Why do the majority of new Custom Shop LP reisues have poorly fitting pickguards?

[Rogueaverage616]

Chica Chulo

 

[Danelectro]

Looking at those bursts it appears the cutaway isn't deep enough on the Historics.

The vintage cutaways also seem to be shaped slightly differently too???

Are my old eyes seeing things?

You are correct. Some people think that the Historic pickguard doesn't extend close enough to the cutaway when in fact the cutaway itself is the problem because it isn't as deep as it should be.

Compare the cutaways in the image below. The cutaway of the 'burst starts lower on the neck and has a tighter radius where it curves inward towards the pickguard

I notice it too, this is my factory burst MF, I did fix it because it bothered me

View attachment 570058View attachment 570059

That taper on the bridge pickup cutout is actually vintage-correct. I have a template made from an original 1958 burst pickguard and it has the same flare. Back then the templates where probably cut by hand by the tool maker and so things aren't always square and parallel.

This is the 1958 pickguard from which I made my template:

 

[L3rxst]

I suspect that the pick guards are made off site and with some tolerance (gaps) built in, as the les Paul is a hand assembled instrument with tolerances too. Maybe back in history the pick pick guards were fitted and finessed per guitar as opposed to simply just screwed on?

 

[lwchafin]

As my avatar suggests, I took mine of because the guitar looks better without it IMHO.But then again, I'm not any kind of collector, just an aficionado. But I just went back and looked at pics I took before I removed the guard and it fit as tight as dick's hatband against the neck and pickup rings - and it's a lowly 2017 Studio Deluxe.

 

[DanD]

You are correct. Some people think that the Historic pickguard doesn't extend close enough to the cutaway when in fact the cutaway itself is the problem because it isn't as deep as it should be.

Compare the cutaways in the image below. The cutaway of the 'burst starts lower on the neck and has a tighter radius where it curves inward towards the pickguard

That taper on the bridge pickup cutout is actually vintage-correct. I have a template made from an original 1958 burst pickguard and it has the same flare. Back then the templates where probably cut by hand by the tool maker and so things aren't always square and parallel.

This is the 1958 pickguard from which I made my template:

That's exactly what I thought I was seeing in those burst pics.

You'd think with all the 'accuracy' improvements the CS has made that the cutaway would've been addressed by now.

The comparison pic you've shown reveals a major inconsistency.

 

[ARandall]

As my avatar suggests, I took mine of because the guitar looks better without it IMHO.But then again, I'm not any kind of collector, just an aficionado. But I just went back and looked at pics I took before I removed the guard and it fit as tight as dick's hatband against the neck and pickup rings - and it's a lowly 2017 Studio Deluxe.

Yeah, but they do make those to be a tight tolerance though.
And they deliberately fit them so the pickups are in the same place - unlike the vintage ones (and assumedly the RI guitars) where the pickup fitment was almost 'random'. So you'd get some really accurate and others a bit wonky.

 

[lwchafin]

Yeah, but they do make those to be a tight tolerance though.
And they deliberately fit them so the pickups are in the same place - unlike the vintage ones (and assumedly the RI guitars) where the pickup fitment was almost 'random'. So you'd get some really accurate and others a bit wonky.

I'm not overly concerned about perfect fitment of things like pick guards, pickup rings, etc. - in fact IMHO that randomness reflects the character that handmade stuff has.

 

[80smetalhead]

Why do they get it wrong on R6/7/8/9s but right on 54/57 and modern LP Customs?

View attachment 569979

I have a ‘68 RI LP Custom and the pick guard does not cover the binding. It sits right below it. I like it that rather than having it completely cover the binding like the one above. Either way it’s nothing to really sweat.

 

[ARandall]

With this kind of remark you're kind of insulting the OP.

This is totally unnecessary.

Incorrect.
I see many people....an ever increasing number as the 'internet expert' phenomenon gain strength.....that choose to interpret things based on a wholly false premise. The thought is that as it is the most expensive line, the Reissues must be 'perfect'. Where the RI line is actually about recreating a guitar from the most inconsistent period in terms of physical consistency
So in these cases, instruction is needed to let such misplaced notions be dispelled

Gibson can choose to do whatever vintage accurate feature they like.....if the demand is there. If enough people wanted a RI of a guitar with posts in the wrong place they could do it. But none of the vintage accuracy/inconsistency is to do with unplayability, so I guess you are adding in this pointlessly perverse example because you think it makes some point. Quite frankly its just an example of a false dichotomy logical fallacy.

Plenty have commented that the plastics accuracy is the last sticking point.....no loose fit around the guard is a major thing that gives Mojoaxe a lot of customers for example.
Pervious iterations of the RI line also don't feature 'poor fit' anywhere near as much - it seems more of a recent phenomenon. So either the factory suddenly forgot how to fit a guard, or its yet another example of how they are making them more like vintage examples.

 

[Mr.6 String]

On recent historics I have thought it was both for the accurate gap at the neck pickup and on some it was sloppy assembly.

