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Gibson Les Paul Custom 1975

finlanderr

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May 17, 2017
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Hi,

I have this old LP with serial 99216943 so I believe it is from 1975.

However, interesting detail, as the neck painting has a small hole in it, it think the neck is maple and not mahogany. Am I right? I wonder when they manufactured maple necks?

Also, The T Top pups have the normal PAT NO 2737842 stamped in the back, but in addition, there is a text "WILLIAMSVILLE". Can someone explain?

One more question: can anyone tell if the tuners are original? At least there are no signs of replacement at all:
http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums...l 1975 Custom/20170517_175705_zps7qatshyw.jpg

Thank you!!
 

Zentar

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Oct 1, 2011
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My book agrees that 99 is 1975 which is the last year of the paf TTops.

Did Gibson use somebody else to wind the very last ttops thus "Williamsville" - I'm asking? I have no idea who Williamsburg is.

Those look like original tuners judging by the location of the little screw at 45degs. I see no hole where another tuner type would have been anchored at 180degs
lets see more pics.

How much does it weigh?
 
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finlanderr

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My book agrees that 99 is 1975 which is the last year of the paf TTops.

Did Gibson use somebody else to wind the very last ttops thus "Williamsburg" - I'm asking? I have no idea who Williamsburg is.

Those look like original tuners judging by the location of the little screw at 45degs. I see no hole where another tuner type would have been anchored at 180degs
lets see more pics.

How much does it weigh?

Thanks for your comments. The guitar is around 4,7kg I think.
 

Zentar

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Its a 1996 model.

Then it may not be a Ttop since 75 was the last year of TTops thus the Williamsburg pups? Was Williamsburg used after T Top? I have never heard of Williamsville.

His guitar was probably made during a switchover period.


I get nothing when I look up Williamsburg
 
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finlanderr

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Its a 1996 model.
Also it is stated in gibson.com:

"During the period from 1975-1977 Gibson used a transfer that had eight digit numbers, the first twoindicate the year, 99=1975, 00=1976 and 06=1977, the following six digits are in the 100000 to 200000
range. MADE IN USA were also included on the transfer and some models had LIMITED EDITION also
applied. A few bolt on neck instruments had a date ink stamped on the heel area.
"

But 100000 to does not match... I will contact Gibson again and double-check.

by 1996 you must refer to the standard system implemented in 1978. According to that, the day of the year does not match since it would be the day number 921 and that should be within range of 001 - 365 I assume.
 
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Zentar

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I would be more interested in what Williamsville is. My Gibson books are all kind of slack about who made pups after 75 up till 83.
Are you sure it says "Williamsville/?

Pics please pics!!!
 

Kris Ford

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99 prefix ON AN OVAL DECAL is 100000% 1975.

Last "T Tops" were in 1980, though the basic premise carried on as the PU490, which eventually became the 490R and 490T

Williamsville stamps are found on pickups (mini hums too!) in 75 and '76, it was were these pickups were made for a short time.

"Moog Music bought a factory in Williamsville NY a suburb of Buffalo in 1971. In 1975 Moog was purchased by Norlin. For a short time Gibson amplifiers and Cordovox instruments were actually manufactured in the plant in Williamsville NY."

So seems pickups were made there too for a short time..remember, this is RIGHT when the transition to Nashville was happening, your '75 Custom is no doubt a Kalamazoo made one.

That's a MAPLE neck, and tuners are STOCK.

Maple necks were from 1975-1982
 

finlanderr

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May 17, 2017
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99 prefix ON AN OVAL DECAL is 100000% 1975.

Last "T Tops" were in 1980, though the basic premise carried on as the PU490, which eventually became the 490R and 490T

Williamsville stamps are found on pickups (mini hums too!) in 75 and '76, it was were these pickups were made for a short time.

