Karma180 Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hi, the truss cover says Standard but the back says Deluxe? The seller thinks its all original except for the tuners ... but it doesn't have humbuckers ... what gives?? Here's the link http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/winnipeg/1975-gibson-les-paul/1115112088 Opinions appreciated! Thanks, Karma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Hello Karma180, my opinions are as follows: The guitar has been a Deluxe from the factory, featuring mini humbuckers and Kluson style Deluxe machine heads. Some pre-owner(s) swapped the stock tuners, routed the guitar for full-size humbuckers and installed them, or had it done. Given that all, the jack plate story is just diversionary tactic. Any additional holes like those on the peghead's back would be a dealbreaker for me. Machine head replacements must be drop-ins, or I reject them. Just my two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 ... routed the guitar for full-size humbuckers and installed them, or had it done. Most likely not. The earliest production model Standards, when reintroduced in 1975, had "Deluxe" SN decals. The story goes that Gibson started building and shipping Standards before they had the proper "Standard" SN decals. Gibson shipping record show that from late '75 through '76 there were only 25 Standards shipped. How many Standards had the "Deluxe" decal stickers, and how many had 1975 (99 prefix) serial numbers, no one knows. I own one of these mis-labeled first 25 with a '75 serial number, with complete and documented continuity in provenance, as I bought it new. Of the guitar pictured, covered humbuckers would have been stock, and as the seller states the original wiring is in tact, I would surmise someone along the way removed the covers. This was a typical mod back in the day. The tuners have been replaced, as this guitar would have left the factory with double-ring plastic keystone Klusons. This was another typical mod, as Grovers and Schallers were VERY popular in the mid and late 70's. The jack plate (not shown in the pics) was probably replaced with chrome or brass due to breakage of the original cheap brittle plastic. The original broke on my guitar many, many years ago. The case shown has a replacement handle. It didn't take much for the plastic handles of this era to split out at the bottom at one of the brackets. All else looks good and proper from the photos. I have been very pleased with my '75 Standard from day one, and have found no reason to replace it OR buy another in the 40 years since. The fair market value of this guitar is right around $2000 (USD). A couple of other "fun facts" about these mid-70's standards: A few years ago I had a chance to chronologically go through the dealer price lists of this era. The "Les Paul Standard" did not reappear in the dealer price list until June of 1976 (the Dealer Price List was printed and sent out twice a year), and the retail price was something between $600 and $700 ($599 or $650 or $699, I don't remember). I paid $500 for mine. I've written many times here about these guitars. You might be able to do a site search and find more info that I might have omitted here (try searching something like "1975 Standard"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 A look inside the pickup routes will tell the story. It's BARELY possible to route a P-90/ mini-humbucker route into a full size humbucker route, but not always. The P-90 is wider than the full size humbucker. Anyway, long story short: if it is a re-routed guitar, it will be obvious. There is no way to re-route a P-90 hole without leaving evidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Most likely not. Perhaps it's a little bit different here as lots of Deluxes were modded for what they later called Standards. The earliest production model Standards, when reintroduced in 1975, had "Deluxe" SN decals. The story goes that Gibson started building and shipping Standards before they had the proper "Standard" SN decals. Gibson shipping record show that from late '75 through '76 there were only 25 Standards shipped. How many Standards had the "Deluxe" decal stickers, and how many had 1975 (99 prefix) serial numbers, no one knows. That's a fact. I believe very few made it to Europe then, but there have been some imported by ISO, the official Gibson distributor for West Germany these days. They were located under one roof with my favorite musical instruments dealer. Sometimes the world seems to be rather small... I've written many times here about these guitars. You might be able to do a site search and find more info that I might have omitted here (try searching something like "1975 Standard"). Yep. On the other hand, I think completely enlightening what was going on is a next to impossible task. Evaluating the guitar in question specifically would be most helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 As I said, it's a (factory) Standard. The sunburst Deluxe of the time came only in Cherry Sunburst. The 1975 re-introduction of the Standard was also the re-introduction of the Tobacco Sunburst Les Paul. I would say, in it's simplest form, that a 1975 serial numbered (decal) Les Paul with full size humbuckers in cherry sunburst is a modified Deluxe, and one in tobacco sunburst is a factory Standard. Just prior to the new Standards coming out I was jonesin' real bad for a Les Paul to go with my 1960 Strat and 1964 Firebird. As a Duane Allman devotee, a Deluxe would not do, nor would cherry sunburst. I didn't know enough at the time to have hunted down a REAL 'burst, but when I saw the "new" tobacco sunburst Standard at Mel Bay's music store, I knew that was going to be my next guitar. Mel had two in stock, and within a few days, I had my new tobacco sunburst Les Paul Standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 As I said, it's a (factory) Standard. The sunburst Deluxe of the time came only in Cherry Sunburst. The 1975 re-introduction of the Standard was also the re-introduction of the Tobacco Sunburst Les Paul. I would say, in it's simplest form, that a 1975 serial numbered (decal) Les Paul with full size humbuckers in cherry sunburst is a modified Deluxe, and one in tobacco sunburst is a factory Standard. ... That's convincing. I just verified that and it was indeed matching all of the 1975 LPs I found. Thank you for your valuable informations, Larry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrytoons Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 I own a1975 Les Paul Standard although I have no original bill of sale i walked into Minns music store in London and bought the Tobacco brown brand new and still have it I often wondered why it had Deluxe on the headstock back still have he Klusons and no mods I searched for a long time to get a 75 case as at the time Gibson were very poor in supplying cases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01GT eibach Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 1 hour ago, Terrytoons said: I own a1975 Les Paul Standard although I have no original bill of sale ... I walked into Minns music store in London and bought the Tobacco brown brand new and still have it ... Oh, come on. A statement like that and no picture??? I am dying here ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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