Gibson Les Paul Conversions

jimmi · Jan 9, 2024

deytookerjaabs said:
That conversion with the Bigsby is something else, one of those guitars that you assume sounds incredible just by looking at it.

Thanks. It is actually the first vintage guitar I bought when I was in high school. One of about 4 or 5 guitars I gigged regularly. Does sound great. Very distinctive voice.

jimmi · Jan 9, 2024

Subliminal lanimilbuS said:
I like the color and top on your bigsby guitar. I won't get into my horror story from 2017, but since we are talking about tops. There were two 1953 Les Pauls for sale in a city about 4 hours from me. Both had the body tops sanded off of them. One was a plain top. The other, however, was something I had never seen before. It had the most beautifully flamed top that I thought was one piece at first. There was a 1/2 inch strip on the edge of each of the lower bouts. A well done burst would have made them almost impossible to see. My horror story being the reason I missed out on them and the price, which I won't mention.

I basically fell into both of mine. The bigsby conversion was meant to be mine given the circumstances. Both are great but very different guitars.

I have passed on several good opportunities I wish I could have back.

jimmi · Jan 9, 2024

A better picture of the ‘55 taken by someone I knew that worked with Carters

Subliminal lanimilbuS · Jan 9, 2024

Very nice. It looks like they did the finish very well. What is all converted for parts? I can't see anything that looks off. Other than maybe saddles. I have a few never used 59 bridges and the tops seem flatter. Not that it really matters, just curious for history's sake. Hard to tell, too, without having the thing in ones hands. Have you or anyone else ever noticed that a 53 has an even deeper carve around the edge?

Phatfrank · Jan 9, 2024

Here's mine. 55/56 conversion to '59 (no serial, but originally a stoptail guitar) done by jumping@shadows. Love this thing.

jimmi · Jan 9, 2024

Subliminal lanimilbuS said:
Very nice. It looks like they did the finish very well. What is all converted for parts? I can't see anything that looks off. Other than maybe saddles. I have a few never used 59 bridges and the tops seem flatter. Not that it really matters, just curious for history's sake. Hard to tell, too, without having the thing in ones hands. Have you or anyone else ever noticed that a 53 has an even deeper carve around the edge?

I took the original saddles off and put them in the case but it is an original bridge and tailpiece. Everything else but the pickup rings is 50s including the Grovers. Long magnet PAFs. 1960 harness. All the original parts minus the p90s (which didn’t come with the guitar) are in the case. It is largely the same for the bigsby guitar actually except some of the parts are ‘65. The person who originally converted it must have done it it ‘65. The guy I bought it from was the 2nd owner and bought it in ‘73 and was told that is when it was done. A lot of the parts (pots, bridge etc and it came with late Pat#s) when I got it were ‘65 dated or consistent with that era. I replaced a lot of those with 50s but kept the pots (because it sounded fantastic) and put the rest in the case.

These two were done fairly well as the people who did the original work were careful to not oversand the tops. Some you can tell have the top shape changed quite a bit. But in general, I think the dish is deeper on the earlier guitars. I think some of the necks are wider toward the body earlier and get a bit more narrow for a while. Makes you wonder if the people building them changed or maybe the original templates wore down a little after a while.

DutchRay · Jan 9, 2024

Conversions are a great way to get into the old wood club without spending and absolute fortune. Here's my '55 to '57 conversion, done by Florian Jaeger in Germany.

Subliminal lanimilbuS · Jan 9, 2024

I have an original 1 quart can of the bronze powder Gibson used for doing Goldtops in the 50's. It has never been opened. I imaging being sealed and full that it is still in perfect condition. Another can I sold 15 years ago was fine. Enough for maybe 20 tops. I will put it in the for sale section the next time I get home.

Subliminal lanimilbuS · Jan 9, 2024

jimmi said:
I took the original saddles off and put them in the case but it is an original bridge and tailpiece. Everything else but the pickup rings is 50s including the Grovers. Long magnet PAFs. 1960 harness. All the original parts minus the p90s (which didn’t come with the guitar) are in the case. It is largely the same for the bigsby guitar actually except some of the parts are ‘65. The person who originally converted it must have done it it ‘65. The guy I bought it from was the 2nd owner and bought it in ‘73 and was told that is when it was done. A lot of the parts (pots, bridge etc and it came with late Pat#s) when I got it were ‘65 dated or consistent with that era. I replaced a lot of those with 50s but kept the pots (because it sounded fantastic) and put the rest in the case.

These two were done fairly well as the people who did the original work were careful to not oversand the tops. Some you can tell have the top shape changed quite a bit. But in general, I think the dish is deeper on the earlier guitars. I think some of the necks are wider toward the body earlier and get a bit more narrow for a while. Makes you wonder if the people building them changed or maybe the original templates wore down a little after a while.

I have a set of 1960 PAF's with the shorter A5 magnets. They must have magnetized/aligned them well in that batch when they cast them as they are my fav's. One is 7.2k and the other 7.9K. If you are talking about pre t-top pickups that were in your guitar how did they sound?

pinefd · Jan 10, 2024

I couldn't bring myself to do a full conversion on this '54, so instead, I just converted it from a goldtop to a 'burst. It's got a one-piece, mildly blistered top, painted and aged (non-razor blade method) by Tom Murphy.

