Are Historic Series guitars considered to be Gibson Custom Shop?

[Kmaz]

I always thought they were, is this wrong?

 

[twinrider1]

Yes. A Gibson is either Gibson USA or Gibson Custom Shop. Historics fall in the Custom Shop category. But not everything from the Custom Shop is a Historic.

Is something leading you to think otherwise?

 

[Jagsound]

Historics are made by the Custom Shop and have vintage type specs and serial numbers.
Other Custom Shop guitars often have a serial number starting with CS, and there's a Black Beauty LP that is CS but not Historic, so presumably there are some small details on this model that are not vintage correct (maybe a short tenon?).

AFAIK the build quality is the same, but I would guess that the better pieces of wood will be used for the Historics, particularly the R9 and R0.

 

[daddyo]

It can get confusing. Perfect example - Les Paul Custom in black. The Custom shop makes a fine black custom with all the Custom gingerbread like 7 ply bindings and trapezoid headstock but with a maple top and 490/498 pups. The Custom shop also makes an Historic 1957 les Paul Custom in black that is closer to the actual 57 Custom with an all mahogany body, Burstbucker pups, and VOS body aged bindings.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Ele...l/Gibson-Custom/Les-Paul-Custom/Features.aspx

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Ele...m/1957-Les-Paul-Custom-2-PU-VOS/Features.aspx

 

[Tim Plains]

Historic Les Pauls are the only ones Les Pauls with a solid-body.
Everything else is either weight-relieved (swiss cheese holes) or chambered.

Historics have long neck tenon. The only other new(er) Les Paul with long tenon is the new Standard, which was introduced in mid 2008.

A Les Paul Custom has a swiss cheese body and short neck tenon. A historic Custom ('54, 57...and even '68) have solid-bodies and long neck tenon.

 

[AaeCee]

And don't let the dated guitars that aren't CS or Historic like the '61 SG (USA) throw you off. To make matters even more confusing, there is a CS Historic version of the same.

 

[Tim Plains]

^ good point!...but the Custom Shop SG is called the '62RI, or Standard VOS.
For Les Pauls, there's one model called the 1960 Classic. This is not a historic reissue. The historic reissue is the R0 (1960 Les Paul Standard VOS).

Gibson really needs to do a better job with naming their models...

 

[AaeCee]

The only other new(er) Les Paul with long tenon is the new Standard, which was introduced in mid 2008.

Wow, didn't realized this. What are the electronics like? Swiss cheese as well? Are you sure you know what you're talking about?

 

[tnvol]

Is "VOS" the new "Historic"???

 

[AaeCee]

Is "VOS" the new "Historic"???

Not really. VOS is the treatment (or lack thereof) that Gibson started using a few years ago to give Historics more of a vintage appearance. Basically it includes clouded hardware and less polishing of the wood surfaces. Some Historics still come both ways. BTW....it stands for 'Vintage Original Specs."

 

[tnvol]

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Ele...ibson-Custom/1958-Les-Paul-Plain-Top-VOS.aspx

So this guitar. I don't see the words "Historic" or "Reissue" in the description, but they are used in the reviews. Are these guitars of lesser quality than a Historic or a Reissue? Not trying to nitpick here, but the confusing terminology is killing me! lol

 

[mrbungel]

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Ele...ibson-Custom/1958-Les-Paul-Plain-Top-VOS.aspx

So this guitar. I don't see the words "Historic" or "Reissue" in the description, but they are used in the reviews. Are these guitars of lesser quality than a Historic or a Reissue? Not trying to nitpick here, but the confusing terminology is killing me! lol

Yes, that's a Historic R8 (1958 RI, Custom Shop).

 

[tnvol]

Yes, that's a Historic R8 (1958 RI, Custom Shop).

Thanks. I thought so but wasn't 100% sure.

 

[mrbungel]

Unless you're adamant about having a new one, get a used model, plaintop R8's go for around $2K (+/-).There are always a couple for sale here on TGP.

 

[AaeCee]

Not trying to nitpick here, but the confusing terminology is killing me! lol

Yeah, as Are Nine said earlier, Gibson really needs to do a better job with their labeling. I sometimes wonder whether they are deliberately trying to be somewhat less than clear.

 

[mrbungel]

When in doubt, pull the back control plate. A few slipped thru without the R stamp, but MOST Historic R2, R4, R6, R7, R8, R9 guitars are ink stamped inside the control cavity. Example, a 58 RI Historic will be stamped R8.

 

[Kmaz]

Does Gibson still use the word "Historic?"

 

[daddyo]

Does Gibson still use the word "Historic?"

I don't think so. Here is a 1959 les paul Reissue. All the others are called VOS.
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Ele...ibson-Custom/1959-Les-Paul-Reissue-Gloss.aspx

 

[Jahn]

When in doubt, pull the back control plate. A few slipped thru without the R stamp, but MOST Historic R2, R4, R6, R7, R8, R9 guitars are ink stamped inside the control cavity. Example, a 58 RI Historic will be stamped R8.

mine isn't stamped but i think it's a special case, since it's all slathered in black in there.

 

[Jon C]

Yeah, as Are Nine said earlier, Gibson really needs to do a better job with their labeling. I sometimes wonder whether they are deliberately trying to be somewhat less than clear.

somewhere in the Gibson warrens there is an MBA in marketing at work ...