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Gibson Les Paul Custom 1968 Reissue


hemply

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Hello,

 

I just picked up the 1968 Reissue LPC and am just nuts over this instrument.

I can't put the darn thing down. I rush home from work every day just to get some

quality time with this awesome axe! Takes me back to the days when I would rush

home from school just to have some quality time with my 1969 LPC (fretless wonder)!

 

Amazingly the new 2007 68 reissue LPC play just like my vintage 69 LPC, feels like I've

had this guitar all my life! With the exception of different pickups and the fact the 69

(replaced fretless wonder with jumbo, new PAF-PAFpro around 1993) is a "black beauty"

and the new 68 is antique natural I would hardly notice any difference at all.

 

I've tried using several serial # search methods but just end up confusing myself

since this is a Custom Shop item and they do not seem to apply to the methods I

have tried? I would like to know more about my 2007 LPC 1968 reissue. Which week

it was made, it's number in production line, shoot if you give me the luthiers name I'll

buy lunch for the crew!(kidding)

 

If this helps:

 

Gibson Les Paul Custom 1968 Reissue

Antique Natural

Highly flamed carved top

Solid Mahogany one-piece neck w/ Ebony fingerboard

#0710168

 

My next acquisition will be a Gibson Acoustic. Now if I can only narrow it down between

J-300 Rosewood Modern Classic, J-250 Monarch or Montana Gold Custom!

Man, they don't make it easy.

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0710168

07=year of production

1016=rank in yearly production of model

8=year being reproduced' date=' i.e. 1968[/quote']

I emailed Gibson with the same question. How do you read the serial # off a Custom? I'm quoting the email response from Gibson"

 

"The only info that you could read from the CS serial numbers is that the first number would indicate the year, as you supposed."

 

This isn't my real #, but it's close enough. So, CS72400 is the 2,400th Gibson produced in 2007, right? I thought that the 2,400 was a sequence number and that's why I emailed Gibson...but as you can see I was told otherwise.

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I was discussing with a fellow LPC enthusiast the "tags" LP Reissues have R7/R8/R9 etc.

When I purchased my '07 1968 LPC the sales rep called it a 1968 Reissue, which was

also reflected on the sale tag. Now I am hearing that it may not be an actual reissue but

a '07 "1968-like" LPC. I'm not looking to argue the specs or other differences I am very

happy with what I have received, I'm just curious what Gibson is actually calling this LPC?

 

Also, another question that I never thought to ask the sales rep was what grade my top

is? Since it is a CS LPC I am assuming that it is at least an AAA grade but I am not certain

how the tops are categorized?

 

The link should take you to the photo if I did it right?

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/attachments/gibson-les-pauls/910d1205611049-how-capture-its-true-beauty-106a.jpg

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I was discussing with a fellow LPC enthusiast the "tags" LP Reissues have R7/R8/R9 etc.

When I purchased my '07 1968 LPC the sales rep called it a 1968 Reissue' date=' which was

also reflected on the sale tag. Now I am hearing that it may not be an actual reissue but

a '07 "1968-like" LPC. I'm not looking to argue the specs or other differences I am very

happy with what I have received, I'm just curious what Gibson is actually calling this LPC?

 

Also, another question that I never thought to ask the sales rep was what grade my top

is? Since it is a CS LPC I am assuming that it is at least an AAA grade but I am not certain

how the tops are categorized?

 

The link should take you to the photo if I did it right?

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/attachments/gibson-les-pauls/910d1205611049-how-capture-its-true-beauty-106a.jpg[/quote']

 

Gibson stopped using the 'A' system to grade it's tops years ago. The reason was people whining about their tops. Grading wood is like describing tone, too subjective to do. What you consider to be an AAAA top, I might consider to be an AA top. Now they use figured or highly figured tops.

The reissue name was given to the 68 mostly by shops. Some shops also call the LP Classic a reissue and that is even further from the truth than the 68 is. No, it is not historically accurate. However, one could argue that none of the reissues are accurate as they do not have brazilian rosewood fretboards, and do not use hide glue anymore (there are also a few other small details too).

The main reason's yours is not accurate are these. The 1950's Customs had an all mahogany body and ebony finish. When they reintroduced the LPC in 68, they gave it a maple cap under the ebony finish. So your guitar should be all black, not figured top. When the CS decided to make a 'reissue' of the first maple capped LPC, they thought rather than make another black Custom, why not give it a figured top? So they did. Also your guitar has 57 Classics which give it a more 50's tone, and stock electronics (not the CTS pots and bumblebees). At the end of the day, it is prettier than an original 68 LPC. For years the 68 LPC was one of the best buys available from the CS. They were always beautiful guitars with a great tone.

For what it is worth, when they were using the 'A' system to grade tops, the basics were these. The Gibson USA Standard has an AA-AAA top. The Custom Shop figured tops used AAA as minimum, I think. AAAAA or 5A tops could be ordered as an upcharge, but were stock on the Ultima, Elegant and Class 5. They were also used a lot on the R9 and R0. So your 68 probably has an AAA to AAAA top, depending on who you ask.

Enjoy it, it is a great guitar.

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Wow thanks for the info Raptor!

 

When I read about the story behind the 1968 I being the first with a maple top

I knew I wanted it. I could have spent time trying to locate a vintage 68 but I

actually wanted to see the differences from an actual era LPC and a new one

made in the image of that era. Amazingly they play almost the same!

I have a vintage 1969 LPC with figured top so now I have an '07 1968 LPC and

a vintage 1969 LPC.

 

Again thanks for the info!

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  • 1 month later...
How much were they are where did you guys get em?

 

The 1968 Reissue?

