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Where are they now...

Ed Driscoll

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
4,691
If you'll notice in the pic of the back, you can see the
extra large jackplate. Everything was connected
outside the body, then inserted through this opening.

Gotcha. Like wiring up an ES-335, that must be lots of "fun" to assemble.
 

jin-jin

Member
Joined
May 9, 2003
Messages
58
Here's a little Moderne history for you Kris. I built two on November 1st, 1982 then, several each day thereafter. As you can see, numbers A 002 thru A 006, built on November 2nd, were prototypes. I have prototype numbers recorded thru A 018, so maybe safe to say the first 20 were prototypes. My numbers for the A 02X guitars were not prototypes. My records show that we were already into the "E" series numbers by the end of December.

Any Chance you worked on Moderne C 078?
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
This is absolutely the best thread in years!

So, maybe you something about this one:
It's my brother's. Its a '83 Studio. Must be one of the first or maybe some pre-production run orso. It features a 'Custom Shop Edition' decal above the s/n.
It also features a thinner, Studio-esque body, but a bound fingerboard with trapezoid inlays. Headstock is Studio-correct.

So here it is; any comments on this one?

20160715_211516_zpsk6ajrink.jpg



That's a great guitar!

My first record for a Studio was in January '83.
I don't have this number, but I have a couple
near it (see below). This one was probably built around December '83.

At that time, there were a couple of Special runs happening
with Studios. #154 and #160. Not sure what the difference
was, possibly color.

So yes, your brother has a very special guitar.

Thanks for sharing!!

RL


Studios2_zps2lmqkcko.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Here's a little Moderne history for you Kris. I built two on November 1st, 1982 then, several each day thereafter. As you can see, numbers A 002 thru A 006, built on November 2nd, were prototypes. I have prototype numbers recorded thru A 018, so maybe safe to say the first 20 were prototypes. My numbers for the A 02X guitars were not prototypes. My records show that we were already into the "E" series numbers by the end of December.

Any Chance you worked on Moderne C 078?

She was born on November 29th, 1982.

#6 for me that day.

Hope you like it!!

RL

C078_zpsvcen6ykx.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 

AA00475Bassman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
Mr Strings did you have a hand on the Guitar Trader RI ,i remember waiting for mine like it was yesterday ! For me these were the run that started the ball rolling on the path of were the RI's are today . Could you please inform me about the control cavity number and the mind set of the number . Thank you
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Mr Strings did you have a hand on the Guitar Trader RI ,i remember waiting for mine like it was yesterday ! For me these were the run that started the ball rolling on the path of were the RI's are today . Could you please inform me about the control cavity number and the mind set of the number . Thank you

What I consider to be the REAL Guitar Trader RI's were all
built in Kalamazoo. Since you asked about the control cavity
number, sounds like you have one of these gems.
I never saw a stamp in the control cavity on any of the
Nashville versions. The stamp is simply the same information
as the normal 8 digit serial number. (YDDDYSSS)

As was the case with many of the guitars I built, I had no
idea at the time what they were, or what they would become.
I've learned a lot from this forum about what I was doing back then.

I started building these shown below on January 13th, 1983.
Are they considered Guitar Traders? Someone tell me.



Spec_104_zpskndrmbt1.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Just another black LP Standard?

Not after my buddy J.T. Riboloff outfit it with a B-Bender.

This one went to Joe Perry.



 
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Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
AWESOME!!

Randy, what might you know about the re-introduced LP and SG Juniors, that came about '87 for the LPJR and maybe '90-'91 for the SG Junior, I just scored a (early) '92 SG Junior, and it is AMAZING.

Someone pulled the P100 and opened up the cavity JUST enough to squeeze a humbucker in there, I pulled the Epi 500T out, and dropped in a '75 T TOP.:teeth

Truly amazing, and has become my "go-to".
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
AWESOME!!

Randy, what might you know about the re-introduced LP and SG Juniors, that came about '87 for the LPJR and maybe '90-'91 for the SG Junior, I just scored a (early) '92 SG Junior, and it is AMAZING.

Someone pulled the P100 and opened up the cavity JUST enough to squeeze a humbucker in there, I pulled the Epi 500T out, and dropped in a '75 T TOP.

Truly amazing, and has become my "go-to".

I built my first LP Jr. on June 25th, 1986. I liked everything about them except the P-100.
Actually, two out of my three brain cells agree that the early ones I built had a P-90.
Pretty sure the P-100's came a little later.

I built my first double cutaway Jr. on September 15th, 1986.

We also did a run of Melody Makers which started a week before the Jr's.

That's a very cool, rock-n-roll machine you have there :hank
I'm sure the T-Top screams in that SG!!

Around the beginning of '87 I moved on to building carved tops (L-5, Super 400, etc.)
and then on to Final Inspection before leaving in October 1990.
I don't remember seeing the SG Jr. before I left.

Congrats on a killer guitar!

RL
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Where are they now?

I know where this guy is.

He's on the Les Paul FORUM :dude:



 
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Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
Ol' south paw, likes Pelham Blue?
Oh yeah, the guy that played on a few of my all time favorite songs?
Who was an INTREGAL part of the soundtrack of the late 70's and early '80's?


We know that guy!:yah:biggrin:
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Here's my Dad with a "one-off" prototype I built for Neal Schon.
Rumor was that Neal and Gibson couldn't agree on the terms
of the endorsement, so it never happened.

The basic design was later used on a run of "Schon" guitars
made by Jackson.

Where is she now??



 
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jin-jin

Member
Joined
May 9, 2003
Messages
58

Thin_Lizzy

New member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
1,345
That's a great guitar!

My first record for a Studio was in January '83.
I don't have this number, but I have a couple
near it (see below). This one was probably built around December '83.

At that time, there were a couple of Special runs happening
with Studios. #154 and #160. Not sure what the difference
was, possibly color.

So yes, your brother has a very special guitar.

Thanks for sharing!!

RL

Thanks very much for that! Great work, keep it up!
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Thanks RL! I do like it. I bought it brand new in 1983, and got one hell of a deal on it. Still plays and sounds great. Here is a link to a thread that I found interesting regarding the korina guitars of that era. Perhaps you can comment...

http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/s...lorers-From-1983-With-Names&highlight=moderne

That's hilarious. Those names belonged to ladies that were doing some step in the "white-wood" process.
Big Al was correct in post #57: "I think you are over thinking and romanticising a production quirk."

There was no "paper" tag on the instruments before they got to the finishing department, so writing
your name in the pickup cavity (or other area) was how you got credit for your work.
Remember, this was mass production and people had daily quotas that had to be met.
Also in some cases,this was the name of the QC Inspector who "signed-off" or approved
the instrument to proceed to finishing.

A sex goddess? What an imagination :laugh2:
 

Kris Ford

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
4,003
That's hilarious. Those names belonged to ladies that were doing some step in the "white-wood" process.
Big Al was correct in post #57: "I think you are over thinking and romanticising a production quirk."

There was no "paper" tag on the instruments before they got to the finishing department, so writing
your name in the pickup cavity (or other area) was how you got credit for your work.
Remember, this was mass production and people had daily quotas that had to be met.
Also in some cases,this was the name of the QC Inspector who "signed-off" or approved
the instrument to proceed to finishing.

A sex goddess? What an imagination :laugh2:

myths_busted-777x415.jpg
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
The "Nashville Now" guitar, one of Greg Rich's creations.

Where is she now?



 
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