Need help to identify Les Paul model

[Al Robichaud]

Hi everyone.

I recently purchased this guitar from the local by and sell for $100.  

https://imgur.com/a/Jb2P8yt

The ad only said 'Les Paul Electric Guitar.  One thing that I noticed was that someone had replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan's.  I don't know exactly what pickups they are yet.  I compared it to a special II and is about 1lb (450 grams or so) lighter.  I think the strings that are on it are original. The guitar is quite dirty and needs a good polish.  The frets are in great shape with no wear that I can see. The neck feels nice and the fret board is in good shape. The pickguard and all the other plastic components might need to be replaced as they are in pretty rough shape and I really don't like the 'relic' look.  The selector switch is also broken. 

What I am wondering is what exactly did I buy? Is this a Les Paul 100 made in Koreah?  How do you read the serial number?  Is it a 99 or a 90?  

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Al

[RobinTheHood]

Yes, this is a LP 100. They began in 1993, so it's not a 1990 and some of the details are wrong for that year anyway. The other two options are 99 and 2009. 

However, many details are also wrong for 2009, such as the headstock shape, the Les Paul script on the headstock and the truss cover. Thay would have to make this guitar a 1999. The zero at the beginning of the serial doesnt make sense for that year though, so you could have either a replacement neck plate (which is unlikely) or there was a translation error when the serial was stamped and the zero should actually be a O, which would indicate the Choice factory in Korea. This is the most likely answer, as everything about the guitar indicates that it is a late 1990s Epiphone. No later than 2004, at least.

Edited August 20, 2019 by RobinTheHood

[Al Robichaud]

Hi and thanks for the reply.  I forgot that I came here and posted this thread.  You are correct that it is made in Korea in 1999.  This was confirmed after I sent some pictures to support at Gibson.  It was in rather neglected condition when I bought it but I took it apart and cleaned it up. The body came back to the acrylic shine and the nickel parts are shiny again.  I bought a new switch and some 3 ply black accessories and it looks pretty sweet.  The previous owner put a Seymour Duncan SH 5 in the neck position which retails for slightly more than I paid for the guitar ( In Canada).  I am waiting on a new Tusq nut to arrive before finalizing the assembly.  There is an after market bone nut that was not properly installed.  It is a bit too wide and never sanded down to give proper action on the first fret.

[old guy]

On 8/29/2019 at 8:58 PM, Al Robichaud said:

Hi and thanks for the reply.  I forgot that I came here and posted this thread.  You are correct that it is made in Korea in 1999.  This was confirmed after I sent some pictures to support at Gibson.  It was in rather neglected condition when I bought it but I took it apart and cleaned it up. The body came back to the acrylic shine and the nickel parts are shiny again.  I bought a new switch and some 3 ply black accessories and it looks pretty sweet.  The previous owner put a Seymour Duncan SH 5 in the neck position which retails for slightly more than I paid for the guitar ( In Canada).  I am waiting on a new Tusq nut to arrive before finalizing the assembly.  There is an after market bone nut that was not properly installed.  It is a bit too wide and never sanded down to give proper action on the first fret.

Post some pictures once you get it back together.