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VINTAGE LES PAUL CASES INFO

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Mike and or others....Here is a few shots of the old case that I have. Has anyone else seen a latch setup like this? Judging from the wear pattern on the top inside, it looks like it would have come from a wraptail or trapeze era. It also has "feet" on both the back side of the case as well as the side oppostie the latch. It came from Parker Music in Houston...

IMG_1750.jpg


IMG_1755.jpg


IMG_1754.jpg


IMG_1752.jpg


IMG_1751.jpg

Sorry I missed this earlier.
I have seen these latches before. The top of the case looks flat, rather than arched. I suspect it is early, maybe 1953.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
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Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Boogie, I have the same case that you are describing (Cali) .......I do not have the star by Gibson though.....This type came with my 1956 Gold Top.......Can anyone else verify this with their 1956 ?
The Parker Logo (outside) is from here in Houston (I think) from what you posted in one picture. There is a Parker dealer here. I did not have a logo on the inside of the top part.......I do not have the Parker Logo on outside either......

100_2558.jpg

Neither this case, nor the one Boogie showed is a Cali-Girl case. I have not seen a Cali-Girl case with that latch. But, it was one more option to case makers and I have seen them on brown/pink Gibson cases before.
The Parker logo is indeed from Parker Music in Houston. :)
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
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42,567
And, I have never seen nor heard of a rectangular Burst case as described in the previous posts. The inside color does not seem to match the pink color normally used on the Gibson cases.
I have seen several Bursts and early Goldtops that arrived in Europe in typical Gibson cases.
I also can't think of a reason to make a separate case for export.
However, I can envision a European importer ordering guitars without cases, and having cases supplied more locally.
 

DoubleBoogie

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 6, 2004
Messages
4,800
Sorry I missed this earlier.
I have seen these latches before. The top of the case looks flat, rather than arched. I suspect it is early, maybe 1953.

Thanks Tom! Yes, the top is flat. I take it that later on, the cases went to being arched?? Do you know when this happened? Thanks again.
 

DoubleBoogie

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 6, 2004
Messages
4,800
Boogie, I have the same case that you are describing (Cali) .......I do not have the star by Gibson though.....This type came with my 1956 Gold Top.......Can anyone else verify this with their 1956 ?
The Parker Logo (outside) is from here in Houston (I think) from what you posted in one picture. There is a Parker dealer here. I did not have a logo on the inside of the top part.......I do not have the Parker Logo on outside either......

100_2558.jpg

I think your HM is going to look really cool lounging in that case! :peace2
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Thanks Tom! Yes, the top is flat. I take it that later on, the cases went to being arched?? Do you know when this happened? Thanks again.

Most brown Les Paul cases are arched on the top. I don't know the timeline for flat topped versions. I wouldn't be surprised if they co-existed with arched top versions.
 

pepejara

Active member
Joined
Sep 6, 2003
Messages
2,242
Is the Custom case, (the black one with the yellow interior case), a flat top case? It looks, from Mike's pics, as it is flatter than the lifton brown case....
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
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Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Is the Custom case, (the black one with the yellow interior case), a flat top case? It looks, from Mike's pics, as it is flatter than the lifton brown case....

The link in the first post goes to Mike's cases on Lilypix.
Both are archtop versions, and all the ones I have ever seen are archtopped.

Here are Mike's:

57 with single coils
normal_57_Custom_Black_Case.jpg


58 with humbuckers
normal_58_Custom_Black_Case.jpg
 

pepejara

Active member
Joined
Sep 6, 2003
Messages
2,242
Thanks, Tom, would you say they are similar to Lifton brown cases, just black?
:salude
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
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Aug 2, 2001
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42,567
Thanks, Tom, would you say they are similar to Lifton brown cases, just black?
:salude

The material is "pebbled" or rough, just like the ES cases were for several years.
The brown cases have a smooth texture to the material.
Otherwise they should be the same.
 

FlamingTop

New member
Joined
Nov 23, 2006
Messages
361
Hey guys, any idea what year my case could be? It looks the closest to the 4 latch case used in the in the pics with the '58 burst. Here are some pics


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6004461599_653aa40c1e_b.jpg
 

Cody

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
It looks like it held a Les Paul with a Bigsby at some point.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
All Gibson parts and pieces like that are from 1959.
Every one of them.
Check ebay. :ganz


:hee
 

buyusfear

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
2,951
Could anyone please take a picture of a lifton and a reissue lifton on top of one another, and/or a black reissue historic case as well, or post over all dimensions?
I'm looking to see how similar or close the dimensions are between the two.

Thnx
 

omar

New member
Joined
Jul 19, 2006
Messages
104
If you bought a new Les Paul Special in 1957 with a hard case, would it be the same as an arched burst case or would it be special for the Special?
 

Calgary Flametop

New member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
119
Any plan on continuing on with the case pictures? There were just as many variations in cases during the 70's than the 50's.
 
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