Frank

S. Weiger · Jan 10, 2024

pinefd said:
I couldn't bring myself to do a full conversion on this '54, so instead, I just converted it from a goldtop to a 'burst. It's got a one-piece, mildly blistered top, painted and aged (non-razor blade method) by Tom Murphy.

Frank

Looks stunning. What was the reason for removing the gold? was the original gold more or less gone?

pinefd · Jan 10, 2024

sweiger said:
Looks stunning. What was the reason for removing the gold? was the original gold more or less gone?

Thanks! I actually bought it as a stripped husk; in fact, Tom was the one who found it for me. Here's what it looked like the day I bought it (all the parts were in the case pocket):

Frank

jimmi · Jan 10, 2024

Subliminal lanimilbuS said:
I have a set of 1960 PAF's with the shorter A5 magnets. They must have magnetized/aligned them well in that batch when they cast them as they are my fav's. One is 7.2k and the other 7.9K. If you are talking about pre t-top pickups that were in your guitar how did they sound?

They were very good. I played it that way for a long time. The neck pickup had been hacked into and wired to 2 toggles…one to split the coils and the other to reverse the polarity. I had the guitar worked on and the tech accidentally pulled out the leads killing both coils. I replaced both pickups with PAFs (8.3/7.6) and then had the one pickup rewound and put both into a reissue. Interestingly the Bigsby guitar sounds really great with the PAFs and the reissue is fantastic.

S. Weiger · Jan 10, 2024

pinefd said:
Thanks! I actually bought it as a stripped husk; in fact, Tom was the one who found it for me. Here's what it looked like the day I bought it (all the parts were in the case pocket):

Frank

Yeah, not much gold left there for sure. Wish I could find such a Gem (your refinished version).
I'm glad you didn't go "all in" on that LP..

BTW Abalone Vintage has a similar one on Reverb, a 1953 LP factory 1959/60 burst refin, have you seen that listing?

EDIT: I have no affiliation with the seller.

Yewonthegnargnar · Jan 10, 2024

53 to burst conversion. I’m told it’s an old lays job. Who knows. Super light weight and the most resonant git I currently have. Repro pups and plastics for the most part.

Subliminal lanimilbuS · Jan 10, 2024

pinefd said:
I couldn't bring myself to do a full conversion on this '54, so instead, I just converted it from a goldtop to a 'burst. It's got a one-piece, mildly blistered top, painted and aged (non-razor blade method) by Tom Murphy.

Frank

That guitar looks seamless. Or should I say timeless. When did Tom do that? I kind of got out of the aged guitar finish thing when the spiderweb thing was starting, but that looks really good. Is it checking more with time or staying the same?

Also, I am guessing that you are doing the two knob thing for a reason, but I have a bunch of knobs from the 50's and 60's if anyone is interested. I can post any anyone is looking for in the for sale section.

Subliminal lanimilbuS · Jan 10, 2024

Yewonthegnargnar said:
53 to burst conversion. I’m told it’s an old lays job. Who knows. Super light weight and the most resonant git I currently have. Repro pups and plastics for the most part.

Awesome. Like the look better with the covers off. How do you have it now? Have noted re-topping done well as not a big factor. What is the actual weight if you have checked that?

Yewonthegnargnar · Jan 10, 2024

Subliminal lanimilbuS said:
Awesome. Like the look better with the covers off. How do you have it now? Have noted re-topping done well as not a big factor. What is the actual weight if you have checked that?

Hey all. I’ve owned this on for maybe a month? 8 pounds 3 or 4 ounces. This is the only guitar I’ve stupidly reached to turn down while unplugged. Ha! As a young guy, traversing the vintage market has been a real struggle. But, the forums have been super helpful. I never wanted a conversion. I like goldtops. Plain and simple. But, this is just a damn wonderful instrument. Even without the story. Ty all for rocking.

pinefd · Jan 10, 2024

Yewonthegnargnar said:
53 to burst conversion. I’m told it’s an old lays job. Who knows. Super light weight and the most resonant git I currently have. Repro pups and plastics for the most part.

Congrats on that one! I saw it at the Arlington and Dallas shows this past year and was trying to convince a couple of my buddies, who were in the market for conversions, to buy it. If I was in the market, I absolutely would have bought it, myself. It was done by Lay's, and it was re-topped...with an absolutely gorgeous top! I normally wouldn't consider buying a re-topped guitar, but I would have made an exception for this one. BTW, if you don't already know, Lay's does a lot of re-top conversions, along with a lot of Junior and Special to 'burst conversions, where the add a top to them. Anyway, here's a pic of your guitar that I took at one of the shows this past year. Note the tag on the table in front of it.

Frank

Yewonthegnargnar · Jan 10, 2024

pinefd said:
Congrats on that one! I saw it at the Arlington and Dallas shows this past year and was trying to convince a couple of my buddies, who were in the market for conversions, to buy it. If I was in the market, I absolutely would have bought it, myself. It was done by Lay's, and it was re-topped...with an absolutely gorgeous top! I normally wouldn't consider buying a re-topped guitar, but I would have made an exception for this one. BTW, if you don't already know, Lay's does a lot of re-top conversions, along with a lot of Junior and Special to 'burst conversions, where the add a top to them. Anyway, here's a pic of your guitar that I took at one of the shows this past year. Note the tag on the table in front of it.

Frank

Frank, you are awesome. I really appreciate you taking the time to post this.

Gibson Les Paul Conversions

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