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Les Paul Custom 20th Anni rare back headstock


Jpsg

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hi Guy's

i just got in a LP 20th anniversary custom with a strange medallion size cutout on the back of the head stock.

also no serial # is visible,ith has the 20th anni inlay,the pots read 13774,Gibson (Grover) tuners,and it appears Tim Shaw Humbuckers.

i have no doubt that it is a original lp 20th anni,the only strange thing is the back head stock issue.

does anyone here ever saw this on a 20th anni? or is this something that';s been done afterwards? i really have no clue so any help is welcome.

picture is added.

thanks in advance.

 

regards

Axe

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hi Guy's

i just got in a LP 20th anniversary custom with a strange medallion size cutout on the back of the head stock.

also no serial # is visible,ith has the 20th anni inlay,the pots read 13774,Gibson (Grover) tuners,and it appears Tim Shaw Humbuckers.

i have no doubt that it is a original lp 20th anni,the only strange thing is the back head stock issue.

does anyone here ever saw this on a 20th anni? or is this something that';s been done afterwards? i really have no clue so any help is welcome.

picture is added.

thanks in advance.

 

regards

Axe

 

Do you have any other pictures? The tuners are not correct for a 20th anniversary Les Paul Custom. No clue what the modification is on it at the top of the headstock. The number on the pots should be either 6 or 7 digits long but the manufacturer of the pots, based on the partial number, is Chicago Telephone.

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Do you have any other pictures? The tuners are not correct for a 20th anniversary Les Paul Custom. No clue what the modification is on it at the top of the headstock. The number on the pots should be either 6 or 7 digits long but the manufacturer of the pots, based on the partial number, is Chicago Telephone.

 

 

hi.

 

regarding the tuners,i saw the same ones on a few other 74 les paul anni's.

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1974-Gibson-Les-Paul-Custom-LEFT-HANDED-20th-Anniversary-with-Case-/281738237065?hash=item4198e85489:g:5hsAAMXQBlJR8FiJ

 

and yes the pots are Cts ones correct for 74.

what i know is that the knobs are changed out,the backplates too,and humbucker rings,maybe pickguard.

uploaded more pictures.

 

thank you.

 

Axe

post-85196-098237500 1493640333_thumb.jpg

post-85196-068678300 1493640343_thumb.jpg

post-85196-085297600 1493640363_thumb.jpg

post-85196-003703600 1493640377_thumb.jpg

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Do you have any other pictures? The tuners are not correct for a 20th anniversary Les Paul Custom. No clue what the modification is on it at the top of the headstock. The number on the pots should be either 6 or 7 digits long but the manufacturer of the pots, based on the partial number, is Chicago Telephone.

 

The tuners not being correct on an almost 45 year old guitar is pretty common I would think. I know if you looked at my LP I know 3 out 4 of them have "incorrect" tuners and I'm not sure about my 78 Deluxe. Tuners often get changed and most people don't care about how "correct" they are on their guitars.

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hi Guy's

 

Thanks everybody so far for all possible answers,my thought was being it a second would't they not stamped it ''Used or'' SECOND''or even just a plain '2'?

regarding the Pickups,yes they were put in later as far as i can see the soldering done on it not being factory original,picture attached from the serial number on it most say they are tim shaw's !! but are they?

i only know they sound awesome !! and that is not my concern either.

thanks everybody so far !!

 

regards

Axe

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hi Guy's

I just got in a LP 20th anniversary custom with a strange medallion size cutout on the back of the head stock.......

.......anyone here ever saw this on a 20th anni?...

That's perfectly normal.

 

That oval shaped cutout is where a decal bearing the model name and serial number was stuck.

Gibson used this method on certain models of guitar from (according to most sources) c. 1975 to 1977.

 

One of my main source-books states that the Twentieth Anniversary LPC was available in 1975 so your guitar might easily be a very late '74 - but '75 model-year hence the cutout - or else a '75 with '74-dated pots. Equally the cutout serialisation system might have been introduced in very late '74.

 

It does not indicate that the guitar was a second nor that it has received later treatment at the factory.

 

Pip.

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That's perfectly normal.

 

That oval shaped cutout is where a decal bearing the model name and serial number was stuck.

Gibson used this method on certain models of guitar from (according to most sources) c. 1975 to 1977.

 

One of my main source-books states that the Twentieth Anniversary LPC was available in 1975 so your guitar might easily be a very late '74 - but '75 model-year hence the cutout - or else a '75 with '74-dated pots. Equally the cutout serialisation system might have been introduced in very late '74.

 

It does not indicate that the guitar was a second nor that it has received later treatment at the factory.

 

Pip.

 

Hey Pip.

 

Thanks so much to clear this issue,so there was just a kind of oval sticker with serial # which is lost right? Then this was no smart move to put a serial # on a guitar like this.

 

SO MANY THANKS TO ALL CONTRIBUTORS

 

Regards

Axe

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...so there was just a kind of oval sticker with serial # which is lost right? Then this was no smart move to put a serial # on a guitar like this...

Yes.

 

There are surprisingly few pictures to be found on-line showing the system but here's one;

 

1976_GibsonLPDeluxe3.jpg

 

'75 guitars had a serial starting 99; '76 = 00 (as seen above) and '77 = 06. Logical, huh?..........msp_blink.gif..........

