1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom question

[Walrus10]

Hi everybody,

I bought a '76 Les Paul Custom yesterday from a local auction house, and I didn't have the opportunity check the interiors before hand. That means I had to take a chance based on what I saw on the outside. The first thing I had to consider was the fact that the serial number is stamped and not the typical decal serial with model name. The serial number is within the 1976 Les Paul model range (00122XXX) and from what I've read, that's not unheard of as things were somewhat chaotic at Gibson in the mid 70's. It has a three piece maple neck with a volute and a mahogany pancake body and the case is an old 70's Gibson case. I have owned at least a dozen 70's Les Paul Customs, Deluxes and Standards and some SG's too, so based on what I saw I decided to take a chance. I have now checked it closer and here's what I found. The pickups are stamped pat. no. humbuckers with covers still on, so I don't get to check the bobbins, but they look like the original pickups with original soldering. The pots are dated 1975 week 42.

So why am I writing here? As I checked the neck pickup I noticed that the neck joint (see pics), looked a little strange to me. To me it looks like a transitional neck tenon body with a short tenon neck. Does that make any sense or has the neck been changed? Is it possible that Gibson used a left over older body (early-mid 70's) and put an new '76 maple neck on it? I have an option to return the guitar if there's anything funny about it, but I really like it so I wouls rather keep it, if it isn't re-necked. Is there any way to make sure it's original? Has anyone seen a neck joint like this before? I appreciate all the help I can get on this one.

 

[guitplayer]

My guess, since it should be a decal and the stamped numbers are decal #`s.
It was renecked and the decal #`s stamped.

 

[Walrus10]

My guess, since it should be a decal and the stamped numbers are decal #`s.
It was renecked and the decal #`s stamped.

From what I've read there were necks that had 6 digit stamped serials and others that had the correct 8 digit format with the 00 prefix and numbers within known model ranges. The ones with 6 digits were supposidly all made in Kalamazoo and the ones with 8 digits could be Kzoo or Nashville, but more likely Kalamazoo.

But I had the same thought about the re-necking. Does re-necking usually leave any marks that I could look for and is there any way to confirm that the re-necking was factory made? It's a three piece maple neck, so it's defenitely a period correct neck and that makes me think that a possible re-necking could have been done early on as a warranty repair or something like that.

 

[guitplayer]

I `ve never seen or heard of the decal prefix numbers 99 00 or 06 being stamped
followed by 6 stamped #`s. Unless the factory or a repairman did it to preserve the serial #
after a repair.

 

[Walrus10]

I found this on another forum prior to buying the guitar.

"STAMPED SERIAL NUMBERS
At least two types of stamped serial numbers can be found on Gibsons made in (or around) 1976 (again, 1976 instruments with stamped numbers are fairly rare):

1. Six digit numbers with a 00 prefix, within the pre-assigned 1976 number ranges;
2. Six digit numbers without a 00 prefix, outside the pre-assigned 1976 number ranges.

Category one:
Let’s take 00117532, a LP Custom. This looked pretty original to me. Gibson type of font stamp, apparent original finish. A factory refinish cannot be ruled out I guess, but I would be more tempted to think the decal was not readily available (could these instruments have been made in Kalamazoo, when the decals were in Nashville?). There are more of these examples, practically all original-looking instruments.

Category two:
It seems to make sense (but what always does so at Gibson?) that these were originally made at the Kalamazoo factory (and maybe completed/assembled/shipped much later), since it was still making mostly smaller runs of guitars in 1976."

From what I have read it seems like the Kalamazoo factory had older parts laying around that they used all through the late 70's. So that's why I wonder if this could have been an older ('74, '75?) body that they assembled in 1976 with a newer neck and other parts( late '75 pots, maple 3-piece neck etc.)?

 

[GlassSnuff]

I have one, and I think the other we know of is owned by a fellow in the Netherlands. Or Denmark. Nice guy, anyway, used to hang out here. Both of ours start with "555", which I figured was a nod to the Hollywood practice of "fake phone numbers". They were apparently test guitars that got sold in the crush to meet orders. What you have there is a full tenon rout in the body, not the short rout used in Nashville. The question is, does your tenon have the full width, or is it smaller like the Nashville necks?

 

[guitplayer]

Well yes, 555XXX stamped are late 75-76. OP is saying a 8 digit # stamped with 75-77 prefix.
I`d have to see pics .

 

[El Gringo]

From what I've read there were necks that had 6 digit stamped serials and others that had the correct 8 digit format with the 00 prefix and numbers within known model ranges. The ones with 6 digits were supposidly all made in Kalamazoo and the ones with 8 digits could be Kzoo or Nashville, but more likely Kalamazoo.

But I had the same thought about the re-necking. Does re-necking usually leave any marks that I could look for and is there any way to confirm that the re-necking was factory made? It's a three piece maple neck, so it's defenitely a period correct neck and that makes me think that a possible re-necking could have been done early on as a warranty repair or something like that.

If it was hypothetically re necked is it also refinished ?

 

[El Gringo]

I have one, and I think the other we know of is owned by a fellow in the Netherlands. Or Denmark. Nice guy, anyway, used to hang out here. Both of ours start with "555", which I figured was a nod to the Hollywood practice of "fake phone numbers". They were apparently test guitars that got sold in the crush to meet orders. What you have there is a full tenon rout in the body, not the short rout used in Nashville. The question is, does your tenon have the full width, or is it smaller like the Nashville necks?

to my eyes it looks full width to me

 

[Walrus10]

Well yes, 555XXX stamped are late 75-76. OP is saying a 8 digit # stamped with 75-77 prefix.
I`d have to see pics .

I'll add some more pics tomorrow. Thanks for the comments so far.

 

[Walrus10]

Here are a more pics...

 

[guitplayer]

No MADE IN USA stamped?

 

[britbender]

Sure looks like a reneck

 

[Wilko]

The tenon area looks factory, though not Nashville Les Paul Custom. That would not be visible in cavity. May be very early maple neck, and it's missing made in USA and serial format is wrong for Nashville.

here are pics of '76 Custom I had: https://www.lespaulforum.com/index.php?threads/1976-les-paul-custom.165890/

 

[Walrus10]

No MADE IN USA stamped?

It is there, it just isn't visible in the picture. Had to shrink the original pic.

 

[Walrus10]

It's pretty faded, but it is there.

 

[Wilko]

maybe the last of the Kalamzoo Customs. would love to see the tenon. Is it hand carved and rounded?

 

[Walrus10]

Better pic

 

[guitplayer]

This is a DEEP cavity . Somethings missing.