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Noob with a '59 ... really?

Bloodspoint

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Joined
Jul 3, 2004
Messages
166
It's a pretty guitar. I wonder that he replaced the knobs, but didn't bother to flip the pickups back around.
 

JJ Blair

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Jan 9, 2011
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3,462
As Tom has said with all the information available on this guitar, it could be from any year from 1957 to 1960(1961).

If the OP still looks at this thread, here's a way to narrow down the year of manufacture somewhat: open the control cavity and with a decent camera, take the following picture of the side of the bridge tone control pot - there's a decent chance you might be able to read the pot code and date. This photo sometimes works on the side of the neck volume pot too.

It won't necessarily narrow it down between 58-60. My '60 has 58 pots. We know from the last fret marker that it's either 58 or 59, most likely. I think because there's waffle backs and not Grovers that it's a '58. Grovers came in later in '58.
 

wsaraceni

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Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Messages
453
If you are referring to the pole pieces on the pickups, then no. The bridge and middle pickup appear to have been turned 180 degrees. No big deal. Simply means that someone took a peak at the bottoms at some point and got them turned around.


that is what i meant. i should remember to call them pole pieces. screws and slugs just always stick in my mind for some reason.


im not commenting that its right or wrong either. more of a question to the knowledgeable. i asked because it looked off. but my sample size of ones i've either looked at or thought about is off. the bridge one definitley i dont think ive ever seen flipped like that though.
 

deytookerjaabs

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Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
Looks like it’s relisted for $29,350 “buy it now” on eBay



It was manually ended a bit ago, looks like we might not get the scoop on the final sale amount @909Hemi?


Carters just brought in a refin w/neck reset '58 Custom, could be yours for 35K + tax.
 

909Hemi

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Feb 7, 2019
Messages
22
It was manually ended a bit ago, looks like we might not get the scoop on the final sale amount @909Hemi?


Carters just brought in a refin w/neck reset '58 Custom, could be yours for 35K + tax.

I ended the auction on Ebay without a sale. Ebay requires sellers to accept Paypal, and with me adding Paypal fees to the BIN price, it forced the overall price up higher than I wanted to sell it for. I have listed it elsewhere on a popular music site for sale at a lower price, but per our forum rules here; I can't tell you where that is... :dang
 

T.Allen

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Sep 11, 2014
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2,662
I ended the auction on Ebay without a sale. Ebay requires sellers to accept Paypal, and with me adding Paypal fees to the BIN price, it forced the overall price up higher than I wanted to sell it for. I have listed it elsewhere on a popular music site for sale at a lower price, but per our forum rules here; I can't tell you where that is... :dang

What you CAN do is, put it the classified ads section of this forum with a link to your for sale ad (reverb, gbase, etc.).
 

kwcsports

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May 19, 2010
Messages
7
Is it a fact that it's a 1959 ? He seems sure but what evidence do we have ?
 

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
Is it a fact that it's a 1959 ? He seems sure but what evidence do we have ?

An issues Les Paul Custom like this, with a broken headstock, non-original parts, removed Bigsby, no serial number....I wouldn't think it makes much difference whether it's a '59 or not. In this condition, the value wouldn't be significantly higher for a 1959 Custom with three PAFs compared to the other years ('57 - '60) with PAFs. :dang. The only exception would be the higher value of a factory, two-pickup PAF, Les Paul Custom.
 

909Hemi

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Feb 7, 2019
Messages
22
I am the OP for the Post, and I wanted to let you all know how this story ends ;) I sold this guitar thru a private sale to a man in Salt Lake City recently. He has received it, checked it all out, and he is totally thrilled with it. The '59 sold for $17,500. With the sale in hand, I was finally able to persuade the former owner of this guitar from 1968-2017 to pick it up again and lay out the larger history of this '59. "Billy" is 70. Pat "Billy" Doherty played ALL the hot L.A. gig spots back in the day, usually in a band called "Lost Souls" that also included Kent Henry... whom Billy had known since they were 14 years old.

Here's a video of Billy telling the story of this guitar and Kent. Billy is a different individual, and an excellent individual ;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FnHJx9huog&t=21s

A bit rusty; Bill has'nt picked up strings for years and has been focused on classical piano. I do have pics of Billy and Kent playing the Hullabaloo together in Lost Souls. I'm having heck of a time getting this copied/uploaded/URL'd (NO direct uploads here at LPF??) so I can share them. I am old, and this is more difficult than it has to be.
I'll get back to you...
 

Bruce R

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
How nice of you to tie the story together, thank you!

In the early 70's I worked part-time at a repair shop called Valley Sound where my brother, Billy (also a friend of Kent's), was the guitar tech. We were happy to hear that Kent joined Steppenwolf figuring he would get the attention he deserved. (Fast forward many years) My brother ended up in Portland and ran into Kent, where they saw each other a few times after that. A couple years later I was able to track Kent down because he was staying at an old girlfriend's house up there, but by the time I made contact Kent had just passed away. I am not sure what happened to his beloved 335, but she sent me a nice photo of him in better days with the same Burst I saw him with. Very tragic ending to a true talent.
 
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S. Weiger

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Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
1,744
Do you play guitar? Own any others? As great as these guitars are, they are functionally worthless without a complimentary amp. If you really want to put it together, you now need to acquire and restore the symbiotic amp mate.

My great vintage Gibsons would disagree with you if they could read your statement :ganz :)
 
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