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Year-by-Year History of the Historic Les Paul Collection

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
Yes the decal was sporadic in 94 and ended in early 94 due to customer complaints (the originals did not have them, so reissues should not either)
 

philip_m

New member
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
487
I came across something regarding the '07 Historic Les Pauls:

>>“The guitars have also been given a lower neck pitch,” Wilson sites as an example, “so that the bridge is closer to the body, rather than up high like a ’70s guitar, which in turn improves the tone. We have also changed the actual location of the trussrod—we x-rayed some ’50s Les Pauls and found where the trussrod was in relation to the top and the back of the neck, and have repositioned the VOS trussrods accurately according to this.” <<

and a list of changes:

>>
* Vintage-style, vintage-profile fret wire
* Historically accurate thin fingerboard binding that’s only .040-inch thick (which contributes greatly to the comfortable, vintage-feeling, “rolled” fingerboard edges)
* Historically accurate carved arch on the guitars’ maple tops
* Correct height of the binding in the cutaway
* Accurately sized back control pocket route
* Historically accurate 1/2-inch wire channel from toggle switch to control pocket
* 5/8-inch heel with accurate heel shape
* Correct distance between pickups
* Historically accurate bridge, tailpiece, and control holes
* Correctly tapered headstock with tuner holes in a straight line (rather than following the headstock edge)
* 3/8-inch back-edge radius
<<

here's where I found it:

http://guitarplayer.wordpress.com/category/1959-gibson-les-paul-reissue/
 

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
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Dec 20, 2004
Messages
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Most of these features did not start in 2007, some reach all the way back to 1993, and many were introduced since.
 

philip_m

New member
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Feb 22, 2007
Messages
487
alright, maybe it's more a feature list then.

but what's with the trussrod location?
 

jdawg

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2004
Messages
220
The list says real Honduran mahogany for 2007. Does that apply to all Historic Les Pauls starting with 2007?

Joe
 

guitarvoodoo

Formerly fishnose, Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
2,000
Dan, a fantastic thread!! This is really, really needed.

A little info to add (from my '97 R0 Lefty):
----------------------------------------------
Checklist states that it is dated 12/12/97
"LPR0 LH Flametop", Ser # 0 7149
Which would logically mean that just over 150 R0's were made in '97.
No sticker on back of headstock
No dots on 'underside' of neck
Steel bridge saddles
Brown standard case
No COA, but a 'guarantee' folder with the Serial #, etc
Minimal case candy
Dark Back (very dark brown)
Very 'yellowed' bindings
Dark-edged 'Heritage Darkburst' (disc. in '02 according to Blue Book)
Heavily figured & 3D top.

A little note: There are so few Lefty LP reissues out there, you just wouldn't believe.
I would say not more than about 8 per YEAR on eBay for instance (!)

:] Fish
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2003
Messages
593
Excellent reference thread, thanks.

I noticed there were a couple of comments that there was not a COA for 2000, mine had one so I thought I would share it, hopefully I didnt miss it in subsequent comments.
Certificate2.jpg
[/IMG]
 

Rumbling_Groover

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
1,089
Dan, a fantastic thread!! This is really, really needed.

A little info to add (from my '97 R0 Lefty):
----------------------------------------------
Checklist states that it is dated 12/12/97
"LPR0 LH Flametop", Ser # 0 7149
Which would logically mean that just over 150 R0's were made in '97.

:] Fish
That covers 3 models during that year, so logically @ 50 per model. Your lefty might be the only one that year!
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2003
Messages
593
Thanks for the pic!
Special run, perhaps?

The only thing I know is that this particular 2000 was Murphy aged and sold through Yamano into the Japanese market (its an early Y2k). Perhaps the Japanese market had a different standard relating to COA's.
 
Last edited:

guitarvoodoo

Formerly fishnose, Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
2,000
You guys got real honest-to-goodness COA's from '97?
Not the 'Historic Collection' 3-page foldout thingy I have, also 97? (which is not a COA as such)
:] Fish
 

guitarvoodoo

Formerly fishnose, Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
2,000
That covers 3 models during that year, so logically @ 50 per model. Your lefty might be the only one that year!

Rumblin' - from what I understand, during the mid-90's they were using separate series for each of the R8, R9 and R0 models, so the 150 would only be for the R0.
I saw somewhere in this thread (?) that about 400 or 500 R9s were made that year.

As to the number of lefties - you may in fact be right. Since every single CAH lefty is a special order and can take up to a year to be delivered, not more than about 1% of all CAH are likely to be lefties.

:] Fish
 

Rumbling_Groover

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
1,089
Rumblin' - from what I understand, during the mid-90's they were using separate series for each of the R8, R9 and R0 models, so the 150 would only be for the R0.
I saw somewhere in this thread (?) that about 400 or 500 R9s were made that year.

As to the number of lefties - you may in fact be right. Since every single CAH lefty is a special order and can take up to a year to be delivered, not more than about 1% of all CAH are likely to be lefties.

:] Fish
Well I've been wrong before and i'm sure I be wrong again sometime in the future ;0) I always thought the R0 serials covered specials and juniors as well hey ho, you learn some thing new every day.
 

Dirtypool

New member
Joined
Aug 29, 2004
Messages
696
The Bluebook quote is wrong if only for the fact this serialzation did not start until mid 1993 with the introduction of the Historic Reissues (not Historic collection which started in 1991) Now I am sure they used this serial number method in 1992 with the prototypes. But I have owned 1993 preHistoric Les Paul RIs (and Mike Slub has some in his various articles too) That started with a 3.

What's the difference between Historic Reissue and Historic Collection?
My '93 goldtop with Historic Collection decal has serial 7 32X2
 

kink56

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
7,672
What's the difference between Historic Reissue and Historic Collection?
My '93 goldtop with Historic Collection decal has serial 7 32X2

Historic Collection predates the Custom, Art and Historic Reissues. The early Historic reissues of mid 93-early 94 (such as yours) had either Historic Collection or Custom Shop decals. Yours is a Historic Reissue R7, as much as a 2008 R7 would be. The clue is the long tenon (which yours has) and if yours were a preHistoric RI it would have a SN starting with a 3 xxxx, for 1993. But yours starts with a 7 for 1957, followed by a 3 for 1993.
 
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