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real or fake

NuLPOwner

By NuLPOwner
in Gibson USA

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mihcmac

mihcmac

Posted
Posted

It is quite affordable compared to other les pauls of the same year. I thought it was a fascinating sale.

 

If you are happy with the deal you got, that's all that matters. Its a Les Paul, its worth some TLC.. :)

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sparquelito

sparquelito

Posted
Posted

Here's my rule of thumb, and I may be savaged for expressing it;

 

 

If you have to ask if it's fake, just go ahead and assume it's a fake, and move on.

 

There are so many more fish in the sea it's obscene.

 

That said, I agree with the poster above.

The guitar looks like a base-model Studio that a previous owner relic'ed up with sandpaper and installed a 'Standard' truss rod cover onto.

 

In the end, if you didn't pay too much, and it plays well, sounds good, and stays in tune, then you have yourself a good guitar.

 

If I owned that particular relic'ed guitar, I would get rid of the 'Standard' truss rod cover and have a custom one made with some funky (highly personal) name on it.

 

http://www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/custom-guitar-parts/custom-engraved-truss-rod-cover-fits-most-gibson-guitars-les-paul-sg-and-etc/

 

 

 

[unsure]

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Leonard McCoy

Leonard McCoy

Posted
Posted

Do you have pictures of the back of the headstock? What year is this alleged Standard supposed to be from? The crude manual aging of the guitar aside, the (headstock) hardware (swapped from the original to mismatch?) and the irregular font of the Gibson logo look out of place to begin with. Does the book shape of the headstock look slanted to you too? I'd stay away or investigate much further before deciding either way.

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pippy

pippy

Posted
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...the irregular font of the Gibson logo look out of place to begin with...

The logo is a typical 'closed b&o' logo used from, say, mid-Norlin-era up until I really can't remember off-hand. If you REALLY want to know let me know and I'll find out.

 

It's a weird one, though. I can't remember ever seeing an arctic white Standard before so it might have been either specially ordered or refinished. I'd guess the latter but from two snaps it's impossible to tell. What's original? Let us assume 'Not Much' and we'll probably not be too far from the mark.

 

Not worth too much in that state and with SD p'ups?...Good but not original and therefore substantially devalued accordingly.

It's almost certainly 100% real (p'ups & possibly some other hardware apart) so if you like it, it's cheap enough for your pocket and, most importantly, it plays and sounds fine then why not?

 

P.

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Leonard McCoy

Leonard McCoy

Posted
Posted

The serial number checks out: an 1988 in (creme) white. Standard Les Pauls in that finish color had been produced in that color at that time. The crude aging and swapped pickups aside, obviously the original hardware has been replaced (to make it look more like an alpine white LP custom?). If she's got a killer neck and sound, this could be a (very) roughed-up gem indeed. There's no telling for sure, however, from the photos and information given if it's not a lesser Les Paul in disguise, though I doubt it; the fretboard inlays are immaculately Standard-like.

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NuLPOwner

NuLPOwner

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The serial number checks out: an 1988 in (creme) white. Standard Les Pauls in that finish color had been produced in that color at that time. The crude aging and swapped pickups aside, obviously the original hardware has been replaced (to make it look more like an alpine white LP custom?). If she's got a killer neck and sound, this could be a (very) roughed-up gem indeed. There's no telling for sure, however, from the photos and information given if it's not a lesser Les Paul in disguise, though I doubt it; the fretboard inlays are immaculately Standard-like.

 

 

You're quite amazing. I couldn't find info on color of guitar by serial number. I have a subscription to Vintaxe.com for old catalogs and I couldn't find a white Les Paul Standard in 1988. Please pm me.

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S.Ustain

S.Ustain

Posted
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Can't tell for pix, but it looks like a legit Gibson that someone chose to upgrade/ruin. Unless Paul Gilbert has switched to a belt sander from an electric drill, and to a LP from his Fireman, this is almost surely the result of the Wprst Relic Job Ever Done. Ripe for a refin.

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