dtbradio Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 About 10 years ago, I purchased what now appears to be a 1978 The Paul Standard. It was about $300 used in a local music store. The store owner wasn't sure what Gibson model it was, and didn't seem to be too willing to research it to find out. I researched it on my own after buying it and it matched up with The Paul's description. The serial number also indicates that it was a 1978 The Paul. Every single detail is correct EXCEPT the truss rod cover. It does not have "The Paul" engraved on it. The guitar appears to be correct in every other detail. Did any of The Pauls come off the line with a plain rod cover? If so, maybe I'm sitting on a REALLY rare and valuable item. If not, maybe I got a really well-done (and great-sounding) fake, or maybe someone just replaced the rod cover. I can't take any pics to post at the moment, I have my rig set up at the venue in which I will be playing later this morning. I will try to get some pics posted later to help with the ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Did any of The Pauls come off the line with a plain rod cover? I'm betting they were as consistent with "The Paul" truss rod covers as they were with everything else. If so' date=' maybe I'm sitting on a REALLY rare and valuable item.[/quote'] Or not. or maybe someone just replaced the rod cover. Likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 I was a bit off in my first post. There is one other detail that's different from the description of The Paul, and that's a pick-guard. I have no idea whether it was made with it, or someone added it. I suspect it was added. Anyway, I took some photos, so maybe someone will be able to tell me what I actually have here. Although it doesn't show very well in the photo, the back of the headstock does say Made in USA under the serial number of 72978682 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Worth $800-1000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StijnV Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 The The Paul Standard from 1978 did not have a pickguard installed, but had a truss rod cover with "The Paul" on it as far as I can check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share Posted July 2, 2010 Exactly right. The general concensus of opinion is that someone added a pick-guard, and that the rod cover was replaced at some point. Every other point of the guitar matches a 1978 The Paul standard. I suppose its possible that someone ordered a custom unit, but I have no idea how someone would trace the guitar's history to find that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowb5str Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Usual way to spot special orders on CUSTOMS is to pop the p'ups off and look for writing in the cavities. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Someone just put the guard on and changed the rod cover, I change all my SG rod covers to blanks as it looks better to me. That is a nice looking Les Paul.......not just a Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 3, 2010 Author Share Posted July 3, 2010 Would love to get my hands on an original rod cover.... Can never seem to find them when I actually have $$ to spend on them, lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfoxhound Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Hey, I had one of those, it is a "The Paul". That's it, that's the model. A few years after "The Paul", Firebrand was released and bore the name THE PAUL FIREBRAND, it was the same but newer and with different colors. Your guitar's walnut body and neck, ebony fretboard and may have T-tops pickups (which them selves can worth more than $150). I sold the guitar in eBay via Auction and I sold it for $850 about 6 months ago with t-tops. Inside control cavity should have printed numbers and the exact date of body's manufacturing date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfoxhound Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 By the way, original tuners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share Posted July 5, 2010 How can I tell which pickups I have? I looked in the control cavity, and it was made on Oct 24. I also saw the numbers 3 and 4 stamped or printed in red. There was a hand-written "4:20" by one of the controls, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 There was a hand-written "4:20" by one of the controls' date=' as well. [/quote'] That was done by a pot head. My '79 "The SG" has a "Velvet Brick" in the bridge. It'll melt paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share Posted July 6, 2010 The pothead must have removed the control before writing it, because a small part of the writing is under the POTentiometer body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynyrd Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Late to the discussion, but it sure looks like a The Paul model to me. Walnut wood, pickup selector position, and the way the body is carved are the tells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 How can I tell which pickups I have? The pickups are Dirty Fingers Humbuckers. If you keep looking you will eventually find the correct truss rod cover. Do you have the original case? They were quite cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 I have no idea if this case is actually original or not, but I suspect not. I'll post a photo or two when I get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Dirty Fingers have 12 adjustable screws. These will be T tops which were a standard fitment. Nice 2 piece body - it was POT luck what you got... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Dirty Fingers have 12 adjustable screws. Oh . . . they looked adjustable to me, but maybe not. The Paul that I owned (from new) was fitted with dirty fingers humbuckers, so I thought these were the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 Mine have adjustables under each string on each side of each humbucker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtbradio Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 Is there a mod to split the coils or add split-coil hums so I can run single-coil if I want to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 In that case I still think they are Dirty Fingers Humbuckers!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Here is an original The Paul from 1979 with T tops. Each pickup has 6 chromed screws and 6 tarnished polepieces - just like the ones on dtbradio's Paul. There's a rumour that some DF's did not have 12 screws per pickup. Apparently, these have 3 magnets as opposed to the usual 1. In any case, I don't recall DF's being specified for The Paul... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Here is an original The Paul from 1979 with T tops. Each pickup has 6 chromed screws and 6 tarnished polepieces - just like the ones on dtbradio's Paul. There's a rumour that some DF's did not have 12 screws per pickup. Apparently' date=' these have 3 magnets as opposed to the usual 1. In any case, I don't recall DF's being specified for The Paul... [/quote'] I never owned one, but the Hall Groper has one. I haven't seen him around lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Here is an original The Paul from 1979 with T tops. Each pickup has 6 chromed screws and 6 tarnished polepieces - just like the ones on dtbradio's Paul. There's a rumour that some DF's did not have 12 screws per pickup. Apparently' date=' these have 3 magnets as opposed to the usual 1. In any case, I don't recall DF's being specified for The Paul... [/quote'] Yes they are T tops, mine certainly had DF's when I got it new in the UK. It's long gone now, but maybe they put DF's on export models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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