bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hi all Been searching for an affordable Les Paul Standard for some time and one has cropped up. I think............. The photos I have are not too good, but I do have a serial number which I have checked out. Serial number is 000560640 which I think dates it to 5th January 2006 manufactured at the Nashville plant. Thing is, I'm not sure exactly which model it is. It's going to be quite a wasted journey for me if it turns out to be a lesser model when I get there. I have fired off an email to Gibson support/ID dept but haven't had a response as yet and the clock is ticking. I don't want this guitar to get away if it's a good one. Apologies for my ignorance on the subject but I'm as confused as hell wading through all the variations of models. Anyhow, here are a few pics..... [/url][/img] [/url][/img] [/url][/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 As to be seen from the front, it looks like a real Les Paul Standard. The proportions seem right to me, and single ply cream bindings, cream pickguard, gold top hat knobs and vintage machine heads with mint tulip knobs support this, too. The fretboard shows normal wear as far as I can see. I cannot rate condition of finish and fret wire with looking at these pics. I don't know if they didn't have a lefty truss rod cover saying Standard at hand the time of manufacturing, or they had dropped it that time, or someone has replaced it with a blank one as I do, but I keep the original on the shelf. So this guitar could be a slightly different model with limited availability - please refer to my comment in brackets below. However, I am not an expert and also would have liked to see the headstock's back pictured. So this is not a positive statement, just evaluating what I see from the pics. I hope the real experts will send additional posts. (I bought a new Gibson USA Special Run 2011 Quilt Top LP Standard in Regal Purple, and a new Custom Shop Figured LP Standard with Translucent Orange finish which both came with a blank truss rod cover and never appeared on any official website. The first one is a transition model not compliant to the 2008 specs (e. g. chambered body, locking output jack, transparent grey electric cover) what could be the reason for it. The second one has a flame top and otherwise follows the Class 5 specs. Both are very rare, absolutely authentic and were offered to special dealers only.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mixstar Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 When you say wasted journey how far are you talking about? If it's a couple of hours in a car then it's not wasted, those two hours could give you the baby you want or save you £'s ($'s whatever) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 As to be seen from the front, it looks like a real Les Paul Standard. The proportions seem right to me, and single ply cream bindings, cream pickguard, gold top hat knobs and vintage machine heads with mint tulip knobs support this, too. The fretboard shows normal wear as far as I can see. I cannot rate condition of finish and fret wire with looking at these pics. I don't know if they didn't have a lefty truss rod cover saying Standard at hand the time of manufacturing, or they had dropped it that time, or someone was replaced it with a blank one as I do, but I keep the original on the shelf. So this guitar could be a slightly different model with limited availability - please refer to my comment in brackets below. However, I am not an expert and also would have liked to see the headstock's back pictured. So this is not a positive statement, just evaluating what I see from the pics. I hope the real experts will send additional posts. (I bought a new Gibson USA Special Run 2011 Quilt Top LP Standard in Regal Purple, and a new Custom Shop Figured LP Standard with Translucent Orange finish which both came with a blank truss rod cover and never appeared on any official website. The first one is a transition model not compliant to the 2008 specs (e. g. chambered body, locking output jack, transparent grey electric cover) what could be the reason for it. The second one has a flame top and otherwise follows the Class 5 specs. Both are very rare, absolutely authentic and were offered to special dealers only.) Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. The guy does seem very genuine, but he is not that knowledgable, nor am I. But it is reassuring that everything seems to add up in your eyes. I'm hoping to see it over the weekend. Fingers crossed that it holds up when I'm up close and personal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 When you say wasted journey how far are you talking about? If it's a couple of hours in a car then it's not wasted, those two hours could give you the baby you want or save you £'s ($'s whatever) I'm not too bothered about the journey itself. For the right guitar I'd travel the length of the country. It's more the fact that I'll be going without any real knowledge of Gibsons, as this will be my first one (I have a couple of Fender Strats and a Les Paul copy at the moment). I just don't want to buy it and then find out three months down the line that it's a Studio or something. That's the real problem for me which is why I was hoping for a positive ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mixstar Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 A studio doesn't have binding. In any case, there's absolutely nothing wrong with studios, mine is blinding. It's a pity you don't have someone who can go with you who has more Gibson knowledge :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hmmm, the knob placement has me concerned. The neck volume seems to close to inline with the tail. The cutaway looks just a tiny bit too roomy as well. Also, it's hard to see bit do I see a hint of slotted bridge studs? The