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Calling all 1968 / 1969 Les Paul Owners.

zorglub!

Burst Detective!
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
Messages
5,230
zorglub! said:
Experts, I have taken these pics to help you trying to clarify what year is mine, I am lost...

I have been trying to photograph the 3-piece neck but it seems very hard! However I have taken this pic where you can clearly see it is 3-piece:

3pcneck.jpg


Also, what kind of volute is this?

volute.jpg


An lastly I would like to show you the extra maple layer between the top and the mahogany:

layer1.jpg


layer2.jpg


I hope you enjoy these stripped wood pics as I do! :biggrin:
So... did anybody concluded about my Custom? I would really appreciate your opinions about it... What year does it seem to be? What kind of volute is it? Thanks!
 

DaveTV

Active member
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Nov 12, 2002
Messages
2,773
gentlegiant said:
my guitar is similar to what Stumbler described above and also what I seem to recall John calling a short tenon ...it couldn't possibly get much shorter as it has a very minute protrusion into the cavity ..maybe 1/32" ...again my apologies :)

If you can see it all, it's not a short tenon.

Your guitar has a transitional tenon.

Thank you.

:jim
 

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,584
DaveTV said:
If you can see it all, it's not a short tenon.

Your guitar has a transitional tenon.

Thank you.

:jim

..the picture that the Rev posted above and has called a transitional tenon is not the same type as on my guitar.
Thank you.
 

moonweasel

New member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
9,427
toxpert said:
Case Question...

I have the original form-fitted case for my '68 that needs one item repaired.

The case is overall 'good' condition except for handle - this was lost years ago.

Who/where is the best source for obtaining a accurate replacement? The handle mounts are in good condition.. it's just the handle that is no longer with us. Removing and reusing the handle retaining pins looks very feasible.

Note... just like my Lifton case from the '50s.. this '68 case is really loose fitting. For day-to-day transport, I purchased a new black alligator Gibson case - these newer cases provide multiple points for the neck as well as for body support and keep the guitar from sliding around in the case. I am really quite impressed with this latest evolution of the Gibson case.


Toxpert,

Wish I could help you, but I dont really know. Two options: just check all parts for something similar to an original. (If you need a good picture of a early 68, form fitted case handle, Ive got one of those cases and would be happy to post a picture.)

The other option might be to find a trashed original case and steal its handle. Just a thought.
 

moonweasel

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Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
9,427
Wilko said:
Mr Giant,

The odds of have ing a 1-piece body with a non-center seamed top are very slim. Having a 1-piece body with a short tenon is impossible (in 1969)

Wilko,

I have several guitars in the database that are non-center seamed, yet one piece bodies (assuming data is true, etc).

They appear only to be 8xx,xxx guitars. I have an 844xxx GT. And two Customs, 835xxx and 889xxx.

835 has 52nd wk of 68 pots, the other two have 33rd and 34th week pots of 69. All listed as Tt tenons.
 
Last edited:

moonweasel

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Jan 20, 2004
Messages
9,427
zorglub! said:
So... did anybody concluded about my Custom? I would really appreciate your opinions about it... What year does it seem to be? What kind of volute is it? Thanks!

Zorglub,

Wow, I thought I had posted about yours already. Sorry! It has all the right features to be a mid to late 69 Custom. Probably late 69. Thats an early volute. They became much sharper and more pronounced in the early to mid 70s (Im not sure about the dates of volute evolution to the late 70s variant, other than my brothers 77 has the modern one.)
 

Stumbler

Active member
Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Messages
2,947
DaveTV said:
It may look like a short tenon to you, but it's not.

If you can see it, it's not short, by definition.

If 1/16" or maybe even 1/32" isn't short, then what is? Who defined a short tenon and where.

Does any one have a pic of a Custom' s short tenon?

Mine does kinda look like that one in the GT that Rev posted, although that onw protrudes more than the one in my Custom

Uh ... I'm confused.
 

Stumbler

Active member
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Jul 29, 2002
Messages
2,947
Wilko said:
If you can see any evidence of a tenon in the pickup cavity, it's not a "short tenon"

As I posted earlier, a short tenon DOES NOT enter the cavity at all. If it's not long, and you can see it in the cavity, it's what we've been calling a "transitional tenon".

