Somebody is getting a new guitar this Friday,

[Tipperman]

He could get a nice Jaguar or two for 7K, maybe plus a little. I'm thinking like a 63 or 64 here.

 

[Cagey]

I think at 7K he should sell it and buy an 80 year supply of Prozac. Or, an Axe Fx and a 50 year supply. Or, an Axe Fx, 200 cases of beer, and a 10 year supply. I guess I think he should just sell it. I mean, what the hell good is it? Can't take it out, play with it, sit on it, sleep on it, eat around it or phuk on it. Bloody thing's useless <grin>

 

[Tonar8352]

Nightclub Dwight called it, 2009 VOS R4. 

First impression; the guitar sounds great but I hate the frets which I knew I would since I don’t like anything but 6100's. A fret job will fix that real quickly. I'm sure I'll make several changes to get it exactly where I want it but out of the box it sounds killer. I need to hear it on stage out of the Super Reverb to really know what it has but first impression is  :icon_thumright: :guitaristgif:

PS It has a huge amount of flame under the gold that you can see at the correct angle and on the maple strip in the horn. It is amazing that Gibson chooses to paint over that type of wood.
PSS The Custom Shop case is garbage compared to the older one I have for my other Lester.

 

[bagman67]

Congratulations, sir.  A gold-top LP is one of those lifetime-achievement guitars, in my book.  Yours is a handsome specimen.

Bagman

 

[Mor Paul]

So, now what?

It looks amazing, any plans for refinishing? Seems to not have that really nice metallic look in the pictures, but maybe it looks different in person.

 

[DangerousR6]

Nice Lester Tonar...
I'd like to build one with a trapeze tail...

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Beautiful! Having grown up playing an old LP JR, I have a special place in my heart for P90s and a wrap around bridge.  Even though the tune o matic is a "refinement," I love the simplicity of that direct connection with the strings.  Nice choice Tonar!

 

[bbl4ck]

Oh my, a gold top.  Yum, yum, yum...
Very nice choice Tonar.  You'll have to give us a review of the P-90's after ya' plug her into that super reverb.
:kewlpics: :rock-on:

 

[OzziePete]

No I'm in California, my son just graduated for art school in Michigan.

I think for 7K he should sell and buy a real vintage piece.

Does anyone else find it a little ironic that Tonar's son might be an Arts Major!

Great purchase and I hope you have many fun hours with it. :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

Congratulations, sir.  A gold-top LP is one of those lifetime-achievement guitars, in my book.  Yours is a handsome specimen.

That's true, isn't it? Like 'em or not, if you're a serious guitar player, you're supposed to own a Paul. And if you're really serious, it should be a gold top. I mean, even if all you ever do is hang it on the wall because it's a nightmare to play, everybody who sees it will say "Holy gym shorts, Batman! This is the Fiddler's lair!"

 

[Tonar8352]

Yes Max I will be refinishing it in the future to more correct colors. Here is the long term plan since I got such a great deal on the guitar I'll be able to spend some money on making it more vintage correct.

1. Pull the fretboard and replace the truss rod with a vintage correct rod.
2. Replace the fretboard with Brazilian Rosewood, a bone nut and fret it with 6100's.
3 Shave the neck to make it more vintage correct by removing some of the shoulders and rolling the edges.
4. Re-carve the top to match a vintage 54 top carve.
5. Refinish the Mahogany with the darker vintage color of a real 54.
6. Refinish the top with the correct gold powder that will age properly like a vintage guitar.
7. Replace the pickups with Loller’s.
8. Replace the hardware with TonePros.

But for now I'm going to play it and enjoy it for a while before I tear it apart and take it out commission.

 

[Mor Paul]

That'll be fun to watch! The gold you use won't look as... flat, right?

 

[Tonar8352]

This is a VOS guitar so the sheen has a little less gloss but it still looks glossy in person. The thing that surprises me is the orange peel that is still on it. I doubt that most people would notice it but as a I finisher I see that stuff right away. Bottom line is it still looks great.

 

[Cagey]

Your plans sound pretty ambitious. If there's that much you don't like about it, why did you buy it?

 

[Tonar8352]

The idea is not that I don't like it the way it is it's great the way it is. I just want to get it closer to a real 54 since I do not have see dropping the cash for a real 54.

 

[Cagey]

I see. Well, I'd wish you luck, but I know you don't need it. So, I'll just say "have fun!". I'm sure it'll come out great. Don't forget to put a Floyd on it, or everybody will be up your ass <grin>

 

[AutoBat]

That sounds like quite the project.  I got excited when I saw you were going to take off the gold paint, then let down when I saw it was going back on.
Sure a nice black wouldn't do?

 

[ekb1234]

That guitar is going to go from a '54 RI, to a collector trivia quiz! No, but I am surprised how dull the sparkle of the gold is and how bright everything else is. The pickups look like they saw a ghost! Anyways, I have heard Tonar play and though he wants to change the pickups to Lollars, I KNOW through 1st hand that he can drag those pickups through some awesome tones.  :hello2: I haven't heard this guitar though, so maybe it's really lacking in comparison in tone. I know it would be VERY hard to beat some of his other guitars! Anyways, until next time!
Thanks, Eyan :icon_biggrin:

 

[Tonar8352]

Hey everyone meet Eyan.

I met Eyan a few months ago while we were both helping move Uncle Spot Amps shop from Modesto to Lodi. Eyan is a very tone conscious young player who I thought would enjoy hearing a bunch of nice guitars through Vintage amps so I invited he and his father to come check out my music room. He got to hear me play all my guitars through several different vintage amps and was a joy to be around. Thanks Eyan for the kind words.

Don't get me wrong this guitar sounds awesome, the pots work great, the pickups are well balanced and kill; it really has it going on but I would like to squeeze every ounce of potential that it has out by making a few minor tweaks.  :laughing7:

Eyan next time your in town come on over and give it a test drive.  :guitaristgif:

 

[Mor Paul]

Welcome to the forum, Eyan!