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NGD: 1972(?) Les Paul Custom

metropolis

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Sep 14, 2018
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390
I've got a few Les Pauls but really fancied two more; an ebony Custom and something borderline vintage. I managed to scratch both itches in one go when I happened to be driving past where this was for sale. Once I played it I couldn't put it down.

The neck starts super thin but thickens up, the action and setup is lovely and the tone is great, especially acoustically.

Bad points: There's been a neck break and a refin the body and back of neck - and not a great job of scraping around the binding plus they left the switch in and painted it black! You can only tell the neck break from the glue inside the truss rod cavity - the refinish covers it well. Two pots have been replaced, along with the output jack and the bridge pickup is a Maricela Juarez wound Duncan Distortion (early to mid 80s) with a badly aged cover. Finally there's been three types of tuner on it; my guess is Kluson originals, Schallers and then the Grovers today.

The refin is thick enough to have covered the serial number, which is written on (twice, a second with a UV pen). Online dating tools tell me 70-72 but Gibson told me 1968 despite the obvious volute. The two remaining original pots date to 1972. I can't see whether its a three piece neck or pancake body through the refin but I'm assuming it is. The plastics and hardware all seems original. There's been a very recent refret done too, with larger frets than the original ones thankfully!

I've got a Brandenwound T-Top replica on the way for the bridge (the Duncan Distortion isn't for me) but otherwise I'll leave her as is. A small part of me wants to expose the serial number but I suspect it's not worth it.

I love it and can't stop playing it. I'm channeling my early Steve Hackett (even though his were 1969s!)

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mrbeasty

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Dec 19, 2002
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114
Congrats!!����

If you have two original pots left, they are your best bet to get a rough age range.
Depending on the month in ‘72, you can probably figure-out if your guitar is likely to be a ‘72 or a ‘73.

I have a similar Black Beauty of the 1970 to 1974 range (based on the serial number), the pots are from November ‘73.
 

metropolis

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Thanks! The pots say 11th week of 1972 which is why I think it’s a ‘72, I’m just surprised the pickup covers weren’t embossed with logos (unless they’ve been switched too).
 

Midnight Blues

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Feb 20, 2011
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Absolutely GORGEOUS metropolis! Nothing like a Custom in my book!

Congrats, HNGD
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and play her in good health!
 

akkermanfan

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May 30, 2015
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Thanks! The pots say 11th week of 1972 which is why I think it’s a ‘72, I’m just surprised the pickup covers weren’t embossed with logos (unless they’ve been switched too).
Hi Metropolis, do I read it right ? Serial number #621 813 ? From my 1972 it is #622 386 with the embossed pickups, pots have the same like yours ! Congrats with your guitar ! It also must have a lower C profile neck, really thin.... This are really fine instruments !
i
 

metropolis

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Hi Metropolis, do I read it right ? Serial number #621 813 ? From my 1972 it is #622 386 with the embossed pickups, pots have the same like yours ! Congrats with your guitar ! It also must have a lower C profile neck, really thin.... This are really fine instruments !
i

Close, it's 621 913. Thanks for sharing your serial number, that gives me confidence it might be the correct one on mine. I wonder if mine had embossed pickup covers that were swapped. I'll have to inspect the back of the rhythm pickup. Yes, really thin neck and slightly narrower too. I have to say she's a dream to play, probably the easiest of my LPs. The next best playing one I have is a 2002 standard but that's a really chunky 50s neck so very different.


My replacement bridge pickup should be here next week which I'm excited about. My question now is would it be sacrilege to switch the wiring to 50s style? I'm not enjoying the modern wiring when I roll down the volume (all my other LPs are 50s wiring) :hmm
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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With the Volute that means it's not a 68 , you could remove the control cavity cover and look inside if that hasn't been part of the refinish and check in there to see if you see pancake and the thin maple layer .
 

akkermanfan

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May 30, 2015
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Close, it's 621 913. Thanks for sharing your serial number, that gives me confidence it might be the correct one on mine. I wonder if mine had embossed pickup covers that were swapped. I'll have to inspect the back of the rhythm pickup. Yes, really thin neck and slightly narrower too. I have to say she's a dream to play, probably the easiest of my LPs. The next best playing one I have is a 2002 standard but that's a really chunky 50s neck so very different.


