Any data base per Les Paul year to specifications?

[NuLPOwner]

I want to know the material and construction of 1988 Les Paul Standard. Specifically, what country of origin are the mahogany and rosewood and maple?

[kidblast]

I think the closest thing I know of would be Tony Bacon's Les Paul Book.

 

I don't recall country of origin for the materials is listed, but the specs for many years of prod runs for LPs are tabled in this book.

 

Book is worth having anyway, it's pretty cool.

[pippy]

I want to know the material and construction of 1988 Les Paul Standard. Specifically, what country of origin are the mahogany and rosewood and maple?

People have been asking the same stuff for decades. The answer seems to be that you aren't going to find specific answers to that question anywhere.

 

Here's why;

 

Even back in the '70s much of the mahogany which was called 'Honduran' mahogany wasn't from Honduras. Most of it came from several countries in Central America; some came from forests in Mexico and other stocks came from elsewhere - such as Africa. The chances of Gibson keeping records of which particular slab of mahogany from which particular batch of mahogany stockpiled in their store-room was sourced from which particular country of origin and was used to craft any one particular guitar? Nil.

 

Rosewood. After Brazilian rosewood became difficult to source in the late '60s most rosewood used by Gibson came from India and by the time Henry fully took over the reins much was also being sourced from Madagascar. There is absolutely no way of telling with 100% certainty Indian rosewood from that from Madagascar without extensive laboratory tests at a cell-level basis. Some dealers claim they can tell but I've spoken with timber merchants and they just laugh at the mere thought.

SOME recent guitars have been made using old stocks of Brazilian rosewood and these serial numbers are actually well documented but the number of instruments crafted from this stock is tiny and, understandably, Braz. rosewood has been / tends to be used solely for a handful of re-issues and other very high-end guitars.

 

Much of the maple used for the original LPs was harvested locally to Kalamazoo in Michigan but due to shortages of supply etc. both eastern and western maple have been used ever since. Eastern maple occasionally has what is known as mineral streaks visible but apart from that? It's just another slab of maple.

 

Best guess? Call it 'Honduran' mahogany; 'Indian' rosewood and 'American' maple if you like and I'd doubt anyone could say you were wrong.

They're certainly highly unlikely to be able to prove otherwise - and, AFAIK, it probably IS the correct answer.

 

Hope that helps you from wasting any more of your time on an impossible quest!

 

 

Pip.

[D-28]

I want to know the material and construction of 1988 Les Paul Standard. Specifically, what country of origin are the mahogany and rosewood and maple?

The deepest part of the non-sustainable forest, from which your plant will surly have Federal Agents knocking on the door with warrants.

[knucklebut]

People have been asking the same stuff for decades. The answer seems to be that you aren't going to find specific answers to that question anywhere.

 

Here's why;

 

Even back in the '70s much of the mahogany which was called 'Honduran' mahogany wasn't from Honduras. Most of it came from several countries in Central America; some came from forests in Mexico and other stocks came from elsewhere - such as Africa. The chances of Gibson keeping records of which particular slab of mahogany from which particular batch of mahogany stockpiled in their store-room was sourced from which particular country of origin and was used to craft any one particular guitar? Nil.

 

Rosewood. After Brazilian rosewood became difficult to source in the late '60s most rosewood used by Gibson came from India and by the time Henry fully took over the reins much was also being sourced from Madagascar. There is absolutely no way of telling with 100% certainty Indian rosewood from that from Madagascar without extensive laboratory tests at a cell-level basis. Some dealers claim they can tell but I've spoken with timber merchants and they just laugh at the mere thought.

SOME recent guitars have been made using old stocks of Brazilian rosewood and these serial numbers are actually well documented but the number of instruments crafted from this stock is tiny and, understandably, Braz. rosewood has been / tends to be used solely for a handful of re-issues and other very high-end guitars.

 

Much of the maple used for the original LPs was harvested locally to Kalamazoo in Michigan but due to shortages of supply etc. both eastern and western maple have been used ever since. Eastern maple occasionally has what is known as mineral streaks visible but apart from that? It's just another slab of maple.

 

Best guess? Call it 'Honduran' mahogany; 'Indian' rosewood and 'American' maple if you like and I'd doubt anyone could say you were wrong.

They're certainly highly unlikely to be able to prove otherwise - and, AFAIK, it probably IS the correct answer.

 

Hope that helps you from wasting any more of your time on an impossible quest!

 

 

Pip.

So it seems that if you visually cannot tell the diff between the different types of mahogany, and it does not have an obvious tonal difference...then really.it does not matter..its a mut point..just a thought. peace