• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Where are they now...

Blue97FXSTC

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
657
Hi Randy.


I have a 1980 Explorer E-2 model, SN 82120023.
Is this one perhaps is your ledger?


Thanks,


Dennis
 

hrsbln

New member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
4
Hi Randy,

besides my 1986 Prehistoric, built by you - https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?200964-Where-are-they-now&p=2821501#post2821501 - here's another amazing guitar you built: It's the 1986 Prehistoric Les Paul that was pictured in Gibson's 1987 catalog (it really is, I precisely compared the flame patterns in different light angles). It was for sale at a high profile German vintage guitar & bass dealer, but I think it was sold recently.

Its serial number is 6 0666, so it might be a late 1986 model (since mine with 6 0553 was September 1986). I took the photos below in the shop.

Speaking of Prehistorics, I really would like to ask you to clear up one subject: Are those Prehistorics weight-relieved (with the well known 9 holes)?
I googled for hours but didn't find a clear answer for it - some say they are relieved, some say they're not.

The only post with a definite answer was by a guitarist who had an X-ray picture of his 1988 Prehistoric and it was not relieved, so no holes under the maple top. But as his post is only about this single guitar, it would be great to hear from you, if this is valid for all the other Prehistorics, too (especially the regular ones like the guitar pictured here, while the special ones for Leo's and Guitar Trader etc. might all be quite different anyway).

Thank you so much!

SXe4AdF.jpg


eaKkbT1.jpg


wT7jm3C.jpg
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Hi Randy,

besides my 1986 Prehistoric, built by you - https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?200964-Where-are-they-now&p=2821501#post2821501 - here's another amazing guitar you built: It's the 1986 Prehistoric Les Paul that was pictured in Gibson's 1987 catalog (it really is, I precisely compared the flame patterns in different light angles). It was for sale at a high profile German vintage guitar & bass dealer, but I think it was sold recently.

Its serial number is 6 0666, so it might be a late 1986 model (since mine with 6 0553 was September 1986). I took the photos below in the shop.

Speaking of Prehistorics, I really would like to ask you to clear up one subject: Are those Prehistorics weight-relieved (with the well known 9 holes)?
I googled for hours but didn't find a clear answer for it - some say they are relieved, some say they're not.

The only post with a definite answer was by a guitarist who had an X-ray picture of his 1988 Prehistoric and it was not relieved, so no holes under the maple top. But as his post is only about this single guitar, it would be great to hear from you, if this is valid for all the other Prehistorics, too (especially the regular ones like the guitar pictured here, while the special ones for Leo's and Guitar Trader etc. might all be quite different anyway).

Thank you so much!

Very cool!! Thanks for sharing :salude

I built several guitars and basses for photo shoots.

As far as I know, none of the Prehistorics were weight relieved in the 80's. And that goes for every type of LP reissue from the Heritage Series to Guitar Traders to Leo Specials, and all the others.
 

hrsbln

New member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
4
Thank you very much, that's a great info!

I know that many people already suggested that you'd write a book - which would be amazing :dude: - but since you might be too busy for it, how about a blog with a single article every now and then? :) Or with a (slowly growing) FAQ, finally making it possible to get reliable answers to all the Gibson (1977-90) related questions that often only get answers based on assumptions/speculation, or just on hearsay?
That would be absolutely amazing. Very much referrals to that blog would come from this forum, too :) Your knowledge is so precious/valuable, that it would be amazing and helpful to have on a website/weblog - if not in a book later in the future :biggrin: But enough of that for now :biggrin:

I have just one other Gibson related question: where were the pickups - like T-Tops and Shaws etc. - produced while you were with Gibson?
It might of course have been in Kalamazoo (until mid 1984) or Nashville, or maybe in Elgin/Illinois, which I think was (and is) a Gibson plant for strings & hardware etc.? Or were the pickups produced in more than one plant at the same time?

Thank you very much again!
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Thank you very much, that's a great info!