A couple current real '59s for sale on reverb look like they were fairly well fitted but you can see the neck pickup gap.


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There were two things I would improve on the current models: This pick guard fitting issue and the guy cutting the bridge saddles. I know he was trying to center the strings over the pole pieces but the location of the slots was not consistent for string spacing. I prefer the strings centered on the neck (equal distance of high and low E strings from edge of fretboard with equal spacing between the strings) and not worry as much about pole piece alignment. I know that is OCD but I had to replace and recut the saddles on about half of the new guitars I received this year.

Yup, I just bought VOS ‘58 and notice the high E string is farther from the edge then the low E, all the strings are perfectly centered on the saddles, they obviously were not paying attention to the edge of the fretboard, did you have to buy replacement saddles or did Gibson supply them?

 

[Rogueaverage616]

Speaking of vintage correction, of possibility of such,

my new , saddles are arriving today for my R9 or R0, witch ever i decide to install these on.They are fat nickle plated brass saddles that look more like the origional’s

 

[Henning]

Seems as the LP seies suffer from decreased quality maybe due to no quality control. “The holy grail“ 1958-59 models are very fine instruments, it seems to me as the later models are more clumsy and never had the aura as the ancient guittars had. In my optics Gibson never succeeded in making a real ‘59 reissue.I would never buy a Gibson today.
Gibson suffered from the former eras : Lincolnwood and Norlin, lastmentined the worst.

 

[Adinol]

Incorrect.
I see many people....an ever increasing number as the 'internet expert' phenomenon gain strength.....

I believe the OP just expressed some frustrations and asked a question and was not posing as an "internet expert". He asked, "Anyone know why?" He did not attempt to make himself sound like an expert.

The thought is that as it is the most expensive line, the Reissues must be 'perfect'. Where the RI line is actually about recreating a guitar from the most inconsistent period in terms of physical consistency

There's no shortage of complaints that reissues are not accurate.

Gibson can choose to do whatever vintage accurate feature they like.....if the demand is there.

Has there ever been any demand for misfitted pick guards?

...one of the vintage accuracy/inconsistency is to do with unplayability,

When you quoted me, you omitted the part about the bridge posts mounted in the wrong place.

...so I guess you are adding in this pointlessly perverse example because you think it makes some point.

The problem with using strong words such as "pointless perverse example" is that people at the receiving end of those words can feel insulted. It's better to express differences in opinion without insults or anything that people can take as insults. That way we can have a debate.

If you have a difference in opinion you are free to express it in an interesting and friendly way. But as soon as you label someone's comment as a "pointless perverse example" that brings any possibility to have a constructive conversation to a halt.

Quite frankly its just an example of a false dichotomy logical fallacy....either the factory suddenly forgot how to fit a guard, or its yet another example of how they are making them more like vintage examples.

That's overthinking it.

Too many things that come out of the Gibson factory just give the impression that very few people there give these kinds of details any passing though. If they listed "misfitted pick guard" in the specs, then we would know it's intentional. But we'll never get a straight answer form Gibson.

My conclusion:

If you like a misfitted pick guard, keep it on.

If you don't like a misfitted pick guard, replace it.

 

[spartacus slim]

Whoever owns this old piece of junk should ask for their money back:

 

[ajory72]

View attachment 569978

Thanks for posting a picture of the issue you’re talking about it really helps the conversation

 

[ajory72]

Not that I have horse in this car race but - any one claiming Les Paul Standards from 1958-9/1960 came with poorly cut/sloppily cut pick guards as a rule of thumb (in order for current reproductions to also have the same) would need to provide pictures that come very - very soon after the original purchase and not several decades later. hardly definitive…..

 

[Azmedian]

I believe they should come with the guitar but not mounted / drilled this way for player who don't want to use them they don't have to deal with extra holes

 

[uncle mud]

I have not experienced this issue.

 

[Pageburst]

the pickguard spacing or cutaway changed to more vintage correct spec on 2015 True Historics and 2017 and onward Historics.

spacing looks good to me with slight variances that you would expect

 

[Pageburst]

Seems as the LP seies suffer from decreased quality maybe due to no quality control. “The holy grail“ 1958-59 models are very fine instruments, it seems to me as the later models are more clumsy and never had the aura as the ancient guittars had. In my optics Gibson never succeeded in making a real ‘59 reissue.I would never buy a Gibson today.
Gibson suffered from the former eras : Lincolnwood and Norlin, lastmentined the worst.

Lol So why come on a Gibson Historic forum if you think Gibson Historic guitars are crap?

And, How many “ancient” Les Pauls and current Historics do you own to come up with your hypothesis about quality?
It’s not to something you can discern through pictures.

I tell ya, Some posts are truly mind boggling. Maybe, owning neither, I should join a Ferrari forum and tell Ferrari owners how much current Ferraris suck next to the “holy grail” vintage Ferraris.