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Where are they now...

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Renderit gave me the clue. It is funny to me because i seen the Cars live probably around the time of that photo
 

tangerine

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May 14, 2011
Messages
230
Serendipity from the original post! 10th Dec 1985 was my 15th birthday, the very day I got my first electric guitar!! Alas a Gibson was out of my parents budget at the time, so it was a Westone instead.

I've enjoyed this thread immensely, many thanks for sharing Strings Jr.

Were you involved in any of the thinlines? The 81-85 335's were fantastic guitars, plenty of them built in Nashville. It seems like an interesting time, with the handover from Kalamazoo.

Cheers! :salude
 

Strings Jr.

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Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Serendipity from the original post! 10th Dec 1985 was my 15th birthday, the very day I got my first electric guitar!! Alas a Gibson was out of my parents budget at the time, so it was a Westone instead.

I've enjoyed this thread immensely, many thanks for sharing Strings Jr.

Were you involved in any of the thinlines? The 81-85 335's were fantastic guitars, plenty of them built in Nashville. It seems like an interesting time, with the handover from Kalamazoo.

Cheers! :salude

Thanks!

I built hundreds of the 80's 335's. Beginning with the prototypes.
There were also 347's, Lucilles, ES Artist, ES Pro, pretty much the entire ES line-up.

It was a very interesting time. Especially when Tim Shaw, Jim Hutchins, and the rest
of the Kalamazoo guys came down. It was an honor for me to have built several
instruments with Kalamazoo serial numbers. I noticed in my ledger where I
built a 1978 Kalamazoo Super 400 in 1985.
 

tangerine

Member
Joined
May 14, 2011
Messages
230
Thanks!

I built hundreds of the 80's 335's. Beginning with the prototypes.
There were also 347's, Lucilles, ES Artist, ES Pro, pretty much the entire ES line-up.

It was a very interesting time. Especially when Tim Shaw, Jim Hutchins, and the rest
of the Kalamazoo guys came down. It was an honor for me to have built several
instruments with Kalamazoo serial numbers. I noticed in my ledger where I
built a 1978 Kalamazoo Super 400 in 1985.

Interesting about the Super 400! 6-7yrs after getting its Kalamazoo serial! I guess the fancier archtops could sit around for a while in any case as well as the factory change at the time. Cool!

I have a '90 347 which is interesting as it is stamped for promotional use only, refined black when I got it, 92000332, and also one of those 81-85 335 reissues from Nashville, a blondie, great guitar, an '84, 81164539

It's a bit bold of me to post the serials I know​
:hee
, I thought twice before I did, but just in case you're enjoying looking at your log books anyway hehe. One thing I'd be interested to know, do you remember if promotional or artist guitars were 'seconds' or not - as officially I believe there was no such thing as a second after Norlin?​
 

treeofpain

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Aug 1, 2004
Messages
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I have a prototype 1979 Gibson ES Artist in Cherry Sunburst finish. Would you have any info or recollection of that?
 

springhead

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Feb 12, 2016
Messages
262
Hi. I've got a lovely all black/nickel hardware '84 335. Has the Tim Shaw humbuckers with the gold "pat. appd. for" stickers on the top edge. 80834553 - was that one of yours?

Bought it secondhand in early 90's. I played lots of them in a vintage dealers shop, from late 60's ones onwards and this had something special about it's tone and feel.
 

Strings Jr.

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Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I have a prototype 1979 Gibson ES Artist in Cherry Sunburst finish. Would you have any info or recollection of that?

That would be a Kalamazoo made guitar.

We didn't see any ES models until the early 80's.

Sounds like a nice one. I don't recall ever seeing an ES Artist in Cherry Sunburst.
 

Strings Jr.

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Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Hi. I've got a lovely all black/nickel hardware '84 335. Has the Tim Shaw humbuckers with the gold "pat. appd. for" stickers on the top edge. 80834553 - was that one of yours?

Bought it secondhand in early 90's. I played lots of them in a vintage dealers shop, from late 60's ones onwards and this had something special about it's tone and feel.

Sorry, I didn't see that one in my records.

And yes, you would think that guitars made with the same materials,
on the same equipment, etc. would be the same.
But I can assure you that every day there would be that one
that had a unique sound and / or feel that was hard to let go of.
 

Strings Jr.

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Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I built this one on August 1st, 1985. It's a Spirit II XPL.

Sporting a gold Supertune and special pickups from Mr. Shaw,
this was a SWEET sounding guitar.

Sent this one to Chris Hayes, guitarist for Huey Lewis.

Anyone out there own one of these?





Here's some pics from the new owner who found out about me through the LPF.





 
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Perry Underwood

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Joined
Sep 10, 2003
Messages
136
I'm interested in the RD Custom that appears in many of your photos. Any story about the RD series? Did you work on them?

Appreciate any information.

Perry
 

zacknorton

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Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
Did you do any work on the pre-historic lp's? Any records on 6 0710 ??

love that this thread just keeps unravelling!
 

Strings Jr.

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Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
I'm interested in the RD Custom that appears in many of your photos. Any story about the RD series? Did you work on them?

Appreciate any information.

Perry

Hello Perry, All of the RD guitars and basses were made in Kalamazoo.
So, no, I didn't get the opportunity to work on any of them.

The RD in these photos came to Nashville with the rest of the leftover
stuff when Kalamazoo closed. We got killer deals on some very cool instruments.

Since you like RD's, here's a "leftover" that my Dad bought.
An RD with a Firebird neck, a.k.a. Firebird Artist.
It sounds amazing.


 
Last edited:

Strings Jr.

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Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Did you do any work on the pre-historic lp's? Any records on 6 0710 ??

love that this thread just keeps unravelling!

I built lots of the pre-historics. 59/80's, Leo Specials, Jubilee Specials, and many others.
Yours was known internally as a Special #130. My last record for one of those is 6 0605,
built on November 26th, 1986. Yours was probably built in '87 or '88 after I moved on
to carved tops.

Congrats on a great guitar!! I'd love to see a pic.
 

Perry Underwood

New member
Joined
Sep 10, 2003
Messages
136
Thanks again for the info and photo. I know some later RD's got the Victory headstock, but your father's is the first one I've see with a Firebird neck. Great thread.

Perry

Hello Perry, All of the RD guitars and basses were made in Kalamazoo.
So, no, I didn't get the opportunity to work on any of them.

The RD in these photos came to Nashville with the rest of the leftover
stuff when Kalamazoo closed. We got killer deals on some very cool instruments.

Since you like RD's, here's a "leftover" that my Dad bought.
An RD with a Firebird neck.
It sounds amazing.




IM_A0018%20-%20Copy_zpsxlxqp8my.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 

jbzoso2002

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May 10, 2009
Messages
1,089
Great thread!!!!

What can you tell me about this pre historic:

I ordered it from Gibson from a shop in Tacoma Wa in 1985.

The color was heritage cherry sunburst with an upcharge in price.

Said standard on trus rod cover, ink stamped ser no 5 xxxx I wish
I knew the rest of the number.

Had a chain saw case and the little paf stickers on the pu rings.

Had a un matched quilted maple 2 piece top, made you say
wow when you opened the case.

Here is the only crappy pic of it I have.

Jimmy

1985preissue1_zpsrxgdzdkm.jpg
 
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