9 is like many holy grail guitars and Gibson knows it. I've found R9s for around $5-$5.5k on Reverb - or Mark's Guitar Loft... Bought my R9 from him back a while ago. Great guitars, great prices. His stock rotates a bit, so keep an eye out. You shouldn't have to pay ~$6.5k... unless you're going for something like a Murphy, Brazilian RW... You're gonna pay for that stuff. My opinion now - you can't go wrong with a Historic really. It's really one of those things you can know the specs and compare that way, but you have to put them in your hand to know for sure. I like the fat R7 necks and if you don't smash your fingers into the guitar when you fret - i.e. have some grace - the taller, skinnier frets don't matter. I will say that the R9 just has a comfortable feel for any LP you'll ever put in your hand. They're great guitars and a lot of fun to play. IMHO, they are the best LP Gibson has to offer. But again, Historics are all great guitars from my experiences. They are seem noticeably better crafted than the USA guitars. And USA Gibsons aren't bad at all, just that the Historics from the Custom Shop are my flavor of Gibson guitar.

I'm emo... I'm always depressed. lol 😆

I’ve seen quite a few videos about the neck tilt function, but I would only use it if I absolutely had to. My 2 Fenders have the tilt function where it is doing nothing - bolt is just snugged not applying any tilt. But some guitars have neck angles where the saddles can’t be lowered any more to get the string action low enough, so the tilt will fix this like a neck shim would of course. Another thing is the saddle height screws sometimes pop out where if you palm mute they can catch your hand. So again tilting the neck in this case would make the saddles need to be raised to get the screws out of the way. Another thing it does is to allow global string height adjustment to a guitar that is already set up for the fretboard radius. So the first 2 reasons I suggested I would use it, maybe not so much the third. Anyhow I believe that you only use this if you have to. Otherwise just back it off all the way and snug up the bolt so it doesn’t get loose and rattle around.

Fender makes some great guitars. Hope you like your new Strat. Best of luck!

Agreed, there's no f'n way that strings touching the back of the bridge cause buzzing...

You ain't kidding... A lot of iron in the water around here - that's what makes it stink from what I've read. Could get one of those reverse osmosis filters going on where those take care of it all, but in the end, I get used to the water as it comes. If I drink water, comes in a bottle from the store. I don't have a water bill, but I do have to maintain my equipment - well pump, bladder tank, softener and salts, etc. Also helps that I know how to do all the electrical and plumbing to get the system going so I don't have to call anyone up to fix my s***. Also nice that we have septic out here and don't have a sewer bill. We do have natural gas delivered - and of course electric - via utility company, but anything water-related is generally on our own to take care of out here.

The nicest part IMHO about hand-wired as opposed to the PCB - which saves Gibson time and money - is that when one thing goes wrong - a pot, cap, etc - you aren’t troubleshooting a board you have no idea what is connected to what generally speaking. It’s a b!tch to even replace a pot I’ll bet on that PCB. Now it isn’t going to sound different if the components are identical and connections are the same, but again much easier for you to maintain. Replacing pickups when you don’t have that PCB is much easier for many more people. The level of troubleshooting knowledge needed isn’t as complicated. Not that this is an extremely complicated thing, but if you know jack about electronics, it’s sort of daunting. I’m not saying to do one thing or the other, just sharing facts that that PCB is for Gibsons advantage not yours.

F’n A man this! We even have internet today with nice videos to explain how, what and why which a lot of us didn’t have for a long time when we started playing. I really not hard to learn how to set a guitar up. Definitely many more things in life that are far more complicated.