Here's a short tenon in my '76 custom:

short_tenon.jpg

Oh.

I can't really tell what that tenon is from the photo, but it's completely different than my 69 Custom. And ... I definitely have a 3 piece neck, a One piece body, and a 3 piece maple top. Weird huh?
 

Stumbler

Active member
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Jul 29, 2002
Messages
2,947
Hey Gary. (giant) It looks like we have transitional tenons on those 69's I'm about ready to throw in the towel and switch my data to "tt" from short. Nice to know what I've got after 36 years.
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
Stumbler said:
Oh.

I can't really tell what that tenon is from the photo, but it's completely different than my 69 Custom. And ... I definitely have a 3 piece neck, a One piece body, and a 3 piece maple top. Weird huh?

Right you are. In my pic you can't see any tenon. That's why it's called short. A short tenon is so short it doesn't even reach the pickup cavity.

Short = does not enter the cavity at all. That's a hell of a lot shorter than 1/32 into the cavity, past the neck.

Transitional = goes all the way past the neck and into the pickup cavity about 1/32' - 1/4"

Long = Goes in to the cavity for another 3/4" or so.

The difference between a long and transitional are negligible and don't make any difference at all to the sound/feel of the guitar. Same cannot be said about the "short" tenon, which as evidenced by photos, could be seen as a weak link of the tone of the guitar.
 

Red Baron

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
6,774
toxpert said:
Case Question...

I have the original form-fitted case for my '68 that needs one item repaired.

The case is overall 'good' condition except for handle - this was lost years ago.

Who/where is the best source for obtaining a accurate replacement? The handle mounts are in good condition.. it's just the handle that is no longer with us. Removing and reusing the handle retaining pins looks very feasible.

Note... just like my Lifton case from the '50s.. this '68 case is really loose fitting. For day-to-day transport, I purchased a new black alligator Gibson case - these newer cases provide multiple points for the neck as well as for body support and keep the guitar from sliding around in the case. I am really quite impressed with this latest evolution of the Gibson case.

LOL my original handle is in good condition but one of the mounts is missing so it's currently held together with a piece of wire wrapped around it.

I don't trust it at all so I went out recently and bought a Hiscox case... great case btw :)
 

Stumbler

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Messages
2,947
Moon - it's like Rev's but really only 1/32 or 1/16 protrusion. It's hardly noticable. So .... based on the above, I hearby switch my 69 Custom 835xxx tenon def to .... (drumroll please)

transitional tenon "tt"

BTW - I can post pix, it's just that my camera is old and I don't think I could get a clear shot of it. I'll try tomorrow morning when the light is good and see if it will show.

Thanks for bearing with me boys ...

BTW ... my Custom kicks ass. Must be that transitional tenon ;)
 

Stumbler

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Shouldn't we all be watching Disney or America's Funniest Videos or something now, instead of discussing the length of our tenons ... ?
 

garywright

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15,584
Stumbler said:
Hey Gary. (giant) It looks like we have transitional tenons on those 69's I'm about ready to throw in the towel and switch my data to "tt" from short. Nice to know what I've got after 36 years.

...Hello Greg (stumbler) ...yeah, it appears from description we both have the very same identical SHORT tenon ..the bad thing is I was now under the impression mine was a one of a kind and worth a million $ ...now with you having an indentical guitar maybe only $500,000 ..oh well ...I only paid $2,850 and really love my guitar no matter how it's constructed :) ...btw, I just got a new computer and haven't loaded all my info ( Kodak cam etc. ) ...sometime this week I will take a pic and email it to someone here if they would host and post it :)
 

Stumbler

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OK ... that cinches it. My 69 Custom is transitional I've seen that graphic before but it only showed short and long. Cool!

Thanks Wilko. You're a patient man. I, for one, always appreciate your posts and insights. You need to come to the Greensboro jam this fall ;)
 

garywright

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Messages
15,584
Wilko ..ok from the last pic you posted ..I get it ! ...I will take a pic this week still :)
 

Stumbler

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Messages
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I'm Al ... you might be thinking of those pix of me and Greg Germino that rayh took at the last Greensboro jam. Whatever. We're part of the late 60's Custom mafia here at LPF. Actually, my Custom is worth 1 BILLION dollars baahhhaahhaaa ....
 
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