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NGD 1963 Les Paul Standard (Welcome to the PAF club!)

miczap

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
213
Hello everyone,

Just wanted to share a very exciting NGD with everyone.

This is my (early) 1963 Les Paul Standard, serial #116754, made possible through a forum member and a local store, Guitar Emporium. It's got a fantastic, fist-full neck profile and the less-often-found 'smooth' heel.

Stickered PAF in the neck, Pat No in the bridge and a whole lotta fantastic feel and beautiful tone.

People hate on the sideways vibrola- but I really don't understand why. A little bit of lubrication and thoughtful usage leads to a very smooth and even vibrato.

I'm smitten. It'll be hard to beat this. For now, I think my humbucker tone search is over.


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blueline

Active member
Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Messages
186
Outstanding!...that heel really is smooth like there is no heel at all. I really like how the cherry red under the neck up is so vibrant. And that little light wood strip piece of wood really looks sharp. And I don't think I have seen that level of contrast with that cherry red stripe under the bridge .
I agree that sideways vibrato is much maligned because it works just fine if they have not been abused and neglected. I have two of these and the one on my 61 rocks on dome thumb wheels and stays in tune all gig long no matter what.

This was the last year to find a great Les Paul standard, congratulations.
 

miczap

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
213
Congratulations, what a beauty.:salude


Beautiful!! Congrats:). That neck looks fantastic.


Fantastic - congrats!




Congrats, that is stunning!!!


Very nice! Congrats, HNGD

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and play her in good health!


Nice one!
Play swiftly with a loud noise!




Fantastic man! Congrats. :yah




Great looking SG, nice score.

Thank you so much everyone! I'm still letting it sink in. Spending a lot of quality time getting to know her well!

This won't come as a shock to those already initiated, but it's been a revelation to discover the vast tonal range available between these pickups and volume and tone controls.
 

miczap

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
213
Outstanding!...that heel really is smooth like there is no heel at all. I really like how the cherry red under the neck up is so vibrant. And that little light wood strip piece of wood really looks sharp. And I don't think I have seen that level of contrast with that cherry red stripe under the bridge .
I agree that sideways vibrato is much maligned because it works just fine if they have not been abused and neglected. I have two of these and the one on my 61 rocks on dome thumb wheels and stays in tune all gig long no matter what.

This was the last year to find a great Les Paul standard, congratulations.

Yeah! I've heard that the disparity between the neck joints was down to the individual factory workers preference at the time (I imagine in the absence of any concrete direction) so these joints end up being a signature for each person who executed this step. Could be complete nonsense, but I like the plausible romance of it all.

and yeah- the fade is very substantial! quite the contrast underneath the plastics- the guard is nuts too haha.

Totally agree regarding the vibrola! I think it's /because/ so many players tucked them away and didn't use them, that many systems have 'seized up'.

The dome thumb wheels are an awesome feature too! Definitely a very 'get it done' type of solution haha.

Here's an old pic, back when it was part of Eliot Michael's collection- and certainly less faded!

mMKsyGy.jpg
 

zhivago

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
1,417
Awesome guitar!

I love the '63 neck profile...I was playing my '63 LP/SG today and it also has the smooth heel...maybe the same guy made mine as well :salude
 

cincyguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
431
Congrats !...That Sg/Les Paul is so awesome...I had to use it for my desktop on the PC:spabout if ya don't mind...
 

miczap

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
213
Sweet SG. Congrats!
Thanks!

Awesome guitar!

I love the '63 neck profile...I was playing my '63 LP/SG today and it also has the smooth heel...maybe the same guy made mine as well :salude
It's a lovely thought, isn't it!

Congrats !...That Sg/Les Paul is so awesome...I had to use it for my desktop on the PC:spabout if ya don't mind...
Thank you! It's a wonderful instrument. Which pic did you end up using?
 
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