"Moog Music bought a factory in Williamsville NY a suburb of Buffalo in 1971. In 1975 Moog was purchased by Norlin. For a short time Gibson amplifiers and Cordovox instruments were actually manufactured in the plant in Williamsville NY."

So seems pickups were made there too for a short time..remember, this is RIGHT when the transition to Nashville was happening, your '75 Custom is no doubt a Kalamazoo made one.

That's a MAPLE neck, and tuners are STOCK.

Maple necks were from 1975-1982


Thanks for the info. Sorry about my English but by STOCK, you mean original or replaced ones?
 

Zentar

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Thanks for the info. Sorry about my English but by STOCK, you mean original or replaced ones?

yep. Stock is original, oem or showroom.

TTops should have a book written just on their history . I have to wonder if we should call Williamsvilles, T Tops? Seems like they may have been made Ksalamazoo, Nashville and Williamsville. Youre lucky Norlin painted Willimsville on them. Lotta Gibby pups had nothing on them.
 

gibson-r8

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I will defer to Kris Ford on this, I cant see the oval sticker in my view of the serial number. Serial numbers are frequently not the best indicator of year. This would be the first 75 oval sticker number Custom that i have seen. The question of Nashville versus Kalamazoo build generates lots of questions. My 75 Custom is 6-digit serial, narrow cutaway binding, grovers, trans tenon, small dot guitar. My 76 Custom is 8 digit sticker serial, wide cutaway binding, rocker, large dot, Schaller equipped guitar. I have always figured my 75 was Kalamazoo and the 76 Nashville. Can the OP give us more photos of this instrument?
 

richard henry

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I have a 1975 LPC with a mahogany neck, ABR-1, witches hat knob's and waffleback tuners. Serial is impressed 550775.
 

gibson-r8

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I have a 1975 LPC with a mahogany neck, ABR-1, witches hat knob's and waffleback tuners. Serial is impressed 550775.

An earlier one before change to maple. I would think the ABR-1 would define this as Kalamazoo, what is the thickness of the binding in the cutaway?
 

chasenblues

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I cant see the oval sticker in my view of the serial number.

etzTTowl.jpg
 

Big Al

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Then it may not be a Ttop since 75 was the last year of TTops thus the Williamsburg pups? Was Williamsburg used after T Top? I have never heard of Williamsville.

His guitar was probably made during a switchover period.


I get nothing when I look up Williamsburg

What book? Ttops made until 83 or so.
 

Zentar

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What book? Ttops made until 83 or so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAF_(pickup)

It was written in one of four LP books I acquired in the last couple of months that TTops ended in 75. I tried to find which book but as of yet I don't see what I read. However Wiki says TTops ended in 75. Feel free to prove otherwise. In 1975 Gibby moved pickup manufacture from Tenn to NY or Kalamazoo to NY I forget which.
Ive read that Ttops are very similar to 490 which were made in NY. I personally don't think the 490 is a Ttop. It is that switch to NY in 75 that accounts for different people claiming different manufacture end date. But I could be wrong.

Reading about how when and where Gibby made pickups can be a lesson in futility depending on where you read it or depending on if Gibby even knows today how they did stuff years ago.

My personal opinion I that if you move to a new location and hire new winders that you just changed everything. You are not going to produce the same product at a new building using different people.

490s were made in NY too. Are these Ttops made in NY? I'm asking? Even if Gibson called them that how can that be true with new winders, new machines in a new town?
 

Big Al

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Until 1980 only. In mid to late 1980 Shaws appeared fot the first time.

The shop I worked was Gibson dealer. The Shaw "pat app for" pickup was only available on Heritage 80 Les Pauls, Dot Neck 335 and Korina V and Explorer after then they show up across the range concurrent with the shift back to one piece necks, small headstocks and dish carves.

I remember replacing lots of "Original Humbucker ", Ttops from 80-83. I'm sure it wasn't an abrupt change and overlapped a bit. Going by memory so I could be wrong, but I moved to NY in 83 so I am reasonably sure.
 
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