woodyee Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Hi! I've noticed in the Guitar Center website that there's a couple different reproductions of the 58 Les Paul. One's a 50th Anniversay, another's the VOS reissue and the other's a chambered reissue. What's the one closest to the original '58? I saw the VOS, I think, at GC last week but the guitar wasn't heavy like a Les Paul. I noticed that the 59 and 60 are similiar in that they have a few 'reissues'. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 woodyee VOS, means Vintage Original Specifications (or as close as that can be done today). You probably didn't hold a VOS at G.C. last week. My 58R VOS weighs more than any Paul I have ever owned. It is fat neck original as well. The weathered VOS finish is a waste, but polishes away easily if you like. Seems Gibson later made a VOS equivalent with the gloss finish, but I never looked into its specs as to how close to the VOS model those specs might be. Try some more research and get answers outside of G.C. And, some more from here, of course. Just don't be confused by VOS as a finish and not as meaning, Vintage Original Specifications. That dull finish treatment was applied to the first VOS Pauls as a Gibson idea for a sales stimulant only. Hope that helps some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 VOS only refers to the dull finish and the "aged" hardware. that's it. that being said, the 1958 Reissue (R8) comes in as either gloss or VOS. They are the same guitar spec wise. the chambered R8s have a flametop and are chambered, whereas regular R8s are plaintops and are true solid-bodies. the 50th Annivsersary R8s have a flametop, an "anniversary" pickguard and are aged by Tom Murphy. specwise, they are the same as regular R8s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 This can get confusing... '58 reissue = R8, '59 reissue = R9, etc The closest would be the regular R8...but even that is not close to a real '58. The 50th anniversary is a regular R8 with a flame top and artificially aged. The chambered R8 is essentially hollow. VOS does mean Vintage Original Spec but for the most part it is referred to as the aged finish on these guitars...not the same as the 50th R8. The 50th R8 looks like it's 50 years old. The finish is cracked everywhere; whereas, the R8 VOS just has dull hardware and isn't extremely shiny. If it's not a VOS, it has a gloss or high gloss finish. Basically, a shiny new guitar. The average weight of a reissue is around 9 lbs. R8s and R9s are the same thing. The only difference is R8s have a plain top, fatter neck and weigh a bit more on average. R8s used to come with flame tops around 10 years ago but now they're plain tops. R7s are also the same but in gold with an even fatter neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Curse you, FennRx...foiled again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 VOS only refers to the dull finish and the "aged" hardware. that's it. that being said' date=' the 1958 Reissue (R8) comes in as either gloss or VOS. They are the same guitar spec wise. the chambered R8s have a flametop and are chambered, whereas regular R8s are plaintops and are true solid-bodies. the 50th Annivsersary R8s have a flametop, an "anniversary" pickguard and are aged by Tom Murphy. specwise, they are the same as regular R8s. [/quote'] FennRx: I own one. I have the papers that say what VOS stands for and it is Vintage Original Specifications of the instrument's components. The papers then explain the finish as a separate subject matter. The dull finish is to make the instrument appear older and has nothing to do do with the VOS standing for Vintage Original Specifications. Gibson simply reintroduced the model with that finish at the outset. This discussion goes all the way back to the original forum where Gibson cleared the matter up once and, I hoped, for all time as I have just explained. The critical point is the guitars were first reissued with the accompanying dull finish. They were not finished that way in 1958. The finish is not in anyway an identifier to the Vintage Original Specifications reference. The internals of the guitar, body,neck, tuners and headstock are so. What has happened is Gibson came out with the gloss model and VOS then became slang for the original R8 reissues.:D Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 dude, no matter what it stands for, it refers to the dulled patina and aged hardware. thats why gloss models are not VOS!!! look it up. the VOS finishing is the new version of the Custom Authentic treatment Gibson used to do. go to MyLesPaul or the Les Paul Forum and ask. hell, ask Tim (R9). VOS only refers to the finish. i own a vos R8 and R9. so what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 hg, have a look at this gibson.com link. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom.aspx and click on Vintage Original Spec on the left. You'll see Gibson's entire Les Paul historic reissue line up. You'll notice that every guitar is in the "Vintage Original Spec" category but under most of the guitars it'll say "VOS." Actually, there's only one that doesn't say VOS and that's the "1959 Les Paul Reissue Gloss" but you'll also notice that above it is also a "1959 Les Paul Standard VOS" model. VOS means the aged finish on the wood and hardware. Maybe it's just a poor choice from Gibson to refer to the historic line as Vintage Original Spec and refer to the aged look at VOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Guys, The departed old forum members remember well as should Gibson itself for I pestered all enough. I researched the matter for a year looking for the Les Paul with the closest internals to the original 50ies models. At the time the first VOS models were initially produced there were no gloss models of the Historic Reissue Les Paul 8 with Vintage Original Specifications. I have the documentation explaining the guitar and the added finish patina clearly explaining the finish as an "added feature designed to enhance the appearance of the instrument you have purchased". Only later when the aged finish was not accepted did Gibson introduce the gloss models. Gibson itself has long since given up trying to explain this matter and just let it fly among those who would choose to differentiate between the historic reissue models' finish types by assigning VOS as a model and not just a finish top spray. Gibson allowed the misnomer to evolve. Reverse the terms and we are then constantly speaking of a gloss finish, that is all. I said at the outset that Gibson makes the gloss model now as well. I could use the word "gloss" every time I refer to the model just as you guys utilize VOS in referring to the R8 with the finish patina. If Gibson gave up on the point after producing the Gloss R8 it does more to prove the point then anything anyone can dig up after the gloss models came into production. If Gibson had not deleted the old forum I could then refer you to their efforts to make the matter clear. After the gloss (see what I mean) came into production Gibson noted the historic models be they gloss or aged finish each as close to Vintage Original Specifications as possible, and then simply allowed this useless discussion to end with Gloss & VOS to serve as the finish differentiation its customers seemed to grasp most easily. I am not stating there is a difference in the internals between the two models, but rather the term VOS came first on the original version of that historic reissue model. I am saying the first Historic Reissue 8s were denoted as meeting Vintage Original Specifications because that had been the effort. The finish patina was and is nothing more than a surface covering that can be removed from all wood and hardware with Gibson polish and a cloth. The instrument actually came with a special written warning to that exact point. Why is this small point between finish types such a mind blower? It's because patina came first, was not liked. Gloss came second and Gibson got tired of trying to keep the facts clear as long as people bought both. I think this is not worth the effort really and here I allowed myself to get drawn into it once again. My bad. I have the instrument, its early on purchase, the documentation and the explanation from Gibson itself. Hell! It's not even my favorite guitar! I'm going to stay satisfied because what is on paper and in the case clearly states the facts at the outset of production. These things never end and you guys have every right to see it the way you do from the information you have to draw upon. I respect that fact. I don't respect the fact Gibson let the misunderstanding, as to finishes, affect the original meaning of the phrase Vintage Original Specifications. Do you see the word "finish" anywhere in that phrase? You guys are are close to calling me a liar about the documentation, explanation, booklet and all other materials that came with the first made Historic Reissue Les Paul 8s designed as closely to the Vintage Original Specifications as possible. That aint cool men. Lets' stay pals on this forum. Your point is taken. Please do the same with mine. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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