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Where are they now...

Strings Jr.

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

What can you tell me about this pre historic:

I ordered it from Gibson from a shop in Tacoma Wa in 1985.

The color was heritage cherry sunburst with an upcharge in price.

Said standard on trus rod cover, ink stamped ser no 5 xxxx I wish
I knew the rest of the number.

Had a chain saw case and the little paf stickers on the pu rings.

Had a un matched quilted maple 2 piece top, made you say
wow when you opened the case.

Here is the only crappy pic of it I have.

Jimmy

When you placed the order, did you order a Standard or a Re-issue?
With the quilt top and inked serial number, it most likely started life
as a re-issue. Does it have thin binding in the cutaway?

Sometimes if something happened after finishing that would prevent
one from being sold as a re-issue, it would be downgraded to a Standard.
Since yours has a Standard TRC and gold speed knobs, I would think
that would be the case.

Nice guitar! Congrats :salude
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
...
Sometimes if something happened after finishing that would prevent
one from being sold as a re-issue, it would be downgraded to a Standard.
...

So, re-issue build but sold as a Standard? Sounds like a great deal!

How often would a "deluxe" model be downgraded to "not-deluxe" happen? Was this the regular practice?
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
So, re-issue build but sold as a Standard? Sounds like a great deal!

How often would a "deluxe" model be downgraded to "not-deluxe" happen? Was this the regular practice?

It was rare for that to happen. There wasn't a lot of scenarios that would allow it.
For example, you couldn't downgrade a Custom to something else. I've seen a few
re-issues that accidentally got drilled for the wrong machine heads or the
wrong bridge. Couldn't be sold as a re-issue at that point, but would make
a very nice Standard. Same for a LP Pro. If it got drilled for the wrong
machine heads, someone would end up with a Deluxe with an ebony
fingerboard.

Yes, it was regular practice as long as it meant a "bonus" for the customer.
If there was a mistake that would not work, it was off to the band saw.
 

jbzoso2002

New member
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
1,089
The best I can remember the difference was cherry sunburst or heritage
cherry sunburst, I thought the word heritage would be a more vintage type
color and thats it.

I was very surprised to see it had a center seam flame top!!

I paid over $1600 for it, probably list price, only thing I changed was
a blank truss rod cover.

I also remember some blemishes around the inlays on the frettboard.

And I still feel like an idiot for selling it about a year later.:##

Jimmy



When you placed the order, did you order a Standard or a Re-issue?
With the quilt top and inked serial number, it most likely started life
as a re-issue. Does it have thin binding in the cutaway?

Sometimes if something happened after finishing that would prevent
one from being sold as a re-issue, it would be downgraded to a Standard.
Since yours has a Standard TRC and gold speed knobs, I would think
that would be the case.

Nice guitar! Congrats :salude
 

zacknorton

Active member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
Thanks for the info! I really appreciate it!
I'm working on getting some pics posted. Don't seem to be able to do it from the phone.

Happy t-givin' people!
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I built lots of the pre-historics. 59/80's, Leo Specials, Jubilee Specials, and many others.
Yours was known internally as a Special #130. My last record for one of those is 6 0605,
built on November 26th, 1986. Yours was probably built in '87 or '88 after I moved on
to carved tops.

Congrats on a great guitar!! I'd love to see a pic.

Beautiful!! Thanks for sharing :dude:
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
It was rare for that to happen. There wasn't a lot of scenarios that would allow it.
For example, you couldn't downgrade a Custom to something else. I've seen a few
re-issues that accidentally got drilled for the wrong machine heads or the
wrong bridge. Couldn't be sold as a re-issue at that point, but would make
a very nice Standard. Same for a LP Pro. If it got drilled for the wrong
machine heads, someone would end up with a Deluxe with an ebony
fingerboard.

Yes, it was regular practice as long as it meant a "bonus" for the customer.
If there was a mistake that would not work, it was off to the band saw.

Neat-O! Thanks!
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
There were lots of beautiful Spotlights made.

But this one ranks in the Top 5 Best I Ever Saw league.

I have a pic of me holding it right after I built it, but these
are much better quality. I saw it for sale on-line in 2013.

They even included a pic of the control cavity with
my initials and date I built it.

Where is she now?









Here's the entry in my ledger.


