70's Gibsons. Show off your Norlins.

JohnnyK · Jan 4, 2013

here's my 1972 LPC '54 Reissue

and my "regular" '72 LPC with an old re-fin to natural, mostly original

LususNaturae · Jan 6, 2013

Both the Les Paul and ES-335 are dated from 1973.

1981 Les Paul Custom and 1972 Telecaster

marantz1300 · Jan 6, 2013

nice amp and guitars .very cool.

Kim R · Jan 7, 2013

Love the '73 Goldtop and Super Reverb. Lots of great things happening when these were made.

SoK66 · Jan 22, 2013

Fun to look at all these Norlins. I sold the living daylights out of them back in the late 60s - early 70s. By now they've developed a nice vintage patina and they have a charm all their own. A few years ago I started reminiscing about the '71 or early '72 cherry sunburst Custom I scored back in the day from a local guy who needed money badly and wanted to part with the guitar. It was a real nice one, got it re-fretted and played it as my #1 until I needed to raise college money. Thought it might be fun to get one for the collection and found this well beaten example on Ebay. Needed a little bit of work, new bridge & tuners, general disinfecting, switch cavity cover and a good setup. Sounds great despite all the usual "Norlin warts". And, it's a "second", too. Great fun!

guitplayer · Dec 20, 2013

Big Al said:
Yeah it is a Deluxe with a CHERRY Red Finish, not a stain, that has faded to a brownish shade, much like the cherry burst finishes do. The Mahogany neck and body are cherry red finish also. You see a lot of them where the neck looks to be a different color. In the BOTB there are a lot of examples of this. These were my favorite type of Deluxe and hard to find. Later they went to a WINE RED finish, and I would suspect that that was what the 77 was. Wine Red is an elegant color but I love the sweet cherry!

Still, an excellent Les Paul Deluxe with my favorite features, Kalamazoo made with Mahogany neck, and modified long tenon. As far as I know there were no walnut stain or finish Deluxes from this period and no Walnut tops for sure. That dealer description is misleading and I would say criminal and it would not give me much confidence in Brian Goffs Guitars. The one referenced in his ad is much like yours and I would suspect it is exactly like yours, MAPLE top included. Things that give it away to me are first it looks just like Maple. I would bet it is, it does not look like walnut at all. Second Gibson would have done it is NATURAL finish, and it would have a natural back color like the Goldtop. No one would ever spray Cherry Red onto Walnut and taken together it leads me to the conclusion that it is or was a Cherry Red Les Paul Deluxe with a faded top, like yours.

Hey Big Al,
I just horsetraded this (walnut top) les paul Deluxe.
Gonna do some detective work. Anything you want me to look at in particular?

Big Al · Dec 21, 2013

guitplayer said:
Hey Big Al,
I just horsetraded this (walnut top) les paul Deluxe.
Gonna do some detective work. Anything you want me to look at in particular?

I'm not sure what you're asking?

L.A.Man, I have over 30 tube amps. The Tweed Twin is the Queen of the bunch.

guitplayer · Dec 21, 2013

Walut top, maple mahogany?
Not a worn/faded cherry top.
I think its a Mahogany top ,maybe maple with a walnut stain.

BURSTGANG · Dec 21, 2013

Norlin Era 1978 Gibson L5-S "TEX"

Big Al · Dec 22, 2013

Heres mine, 1974? Bad Betty

Big Al · Dec 22, 2013

guitplayer said:
Walut top, maple mahogany?
Not a worn/faded cherry top.
I think its a Mahogany top ,maybe maple with a walnut stain.

That is Maple.

Progrocker111 · Dec 23, 2013

My last acquired all original 74 LP Custom, tonewise one of the very best i ever had or played. Only 8.9 lbs, very light for this era.

Billy Porter · Dec 23, 2013

Very sweet Progrocker III

An un-molested version of mine. The (removed) pots read 44th week of Jan '73 so almost cousins

L -R: With my homemade S type, Les Paul, MIM 60s classic Strat, Homemade Tele and MIJ Tele

parts · Dec 24, 2013

I bought this Custom when it was about two years old..40 years ago..
Been together ever since..
I have 5 pre Norlin Gibsons.. I don't really have a number 1..but this gets a lot of my time..playing in about 10 minutes from now..

Merry Christmas..

BuzzHaze · Dec 28, 2013

Love the Norlin era Gibson electrics. I grew up with them and they just feel, sound and look right to me.

My 80 Les Paul Standard in Natural. It has some of the earliest Shaws I've seen with TTop bobbins but all Shaw guts.

My 79 Custom also in Natural

Last but not least, my fav Norlin. A 76 LE Explorer that I bought new in 77.

The whole Family

shred · Dec 28, 2013

Big Al said:
Heres mine, 1974? Bad Betty

:wow

That's just insane. Best top I've ever seen on a Norlin. Awesome :applaude

shred · May 8, 2015

Time for a bump :dude:

Three '73's

'73, '74, '73

guitplayer · May 8, 2015

:headbange:teeth:2cool

guitplayer · May 9, 2015

Today I was inspired to get all of them out.:jimBR
74 82 81 74 80 73
FR
76 74 73 74 74 72 72
1975 natural

rockabilly69 · May 9, 2015

1975 L5s Cherry Sunburst

1978 L5s Fireburst

1979 Gospel Acoustic

70's Gibsons. Show off your Norlins.

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