nut looks deeply cut in an epi kind of way too. But, I've never seen convincing headstock and neck binding on a cheap fake or epi conversion before, and I am seeing that here and the possible issues I see are all things which can look off on a photo and turn out to look fine on another or in person. It's just that I'd feel bad if you bought a fake when I could gave mentioned these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Sorry, I probably used Studio as a bad example. But that's my point, there are just so many variations on the Les Pauls. I would't mind coming back with a Studio if that's what I paid for, but I can go and buy a new Studio for less than the price of the one I'm looking at. And yes, you are right, I could deffo use a Gibson savvy friend, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hmmm, the knob placement has me concerned. The neck volume seems to close to inline with the tail. The cutaway looks just a tiny bit too roomy as well. Also, it's hard to see bit do I see a hint of slotted bridge studs? The nut looks deeply cut in an epi kind of way too. But, I've never seen convincing headstock and neck binding on a cheap fake or epi conversion before, and I am seeing that here and the possible issues I see are all things which can look off on a photo and turn out to look fine on another or in person. It's just that I'd feel bad if you bought a fake when I could gave mentioned these things. And now my brain hurts too, lol. The plot thickens. Just don't know what to do..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Looks like a Standard to me. No alarm bells. Better pics would help confirm matters. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Thanks to all. General consensus seems to be that it appears to be good and true. The guy selling it certainly sounded genuine and didn't really give me any cause to doubt his integrity. It's just his lack of knowledge combined with mine that cast a bit of a shadow. I'll try and get it seen either tomorrow or Sunday and see if I can't bag myself my first Gibson :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Good Luck! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Thanks. Just trying to organise my pennies at the mo'. Robbing Peter to mug Paul type of thing :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Hmmm, the knob placement has me concerned. The neck volume seems to close to inline with the tail. The cutaway looks just a tiny bit too roomy as well. Also, it's hard to see bit do I see a hint of slotted bridge studs? The nut looks deeply cut in an epi kind of way too. But, I've never seen convincing headstock and neck binding on a cheap fake or epi conversion before, and I am seeing that here and the possible issues I see are all things which can look off on a photo and turn out to look fine on another or in person. It's just that I'd feel bad if you bought a fake when I could gave mentioned these things. To check for that, I mirrored the pics, and decided to scroll through the lefty Gibson LPs at the Thomann cyber store. Then I looked at my righty LPs. I found out that there are slight differences especially among these with point-to-point wiring, and that it highly depends on view angle and space between knobs and top. I finally came to the same result as pippy who is like Farnsbarns one of the real experts I thought of writing my previous post - I quote here: Looks like a Standard to me. No alarm bells. Better pics would help confirm matters. P. And so I finally agree with him, too: Good Luck! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 I've just woke up to a reply from Garrett at Gibson who wrote, "This guitar is consistent with a 2006 Les Paul Standard Lefty 2002 Style with a 60'S Neck". And that was music to my ears. Just been reading up on the 2002 spec' Gibsons and it seems it was a bit of a golden period for quality production. So now I'm doubly excited. Once again thanks to all who assisted me. Greatly appreciated :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 I've just woke up to a reply from Garrett at Gibson who wrote, "This guitar is consistent with a 2006 Les Paul Standard Lefty 2002 Style with a 60'S Neck". And that was music to my ears. Just been reading up on the 2002 spec' Gibsons and it seems it was a bit of a golden period for quality production. So now I'm doubly excited. Once again thanks to all who assisted me. Greatly appreciated :) You're welcome, mate. Great news, and glad you shared it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Well, seems I was wrong, which is good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mixstar Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yep, good news, let us know what the outcome was, I like this kind of hunting. Apart from one of my guitars I aquired them all by stealth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 Well, the good news is that I ended up buying it. It cost me £100 more than we had initially agreed as he took it to the shop for a repair on the switch, and had a sneaky valuation while he was there. He agreed to meet me in the middle of the initial figure and the valuation. I ended up paying £975, which I am more than pleased with :). It sounds superb through my Blackstar. I'm just gonna take it to my guitar guru next week for a complete overhaul, new strings and a lower action. Cannot wait :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 BINGO! Congratulations on your purchase, and that it seems to be all good. Thank you for keeping us informed. I understand that you just can't wait 'till it will be set up to your desire... Happy playing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 I'll post up some pictures once it has been serviced. Thank you for all your help. I have greatly appreciated it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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