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Info on the R4 or R6 Les Paul Historic


Clayfingers

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Hi there,

 

I'm looking at getting a gold top p-90 equiped les Paul Historic, I'm not into the trapeze bridge '52, so it's either the R4 or R6, or maybe even the 54 Lss Paul Custom. Love the fat necks on these.

 

Anyway, I'm a bit of a cleanskin when it comes to these things, is there anything I should look at for on the second hand market, such as:

 

Good years and bad years?

Features (dark vs light back)

Does the R4 wrap around bridge work OK?

 

Anything else to consider before I look at this seriously?

 

Thanks,

 

Clayfingers.

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:rolleyes: the historic collection les paul reissues are improving every year usually.

since its debut in 1993, there have been many minor improvements on them.

and for the R4/6 goldtops too.

 

@ there is NO bad year especially.(shouldnt be!) but.....

 

2011-2009 > 2008-2003 > 2002-1999 > 1996-1993 > 1998-1997

 

in 2009, they got the BEST improvement. in 2003, they got the MOST improvement.

in 1999, they got a GREAT improvement. in 1993, they had the basic. in 1997,

they got worse ONLY a bit!(a tiny extra space between the PU ring and the pickguard)

but from 1997 they had a CS case. not the regular gibson usa case for 1993-1996.

 

@ there are about 4 different goldtop back colors over the years. (could be more?)

 

-natural back

-dark back

-walnut back

-all gold

 

 

@ i think the wrap around bridge works ok. it sure adjusts worse but got a better sustain and tone than the tune-o-matic in fact. this helps the weakness of the p-90 tone some by its direct stronger tone! R4 lacks the tune-o-matic but it feels more strong/direct than R6. freddie king shows it on his vintage instrumental tunes?

 

 

@ all goldtops are very cool. i love them deep lately. when i was young, i was only into the bursts...silly...was young and blind then!

 

 

 

 

 

:-({|= joe.

 

Thanks Joe, very handy information, I'll keep my search going.

 

Clayfingers.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest FarnsBarns

I played an r4 in a shop, as I was considering buying it I checked the intonation, it was way out at the 12th. I told the guy in the shop and they messed about with it for ages but they couldn't get it right. A few weeks later I got my R6. It has the widest tonal range of any guitar I've played. Also there's over and under wound pups around for them so you can move outside the design parameters too.

 

I intend to put some pio caps in mine one day. I am not entirely convinced they'll make any difference but they are cheap so It's an interesting experiment.

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