CcZaphod Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I just traded my 1978 Deluxe in for a Fender American Deluxe Strat -- along with emptying my EBay account that brought the price down to something that got through the appropriations committee. Miss it though, now I"m looking for a mid 70's L6-S Custom, it would be fun to play with the various options. My Deluxe strat has the S1 switching, it requires a cheat sheet to figure out which of the 10 settings you want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nad Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Here's a pic of my L6-S. It's all original and I believe its a 73. Cherry Sunburst with Ebony fret board. I ran the serial number through the database and it also came back as a 70, 71, or 72. A few years ago i checked the pot dates and got November 1973 so I'm guessing its late 73 or maybe early 74. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Oh that is nice!!! And the sunbursts are rare too. GAS!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 In the early 1980s I saw and heard two guitarists of the local scene play the natural finished original L6-S which later had been called Custom. Production had ceased already two years ago I think. Since that time I always was interested in buying a used L6S. Then in 2011 there appeared a remake which was far from the original from the peghead down to pickups and bridge. However, I checked out one in Antique Natural and bought it on May 18th, 2012. On July 1st, 2012 I finally found a used one and drove 1650 kilometers (about 1000 miles) to buy it. Sadly there are troubles with workmanship since the bushings for the bridge screws are slanted in a different angle, and so the bridge is broken around the screw on the bass side. I tried with spare parts from the USA made in Japan if it might work better, but it didn't help. Another strange find was that touching of the neck pickup led to loud hum when it was active. I discovered that the neck pickup's plate and cover weren't grounded which I later found on detailed pics on the web on another L6-S, too. I created a dedicated ground connection for the neck pickup. On June 1st, 2013 I bought the last 2011 L6S Thomann had in stock. It has a Silverburst finish. I just had to have it since my 2011 L6S is one of my favorites for practicing, for the 24 frets as well as for its tonal flexibility. On both the 2011 L6Ses I rewired the 2nd tone control from between volume pot and output to between six-position selector switch out and volume pot. This makes it much more effective when connecting the guitar to a 1 MegOhms load as I usually do. I don't own a digital camera, and so I will post pics after returning of the drummer of my band from his vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nad Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Oh that is nice!!! And the sunbursts are rare too. GAS!! lThanks, it plays beautifully, very low action no buzzes or rattles. The ebony fingerboard has a beautiful feel to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamGuy Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 I do like the look of the ebony board... very nice indeed. Thanks all for keeping this thread alive! (and for posting pics! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Hello! Meet "Hilda": Cheers... Bence 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar God Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Here's my 1975 L6-S: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSgtChevyUSMC Posted December 19, 2019 Share Posted December 19, 2019 Hey there, I'm a little late to this post but just found out about this forum a few days ago. I have a 1980 Gibson Les Paul L6-S. It was made in Nashville February of 1980. I believe it's a tobacco sunburst version but I'm just now getting specifics. Can anyone offer any info on replacing the pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 19, 2019 Share Posted December 19, 2019 I used two LS-sii in the 70's. I remember them being Bill Lawrence pickups. For whatever reason, I remember them being not standard humbucker size, like Fender and their Wide Range Humbuckers. But I may remember wrong. Good luck with it. They were great guitars and I miss them both. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSgtChevyUSMC Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 I have done some research and you're right. They used Bill Lawrence ceramic sealed Humbuckers. The pots look to be 500k but I believe one is 300 maybe? My son was distracting me while I was looking so I may be wrong. I'm hoping to get as close to the original parts as possible. However, I'm finding out lately that's going to be a challenge. I remember the amazing sound and the diverse range that my grandfather could achieve with this beauty. So it's worth all the headache to keep it original. Thank you all for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate59 Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Gibson L6-S s/n 140829. What year was this made? Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len-A Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 There’s a Wikipedia article on the Gibson L6-S that give some info on it’s history and design. Worth the 5 minute read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussB Posted June 8, 2021 Share Posted June 8, 2021 I bought the original L6-S when it came out in 1973, on W. 48th St. in Manhattan. There were so many stores that sold instruments on that street that we called it Music Street. Anyway, I plunked down $350 for it back then (a small fortune for a teenager like I was, making $1.25 per hour working at the Brooklyn Public Library). I still have that guitar and of all the guitars I’ve ever owned, it’s my favorite! I played it in all the punk/new wave/folk rock clubs on the NYC scene in the late 1970s-early 1980s. It’s taken a licking, but it’s still ticking. I think it’s a thing of beauty, but I seen lots of comments online saying that it’s ugly! Go figure! -Russ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHussar Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 I have an L6-S Midnight Special with the Serial Number 513996...the Gibson logo is missing from the headstock like it fell off...did they use decals in those days, and how can I find the year of manufacture? I've read from 74-79, but is there a way to know? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussB Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 2023 marks FIFTY years since I bought my first professional-quality electric guitar, the Gibson L6-S. I bought it for $350 from Sam Ash on West 48th Street in NYC — back then that was a fortune for a guy like me, who was making $1.25 per hour working at the Brooklyn Public Library! It’s been through a lot — many gigs in the NY club scene, several thousand hours of being played and even some blood, sweat and tears! It’s rare for a guitar to be kept in good condition for so long, and maintain its playability/quality, but this one has done that. Its beautiful maple body and neck, top-quality hardware and electronics certainly helped. Long live the L6-S, which I still happily play every day!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 On 8/13/2011 at 6:58 PM, duane v said: Some day I'm gonna get me one of those with a rosewood fretboard.... Sweet AXE!!! Well 12 years later I have one.... I get an F- for quoting myself 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 On 8/13/2011 at 9:58 PM, duane v said: Some day I'm gonna get me one of those with a rosewood fretboard.... Sweet AXE!!! lol, and you got it ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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