1983 standard

Finbar said:

Why??

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Would seem slightly more in keeping with the '50s-style two-piece top. But hey, to each his own. Nice guitar, either way. :hank

Reviving this thread for the benefit of Strings Jr. The full SN is 80333611.

I know this is the wrong thread and it was suggested that it be moved to the Sunburst Pub. Is there a Mod out there can do that for me? I cannot seem to do it myself.

This is one of my most favorite guitars and simply want to know what it is. I have thoeries that it was either a Heritage 80 or Spotlight special reject or one off. Knowing that there is one other one out there EXACTLY like it (see first post in thread), I want to know the story behind it (if there is one). Thus, me poking our "expert witness" (Strings Jr.) Thanks all.

Finbar, I moved the thread. From the serial number and appointments, it is simply a 1983 LP Standard from Nashville with a beautiful flame top. There is nothing about it that suggests anything more. The years 1982 and 1983 were years of great experimentation at both Kalamazoo and Nashville with Les Pauls, and it could be from a small special run. There is no documentation to support any of the special runs done during this time frame with the exception of those we know of, like Spotlight Specials, Standard 82 models, etc. Congrats on a cool guitar! :dude:

Thanks for the compliment Fin, but I’m no expert. I am, however, a witness. I can say that since I spent 13 years of my life in the Final Assembly department in Nashville. Plus, I have my logbook, complete with serial numbers and dates.
There’s no way I can tell you definitively the story behind your guitar. All I can do is share some facts, and some personal experiences, and that combined with the cumulative knowledge of other members here, may get you an answer.
MikeSlub is correct. The bottom line is you have an 83 Standard with a nice top. The question is, how it came to be. Yes, there was a lot going on at that time. And aside from the more popular Standard 80 and Spotlight Specials, there were MANY other special runs. When I saw the pics of your guitar, the first thing that came to mind for me was a special run known internally as a “Standard Special”. Other than the flame top, they were normal Standards with a natural finish. The one thing I don’t remember about these is whether they had a maple neck or mahogany. My records show I built 34 of these, beginning in Feb. ‘82 and the last one on October 4[SUP]th[/SUP], 1982. Another factor is that the majority of these had the extra four-digit serial number stamped in addition to the eight-digit number. However, four of the ones I built did not have the extra four-digit number. With your serial number being Feb. ’83, four months after my last record, it’s not entirely out of the question that it could be one of these.
Another possible scenario is that it was an employee purchase (one-off). Maybe someone liked the Standard Specials and decided that’s what they wanted. It was not unusual for people to see a body they liked before it was neck fit, and hold it to be built later. Heck, I’ve held guitars under my workbench for years before buying them. How much info did you get from the previous owner? Have you looked in the control cavity and pickup pockets for any writing or markings?
One other scenario I will touch on, and I see you have already disagreed with, is a re-cap, or top replacement such as Big Al suggested. A good luthier can perform this job and make it look completely factory. How could I suggest such a thing without actually seeing the guitar? Here’s why. The pic below from my logbook shows several Standards that I built with the same day/date stamp as yours. There’s 597, 599, 605, and 622. I also found 601 on a different page. The “V” designation after Stan. (for LP Standard) means it was routed for a Supertune vibrola. Normally, these were run in batches through the router, and it would be extremely odd that one number in this series did not have one. Could it be that someone got tired of the vibrola (like a lot of people did) and did a re-top? Have you checked for any signs of a string lock having been installed, or a head veneer replacement?
I know I’ve mentioned a lot of maybe’s and if’s here, but like I said, hopefully this info combined with input from other members will help you. Good luck!


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Strings, thank you for the kind and generous insight. You are a great resource. I will take advice and look closer to see if anything stands out. The previous owner is no longer with us and was a collector on a massive scale and didn't keep records. So, I don't know anything about its history. It came with one of th maide in Canada white lined cases and not the "chainsaw" case of the time. Doubt that means anything. Thanks again.

I don't think it is a retop, but it was done back then, it may be, but it looks like a Gibson too me. The main thing is the three piece maple neck, which has the small headstock and no volute of the following mahogany necked Standards. The mahogany version would be more desirable by the vintage crowd and I can't imagine someone retopping a guitar and not replacing the maple neck with mahogany.

I like maple necks and actually prefer them, but the trend was reverting back to mahogany as the success of the Standard 80's and Elites of 1980-81 proved the desirability of small headstock and more vintage type necks and guitars to be winners. I do remember seeing many two piece flame tops, mostly on Wine Red Les Pauls starting in 83 or so and lasting up into the early 90's.

My best guess, and it is only a guess, but it may be that at the time Gibson was reverting to a one piece mahogany neck with smaller headstock there was a brief time that the maple necks featured a small headstock without volute as the change from maple to mahogany was right at that time. I would not be surprised to find such an animal in the herd then.

I really do not see anything that says it is anything other than a stock Standard, except for the aggregate specs, which make this a rare variant at least. The fact that you found others that match the specs could mean that they represent a FSR run made for a Retailer. I lean towards this and consider it a 100% stock early 80's Les Paul Standard special order, or overlap model between older models and the newer updated ones which followed.

I find it especially note worthy, (and is something I am obsessed with), that it has the more correct body shape of the previous Les Pauls with the deep dish carve of the shorter bodied Standard 80 type Les Pauls that followed.

What a cool guitar and I would imagine you must love it. IMO, you should keep it stock and resist all urges to mod it as it is an excellent example of a fine Norlin Era Les Paul with unique features.eace2:hank:salude

I have had a guitar like this one, same small headstock with upperlink between o and n, maple neck without volute and same tuners. I saw for sale some Standards like this one in late '82/early '84 in two colors, natural and a vivid cherry burst.
I'm located in Italy, maybe these where made for EU market? I don't know, but this guitar, in my opinion, is 100% original.