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Opinion on '68 Les Paul Standard with 50s PAF's please?

GibbyLover

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Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
96
Px5bvQL

Hi,

I'm looking at a '68 Les Paul standard.
The pickups were changed to real PAF's. Can anyone confim this?
The back was sprayed with lacquer to cover the bucklerash. I'm not sure if the original finish is still applied.
It has a '59 neck profile.
Someone pointed out the finish might be suspected.

Any opinions on originality of this one?
Thanks

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djd100

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Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
232
Interesting as I have something similar (early 69 with 59 PAF's, though mine had the GT removed when I got it in the 70's). Tool marks and stickers look authentic to me?

What's the asking price?

 

Bruce R

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
I foolishly traded in one like this in 1981 to Norman's Rare Guitars. When I bought it in the late 70's it still had the original P90's (I still have the bridge PU) and the top had been stripped and given a walnut finish. I acquired two PAF's from a friend of mine that owned a '61 LP/SG, had the PU cavities routed out, and the top repainted gold by a local, experienced luthier. I loved the guitar and it sounded amazing, but it easily weighed 10 pounds and I couldn't handle the weight. I took it (and a 50's Lifton case) back down to Norman's (they are awesome) and traded it in for the '69 LP Custom I still own today. They were asking $800 for the Custom, so I gave them my guitar (and the case) and $200. We were both happy with the deal! I was aware that thieves love those delicious brown and tweed cases, so I took the Custom home in a Protector case. I love the case and know it has kept my guitar safe all these years.

So, if the pickup cavities and the gold top do not appear to be from the factory - that's my old guitar!

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Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
Looks totally legit to me. I’ve owned several of those and have many threads and photos at this forum.
Yes, the top carved on 68scare very pronounced!
 

Bruce R

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1,029
Upon further inspection...

The single-line tuners and nickel hardware are un-'68. Easy to swap out, of course, but if you have a real '68, why?

It's a little hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like the binding at the neck join does not appear to be as wide (not following the carved top) as the 68's would have. This just could be the photo angle.

The pickup cavities after been enlarged for humbuckings after the top was painted (ruling out that it's my old '68), so not stock.
 

Wilko

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The guitar is fine.

the tuners are the correct double line, bodies in nickel but should be double ring. Either the tips were changed to look more 57-ish or the second rings were cut off.

The bridge pickup location is wrong so that kinda sucks. You’re supposed to cut the neck side of the home so the pickup ring matched the edge of the pick guard. This one is too close to the bridge now.
 

GibbyLover

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
96
Thanks for all the replies.
Asking price is 15k€, so the PAF have to be original.
I see what you mean about the bridge pickup. That and the tunertips might give some negotiation room.
 

mistersnappy

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Jan 20, 2006
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7,321
Thanks for all the replies.
Asking price is 15k€, so the PAF have to be original.
I see what you mean about the bridge pickup. That and the tunertips might give some negotiation room.

What makes you think this?
 

Bruce R

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
The headstock looks to be at the 14 degree angle of a '68 and a one-piece neck. The bridge thumbscrew surfaces look to be chrome, so I'd say this is a beautiful example of a '68 with added PAF pickups, swapped nickel hardware and tuners/tulips. I love the finish checking on this one.
 

toneville

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Apr 3, 2019
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You asked for opinions. Here is mine FWIW.
How much would you pay for this guitar if you had proof that the pickups were not PAFs?
Remember this is not a 50s Standard and it has been modified. There are a lot of good (great) humbucking pickups based on PAFs made by people who know their stuff. This could be and maybe is a really good guitar but without a strong pedigree I don't know how verification of the 1950s PAFs (and their price) can be assumed. Lacking that I would have to value the guitar as though it did not have original PAFs. In fact in this case I would rather buy it without the pickups and find my own. Then you will know what you have.
 
Joined
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Messages
334
The guitar is fine.

the tuners are the correct double line, bodies in nickel but should be double ring. Either the tips were changed to look more 57-ish or the second rings were cut off.

The bridge pickup location is wrong so that kinda sucks. You’re supposed to cut the neck side of the home so the pickup ring matched the edge of the pick guard. This one is too close to the bridge now.

Uh Square holes in route suggest chisel? Also the "neck side of the home"? what? hole? Yes it looks like they didn't move the bridge forward about 1/8? No maple insert?
 

StratoFrance

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May 27, 2019
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Hi,
I have bought this one a few weeks ago. It's in France now.
Indeed the pickup is too close to the bridge to be a perfect replica. I don't know if the PAFs are real or replicas...according to the 3 previous owners, it is ...but I don't have the knowlodge to confirm.
Some changes have been made on the guitar by the previous owners to look more like a 57 : tuners, switch tip, brigde (and maybe stopbar) have been change.
It looks beautiful to me and sounds very very nice.
 

Wilko

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Uh Square holes in route suggest chisel? Also the "neck side of the home"? what? hole? Yes it looks like they didn't move the bridge forward about 1/8? No maple insert?

Yeah, my typo: Home should be "hole". The bridge side of the P90 holes are in the right place to fit humbuckers if you enlarge the hole towards the neck.

Congrats on getting a nice hunk of wood!

Here are my two favorite 1968 conversions with the pickups in the right place. Sunburst had real PAFs, goldtop had Antiquities.

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GibbyLover

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Aug 16, 2017
Messages
96
@StratoFrance, congratulations.
It's sure is a nice guitar. I was interested, but as it would be my first vintage and expensive guitar, I didn't dare to pull the trigger.
Play it in good health!

All the others, thanks for all comments. Some made me even hesitate more, but that's part of the game
:dude:
 
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