I just wanted to make sure that, considering its price, i wasn't sold a dud.
Rescator, no offence, I appreciate your candour, but (in absence of more experience) I currently still appreciate my VOS Gibson. I actually find it more refreshing than the Gibson worshipping that guitar magazine reviews provide each year, with the new model even more authentic/true than the last one. Even the 2015 ones received top reviews, while net is spread of demo's with the eTuner issues.
I am still at the Fender/Gibson stage - if my playing (and hearing) improves, i might go up to Suhr or other select brands at that stage. Did anyone see the Mark Knopfler doc ("the 5 guitars')? My R6 P90 I have had for easily 5 yrs now and, compared my Fender, it has been very stable in tuning, and is in tune over the whole neck. Can't say that about my old Ibanez and the newish Fender Road Worn is not stable in E Flat - even after I had it set up by a luthier .
As documented elsewhere here on forum, I was surprised to find only minor difference in sound between the R6 and the R8 - R6 P90 has a bit less mids. - but maybe this is also a compliment to the R8 CustomBuckers - They are very clear but still warm, and the Tone pots work across the full range, while the R6 Tone knobs seem rather logaritmic (most effect between 0-2 on 10, from 3-10 nearly no effect on tone). Some advised to adjust the P90's, but these are soapbars, not sure one can adjust them.
I have read up about the horrible eTuning, unstable and quirky, and have avoided them - one of the reasons I stayed with VOS reissues as also they seem to keep their value better and somehow I hope it has better craftsmanship than the regular ones. (My R6 has gone up by 50% in 5 yrs).
last year i bought a Mex Fender Road worn - just love the thin neck with no lacquer and the Hot Mex pups - my old Fender Am Stdrd is smothered in lacquer.
(Warning GAS Alert) - I really liked the DutchBurst CC#18, likely I will go up to NL and try the original vintage 1960 LP (valued around 250 K Eur) together with the CC# reissue, as the guy has both - just to compare and compare to my R8 (that has identical pups). That vintage '60 was on many video's (and on Dutch TV) - and had a beautiful creamy crying sound. The owner went on TV and had it played by one of NL top guitarists (who was drooling all over it). However as the CC# series and even the Historic Series seem the have the same CustomBuckers, my tech side that is telling me the extra 2-3 K Eur on top of a VOS Reissue (or CS as they are now called) is marketing bullshit. I mean - how much can 3 kg of wood and some magnets cost ? I'll find out soon.
Maybe Gibson is overpriced, but with my limited experience, I had the impression that the VOS series seem the best deal. Meanwhile, I am a happy bunny with my R8 and Kemper, and impressed with the Kemper forum for helping me sift through the marketing bull. Now just find a DXR12 / CLR or similar to test.