Original '59 vs RI '59

Here is a very interesting video featuring Larry Dimarzio's original 59 Les Paul against a RI 59 with Dimarzio PAF's.

To me the biggest difference is that the original 59 sounds more open and the reissue sounds great but a little choked. Kind of like it doesn't breathe as well. I guess that's what 50 years of aging and who knows what other kind of magic will do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbgUMqUMns

I clicked on the link expecting to hear very little difference, but the real '59 is so much nicer!

Yes, acoustically and plugged in it sounds much nicer. It's interesting that the way it sounds acoustically (open and able to breathe) translates into the way it sounds plugged in as well.

I've seen this vid. Yes, it's very impressive. But it only tells us about Dimarzio's '59 vs. this particular R9.

I remain to be convinced that the originals are consistently better. Dimarzio himself said that he picked that guitar out of 5 as being by far the best.

Now there must be a great many more R9s in the world than 'bursts. My guess is that there are a lot of those "magic" LPs among them.

I saw a thread somewhere, mylespaul I think, in which a kid went around London playing '50s goldtops. His theory is you have to play a lot of Les Pauls to find the really good ones (it's nice for some). His claim was that the R6 he settled on was the most resonant goldtop he played, including the '50s ones. And it certainly did sound crazy loud acoustically on youtube.

It's hardly proof, but it does sow a lot of doubt in my mind as to whether '50s Les Pauls are likely to be much better than reissues.

I've seen that vid before too. They should have chucked Tokai Reborn into the mix... actually, make that an Edwards

I'd say that if you put a slight boost pedal in front of the RI, then you wouldn't notice any difference.

singemonkey said:

I remain to be convinced that the originals are consistently better. Dimarzio himself said that he picked that guitar out of 5 as being by far the best.

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Mate, I think it is purely up to an individual if a guitar sounds great or not, but if it is workmanship you are leaning towards? then the originals are consistently better..

It's all in the book 'Gibson Guitars - Ted McCarty's Golden era 1948-1966'

It is documented in there quotes from the great American guitar maker, and his people (workers) as to what was what within the company in that time.

Quality control was the one of the things that during his golden era, that he is renowned.
Then in 1966 the son of the then President of CMI came along and stuffed it all up, (the reason why Mr McCarty left).

But i'm sure you just meant the sound, and for me, i thought the orignal sounded better compared to the historic, in time, i am sure that particular historic will sound better to me, after the wood ages etc. :wink:

What's an R9? What's an R6? People throw these terms around as though we should all understand them, but this is the Tokai Forum, not a **** LP forum! Less jargon please...

:roll:

singemonkey said:

I saw a thread somewhere, mylespaul I think, in which a kid went around London playing '50s goldtops.

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Where did he find this huge range of 50s Goldtops to try out in London?

stratman323 said:

What's an R9? What's an R6? People throw these terms around as though we should all understand them, but this is the Tokai Forum, not a **** LP forum! Less jargon please...

:roll:

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..hehe, good point, there is a lot of jargon about, but, I do think it is important to have an understanding of Gibson and Fender guitars, so that we know what is what is being copied or replicated by our favourite MIJ/MIK etc company, such as ...TOKAI 8)

greco_burst said:

[..hehe, good point, there is a lot of jargon about, but, I do think it is important to have an understanding of Gibson and Fender guitars, so that we know what is what is being copied or replicated by our favourite MIJ/MIK etc company, such as ...TOKAI 8)

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Yeah that's why I asked for an explanation.......

:roll:

stratman323 said:

greco_burst said:

[..hehe, good point, there is a lot of jargon about, but, I do think it is important to have an understanding of Gibson and Fender guitars, so that we know what is what is being copied or replicated by our favourite MIJ/MIK etc company, such as ...TOKAI 8)

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Yeah that's why I asked for an explanation.......

:roll:

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It might have been quicker going to a LP forum for explanations instead..just kiddin!! :wink:

R = reissue, 9 = 1959

So, they just using the last digit of the year, to refer to which famous McCarty guitar is being replicated for historics.

So an R6 is a reissue 1956 Les Paul

greco_burst said:

It might have been quicker going to a LP forum for explanations instead..

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Not for me thanks, it's only Tokai (and you lot) that persuaded me to get a LP (well 2 actually). I'm not going to join a forum that slags off my Tokais as cheap fakes!

Thanks for the explanation.

God I hate this Paul guy. He's such a tool. His unenthusiastic playing and his charmless delivery make him such a chore to watch.