I bought this 8.4 pound R9 Historic Les Paul new in 2018 from Breaze Guitars. This is the nicest bourbon burst finish I could find (I had Hunter at Breaze source a few bourbon bursts across the country for me until he found this one). The first photo is the photo that Hunter sent me before I bought it. The outdoor shots look different from sunlight and iPhone (I didn't use filters). The last shot of the guitar in the case was taken in my kitchen. As you can see by the original shot that Hunter sent me, and the shot in my kitchen, the finish has less red and orange than what appears in the sunlit shots. I wasn't happy with the sunlit photos but I've already packed up the guitar for shipping.

In 2024 I had jumbo frets installed by Richard Moreton at RSM Guitar Works in Winnipeg (you can look him up as Reverb removed the weblink I added) who did a fabulous job. It plays like a charm. I’ve included invoices in the photos for the fret job, genuine mammoth bone nut, and for the upgraded period-correct, authentic 1947 Sprague Bumblebee paper-in-oil capacitors ($1000+ expense). Original factory Gibson Custom Shop capacitors are also included with the certificate and usual case candy.

I later installed Ron Ellis LRP pickups ($850) along with a push/pull pot that splits the neck pickup partially by adding a resistor to the circuit. If you’ve ever played a low to medium output split coil humbucker, you’ll know that the sound can be thin. Adding an appropriate resistor to the split coil circuit lets some of the cut pickup’s signal bleed through for added warmth and body while still retaining the single coil jangle. I spent a few hours dialling in the value to achieve the most usable and pleasing single coil sound when the pull pot is engaged. While I’m including the original pickups, the Ron Ellis set is the best I’ve had in this guitar (I tried another manufacturer’s and a set of Gibson 57 Classics that did not meet my expectations - the new 57 Classics aren’t the same as a set I own from 2008). Ron Ellis LRPs are probably the best PAF/vintage-sounding humbuckers available. These pickups are more vintage sounding than stock Gibson, and certainly more pleasing.

This guitar’s tone is beautiful. Being that it's been modified, it's not what some collectors would want to buy for future resale value, but if you're a "player" looking for a top R9 (Historic) that plays better than any new Gibson off the wall, and sounds like an awesome-sounding true vintage Les Paul (not all vintage Les Pauls sound good), this guitar is a gem. You'd also save money and the time re: the fret job. If you're an experienced guitar buyer, you know that factory fret jobs don't match a great luthier's work, not to mention that leveling the fretboard several years after manufacturing, once the wood has fully settled yields a far superior result than what can be expected fresh off the assembly line.

I'm selling this gem as I've just sold my property and am downsizing. Selling a few great guitars to make room in my smaller place.