I know that many people already suggested that you'd write a book - which would be amazing :dude: - but since you might be too busy for it, how about a blog with a single article every now and then? :) Or with a (slowly growing) FAQ, finally making it possible to get reliable answers to all the Gibson (1977-90) related questions that often only get answers based on assumptions/speculation, or just on hearsay?
That would be absolutely amazing. Very much referrals to that blog would come from this forum, too :) Your knowledge is so precious/valuable, that it would be amazing and helpful to have on a website/weblog - if not in a book later in the future :biggrin: But enough of that for now :biggrin:

I have just one other Gibson related question: where were the pickups - like T-Tops and Shaws etc. - produced while you were with Gibson?
It might of course have been in Kalamazoo (until mid 1984) or Nashville, or maybe in Elgin/Illinois, which I think was (and is) a Gibson plant for strings & hardware etc.? Or were the pickups produced in more than one plant at the same time?

Thank you very much again!

Thank you for your kind words!

I always assumed that pickups came from Elgin until they moved everything to Nashville. When they first moved, they actually set everything up right there in the Final Assembly department in Nashville. Coil winding machines, slug press, magnetizer, even the templates for making all the various control assemblies. The learning curve was huge for the people chosen to do this work. Tim (Shaw) did most of the training. There were times when we came close to shutting the line down because there were not enough pickups. Eventually, all the electronics production was moved to a separate location right down the street.

Thanks!
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Ran across this beauty while browsing through some vintage guitars. Such a coincidence, I built it 35 years ago today.





Here's the entry in my ledger. Translated: LP Custom, Vibrola, 3 Pickup, Custom Shop Original, 3 Volume, 3 Tone, 2 Mini switches.





I especially liked the shot of the hand-made control assembly. It's amazing to me to see this after all this time.




Here's the link: https://reverb.com/item/28377732-gi...k-custom-ordered-one-off-guitar-triple-pickup
 

GuitarMikey

Active member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
910
So cool! So with that set up, you could switch it to a stop tailpiece fairly easily?
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
What a fascinating build. (I wonder what a Tal Farlow style pick-guard would look like on it...)
Do you recall what the mini-switches do?


The first one is a three position switch for the middle pickup. Always on / Always off / On out-of-phase. The second is a two position out-of-phase switch for the bridge pickup. Gives you the option to have the neck and bridge together out-of-phase.
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
What a fascinating build. (I wonder what a Tal Farlow style pick-guard would look like on it...)
Do you recall what the mini-switches do?


The first one is a three position switch for the middle pickup. Always on / Always off / On out-of-phase. The second is a two position out-of-phase switch for the bridge pickup. Gives you the option to have the neck and bridge together out-of-phase.

That's very, very cool.
Thanks for the info!
 

howiee

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2007
Messages
36
Hi Strings Jr.

I Love this post! Some really beautiful custom guitars you had a hand in building.

I have Heritage Korina V with serial # A 111 with a "second" stamp above it.
And a Heritage Korina Explorer LE with Serial # 80133517.
Any chance you had a hand in these beauties?

when I figure out how to post the pictures, I'll load them up.....

Thanks
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Hi Strings Jr.

I Love this post! Some really beautiful custom guitars you had a hand in building.

I have Heritage Korina V with serial # A 111 with a "second" stamp above it.
And a Heritage Korina Explorer LE with Serial # 80133517.
Any chance you had a hand in these beauties?

when I figure out how to post the pictures, I'll load them up.....

Thanks

Thank you Sir! I haven't visited this thread in a while. I need to post here more often. I really should go back and re-post some of the pics that Photobucket ruined. :dang

Sorry, I didn't find your serial numbers in my records. I can tell you that all but one of the "A" series numbers that I have for the Heritage V's were built in September 1982. I also didn't realize that so many of the A series were made. I have numbers as high as A 0451.

Congrats on owning these two great guitars!! Looking forward to seeing some pics.
 
Top