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Mystery les paul possible 54 custom?

AA00475Bassman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
The guitar does not warrant any effort, money time out the window , the guitar can be replaced for under a 1000.00 . Painted factory playing & making sound . Its not a Gibson its not even a high end early 80's MIJ !!!!!
 

Tenzona

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
36
I still want pictures of 53 and 54 lpcs being restored, refinished whatever. Show me stripped old customs.
 

LuteGuy

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2004
Messages
35
I have no idea as to the origins of the guitar in question, but it reminds me of the replica "Custom" that a friend brought back from somewhere in Asia in the mid-'70's. It had a Gibson headstock logo and all the "Black Beauty" appointments, but was just wrong overall. VERY lightweight, especially compared to the Les Pauls of the day! My friend, a US Marine, knew it was a fake but said he got it it cheap "from the PX" IIRC.
Has anyone else here come across such a guitar?
 

Tenzona

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
36
Yes Tom having trouble finding any!!! I saw a very early 53 that sold a few years ago and I saw a lot of familiar stuff on that guitar despite what looks wrong on mine just need pics of one stripped or being restored or something.
 

Tenzona

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
36
I dont know where this came from beyond the NORCAL usa area. As for it being an asian copy, if anyone can produce a single photograph of an asian body built like this in old nitro finish I would love to see it. Ive had all the 70s copies none of them are like this at all.

UOTE=LuteGuy;2848117]I have no idea as to the origins of the guitar in question, but it reminds me of the replica "Custom" that a friend brought back from somewhere in Asia in the mid-'70's. It had a Gibson headstock logo and all the "Black Beauty" appointments, but was just wrong overall. VERY lightweight, especially compared to the Les Pauls of the day! My friend, a US Marine, knew it was a fake but said he got it it cheap "from the PX" IIRC.
Has anyone else here come across such a guitar?[/QUOTE]
 

T.Allen

Moderator
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,662
I honestly don't know what you are searching for. There is nothing from restoration photos that will point to your guitar being a Gibson. The only similarity is the species of wood. It is not a Gibson of any year.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Yes Tom having trouble finding any!!! I saw a very early 53 that sold a few years ago and I saw a lot of familiar stuff on that guitar despite what looks wrong on mine just need pics of one stripped or being restored or something.

Could you please post some photos of the front, and the back of the headstock?
And also, the neck pickup cavity, showing clearly the neck tenon?
:salude
 

Tenzona

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
36
I believe the neck is only partially relevant because it appears to be a reneck. The neck does not glow under UV only the body. It is very nice whatever it is. Notice in the cavity you can see the mahogany top. I have included a similar picture from a 53 and it is the only picture I can find showing the glued top on a 50s custom inside a pickup cavity, there is just so little visual evidence to clear it up (I am talking to Gibson and others about this)
According to all info I have seen, only 50s customs and the 72 reissue have mahog tops until you get into later reissues. Most people I have talked to seem to think the back and top are a single piece of mahogany I believe this to be misinformation. Glued multi piece top similar to how they made goldtops is how Screenshot_20191210-192052_Gallery.jpgIMG_9914.jpgIMG_9915.jpgthey did it. If you have visual evidence otherwise I would love to see it because I cannot find any!


Could you please post some photos of the front, and the back of the headstock?
And also, the neck pickup cavity, showing clearly the neck tenon?
:salude
 

Tenzona

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
36
And here is the neck just for the hell of it. It has a volute and a deluxe looking fingerboard, 2 neck breaks and an incorrect holly veneer. I played it a bit and it feels great, very solid neck.





I believe the neck is only partially relevant because it appears to be a reneck. The neck does not glow under UV only the body. It is very nice whatever it is. Notice in the cavity you can see the mahogany top. I have included a similar picture from a 53 and it is the only picture I can find showing the glued top on a 50s custom inside a pickup cavity, there is just so little visual evidence to clear it up (I am talking to Gibson and others about this)
According to all info I have seen, only 50s customs and the 72 reissue have mahog tops until you get into later reissues. Most people I have talked to seem to think the back and top are a single piece of mahogany I believe this to be misinformation. Glued multi piece top similar to how they made goldtops is how View attachment 10641View attachment 10642View attachment 10643they did it. If you have visual evidence otherwise I would love to see it because I cannot find any!
 

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poor man's burst

Active member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
421
" Most people I have talked to seem to think the back and top are a single piece of mahogany I believe this to be misinformation. Glued multi piece top similar to how they made goldtops is how they did it."

If Gibson Les Paul Custom made between '53 and '61 had glued on mahogany top instead of one piece bodies, in contrary to what "most people" believe, could you please explain why Gibson decided to make the wire channel, going from the control cavity to the switch cavity, in a different way: a round channel drilled from the side for the Custom and a square one, routed from the top of the mahogany back, before the maple top was glued on, for the Gold Top?
 

sws1

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
Those pickup cavities look like no Gibson-routed cavities I've ever seen.
 

notchback

New member
Joined
Dec 2, 2019
Messages
4
Very early body with some messy hand done mods. Yeah, early 80s.......just joking.

The volute looks like it was glued on after the neck was made.
 

Tenzona

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
36
Notch you are the 2nd person to say that, can you verify that gibson used to do this type of repair?

As for the gold top route question check these pictures out.
Its a lefty 54 with a "messy hand done channel" and also check out the control cavity. It looks like mine and also has a round drilled hole like a custom. As for WHY they changed it up I have no idea, just getting the job done at the factory maybe? Guitar is from southpawsanctuary.comScreenshot_20191210-193717_Brave.jpg

Very early body with some messy hand done mods. Yeah, early 80s.......just joking.

The volute looks like it was glued on after the neck was made.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Most people I have talked to seem to think the back and top are a single piece of mahogany I believe this to be misinformation. Glued multi piece top similar to how they made goldtops is how they did it.

Do you have any credible evidence to support this bizarre claim, which is completely contradictory to the multitude of experts who say otherwise? :bigal
 
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