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Can't possibly be legit...right?


St. G

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http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Les-Paul-56-Reissue-Goldtop-1956-RI-w-Case-USA-/270771149537?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f0b37dae1#ht_3717wt_1141

 

I don't know much about serial numbers or what case should have come with them, but the placement of the "Les Paul Model" looks way, way off. Much too much space between the truss rod cover and the text. Factory goof or just sloppy fakery?

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Not really, no. But Ill take your word for it.

 

Reminds me a bit of when I took the Gibson factory tour and the dude told us that the necks are hand-sanded to within 1/16th of an inch of spec. All of the non-guitar-playing people in my tour were super impressed that hand sanding could produce such precise results, but all I could think was "Christ, a sixteenth of an inch in either direction of the specified thickness is HUGE when you're talking about something as thin as a guitar neck."

 

I guess this decal was just applied by someone on their first day on the job. While they were drunk. And in the middle of a seizure. During an earthquake.

 

Ever notice how some Fender guitars have the logo's askew?

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.

Looks legit to me too.

 

But that decal is a concern. Might be the angle of the pic, or applied a bit off at the factory, or maybe it was re-coated at some point and a new decal was applied slightly askew.

 

You might want to email the seller with a question on that.

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Although at first sight I thought it was genuine - and I still think it is a genuine Gibson - on closer examination I think there is something very strange going on for it to be an R6. This leaves me stumped for what it could be...

 

I'm going to abandon my usual reticence over revealing detail anomalies in this instance...

 

ALL of the following are just to the best of my knowledge. I could well be wrong!

 

The serial number for a '56 re-issue, AFAIK, should be 6 xxxx. Not 1 xxxx.

 

The Klusons look far too square-edged for those used on a re-issue.

 

The TRC is not the right shape nor thickness for a Historic. Although this could easily be swapped-out why would anyone swap a 'real' historic TRC for the wrong style?

 

The typeface is not the correct font for a re-issue.

 

The tuning pegs should not have a hexagonal nut on the top side of the peghead.

 

The ' Les Paul MODEL ' script positioning itself isn't that much of a problem but it is definitley NOT the same style as should be on a re-issue.

 

Most the above would be OK were the instrument to be on a regular USA Standard or some sort of a 'Classic' model but not on a re-issue.

 

Here's the front of an early (1993) '59 Re-issue (left) and an early (1991) '1960 Classic'...

 

Front.jpg

 

...and here is the same pair from the reverse (again, R9 to the left)...

 

Rear-2.jpg

 

Look at the word MODEL on both instruments and you will see the spacing on the re-issue is wider and the letters are narrower.

The script and MODEL are also a different shade of gold.

The R9 serial number has a smaller and simpler typeface.

The TRC on a Historic is slimmer than a regular Gibson and the white part is thcker relative to the (very thin) layer of black - meaning more of the slant appears white than the 50/50 split of the regular TRC. The Classic is the same style as a regular LP TRC (with the addition of the script).

The Kluson bushings are much narrower on a re-issue.

 

The TRC on a '56 should be some way from the nut.

 

Here is the relevant stuff in the advertised instrument;

 

56pair.jpg

 

And here is Gibson's own snap of the current '56 R-I.

 

Gibsons56re-issue.jpg

 

P.

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It's definately not a 56 reissue.

 

I'm glad you piped up, Farns, as - obviously - you know them better than I do!

 

My best explanation is that it's possibly an early attempt at a '56 re-issue but from before the Historic range proper got into full swing.

 

Just say that in 1991 there was a run of '1960 Classic'-style LP's crafted to match, closely, the p-90 equipped specs of the 1956 instruments (a 2001 instrument would be 01 xxxx). If this is the case then most of the detail differences fit-in. The 'Historic Collection' didn't really start until 1993 so the TRC, Logo and serial number typeface wouldn't be 'wrong'. It also has the 'maple smile' which, again, fits in with the Classics produced at this time. There would not be a COA.

 

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

:-k

 

P.

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  • 1 month later...

Regarding the GT in the post, ignoring the threadcrap above.

 

Yes, the maple smile looks legit, as does the TRC. It was much later on (2004?) that there was an historically accurate gap between nut and TRC on Historics. This anyhow would be a 'pre-historic'.

 

Anyhow, its not available on that listing. Interesting guitar. I wonder if it had P100s or P90s?

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