jedzep

Here's a Les Paul Personal model sale page from Reverb for reference, so first I would try and get the LP back to square 1 with the original/period correct parts, restoring it's dollar value and then worry about the J restoration. Putting holes in the top for knobs might mean you'll have to configure whatever new electrification you choose to include some variation on that, as it's difficult to touch that area up. I imagine they aren't the missing LP knobs, but I wonder if you have those stashed somewhere. https://reverb.com/p/gibson-les-paul-personal-1969-1973?hfid=40317042&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17684165886&utm_content=campaignid=17684165886_adgroupid=137240598454_productpartitionid=1682339727300=merchantid=647421274_productid=40317042_keyword=_device=c_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=609048300175&gclid=CjwKCAjw3POhBhBQEiwAqTCuBj-iyLIpxTltv6ZIkY9MXVTamv_F2smEkJ32ErEsNq46Wkb8CsberhoCNW0QAvD_BwE More examples from Google https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmusicgoround.imgix.net%2Fimages%2F41117-S000034328-4%3Fauto%3Dcompress%2Cformat%26fit%3Dclip%26w%3D800&tbnid=K30w0_wHB2rhwM&vet=10CKoBEDMo_gJqFwoTCJCPlYXTsP4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAN..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.musicgoround.com%2Fproduct%2F41117-S000034328%2Fvintage-1970s-gibson-les-paul-recording-electric-guitar-walnut&docid=TIvWejjvDN2vwM&w=800&h=800&q=vintage les paul guitar photos&client=firefox-b-1-d&ved=0CKoBEDMo_gJqFwoTCJCPlYXTsP4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAN

With all the work that was done, you'd be wise to take it back to the restorer. It could be as minor as adjusting a couple frets or a tweak of the truss rod/saddle combo. When you have a dud that high up on the neck, especially after a reset, natural movement of a guitar geometry under string tension stress could require occasional fine tuning until it stabilizes into a manageable range. Don't forget, winter/summer weather changes move wood.

Can't argue with someone who has proven their usefulness here time and again. '52 is my birth year, and I could use some fixes.

Oh, wishful ladder bracers out there like good ol' BK! They never give up.

That, too. That sound hole ring says Gibson. I know there are K nerds flying their flags out there, but they all look plywoody and cheap compared to the real thing. Her guitar doesn't have that look.

Yeah? That sound hole ring looks Gibby. I almost see the K on the peghead, though, the script G is also there in a ghostly way. It would explain the apparent ladder bracing. 12 fret K'zoos?

If you hunt around, there are YT vids of her performances that show the guitar more clearly. I want to say 12 fret L0, but I've not yet been able to pick up a glimpse of what would be visible Xbrace as the camera moves around. Sound hole pickup blocks the view often, but it seems there isn't bracing you can see. When I blow up this photo, I still see L0 12 fretter.

Message sent.

Looks matter. They all are waay too 'Disney' for me. My preferences are 'plain Jane'.

What in the hell is IBG? China? Really? If you are a player with more than one guitar, more than one tone/brand/build, you should have the versatility to work them all. My only all mahogany git, a 17 yr. old 00015SM 12 fretter has a working place among my 8 Gibs, Martins, and Guilds. If you gotta' go one and done, that's a different shopping spree. A new mahogany Martin has to be played a while, but if I had it to do again I'd look at the deep bod Martin Jeff Tweedy 00 model. https://reverb.com/item/65687172-martin-00-db-jeff-tweedy

More isn't necessarily better. I guess that's my point.

The fact that Gibson puts a governor on this forum greatly diminishes the potential contributions. If I want to connect to an unfettered sharing of info, I find other forums to be more open and informative, especially the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum (UMGF). Gibson corporate has choked off this venue for ease of use and freedom of info sharing and access.

I did part with my awesome mahogany '31 L0 reluctantly, but the past is written in stone. If I were needing a hog Martin, I think the deep bod Jeff Tweedy would fill the bill. There's 1 or 2 out there on Reverb with 'make offer' option I'd love to hit, but I'm waiting on the CS deep bod 0018 delivery that will put me in the hole, yet may put my GAS in remission. https://reverb.com/item/65687172-martin-00-db-jeff-tweedy You're in remission ZW, right?

Using the photo site, Imgur, makes it easy to resize and copy to forums. I'd be pissed too.

I'm an online used buyer only, and have more acoustic guitars than I should. I look at the Martin 15 series, frankly, any all mahogany guitar, as a 'complementary' tone to spruce top dread or J, so you may be lacking something in that need for your performing. That comfortable neck shape and string spacing is the reason it feels easy to fret. You say 'gigged to death', but a 'Bird' should be a lifer unless you're real hard on it, and I wouldn't feel the Martin 15 is a good fit to replace that kind of workhorse, though I love my 20 yr old 00015SM. 1500 bucks is a tough price point to find a new Martin anyway, so you're limited to that, or the 16 series, depending on what's available. Martin Standard Series models are up in the high 2's, especially for something with guts. If you go over to the Martin geek site, UMGF, there's a discussion going on about 2K guitar options. https://umgf.com/viewtopic.php?p=2735393#p2735393

I was a little surprised at how every iteration sounded the same, more or less, especially since the guitar is a J, which I wouldn't think the lights would stimulate.

Oh yeah, it's pretty useless without a decent amp, so pull out the wallet. There are great teachers and lessons on YT, but it takes bulldog commitment and ponderous repetition to play well. Also, very short fingernails on the fretting hand. Have fun!

Good chunk of wood. My kid has dragged his around to cover song bar band gigs forever. It's a little heavy on the shoulder, but 10X better than setting it on her lap. She'll find a nice strap, then, hopefully not get frustrated learning to play. Here's some inspiration...

Rest easy. It is generally one of the most successful guitar repairs, and yours looks like no work was ever done, according to your photos. Electric guitars operate under less string tension than acoustics, so that's also in your favor. Play it and don't think about negative possibilities...unless a hairline crack suddenly appears.

Check the other Golden Age options from the link Dave put up . I use their single set’s.

Pay attention to the post and bushing diameters in any swap out. A post with a little too much room will go off the vertical/perpendicular plane under tension and become hard to turn. Spend more for better.

Quietly satisfied, accepting my place in the universe. This is the antithesis of OCD. The guitar is OK!

I saw Braz fingerboard slabs where I got my bridge blocks. I’ll try and send you his link when I’m home.

I buy a chunk of Braz on Ebay and have my luthier copy one.

Why would you ‘need’ to play in a particular position to attain your goal key? That’s what transposing is good for, flexibility. A capo would make options available without changing tuning,