What Les Paul Have I Got?

[presbychuck]

I purchased a slightly worn Black Beauty Les Paul Custom (?) in 1980 from a guy who was hurting for some cash. I still have the guitar and a friend was asking me details about it that I cannot answer (I am not much of a player I'm afraid). Anyways, he tried finding out some more about it from the serial number and came back confused. The serial number is 189150 and it does not say Made in USA. That serial number appears to come from 1964, but this is the single cutaway heavy as an anchor body and we understand that only the SG's were made in that era making it an impossible deal. The case is black and has the purplish lining and Gibson in gold on the outside.

 

The guitar has grover tuners and two humbuckers. The white trim is pretty yellowed and the back of the body has faded almost to a bluish-greenish black (perhaps refinished before I got it). The pots and knobs have been changed and now, with all the years it has set in the case, the gold plating is in terrible shape. I'm not really looking to know what it's worth and am not interested in selling it really. But if it were valuable, should I restore/replace the plated parts or juat clean it up? Despite the rusty strings it still sounds hot even though I only get it out of the case every other year or so to see if I can play it yet. :) OK, I'm not really THAT bad, but close.

 

If anyone could help me ID my guitar I would appreciate it. I can be reached at presbychuck at hotmail dot com.

 

EDIT TO ADD: The serial number is 6 digits pressed into the wood with no space between any digits and no letters. The bell shaped truss rod cover says Les Paul Custom and has two screws.

[ksdaddy]

They also used the 100000 series at random times from 1970 to 1975 so given that yours doesn't have the Made in USA stamp I would call it a 1970. The black case with purple lining is typical of 70s also.

 

They didn't make single cutaway LPs from sometime in 1961 to 1968.