IMG_6451%20-%20Copy%20-%20Copy_zpsw6iur0g9.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
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Ed Driscoll

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
4,691
Do you know who owned that Spotlight Special before it went on the block in 2013? It looks like it must have been pretty well played, based on the paint worn away. (It looks like it was never drilled for a pickguard, but there's a reason why that device earned its name!)
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Do you know who owned that Spotlight Special before it went on the block in 2013? It looks like it must have been pretty well played, based on the paint worn away. (It looks like it was never drilled for a pickguard, but there's a reason why that device earned its name!)

I only remember that it was being sold through a
music store, but I can't remember where.

No question it has been well played. I remember
seeing pics of the frets also. They were well worn.

It would be a crime to put a pickguard on that top.
 

tangerine

Member
Joined
May 14, 2011
Messages
230
I'm loving this thread Strings Jr., please keep it going!

Regarding the SWEET sounding Spirit II XPL that went to Chris Hayes, it seems a prototype for that guitar was sold in 2010 on eBay but no mention of this one

According to the wiki..

'On April 18, 2010, a blue prototype Spirit II (double-humbucker) XPL originally sold to Chris Hayes of Huey Lewis's News fame was sold on eBay. The auction included the original Gibson invoice with Hayes's name and shipping address, as well as a letter of appraisal from vintage guitar expert George Gruhn. The guitar's humbuckers had been changed to rail types, and the tremolo system was a floating Kahler style that used standard Gibson adjustable bridge posts, rather than the production Flyer tremolo that mounts to the body with a trim ring. A coil-tap switch had also been added amongst the guitar's standard controls. The guitar's serial number identified it as a very early 1985 model, and included an "Original Gibson Prototype" stamp screened on the back of the headstock.'

edit: aha, here is the very guitar, sold on this thread for 3k in 2011 by the second owner, a friend of Chris Hayes and amp guy at Two-Rock, he sold the blue proto too

http://www.hueylewisandthenews.com/forumb/index.php?topic=5603.0
 
Last edited:

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I'm loving this thread Strings Jr., please keep it going!

Regarding the SWEET sounding Spirit II XPL that went to Chris Hayes, it seems a prototype for that guitar was sold in 2010 on eBay but no mention of this one

According to the wiki..

'On April 18, 2010, a blue prototype Spirit II (double-humbucker) XPL originally sold to Chris Hayes of Huey Lewis's News fame was sold on eBay. The auction included the original Gibson invoice with Hayes's name and shipping address, as well as a letter of appraisal from vintage guitar expert George Gruhn. The guitar's humbuckers had been changed to rail types, and the tremolo system was a floating Kahler style that used standard Gibson adjustable bridge posts, rather than the production Flyer tremolo that mounts to the body with a trim ring. A coil-tap switch had also been added amongst the guitar's standard controls. The guitar's serial number identified it as a very early 1985 model, and included an "Original Gibson Prototype" stamp screened on the back of the headstock.'

edit: aha, here is the very guitar, sold on this thread for 3k in 2011 by the second owner, a friend of Chris Hayes and amp guy at Two-Rock, he sold the blue proto too

http://www.hueylewisandthenews.com/forumb/index.php?topic=5603.0


Thanks Tangerine! Lots of fun for me, especially when the question
of "Where Are They Now" gets answered.

I actually have serial numbers for two of the blue Spirits with Chris'
name beside it. Whether both were actually shipped to him, I can't say.

That's a pretty cool pic on your link. Chris' signature in the rear pickup
pocket, and my initials and year in the tremolo pocket!!
 

Strings Jr.

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Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Speaking of '83 Spotlights, just saw your 83 081 on Reverb...

This is 83 085, not one of mine.
Looks like it's had a rough life.

However, the other two that are currently for sale
on Reverb, are mine. 83 016 and 83 151.
 

bizzwriter

Active member
Joined
Oct 23, 2002
Messages
975
This is 83 085, not one of mine.
Looks like it's had a rough life.

However, the other two that are currently for sale
on Reverb, are mine. 83 016 and 83 151.

Ah ha -- right you are. Hard to pick out that last digit with the glare.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Anyone have a factory 3 pickup Standard?
I only saw a handful, most of which were mistakes.

Where are they now?


 
Last edited:

Unbound Dot Neck

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Joined
Jun 14, 2004
Messages
1,623
Great read Strings Jr,
Any pics of some big body arch guitars you created back then ~

Thanks in advance,
C
:salude
 
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