By Chris Swope
Without question, 2009 has been one of the most exciting years in Gibson production history. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1959 Les Paul, Gibson has retooled many of their production processes in an unprecedented effort to tweak the specs of the historic Les Paul line even tighter to replicate the original guitars.
With over 30 spec changes, a few specific changes really stand out to me:
1. Neck shape.
New drafting technology allowed for the development of new 59 neck profile by digitally mapping original examples of this “holy grail” guitar. The neck retains the same thickness as previous years but there is now less “cheek” or “shoulder” on the necks. The result is a neck that really fits well in your hand. It is a substantial, yet graceful neck that gives has a slight hint of a soft V, especially when playing in first position.
2. Nylon 6/6 nut. This is a change the vintage purists have requested for years. Gibson used different material for nuts over the years ranging from bone to nylon, plastic, and most recently, Corian. While Corian is an excellent nut material, nylon 6/6 was the material used in the 1950s and provides both a visual and mechanical difference. The blue/white color of nylon 6/6 is something that sends a thrill down the spine of the vintage guitar freak, (count me in). It also provides a natural lubrication factor which helps guard against strings binding up in the nut slots.
3. Mahogany to rosewood and maple ratio. Close examination of vintage examples reveal that while the overall dimensions of recent historic Les Pauls have been correct, the fingerboards and maple tops have been slightly too thick and the mahogany backs and necks slightly too thin. Fingerboards and maple tops are now thinner and the mahogany has been beefed up to make up the difference. We are not talking huge numbers here, maybe just the thickness of a couple of business cards. But when you think of the amount of surface area on a maple top, that is a lot of real estate!
4. Wireless abr-1 bridge. The return to the wireless abr-1 is further improved by a complete retooling of the bridge to much tighter tolerances. The saddles sit tight in the slots. This, coupled with the absence of the retaining wire, means there is less sympathetic vibration of these parts when the guitar is played and that results in better tone transference.
The list-----------------
2009 R9 Changed Features: Nylon 6/6 nut
Improved ABR-1 bridge (no-wire, tighter tolerances)
Historically correct nickel-plated brass bridge saddles
Correct alloy saddle adjustment screws
Bridge height-adjusting thumbwheels are now thinner
Neck profile changed - now has less "shoulders"
Audio taper CTS pots
'50s wiring
Pickup routes adjusted so that pickups will be parallel to the strings
Top carve changed to be closer to several original '59s that were scanned
Body perimeter change - slightly tighter in waist, cutaway area refined to be more like originals
The maple cap is very slightly thinner, the mahogany body is very slightly thicker
The fingerboard is slightly thinner
The step from neck heel to back of body is taller and more correct
The taper of the "maple window" under the binding in cutaway is more accurate
The maple spline (filler strip) in the tenon is more accurate
The edge radius on the backside of the body is tighter (less rounded)
The "mustache curve" of the headstock top has been flattened slightly
The control cavity plate has been relocated, has the correct side taper, and now uses the correct ABS plastic
The pickguard shape has changed slightly
The pickguard bracket and screw have been changed
The truss rod cover has been reshaped to be more accurate
The serial number location is slightly lower and more correct
Dial pointers are less sharp
The strap button screws are longer
The jack hole is now the correct 1" diameter
The toggle switch nut has more correct knurled pattern