Is this R6 Goldtop dodgy?

fretfinder

There's a couple of things about this Goldtop that don't look right to me. The 'wings' on either side of the headstock seem to be different sized pieces of wood - I thought they should be exactly the same width. And the serial number is in an odd font, very messily done, and doesn't start with 6. Any experts out there care to comment?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=271974361277&globalID=EBAY-GB ;

capo4th

It's just all wrong

stickyfiddle

capo4th said:

It's just all wrong

Why do you say that? Looks ok to me.

ICBM

Looks fine to me except for the serial number. The different sized wings could just be iffy manufacturing… not untypical for Gibson.

All the other usual 'tells' are OK, and the whole thing does look right. If it's not then the fakers are getting *really* good.

Re-done serial number for some dodgy reason?

Basher

I'm no expert but, fwiw:

The wings on mine are the same width but the bass-side tuners are mounted slightly nearer to the edge of the headstock than the treble ones. This could give the impression that the wings are different widths. It might just be a perspective trick on the ebay listing pictures.

The stamp is certainly very smudged - more than any I've ever seen. On my 2006 R6 the second "6" is a bit thicker than the first one but nothing like that.

Also it should start with a "6". There were some R2 reissues but I think they were limited and had something like "prototype" stamped on the headstock. I guess it could be one of those.

As far as I'm aware, the control cavity should be stamped R6/7/8/9/whatever. Might be worth asking to see a shot of that if you're considering it. Or just buy mine

ICBM

Basher said:

There were some R2 reissues but I think they were limited and had something like "prototype" stamped on the headstock. I guess it could be one of those.

It's not an R2 'prototype' because they're a reissue of the 1952 Les Paul with trapeze tailpiece. A friend of mine had one.

Brize

It's a genuine Gibson but it's not an R6 - it's a pre-Historic 1956 reissue from 1992. The neck should be thinner than an R6.

Brize

Here's the same model from 1990 (also with uneven wings on the headstock):

http://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-pre-historic-56-reissue-1990-gold-top

ICBM

Brize said:

The neck should be thinner than an R6.

Damn… you have now made me want it! Sadly I don't have two grand.

Didn't know that about the serial number. Useful, thanks.

Brize said:

Here's the same model from 1990 (also with uneven wings on the headstock):

http://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-pre-historic-56-reissue-1990-gold-top

And hilariously badly-stamped serial number - not smudged, but in totally the wrong place. Gibson, eh...

Philly_Q

Brize said:

It's a genuine Gibson but it's not an R6 - it's a pre-Historic 1956 reissue from 1992. The neck should be thinner than an R6.

Impressive knowledge! 

Basher

CBM said:

Basher said:

There were some R2 reissues but I think they were limited and had something like "prototype" stamped on the headstock. I guess it could be one of those.

It's not an R2 'prototype' because they're a reissue of the 1952 Les Paul with trapeze tailpiece. A friend of mine had one.

Sorry, my mistake. I was aware that the R2 had the trapeze. I meant to say that it could be an R2 but with the trapeze removed and regular bridge/tailpiece added. It was just a long shot suggestion. Glad that @Brize has cleared it up.

fretfinder

Thanks guys, sounds like one to avoid for me anyway due to the slimmer neck.

lustycourtier

He doesn't mention 'gibson' in title, only 'Gibson case'

capo4th

I am no expert but there are too many things in that advert that would make me stay away..

thebreeze

Ruralfrance has a nice one for sale on here.

Skipped

Brize said:

Here's the same model from 1990 (also with uneven wings on the headstock):

http://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-pre-historic-56-reissue-1990-gold-top

That is a good spot @Brize. The serial number, the spacing, on the gbase guitar looks amateurish. I am a bit puzzled that I don't recall this exact period of later pre-Historics......

ICBM

Skipped said:

I am a bit puzzled that I don't recall this exact period of later pre-Historics

Same here! A sign of getting on a bit, no doubt - these guitars are over twenty years old now, which for some people makes them vintage in their own right...

Brize

Skipped said:

The serial number, the spacing, on the gbase guitar looks amateurish.

Yep, but that's how Gibson were doing them in that era.