 

As far as the 'smartness' of the idea goes here's what Ian C. Bishop wrote in his book "The Gibson Guitar from 1950" in 1976 when the practice was still current;

 

"Gibson have started using serial number decals which, of course, will be lost should the guitar ever be refinished. Some recent solids......have the serial number printed in gold on a small oval piece of celluloid glued into a small oval depression on the rear of the headstock. In time these will disappear......(and)......these can be removed with ease should the guitar ever be stolen..."

 

Terrible idea.

Not everything dreamed-up during the Norlin Era was wholly bad but serial numbers on a sticker? Who could possibly think that a clever move for a high-value instrument?

 

And Yes, very nice player's guitar!

 

msp_thumbup.gif

 

Pip.

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Thanks Pip.

Yes did some research and found also a few like the one on picture.

Not a smart move Gibson made here.

But i am glad i finally know what it is and factory original too !!

Thanks again very much appreciated.

 

Regards

Axe

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Guest Farnsbarns

I apologize for my misinformation. This question was asked on here a few years back and I felt sure the outcome was that it was a 2nd. My apologies.

 

Pip is clearly correct, not only because of his photographic evidence but also because everyone around here knows he's the Les Paul history expert.

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I apologize for my misinformation. This question was asked on here a few years back and I felt sure the outcome was that it was a 2nd. My apologies.

 

Pip is clearly correct, not only because of his photographic evidence but also because everyone around here knows he's the Les Paul history expert.

 

Me too. And probably because the 2 on the Epiphone LP I own is in a dent in the headstock, similar to that but smaller. I think I only ever saw those guitars sans serial sticker, because I couldn't picture the sticker for the life of me.

 

rct

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Guest Farnsbarns

The tuners not being correct on an almost 45 year old guitar is pretty common I would think. I know if you looked at my LP I know 3 out 4 of them have "incorrect" tuners and I'm not sure about my 78 Deluxe. Tuners often get changed and most people don't care about how "correct" they are on their guitars.

 

I didn't minus you, just to clarify, but what a crock. Players might not care but unfortunately the value is impacted quite a lot.

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The tuners not being correct on an almost 45 year old guitar is pretty common I would think. I know if you looked at my LP I know 3 out 4 of them have "incorrect" tuners and I'm not sure about my 78 Deluxe. Tuners often get changed and most people don't care about how "correct" they are on their guitars.

 

I didn't minus you, just to clarify, but what a crock. Players might not care but unfortunately the value is impacted quite a lot.

 

I didn't minus either of you, but my life experience has definitely been that if I were at all interested in buying a 70's Les Paul I would go to see it knowing the tuners are not original and that I don't care about that. We all changed them back then, I'd say 90% of us, it was no thing, and we didn't think at all about any future value being lost. I don't think anyone today should think about value lost due to unoriginal tuners. I think, if they are a player, they will be glad to not have those crappy keystones on there, just waiting to fail in the middle of yer giant showcase gig with some other arena rock band. And, it would be nice to see Grover with USA on the bottom. I miss that.

 

rct

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Guest Farnsbarns

I didn't minus either of you, but my life experience has definitely been that if I were at all interested in buying a 70's Les Paul I would go to see it knowing the tuners are not original and that I don't care about that. We all changed them back then, I'd say 90% of us, it was no thing, and we didn't think at all about any future value being lost. I don't think anyone today should think about value lost due to unoriginal tuners. I think, if they are a player, they will be glad to not have those crappy keystones on there, just waiting to fail in the middle of yer giant showcase gig with some other arena rock band. And, it would be nice to see Grover with USA on the bottom. I miss that.

 

rct

 

Everyone did it: yep, that's why all original examples are rare and therefore command a higher value.

 

Whether you think the value should be impacted is immaterial. It is. I agree with you though. I wouldn't buy a guitar for its value or rarity (not without a lottery win) but those things still affect the market.

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You are both right.

Players don't care much and collectors care a great deal.

Better playing guitars can often be cheaper than better looking guitars. Plus ça change...

 

And I +'d him up so we're all back at square onehundredandnineteen. Don't really know why he was -'d in the first place. Most odd.

 

Pip.

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You are both right.

Players don't care much and collectors care a great deal.

Better playing guitars can often be cheaper than better looking guitars. Plus ça change...

 

And I +'d him up so we're all back at square onehundredandnineteen. Don't really know why he was -'d in the first place. Most odd.

 

Pip.

 

I've noticed 2 people getting minuses on every post. Must have upset someone. Childish to minus every post though.

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I didn't minus you, just to clarify, but what a crock. Players might not care but unfortunately the value is impacted quite a lot.

 

Bullshit.

 

Most LP are just player guitars, not valuable collectibles. If you had a vintage LP worth 10,000 or a Custom shop case queen yeah, someone probably would care and it not being "correct" would impact the value. If you have a player's guitar like the OP, which already has extra switches and mods....who cares? Most guitars get played. Things break and get changed.

 

If you have a 1993 Classic or a 1988 Custom...or a 1978 Deluxe....or a 2015 Junior......like I do........nobody gives a **** about the tuners beyond do they work or not. What's more is if "correct" tuners were that big of a deal to you you could just buy "correct" tuners. My most expensive guitar is my 1988 Custom....but it's nothing special. It's not rare. It's not unique. It's in player's condition. You really think if I went to sell it anyone would care about the tuners lol?

 

Most people are not collectors and most LP aren't closet case queens that people want to remain pristine forever. When I buy a guitar it's to play it. It's a tool. I could not care less if the tuners are "correct" or not so long as they work and I'm hardly alone.

 

Feel free to "minus" me all you want though. I'll survive somehow.

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