Grog

My 2015 Studio Deluxe from Musicians Friend came with 57 & 57+ Humbuckers. It might be a Guitar Center & MF special run……..

It’s a unique feature specific to your guitar. In the event that it is ever stolen, you can use it to positively identify it as yours.

I believe that it’s a Les Paul BFG.

I’m Pretty sure that’s what I paid for this on a Musicians Friend sale new in 2015……..

I have a 2015 Studio Deluxe. It has “Push/Pull” volume pots to switch pickups to single coil. It also has one “Push/Pull” tone pot that adds a boost. It would have a 9 volt battery compartment in the control cavity if it has the boost.

This newer Firebird case has more than enough depth to protect the headstock, not the case when they first came in rectangular cases……..

I was under the impression that all of the ES guitars were built in Memphis during the timeframe they were operational……….

Both of these rectangular Les Paul cases are really headstock breaks waiting to happen. Modern cases are much safer………

Nice! Congrats!!

A couple of my more unusual cases…….

It does look like a 1969. The 2022 Vintage Guitar Price Guide lists it from $3,700 to $4,800 as a rough guide for value. I would also watch eBay & Reverb to see what they actually sell for. The tuners were changed with a period correct set of Schaller tuners. They are a much better tuner but might lower the value a bit………

This was a very short lived model. The “Gibson” embossed pickups point to 1972 which also coincides with the pot codes.

I have a similar firebird, a 2012. I notice yours has the Steinberger tuners like mine. How do you like them? When I was doing research on these, the tuners had a lot of positive comments. I took a chance on them & like them. I don’t think Gibson is using them anymore. They really take a lot of weight off of the headstock.

Before I retired, if I played solitary on my computer after finishing my lunch the song “Secret Love” sung by Doris Day would get stuck in my head. I never liked or purposely listened to that song. It went on for years, it was almost maddening! I tried everything I could think of but the song seemed to be associated with playing solitaire. I’ve been retired five years and the horror has subsided.

I looked in the “Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars” & this is what it said…….. I think they worded it backwards, “Center Block extends only from tailpiece to end pin: Dec 1972-Aug 1975.” The block extends from the neck to past the tailpiece. This does at least show that during this timeframe the center block was different.

It is definitely it’s own animal, a cross between a Les Paul & an ES-335. The low impedance circuitry and pickups were designed by Bill Lawrence. It actually has a “Balanced “ 3 wire output jack to plug it into a mixing board, all of the other low impedance models of the time were only “Unbalanced” 2 wire. The earliest guitars shipped had the same pickups that were on the Les Paul Recording in cream. It has the chunkier Les Paul neck. It is fun to play………..

I can’t say for certainty, but I have a 1974 Les Paul Signature that’s similar. The center block is “T” shaped & doesn’t go all the way to the end of the guitar. I was able to take my Wi-Fi Borescope & push it from one side to the other. It’s likely that they built all ES guitars the same way……….

Mine is a 2014. Some had a 120 Anniversary fret marker, mine doesn’t. I’ve seen them in ebony, tobacco sunburst & alpine white.

They are all of the Gibson low impedance models except for a few prototypes & one offs (& colors). The acoustic is a Les Paul Jumbo, it is easily the rarest. You are right on the years, they range from 1969 to 1974. I have the basses also, my room wasn’t large enough to photograph them all so I did them separate. No pickups mounted at an angle on the basses……

This photo shows several of them, all low impedance models……

I have been eyeballing one of these in Alpine White for a few years. I just pulled the trigger on this one last night. It is light years different than anything I have. I’m looking forward to it’s arrival………

I just recently read the book “Kalamazoo Gals” by John Thomas. It’s all about the banner guitars & the gals that built them during WWII. He went into the guitars pretty extensively. You may be able to contact the author for info…….

Years ago I had contacted a guy that had a prototype, with a normal Gibson neck. He also had prints that went down to Nashville when the plant first opened. The Mark Series was supposedly one of the early builds in Nashville and I believe it didn’t go well. I’ll try to post a photo of my Mark Series store display. To the left is my MK72 and to the right is my MK35 that I bought as a wall hanger………

Congrats!! I’ve been playing a ‘72 Les Paul Triumph bass for about 30 years. My blue LP Jr DC bass has been major competition for it.

Years ago I tried a MK-72, The feel & tone of that guitar was amazing! I bought it & even though I’m more of an electric player, it has remained my main acoustic. The concept was well engineered & it was the first attempt to improve the tone of acoustics in many years. Due partially to the inconsistency of wood, the results varied quite a bit. I try them when I come across them, most have little or no tone compared to my MK-72. I bought a MK-35 for cheap to use as a wall hanger, it sounds thin & cheap. If you do find one that sound & feels good to you, it’s a bargain compared to many vintage Gibson acoustics.