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70's Gibsons. Show off your Norlins.

Stevedenver

Active member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
2,565
its a 74 custom
from the info i have, and reading, its likely left over from the anniversary run-there was an identical one but with the special 12th fret marker

its 3 piece braz rosewood
toffee colored back and neck
3 piece neck medium c
pancake bod, tiny volute
has t tops that are simply wonderful, and a trainsition tenon
still has fretless frets which really dont seem to bother me at all, as i play 9s

replaced the original klusons with the new released versions-but used pearl instead of gold-the oringals are very sloppy

weighs at just under 8.7


all adds up to a superb sounding guitar-sounds kinda inbetween a standard and a custom i think between the top and the ebony board0

the best part is in about 94, i had gone into a GC for the second time ever-i had a long hiatus from electrics-i spy this apparently black custom on the wall-it looked just liek my old 71 custom-i approach and its got this braz top-marked $999-used walnut LP-had to bitch to get then to throw in the case-back when they were doing that stuff

i know my woods and i knew it was rosewood
and when i picked it up i fell in love-it felt identical to my old custom

had no intention of buying anything that day..oh well

i looked over a book which had a photocopy of the gibson production logs and they made 50 of this guitar as i understand things-

its the ying to the Spotlight as yang!
 

JTinFL

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
370
I thought that looked like rosewood - that's simply gorgeous. Another nice find. I want to go guitar shopping with you and pick up on your sloppy seconds, lol.
 
R

riffmeister

Guest
75, got it new from Manny's, pic from April of this year

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recent additions:

79

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84

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moozak

Les Paul Forum Member, Classic Club
Joined
Jul 25, 2001
Messages
458
Hi guys my Norlin is a 73 i think see thru cherry Deluxe.I owned a bunch of 70's Gibsons over the years but this is the only one i have now.Do have a 68 custom stashed still.Thanks Mike B.

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:bat:punk:bat

LOVE this one!
 

moozak

Les Paul Forum Member, Classic Club
Joined
Jul 25, 2001
Messages
458
here's my old 75 DeLuxe Red Sparkle... it's been gigged a LOT and wound up getting humbuckered over the years and i'm even more in love with it now. most certainly got my money's worth out of this guitar! it currently has DM 36 Anniv PAF's in it (not shown in the pics). it is still in service to this day - sounds fantastic and gets noticed a LOT.

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Triplet

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
1,675
Did the '75s still have the trans tenon or was that gone by the end of '74?
.
 

Elmore

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2003
Messages
1,853
I really like a lot of the Norlin's. I will say some are truly beautiful, some look workmanlike functional, and a few are kinda quirky. Some of the 3 piece tops can look really good. Since I was a 73 HS grad era I like the Norlins because that is what all my friends had! My buddy had a black custom in 72 and I always thought that was the most beautiful guitar in the world (hey I was 16 and it was!)................. I also think at some point in the future they will not as readily be called Norlin's and will be just referred to as 70's Gibsons, without the somewhat "oh but it's a Norlin" sort of disclaimer. Heck, I even like the big headstock, it reminds me of early 70's in your face rock.

+1. I am an '80 HS grad and I enjoy Norlins very much. My previously posted LP deluxe I bought in '75. I still have it.
 

marshall1987

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
Anyone know the true concept or factory thinking behind the pankcake body?
Seems like a few extra steps involved to do it.

Glad to see these early Norlins have their day in court-
some great overlooked guitars.

Sourcing and procurement of mahogany made easier with thinner lumber.
 

Stevedenver

Active member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
2,565
grog thats stellar!

you really have quite the collection

i too am a lover of the recording guitar

and play mine regularly

but i see you have the LP-12 amp (The Monster) -wow

have almost pulled the trigger on the signature -hows it stack up against the solid bodies with the difference in decade controls
 

Grog

Active member
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
562
It's a bit different, the pickups are Low Impedance Super Humbuckers and it actually has a balanced line out (three wire) jack that goes into a recording board or XLR jack. A couple days ago I came in second best on a bid for a Les Paul Personal. That would have completed the set!
 

shred

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
4,667
Not all mine, and most of these are gone now, but they were awesome...

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Grog

Active member
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
562
Here's a few more............

1971GibsonSGSpecial.jpg


1978GibsonRDArtist.jpg


1980GibsonFlyingV-V2.jpg


Not Les Pauls, but Norlins none the less! :dude:
 
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