My replacement bridge pickup should be here next week which I'm excited about. My question now is would it be sacrilege to switch the wiring to 50s style? I'm not enjoying the modern wiring when I roll down the volume (all my other LPs are 50s wiring) :hmm
Hi , thanks for your reply ! Personally I should not do the switch and keep it in an original condition, but on the other hand if it suits you better, than that should be no problem. Mine has the top in 3 parts of maple, and the biggest is in the middle. Acoustically it has a very wooden sound, and I like that ! Yours may also be like mine. I wish you much pleasure with your 72.! I've been enjoying the Black Beauty for 42 years now ! :dude:
 

metropolis

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With the Volute that means it's not a 68 , you could remove the control cavity cover and look inside if that hasn't been part of the refinish and check in there to see if you see pancake and the thin maple layer .

Sadly the refinish got EVERYWHERE and is thick so really hard to tell. Thanks, I'm surrised Gibson even suggested it's a '68 given the photos I shared including the volute.
 

metropolis

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Personally I should not do the switch and keep it in an original condition, but on the other hand if it suits you better, than that should be no problem.

I would feel the same but all the wiring has been messed with already. Both neck pots have been replaced and the bridge pickup has been switched (about to restored to a more original state). I'm inclined to do it given it's one solder join and easily reversible.

I've been enjoying the Black Beauty for 42 years now ! :dude:

I hope to be playing this one that long! :peace2
 

Billy Porter

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My question now is would it be sacrilege to switch the wiring to 50s style? I'm not enjoying the modern wiring when I roll down the volume (all my other LPs are 50s wiring) :hmm


I changed my late 73 LPC to 50s wiring and 500k pots. It became more alive and definitely helps if you gig to avoid that muddy rolled-off sound. My wiring had also been messed around with so no harm done.

Nice guitar by the way
 

Progrocker111

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Your serial number perhaps isnt original cause of the refinish. 72s should only have 68xxxx and 7xxxxx serials. Your looks definitely like post late 71 and according to neck heel and other small signs it really looks like a 72. :dude:
 

metropolis

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Thanks! That's so insightful, you seem to know far more than even Gibson have recorded. I am still tempted to see how much a refinish would be to tidy it up but also expose the real serial number (and other elements like the multiple wood pieces). I'll contact a few people.

Would love to hear it through your Hiwatt setup, I'm just trying to cop that sound with a Kemper (and fuzzes) to channel early-Steve Hackett :##
 

metropolis

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I fitted the Brandenwound T-Top replica in the bridge last night, which initially seems like a positive move. I'll adjust it properly with fresh ears, but I've found the tight pickup cavity a bit of a challenge to get the position right.

In fitting it I uncovered two annoying things - the bridge doesn't seem to be original, it's stamped TABR-1 which leads me to believe it's a Gretsch bridge. Also the rhythm pickup has a nickel cover rather than aged gold, which makes me think it has been replaced. I'm going to probably swap that cover for an aged gold one to be a bit more original.
 

metropolis

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I did some work and more digging. I wanted to replace the pickup covers because the T-Top isn't original (the screws have gold on them but the cover is nickel) and I wanted them to match so got 2 new gold covers. In doing that I was able to get a shot of the neck tenon and verify the neck T-Top is genuine:

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Here's what the bobbins on the Brandenwound look like for comparison:

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Do you notice anything else? Is that gold paint underneath the refin where it's flaked off? Makes me wonder if this was a goldtop at one point in its life - I can't find any record of them offering this out in gold in the early 70s so unless it's a custom order it could have had 2 refins.
 

Progrocker111

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Do you notice anything else? Is that gold paint underneath the refin where it's flaked off? Makes me wonder if this was a goldtop at one point in its life - I can't find any record of them offering this out in gold in the early 70s so unless it's a custom order it could have had 2 refins.

It seems to me only as a maple top, which can be fairly light.
 

metropolis

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Maybe my eyes are deceiving me but is there not some metallice flake when I zoom in?

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