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is this authentic

ishowcebu

By ishowcebu
in Gibson USA

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btoth76

btoth76

Posted
Posted

Hello and welcome to the Forums!

 

The guitar looks to be a genuine Gibson instrument, by it's general features. However, I have never seen one like this, with the Recording-like plastic control panel.

 

Probably, members Grog and DaveG have more to say about it.

 

Good luck... Bence

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pippy

pippy

Posted
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Hi and welcome.

 

As Bence has already said it's certainly a genuine Gibson but not exactly the same as any model I've ever seen before.

 

It may be that it was a special-order instrument?

One of the reasons I say that is the inlays on the peghead are Abalone - which was NOT used on the day-to-day production line models of the time (nor, indeed today).

 

My suggestion would be to contact Gibson Customer Service with the serial number and pictures (or a link to here) to see if they might be able to shed some light on the matter although it must be bourne in mind that Gibson's records of this particular time are notoriously incomplete and unreliable.

 

Here's where to find them;

http://www.gibson.com/Gibson/Talk-2-Us.aspx

 

Please keep us posted!

 

Pip.

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pippy

pippy

Posted
Posted

Look! What have I found:

 

...and another one:

Good work, Bence.

It doesn't take a genius to see that they are all exactly the same instrument.

 

Consensus over on LPF (thread is dated 2013) seems to be it's either a one-off custom order (more likely) or employee-made (less likely).

The chaps over there know their stuff so I'd tend to take their word for it.

 

Pip.

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ishowcebu

ishowcebu

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Could it be an original Gibson custom made guitar? it is just a boat away from me.. I am planning to get it. But I still do have some doubts over it's authenticity. I mean anyone can have access to parts from different Gibson guitars and put it together. I know there are good craftsmen who could put this together.

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Zebra

Zebra

Posted
Posted

Could it be an original Gibson custom made guitar? it is just a boat away from me.. I am planning to get it. But I still do have some doubts over it's authenticity. I mean anyone can have access to parts from different Gibson guitars and put it together. I know there are good craftsmen who could put this together.

Theoretically yes... I guess. But no one would do that. It would cost more than to just buy a real one.

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Zebra

Zebra

Posted
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Could it be an original Gibson custom made guitar? it is just a boat away from me.. I am planning to get it. But I still do have some doubts over it's authenticity. I mean anyone can have access to parts from different Gibson guitars and put it together. I know there are good craftsmen who could put this together.

Theoretically yes... I guess. But no one would do that. It would cost more than to just buy a real one.

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pippy

pippy

Posted
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There's really no doubt that it is a genuine Gibson guitar and it's almost certainly a one-off custom build for a client's specific needs.

 

Bear in mind that it is not a Les Paul Custom. The wiring would seem to activate each pickup/tone/vol set through each of the two output jack sockets and it may be wired up for some sort of stereo usage and this seems to be one of the main aspects of it's fundamental character. It might not be usable in quite the same way as a regularly wired instrument.

 

If I had spare change rattling about I'd fancy having it myself as a bit of a curiosity and I'm sure it will be a lovely instrument but I wouldn't choose it as my only Les Paul.

 

Pip.

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Guest Farnsbarns

Guest Farnsbarns

Posted
Posted

There's really no doubt that it is a genuine Gibson guitar and it's almost certainly a one-off custom build for a client's specific needs.

 

Bear in mind that it is not a Les Paul Custom. The wiring would seem to activate each pickup/tone/vol set through each of the two output jack sockets and it may be wired up for some sort of stereo usage and this seems to be one of the main aspects of it's fundamental character. It might not be usable in quite the same way as a regularly wired instrument.

 

If I had spare change rattling about I'd fancy having it myself as a bit of a curiosity and I'm sure it will be a lovely instrument but I wouldn't choose it as my only Les Paul.

 

Pip.

 

Not a good enough pic to be sure but it looks like each pup hot goes to a three way offering off, on and blended. Then there's a double put which seems to be wired as some kind of mix control. More peering needed.

 

Edit, just noticed the clearer pic at thr top with control lables visible. Master volume from that double pot and an in/out switch for each pup with secondary individual volumes. Makes more sense, 2 amps needed otherwise the pup selector works by changing jacks and there,'s no middle option. Not ideal. If you have 2 amps, especially 2 the same it could be interesting to play with.

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stein

stein

Posted
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Could it be an original Gibson custom made guitar? it is just a boat away from me.. I am planning to get it. But I still do have some doubts over it's authenticity. I mean anyone can have access to parts from different Gibson guitars and put it together. I know there are good craftsmen who could put this together.

 

 

Theoretically yes... I guess. But no one would do that. It would cost more than to just buy a real one.

That particular question MIGHT be impossible to ever answer.

 

However, what really makes it "authentic" or not is the parts them selves. If, as it appears, the neck, body, etc., are in fact genuine Gibson parts, the guitar would be considered "authentic" as far as what makes it an "authentic" Gibson.

 

So, say if Pippy takes two of his LP's to a luthier and has the necks swapped, he still has two genuine Gibsons. They just didn't leave the factory that way.

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Guest Farnsbarns

Guest Farnsbarns

Posted
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Interesting piece, looks a bit like a recording model. What's that 5th potentiometer do? The one closest to the neck...?

 

Master volume.

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Golden

Golden

Posted
Posted

Cool piece, special order or something.

 

FEATURES MASTER VOLUME CONTROL, TWO ROCKER SWITCHES, TWO INPUT JACKS, TWO TONE AND TWO VOLUME KNOBS. POSSIBLY WIRED IN TRUE STEREO WITH TWO SEPERATE CIRCUITS AND A STACKED MASTER VOLUME CONTROL.

 

Can't tell, but the blue lead out of the front stacked pot to each side of a separate Volume pot appears to blend the two sides which both also can be adjusted V and T. Appears as anyway. Each pick-up to each switch and eachside also as with the inputs.

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Guest Farnsbarns

Guest Farnsbarns

Posted
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There's no question in my mind that it's an original Gibson oddball. The controls being routed from the front and not the back tell us it left the factory this way.

 

I thought that, and no sign of a previous route from the back either.

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Golden

Golden

Posted
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The guitar is unique and has nice figured maple on back and abalone inlays. The recording type route top and plastic I'm not crazy about but regardless how its wired you could re wire something cool with the same basic layout. What kind of pick-ups, it doesn't say? Doesn't even sound like the seller played it and knows how it functions. I mean how hard was it to plug it in?

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