 

I got mine at GC and paid a little over $3600 for it. Solid mahogany body and neck, highly flamed maple top, ebony finger board, 57 Classic Hummbuckers. Need I say more?

 

 

My vintage 1969 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" well a friend 'gave' it to me back in 1980 or so.

Yep I know what its worth but will never part with it. [-(

 

The history that comes with it is worth far more to me than money.

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Mety-

 

Not sure what you guys have over there on your side of the world as far as vendors. I purchased my 1968 LPC Reissue/Historic at The Guitar Center

http://www.guitarcenter.com

 

It was a "Custom Shop" LPC and I believe they may have been specially ordered by the vendor for their stores, you know exclusive deal.

If you take the link I provided and do a search for the 1968 LPC I'm sure you will find some still available. Pesonally I woudn't purchase a guitar online and wait for it to be delivered via post. If I'm going to spend over $3000.00 I want to play that baby first! But I understand you may be limited with resources there.

 

Wish you luck!

 

Please keep us informed of your progress.

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OK, here is a couple of links to check these babies out. I bought the figured top, the only difference between the two are the tops and the price. I thought the Figured was a better deal even though the quilt top is killer looking. OH, and the Figured top has a 60's slim taper neck and the quilt top has a 50's round profile neck. I liked the 60's neck better after trying both neck profiles. Other than the neck and top it's hard to justify the huge difference between the two I think. After I bought it the price jumped up $600.00, that was close.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-Custom-Shop-1968-Les-Paul-Custom-Flame-Top-Electric-Guitar-104328513-i1372734.gc

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-Custom-Shop-1968-Les-Paul-Custom-5A-Quilt-Top-Electric-Guitar-517642-i1149523.gc

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I'm still working on getting one but to-day my Gibson dealer told me that the neck is similar to a 58 ie: very thick & chunky. O:)

He demonstrated by showing me three Les Pauls, one with a 60's neck, one with a 50's and a 58 reissue.

The 60's and 50's were fine, but I found the 58 to be a bit too much for my tastes.

 

Before I chase this up further, could anyone verify the information given by my dealer?

Thanks! O:)

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I'm still working on getting one but to-day my Gibson dealer told me that the neck is similar to a 58 ie: very thick & chunky. :)

He demonstrated by showing me three Les Pauls' date=' one with a 60's neck, one with a 50's and a 58 reissue.

The 60's and 50's were fine, but I found the 58 to be a bit too much for my tastes.

 

Before I chase this up further, could anyone verify the information given by my dealer?

Thanks! :) [/quote']

 

An R8 neck on a 1968 reissue? That just doesn't sound right to me? Why would they put a 1958 Les Paul neck on a 1968 Historic, especially when the whole idea of the 68 was to get it as close to the original specs as possible?

 

This just doesn't sound right to me. My 1968 Les Paul Custom reissue/historic has a 60's style neck, very thin and very fast! I love it!

 

While I'm not sure what you guys are getting over on your side of the pond, what this guy told you just doesn't seem right at all? To me it sounds like someone trying to move some inventory that has been sitting. Have you tried to call Gibson Customer Care and ask them about the 1968?

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Thanks Hemply,

I really appreciate your reply.

 

"To me it sounds like someone trying to move some inventory that has been sitting"

It doesn't sound right to me either Hemply, hence my question on this forum.

 

Mind you, they didn't try to sell me anything else, except a natural Les Paul Custom that is on order.

 

The thing is I would really love one of these guitars, but if the neck is thick, I can't use it...???

 

I'm gonna have to speak to Gibson UK about this...

 

If anyone can enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.

 

Thanks again...

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An R8 neck on a 1968 reissue? That just doesn't sound right to me? Why would they put a 1958 Les Paul neck on a 1968 Historic' date=' especially when the whole idea of the 68 was to get it as close to the original specs as possible?

 

This just doesn't sound right to me. My 1968 Les Paul Custom reissue/historic has a 60's style neck, very thin and very fast! I love it!

 

While I'm not sure what you guys are getting over on your side of the pond, what this guy told you just doesn't seem right at all? To me it sounds like someone trying to move some inventory that has been sitting. Have you tried to call Gibson Customer Care and ask them about the 1968?[/quote']

 

If I remember correctly, only the Guitar Center 68RI's have the slim neck.............the 68RI's not made for GC have a larger neck.

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If I remember correctly' date=' only the Guitar Center 68RI's have the slim neck.............the 68RI's not made for GC have a larger neck.[/quote']

 

Is that right? I knew GC had some type of exculsive thang going on with the 68RI's but I was under the impression it was the entire model itself?

I did figure there might be some variations with the Gibson European subsidiaries as compared to Gibson USA productions but I would have never thought there could be such differences in the basic design itself. That's really interesting.

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  • 5 months later...
  • 1 month later...

 

If I remember correctly' date=' only the Guitar Center 68RI's have the slim neck.............the 68RI's not made for GC have a larger neck.[/quote']

 

Here's a question for you experts, since the guy at Gibson found conflicting information and was unable to give me a definite answer, and the guy at Guitar Center had no clue. The guitar in question is a 2008 Les Paul Custom '68 Reissue, serial number 081438, purchased from Guitar Center in May '08 at Fairview Heights, IL. Does this have a 60s slim-taper neck or a rounded profile??? I know the 2007 run of these had the slim-taper, in fact I had one (and should have never let it go), but this was made in 2008. I want to be sure before I buy this, and even the owner is unsure. Anybody? Thanks.

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Mine 07 has a ’60s slim-taper neck variant... However it does feel slightly more substantial than my standard with a 60's neck... But is definitely not 50's fat.

 

Mine also has a flamed tri-burst top. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one either.

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