CrazyRussian Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Hello everyone, I came across this guitar and you know, it just sings. But I have some doubt about it. Tuners have been changed, the guitar has been refinished. The bridge pu is not native. The bridge pu looks like a t-top. The body is a sandwich type. The serial # is 689 742, there's "MADE IN U.S.A." mark beneath it. I know it's a hard one, but what does it look like? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Привет! Interesting for sure. The headstock looks OK for a Norlin-era Custom. ...but the rest! First: the color - never seen that before. The bridge is a Nashville (post-'75) unit? The height of the pot knobs looks too high. Refreted - but that's alright for it's age. We need better photos. A total front view would be great. Upload them to Photobucket, this attachment space is limited. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRussian Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Cheers man! Thanks for your prompt reply. Well, the knobs are higher indeed - the capacitors were changed, these ones are longer. Like I said, it's been refinished including the neck. I was told it's likely to be a forgery because of the type of joint of the neck and the body, the holes of original tuners (wrong configuration, they said), the neck here is 3 piece.mahogany instead of maple and (which is.complete bullshit to my mind) that t-bucker in the neck. Rarely put in the neck position, that's what i've heard. I will make some photos a bit later. BTW all in all the guitar sounds awesome. Best. Oleg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Hello Oleg. The three-piece mahogany is OK. Maple-necks came in the second half of the decade. The capacitors have nothing to do with the pots. It`s the pots that might have been changed to the wrong long-shaft version, instead of the period-correct short ones. It`s not necessarily a fake, just an incorrect restoration. But let`s see those photos first. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRussian Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Well, the pots were changed as well - everything was pretty worn out there. So I know of that one. http://s1368.photobucket.com/user/Oleg__Smirnov/library/ There you go, here are the photos. The binding on the neck used to be OK, covering the tips of the frets - but then someone decided to change the frets and now there are only traces of that. If you need anything in more detail, please let me know. And of course - thanks for your attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRussian Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/114374-identification-of-les-paul-custom/ Seems to be the same as this one, but mine seems to have been through lots of stuff. I wonder why it can't talk. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Hello Oleg, there seems nothing wrong but some parts like the Nashville Tune-O-Matic not period correct. The tuners are likely to be the stock ones once having been replaced with vintage ones before going back. The headstock looks correctly repaired after a snap-off. I'm not sure if the truss rod nut washer - or should I say pressure pad - is stock. The pot height is adjusted using the counternut. Long shaft pots usually come with them stock. To my eyes this definitely is a legit Gibson Les Paul Custom, but as you said, it has been through lots of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRussian Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Gentlemen, you've just made my day. You see, it just sounded the right way when I took it the first time. But that guy who was apparently one of the "sofa experts" had made me worry. I knew a fake can't sound THAT way. Now that I know for sure I will cherish that piece of wonder even more. And I love the color. Thanks once again, gentlemen. Best, Oleg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Hello Oleg! Enjoy the guitar with good health! It`s a genuine Gibson. If it plays good, leave it alone. If You want to convert it back to original condition, - I am quite sure - You`ll find hundreds of companies willing to sell period-correct article. I can recommend one: Philadelphia Luthiers. As far as the pots are concerned, Gibson used short-shaft pots on Les Pauls up to 1977 - just in case You want to restore it. I agree with Capmaster - the headstock has been nicely restored. If the truss rod is functioning, then it is done right. Best wishes... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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