• 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!

1956 top wrap and more!

JIMI55LP

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Messages
1,588
The photo looks like a drawing and I'm thinking many things were turned around or changed in that animation? The alnico neck pup has diaginal mounting screws but they are opposite the corner diaginal mounts of an early 1952 bridge P90. I've never looked inside an alnico neck pup to understand if it could accommodate the center mounting screws like the P90 does?
 

poor man's burst

Active member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
421
If you Google Gibson Alnico Staple pickup, you will understand why the mounting screws are in diagonale and the not in the center, like in a P-90.
All the single coil pickups Les Paul Custom have the neck pickup diagonal mounting screws in the same position. If they were in the other position, the left screw would be in the channel for the wires to the switch.
 

bluesbreaker88

New member
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
9
For what it's worth, I had a '54 reissue Custom and the last 3 inlays were all different sizes. I did some research when I first noticed it and it seems that early '54s were like that, and they slowly started becoming the same size by '55. Not gospel, just what I've deducted from personal research. I'm sure they probably used an old drawing since no significant changes were made with the model. Then again, the change must have been significant enough for Gibson to replicate in the CS as well as the "inspired by" Epi '55 Custom. I'm sure they saved a few fractions of a cent by cutting them all the same size back in '55 :laugh2:
 

poor man's burst

Active member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
421
Can you provide documentation? I am cusious because my observations don't match yours.
I have pics files of more than 65 single coils '50s Les Paul Custom, of which more than 20 from '53 to '55. and except one '56 which I am positive looks refinished, none has the last 3 inlays of decreasing size.
 

poor man's burst

Active member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
421
I agree that the picture looks like a drawing. But IMO it is a heavily touched-up photography, which was a common practice in catalogue editing at this time (and still is BTW. It is now called Photoshop).
IMO it is much easier to touch up a photography than to try to draw from scratch a guitar like a Les Paul seen from 3/4 side and respect shape and proportions of the original.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Back to fretless wonder frets?

Actually, I have seen this, but it was decades ago.
Same with fretless wonder frets on other [non Les Paul] models.
Some players still preferred them for the reason they were originally intended. :)
 

MAILIYA

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2019
Messages
4
Every single 1st version (non-PAF) '50s Les Paul Custom I've seen had the Alnico Staple neck pickup mounted with diagonale screws and the <style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style>filezilla uc browser rufus P-90 bridge pickup mounted with centered screws.
Or did I misunderstood your question?
"strings through the bridge", but the Custom was top wrapped!
 
Last edited:
Top