Big Al
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2002
- Messages
- 14,547
That bluebook description clearly states MAPLE top Mahogany body. It is also the Bluebook, which has lot's of inaccuracies, and not a reliable source on its own. The Walnut is a finish option of which I have never seen and have never seen documented in any reliable source. Lots of the info I find in many of these books is wrong. Especially the Bacon books. Full of misinformation and mislabeled photo's.
There may have been a Walnut finished Maple top Deluxe. As far as I know they do not exist and every one that is supposed to be, has proven to be non existent. If anyone knows for sure of a stock Walnut Finished Les Paul I would certainly like to see one. Much, much rarer guitars from that time are well documented and accounted for, a triple batch of Walnut Finished Deluxes would have been by now. Sometimes shipping records or advanced sales memos get discovered and used as a reference. Often it is not in reality representative of anything that was put into production, or mislabeled in the sales literature to cause confusion later. As I have said, none have turned up. I have never seen one, I have never seen a reliable photo. In any case if any do turn up, it would be as a dark brown stained maple or a transparent dark brown lacquer finish and not Walnut wood. I would guess that the back and neck would either be walnut stained or transparent brown or natural in any case and certainly NOT Cherry Red.
I have many old catalogs and good source books and will try to find out anything I can over the next few days. If anyone has some documented info on these please post. My best guess is they do not exist. I've had two Rocket Red sparkle tops and own Bad Betty, a Strings and things Reissue from early/mid 70's. Both are rare as it gets and yet both are well documented. I suspect that the Walnut Finish may have been discussed and dropped in favor of Cherry Red. I believe faded cherry finished have only confused the issue.
There may have been a Walnut finished Maple top Deluxe. As far as I know they do not exist and every one that is supposed to be, has proven to be non existent. If anyone knows for sure of a stock Walnut Finished Les Paul I would certainly like to see one. Much, much rarer guitars from that time are well documented and accounted for, a triple batch of Walnut Finished Deluxes would have been by now. Sometimes shipping records or advanced sales memos get discovered and used as a reference. Often it is not in reality representative of anything that was put into production, or mislabeled in the sales literature to cause confusion later. As I have said, none have turned up. I have never seen one, I have never seen a reliable photo. In any case if any do turn up, it would be as a dark brown stained maple or a transparent dark brown lacquer finish and not Walnut wood. I would guess that the back and neck would either be walnut stained or transparent brown or natural in any case and certainly NOT Cherry Red.
I have many old catalogs and good source books and will try to find out anything I can over the next few days. If anyone has some documented info on these please post. My best guess is they do not exist. I've had two Rocket Red sparkle tops and own Bad Betty, a Strings and things Reissue from early/mid 70's. Both are rare as it gets and yet both are well documented. I suspect that the Walnut Finish may have been discussed and dropped in favor of Cherry Red. I believe faded cherry finished have only confused the issue.
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