This has to be a tech guitar

[kefta4ever]

Hi, Ive had this Gibson guitar for about 30 years and was always wondering about it. The SN is 80280032.

 

I don't know if it was made this way or not but it has a preamp built into the body. There is a motherboard in the body that's powered by a 9v battery. I was 20 when I traded a Jap Fender Strat for it from a friend. He said he bought it that way. Anyone know anything about these guitars.

[sparquelito]

Your guitar was made at the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, MI, on January 28th, 1980

Production Number: 32

 

There are very few possibilities here, but just a few questions up front;

 

What condition is it in?

Does everything work?

Can you post a photo of it, just so we know which model to ponder?

 

Thanks!

:)

[rct]

Popular mod back then. Black Ice, The Cube, bunch of 'em. Lots did that.

 

rct

[kefta4ever]

I'm at work but will post some pics. I have other Gibson gear I want to know about. Ill post pics and models. A 2 15 basss amp . A 1 12 Guitar amp, and a Ripper Bass. The Ripper and the 1/12 Guitar amp are the only things I can find info on. Wuill post pics, thanks for the help.

[Searcy]

If it's a Gibson that's that old with a factory PC board in it it's likely a Moog / Gibson. Norlin owned both.

[rct]

If it's a Gibson that's that old with a factory PC board in it it's likely a Moog / Gibson. Norlin owned both.

 

I don't remember anything like that though, Moog and Gibson.

 

rct

[Johnny 6 String]

I don't remember anything like that though, Moog and Gibson.

 

rct

Wouldn't that have started with the RDs and become the Artist when they decided to put the actives in the LPs? Think the LP Artists were something like '78-'80.

[rct]

Wouldn't that have started with the RDs and become the Artist when they decided to put the actives in the LPs? Think the LP Artists were something like '78-'80.

 

Sure coulda been. I don't remember it, but I remember having no interest in the RDs or Artists, so I missed it.

 

rct

[kefta4ever]

 

 

[kefta4ever]

I guess that's all the pics I'm allowed to upload

[Rabs]

I guess that's all the pics I'm allowed to upload

you don't get much room on here...

 

most of us use http://www.photobucket.com once you upload them to there (its free) use the IMG link it gives you and copy that directly in to the post (don't use the silly insert media button)... you get 10 per post..

 

and by the way... those pics have me beat, never seen that before.. could be a home mod? I take it theres no pickup selector switch under that strap? that in itself is pretty weird (as is the placement behind the stoptail).

 

Here, let me embed those for you

[sparquelito]

It does look like some variant or base-model of the Gibson Les Paul Artist.

 

Missing a few of the usual adornments, but most of the details are there.

 

Curious that the pickup selector switch is located where it is.

[Searcy]

 

 

 

It's an early 80's Les Paul Invader MOOG prototype.

 

 

According to Gibson, the guitar is one of a few prototypes that they built in Nashville before 1983, beginning as early as 1980, using a basic Les Paul slab body design and a bolt-on neck with active electronics. In 1983, the guitar finally morphed into the Invader model, although some of the design features of the prototypes were dropped. For instance, the Invader had a scalloped contour on the treble side of the lower bout whereas the prototype was straight slab. Also by 1983, Norlin was ending its relationship with Moog so the production Invader models never included the active electronics. When experimentation started on these prototypes, Gibson didn't really have a plan for them other than they wanted to produce something with active electronics less expensively than their Les Paul Artist models, which were the most expensive LP models in their lineup in the late 1970's. These prototypes started as a slab-sided Les Paul with a bolt-on neck and active electronics, and also included most of the topflight hardware found on the Les Paul Artist model from which the electronics had been lifted. While many consider these prototypes to be part of the Les Paul family, by the time they went into production in 1983, it had changed into an intirely new model line as the Invader, notwithstanding the fact that the basic body footprint still retained the dimensions of a Les Paul. This fact continues to create confusion and uncertainty when identifying these transitional prototype models.

[kefta4ever]

Your right it has a bolt on neck. I forgot to write that.It has a mahogany neck, Heavy as hell. I'm not selling it, but just curious is it worth much. It works great.

[kefta4ever]

Oh, and thank you all for help!!!!

 

Kefta

[Rabs]

It's an early 80's Les Paul Invader MOOG prototype.

 

Great info there, as always

[sparquelito]

Searcy,

 

Well done, sir!!

 

Great detective work.

[sparquelito]

And by the way, Kefta,

 

Is that an old Gibson Ripper bass guitar there in that one photo?

Or a Grabber?

 

What is that?

 

[kefta4ever]

That's my old ripper. I actually played that one in my band. Ive had them hanging there for many years and every couple years I have them intonated and cleaned inside and out. Is it bad to have them hanging that long?

 

I'm actually saving the description of the guitar , gonna print it out and put in a frame next to it.

[Johnny 6 String]

It's an early 80's Les Paul Invader MOOG prototype.

 

Thanks! Once I saw the pics I was stumped, still recognized the influence but seeing it was completely foreign.

[Rabs]

I saw this.. Has similar controls (as mentioned earlier)

 

http://www.gibsonguitar.es/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/gibsons-5-freakiest-706.aspx

 

With a body shape much like a slightly melted version of the reverse-body Firebird of the early ’60s, the RD Custom was billed as Gibson’s guitar for the future. It had two standard chrome-covered humbucking pickups, but they were routed through active electronics. The neck was glued in, in accordance with Gibson tradition, but was made to a 25.5-inch scale length, and carried a maple fingerboard. Body and neck were also both made of maple, all elements intended to contribute to a brighter, snappier tone. It was a clever and well-though-out piece of guitar design, and won a few devoted fans, but fewer than 1,500 were sold in its three-year run. The passive-electronics RD Standard also helped to fly the flag from 1977-’78, but both models were gone before 1980.

 

[Searcy]

The OP guitar and the RD share the same active MOOG electronics.

 

The OP guitar is sort of a missing link that connects this guitar

 

 

With this guitar.

 

[4Hayden]

It's an early 80's Les Paul Invader MOOG prototype.

 

 

According to Gibson, the guitar is one of a few prototypes that they built in Nashville before 1983, beginning as early as 1980, using a basic Les Paul slab body design and a bolt-on neck with active electronics. In 1983, the guitar finally morphed into the Invader model, although some of the design features of the prototypes were dropped. For instance, the Invader had a scalloped contour on the treble side of the lower bout whereas the prototype was straight slab. Also by 1983, Norlin was ending its relationship with Moog so the production Invader models never included the active electronics. When experimentation started on these prototypes, Gibson didn't really have a plan for them other than they wanted to produce something with active electronics less expensively than their Les Paul Artist models, which were the most expensive LP models in their lineup in the late 1970's. These prototypes started as a slab-sided Les Paul with a bolt-on neck and active electronics, and also included most of the topflight hardware found on the Les Paul Artist model from which the electronics had been lifted. While many consider these prototypes to be part of the Les Paul family, by the time they went into production in 1983, it had changed into an intirely new model line as the Invader, notwithstanding the fact that the basic body footprint still retained the dimensions of a Les Paul. This fact continues to create confusion and uncertainty when identifying these transitional prototype models.

Searcy your the man , great work

 

4H

[electricmonk]

Loved this thread as it brings back memories of 78-79 for me. Played a 77 RD Custom (wish I still had it) when no one knew what they were...