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Brazilian rosewood stock years

mofis64

Member
Joined
May 21, 2004
Messages
243
Hi.
When was the Brazilian Rosewood discontinued as the stock wood for fretboards in Les Pauls ? I am trying to find the info, but I don´t find it.
Thanks !
 

hoss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
6,748
+1

AFAIK Gibson stopped purchasing Braz. in 1966, but who knows how long the stock lasted?
The fretboard on my '67 ES330 looks very Brazilian, almost black with dark red streaks. Could be Madagascar, too.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
It was May 31st 2003.........the last date for production of any Gibson guitar with a Braz fret board.
You can still get braz though with Historic Makeovers if you send your LP to them.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
It was May 31st 2003.........the last date for production of any Gibson guitar with a Braz fret board.
You can still get braz though with Historic Makeovers if you send your LP to them.

For the Kalamazoo made Gibson's, late '67 was when they switched over to East Indian Rosewood. Madagascar Rosewood wasn't used until the current ownership of Gibson started making Custom shop and Acoustic Division guitars.
 

sharq attaq

New member
Joined
Mar 14, 2004
Messages
1,636
It was May 31st 2003.........the last date for production of any Gibson guitar with a Braz fret board.
You can still get braz though with Historic Makeovers if you send your LP to them.

:rolleyes :dance :rolleyes
 

hoss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
6,748
For the Kalamazoo made Gibson's, late '67 was when they switched over to East Indian Rosewood. Madagascar Rosewood wasn't used until the current ownership
Thanks for that information :3zone
Do you know if it is true that Gibson did not acquire any Braz. Rosewood after 1965, though? So this must have been left over stock they used until the end of 1967.

This is the board on my '67 ES-330. I was not able to capture it on the pictures, but it is almost black and has dark red streaks.

IMG_3516.jpg


IMG_3517.jpg
 

Kanga Blue

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Messages
52
Hi.
When was the Brazilian Rosewood discontinued as the stock wood for fretboards in Les Pauls ? I am trying to find the info, but I don´t find it.
Thanks !

Gibson for whatever reason pulled their official post and hence this link (below) is now broken however I saved an exact copy of the Gibson official post and I also paste it below:

No Brazilians after these 2003 until 2017 in limited release

Gibson’s Forum

Brazilian Rosewood Serial Number Guide
2001: there was a run of Brazilian R9s in the range 91203-91250 (91201 and 91202 only come up as Les Paul Classics for me). within this range, the following numbers do NOT have Brazilian Rosewood according to my info: 91236, 91230, 91220, 91217, 91215, 91214, 91209, 91207, 91206.
Also, 911007 comes up as an R9 with brazilian.
2002: 8 R9s, in the range 92038-92045
2003:
1954 Reissue, ranging from 43001-43150
-within this range of numbers, 37 are ’54 Black Beautys
-43001-43006 are 1-pickup ’54 Goldtops that went to Dave’s Guitar in WI. i am assuming these got BR
1956 Reissue, ranging from 63001-63148
-the only exception here is that number 63126 does not exist as far as i can tell
1957 Reissue, ranging from 73010-73707
-numbers below 73010 either have 2002 specs (73001, 73005, 73006, 73007), are prototypes (R7:73004; LP Junior: 73002, 73003) or do not exist
-within this range, 231 are 2 or 3 pickup ’57 Black Beautys
-26 are LP Juniors
-73431-73438 do not exist
1958 Reissue, ranging from 83001-83256
-83001-83008 are prototypes (83001-83004, 83007, 83008), and 2 of these are LP Juniors (83005, 83006). 83009 is a quilt top R8 that went to Guitar Center
-within this range 29 are LP Juniors
-1 is a korina explorer
-83046, 83047, and 83087 do not exist
1959 Reissue, ranging from 93001-93674
-93001-93006 are prototypes
-93008 has 2002 specs
-3 are korina Flying Vs
1960 Reissue, ranging from 03001-03163
-03001-03010 are prototypes (except for 03007 (not a proto) and 03002 (2002 specs)), and 2 of these are LP Specials
-it appears that 03007 DOES have BR
-within this range, 21 are LP Specials
-48 are non-Historic GC ’60 LPs, none of which have BR
Gary Rossington SG
-13001-13075 have Brazilian Rosewood
 
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