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2003 Les Paul Custom


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I bought this LP Custom about 9 years ago while overseas. It seems authentic, but I am not an expert, and have some weird thing going on with the inlay (I think that's what it's called) on the headstock. Not entirely sure of the specs either. According the web, the serial number (01283618):

 

Your guitar was made at the

Nashville Plant (Gibson),TN, USA

May 8 2003

Production Number: 318

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post-57301-042255000 1370302512_thumb.jpg

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Looks pretty good but almost like some oxidation is occurring on some of the parts. What specific questions do you have? Are you asking about the pickups?

 

The pickups are 490R neck and 498T bridge I think. Mainly I'd like to know if it's authentic and what the specs are. I know the body is mahogany, and I'm pretty sure the fingerboard is ebony since they hadn't started using Richlite at that point. I'm also a bit concerned about the headstock logo and the way it is distorted a bit. Was that what you were talking about with the oxidation?

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The pickups are 490R neck and 498T bridge I think. Mainly I'd like to know if it's authentic and what the specs are. I know the body is mahogany, and I'm pretty sure the fingerboard is ebony since they hadn't started using Richlite at that point. I'm also a bit concerned about the headstock logo and the way it is distorted a bit. Was that what you were talking about with the oxidation?

 

It looks authentic to me. Not exactly sure of all the woods used, I'm mainly a "Standard" guy; mahogany, maple and rosewood. It may be that the damage on your headstock is due to expansion and contraction of the wood. It's not that big a deal. But some of the hardware looks somewhat worn and dusty. Is it possible that you keep that guitar out of it's case a lot?

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Sorry for the late reply, it's been a hell of a week.

 

The guitar had been in it's case for a long time. Prior to that, it was on a stand for about the first year or so until I got orders back to the States. I am now in Florida, 3 miles from the Atlantic, so that does concern me some. I didn't realize how dusty it was until I took the pics, I guess flash does wonders for dust. [laugh] It's been on a stand for a couple of weeks though.

 

I got it set up at a good shop and it plays wonderfully, though the pickups aren't my favorite. But that is a different discussion for a different place. :)

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  • 2 years later...

The inlays are doing that from a dramatic change in Humility and temperature. Looks as though the wood at some point swelled, due to high humility. then went to a dry climate causing the wood to shrink, popping and cracking the inlays. I grew up just south of Baltimore, on the Chesapeake Bay,(Salty air, 100 degree temps with 100 percent humidity) My Custom was fine for 20 years, then i moved to upstate New York, with cooler temps and virtually no Humidity, in a combination of a really dry heating system. then opened my case after sitting for a month, and wammo, it looked the same as yours. At that time, I was a antique furniture restorer, and the only thing i could figure was a change in atmospheric conditions. I guarantee, that is what happened to your inlays.

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