Can anyone date this Les Paul?

[LJ7]

Here's what I know.

 

The body was routed for a third pickup and a toggle switch. The hardware was originally gold and was recently replaced with the silver hardware and new tuners shown.

 

There is substantial buckle rash on the back and the overall patina seems to be that of a vintage instrument.

 

I wonder if the inlays were original. I've seen some trace amounts of glue around them that makes me think the neck was modified, but it's really nothing much than a hunch.

 

The serial number is 00131247

 

The guitardaterproject spits out 2001, but I think that's wrong, as it's based on the post-1977 serialization method.

 

My guess is that it was made in 1976 at the Kalamazoo factory.

 

 

 

Any insight would be much appreciated!

[pippy]

Yup. 1976.

 

00 serials were used in '76. Nothing more to add except Nice Guitar!

 

Pip.

[sparquelito]

Interesting guitar!

 

How does she play and sound?

:)

[L5Larry]

... The hardware was originally gold and was recently replaced with the silver hardware and new tuners shown.

 

I wonder if the inlays were original.

 

My guess is that it was made in 1976 at the Kalamazoo factory.

 

 

This is a 1976 Les Paul Standard. Don't let the "Deluxe" on the SN decal mislead you. Gibson started gearing up to make full-size humbucker "Standard"s again in late 1975 (I have a '75), and tobacco sunburst was THE color everybody wanted. They did not yet have any "Standard" serial number decals and used the "Deluxe" decals, as the only difference in the models was the pickups. The "Deluxe" decal probably dates your Standard to early '76. The "Standard" first reappeared in the Gibson Dealers Price List in June of 1976, and production didn't really get up to full speed until '77-78.

 

The guitar would originally come with chrome (or nickel) hardware and covered pickups. The tuners would have been similar to what is shown in the photo, but would have been double-ring Klusons. Someone would have had to change it over to gold hardware, as the only Les Paul to come with gold hardware was the "Custom".

 

The fingerboard inlays are correct and proper, and most likely original. Some Gibson craftsmanship was pretty sloppy in those days, as they were building 10's of thousands of guitars a year. Visible gaps, glue and filler was not uncommon. The original truss rod cover would have been engraved with "Standard", but many people changed them out to blank ones to recreate more of the classic 50's 'burst look.

 

With the "Nashville" bridge, I always figured these guitars were made in the Nashville plant, not Kalamazoo. I've been told this is not necessarily the case, but have never found a definitive answer on which plant these guitars were made in. There is a lot of mystery and misinformation regarding "Standards" of the early/mid 70's, and and since I bought one new in early '76 that has a 1975 serial number, over the years I have done as extensive first-hand research as I think is possible.

 

Enjoy the guitar.

[stein]

This is a 1976 Les Paul Standard. Don't let the "Deluxe" on the SN decal mislead you. Gibson started gearing up to make full-size humbucker "Standard"s again in late 1975 (I have a '75), and tobacco sunburst was THE color everybody wanted. They did not yet have any "Standard" serial number decals and used the "Deluxe" decals, as the only difference in the models was the pickups. The "Deluxe" decal probably dates your Standard to early '76. The "Standard" first reappeared in the Gibson Dealers Price List in June of 1976, and production didn't really get up to full speed until '77-78.

 

The guitar would originally come with chrome (or nickel) hardware and covered pickups. The tuners would have been similar to what is shown in the photo, but would have been double-ring Klusons. Someone would have had to change it over to gold hardware, as the only Les Paul to come with gold hardware was the "Custom".

 

The fingerboard inlays are correct and proper, and most likely original. Some Gibson craftsmanship was pretty sloppy in those days, as they were building 10's of thousands of guitars a year. Visible gaps, glue and filler was not uncommon. The original truss rod cover would have been engraved with "Standard", but many people changed them out to blank ones to recreate more of the classic 50's 'burst look.

 

With the "Nashville" bridge, I always figured these guitars were made in the Nashville plant, not Kalamazoo. I've been told this is not necessarily the case, but have never found a definitive answer on which plant these guitars were made in. There is a lot of mystery and misinformation regarding "Standards" of the early/mid 70's, and and since I bought one new in early '76 that has a 1975 serial number, over the years I have done as extensive first-hand research as I think is possible.

 

Enjoy the guitar.

This is all good info, and accurate, but I just would point out that it would be needed to see the routes underneath the pickups to determine if this left the factory as a "Standard" or a "Deluxe".

 

I understand that while it is difficult, it is often possible to route the P-90 hole to fit a humbucker without being able to tell on the outside if done with care.

 

Might add it's a bit curious that the rings on this are a bit wider than the ring for the center pup. Also the spacing seems wider between them than is found on most 3 pup LP's. Makes one think it could have been re-routed at first glance.

 

This ain't proof of anything, don't see a lot of "Standards" from '76 with 3 pups to form an opinion of where they should be, and nothing to say the center pup ring isn't the oddball side. But a look inside should easily tell if it was factory routed for humbuckers or not.

[pippy]

...I just would point out that it would be needed to see the routes underneath the pickups to determine if this left the factory as a "Standard" or a "Deluxe"...

 

Might add it's a bit curious that the rings on this are a bit wider than the ring for the center pup. Also the spacing seems wider between them than is found on most 3 pup LP's. Makes one think it could have been re-routed at first glance...

I agree that it might well have originally been either model and a look to see whether the neck & bridge cavities are 'factory' would be interesting although I believe TSB was seen on more Standards than DeLuxes percentage-wise.

 

As far as the middle p'up goes, stein, as the OP says in post #1;

...The body was routed for a third pickup and a toggle switch...

 

 

Pip.