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Maple Neck Years?? Looking for my dream Les Paul!

Major Fuzz

New member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Messages
11
I've always wanted a maple neck Les Paul Custom, IDk why but I've always wanted the look/feel of a Les Paul but with the snappiness of an ebony fretboard with a maple neck. I've played several before, so I know I like them. I just can't ever get a straight answer about which years had maple necks and how to find them. Last I heard was that they started in 75-76, but I don't know when they stopped or if EVERY LP Custom was maple neck in that time period. Can someone help? I think I've found a couple on Reverb that seem perfect.
 

AJCR

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
124
Started in 75.
The Kalamazoo guitars used the 'leftover' mahogany necks until they ran out. So there are a few 1975 guitars that are still mahogany.

The maple lasted until 82 or 83. Its sort of harder to know the phaseout as at the time they were shutting the Kalamazoo factory and moving all production to the Nashville one at the same sort of time.
This is the same period where the headstock shrank to close to vintage spec, the headstock angle reverted to 17degrees, and the weight relief started too.

So there might have been another overlap where the change happened in one factory early, but maybe the shutting factory kept the maple production on until the end.
 

Reddart

Active member
Joined
Feb 26, 2004
Messages
286
In the 90’s it seemed like just about every used Les Paul at guitar center was a maple necked Norlin.
 

Progrocker111

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
4,013
They started in mid 75 and were phased out during late 82/early 83. The very early 75 Kalamazoo made LPs still have some earlier specs like transitional tenon, ABR, smaller binding in cutaway and waffleback tuners.
 

Aceman

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
51
I really apologize for saying this in this way; Are you sure, because I have a 73 that has a maple neck. 3 piece neck, 5 piece headstock.

Anyway - I love everything about them, especially on rosewood. I have three (2 RW / 1 E). The shape, and brightness are just fantastic compared to all mahogany IMO.

And the Strength? Wow. I would do neck bend dives that made people's eyes pop out of their head on my 79.
 

Aceman

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
51
In the 90’s it seemed like just about every used Les Paul at guitar center was a maple necked Norlin.

They were because plus 20 years, Norlin sucked
Plus 40 years Norlin is awesome!

And T-Tops also now sound amazing...whereas in the 70's and 80's, they were so meh they literally caused DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan to spring into existence.
 

Reddart

Active member
Joined
Feb 26, 2004
Messages
286
They were because plus 20 years, Norlin sucked
Plus 40 years Norlin is awesome!

And T-Tops also now sound amazing...whereas in the 70's and 80's, they were so meh they literally caused DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan to spring into existence.

Ha ha, yeah.

Frampton’s Phenix must be the best sounding guitar in the word...light old wood + the heat treatment in the plane crash fire....wait, it has a Nashville bridge, it must sound like shit!
 

AJCR

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
124
They were because plus 20 years, Norlin sucked
Plus 40 years Norlin is awesome!

And T-Tops also now sound amazing...whereas in the 70's and 80's, they were so meh they literally caused DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan to spring into existence.

I think people just learned how to play......not all of course. Still a lot of people who can't play and think they're meh.
 
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