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1960 Burst Restoration

miczap

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
213
Personally, I would have kept it as a natural top custom- but that's just my taste.

I think it's bittersweet: on one hand, a unique custom is lost but on the other, you have an instrument that is probably up there with the very best examples. And, due to the nature of the project, more liberty could be taken to create an incredible frankenburst exactly to your personal specifications.
 

VamboRool

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
424
Just out of curiosity, what was the asking price when this was for sale? What original parts were on it? Did it have the original case? What sites was it advertised on? What shows was it at? I don't remember seeing it for sale online or at either of the shows that I regularly attend, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
 

sws1

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
Just out of curiosity, what was the asking price when this was for sale? What original parts were on it? Did it have the original case? What sites was it advertised on? What shows was it at? I don't remember seeing it for sale online or at either of the shows that I regularly attend, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

I saw it in person at the Nashville show (when it had the yellowish HM refin). Memory says the price was around 6 figures. I think it was also on Ebay at the time.
 

thxphotog

New member
Joined
May 10, 2019
Messages
21
Bumping this ol' thread that was a joy to read.

Reminds me of a doc I saw years ago on P-51 Mustang aircraft. There's a very select number left in the world, and all the owners know each other very well and get together quite often. They're a tight group. If tragedy strikes and one of these planes crash, the members of this club mourn the loss of the plane 1st, and the pilot secondarily.
 

Rich R

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
4,999
From what has been presented, the guitar was sold new as a black, three pick-up, ebony fingerboard, large split diamond headstock Custom. Now it is neither a Custom or a Standard, I guess it is a Custard.

Now, that's funny! :dude:
 

Shocktop99

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2017
Messages
92
Good thread to revive! a interesting read for sure! Sad to see a Custom be made into a Standard, but we all do what we want with our guitars so I can't really be upset by it! Neat Read anyway!! :salude
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2001
Messages
334
Good thread to revive! a interesting read for sure! Sad to see a Custom be made into a Standard, but we all do what we want with our guitars so I can't really be upset by it! Neat Read anyway!! :salude

Mixed emotions at seeing this work... He did a great job, amazing really. I gather that prior to this restoration? conversion? this guitar was original.
I have reservations about altering all original "history" pieces but if the guitar has already been altered or modded then I don't think there is any crime in bringing it to where you want it. I am sure there is some disagreement about that but I see no point in preserving the history of someone else's modification history. There I said it...
 

Bruce R

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
Seeing the work done to that Custom makes me wonder about the values of all the conversions we seem to be seeing these days.

Do you think these were mainly done in the years where vintage prices were higher to get a better return on a "common" or "lowly" Goldtop, such as the '52 or early '53 models that sold for so little, at least until the new bridges became available?

With the amazing work being done by today's luthiers who in the heck would buy one without prior knowledge of the work being done to it?

Just scratching my head here! What do these conversions sell for? Opinions welcome!
 
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Jumping@Shadows

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2003
Messages
1,330
For anyone still interested, I wasn’t happy with the quite dark ‘pre faded’ burst I shot, so opted for a classic ‘60 sunburst like what it might have received from the factory:

7yC7Sns.jpg


The flame really pops now, and it gives me flashbacks to thumbing through BOTB as a feverish, Burst obsessed youngster :##

Of particular note is the front zebra pickup which is the only factory zebra coil ‘62 PAT No I’ve ever seen or heard of! Baffling how it came to be, but it’s totally legit and sounds exceptional! The perfect pickup for this guitar imho.

Here’s another view:

GUV7bte.jpg


All being well I should have a video of LPF buddy Jarod James Nichols playing it through a Friedman plexi this afternoon, and I hope to share that in due course :salude
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Killer work Yukki. As always restoring some so the next generation of guitarists has a chance at owning something really cool.
 

Josh_of_CYWG

New member
Joined
Dec 14, 2020
Messages
3
Amazing work. It came out fantastic, but personally, I don't really get the point in converting it. It was an odd-ball, a one of a kind, a piece of history, a symbol of its past, and now its just another burst conversion. I'm not saying its bad, and you're entitled to do whatever you want with your guitar, but its nowhere near as cool as it was, and the fact that the guitar was perfect before hand, is in my eyes, a shame.
 

abracadaben

Active member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
230
No Tom, but I can point you in the right direction to the Department of Sarcasm....:laugh2:

I repeat my earlier posed question, Maple capped 50's Les Paul Custom? With factory correct Custom architecture? ....show me one.

I view this as a lost 'Burst, another example of Gibson's infamous "one off things" rather than a "destroyed" 50's Custom dressed up via refin to look like a 'Burst.

The Standard was in the toilet in 1960, Gibson had a Custom order to fill, not rocket science...get that cheque to the sales office..pronto...

What shape is the cavity hole leading to the jack Yukki?


Of course I may be completely wrong, and am happy to be proved wrong...again, show me another 50's example of this guitar that's supposed to have been destroyed by this restoration...anyone?

:biggrin:


seems like this one was a LPC before too.....
https://www.atbguitars.com/store/product/1960-gibson-les-paul-custom-burst-pgv-1960lpcustompgv/
 
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