Mark
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I purchased a 53 gold top 5 yr's ago and it does not have a serial #. Has anybody ever seen a 53 with out a s/n. This one has a factory wrap around and has never been refinished.
53 Gold top
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MikeSlub
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Anything is possible from Gibson during that time frame, but by the time they used the stop tails they definitely were using serial numbers. My '53 with trapeze (earlier guitar than yours would have been manufactured) has a serial number. 
burstone
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I agree. Realy early '52s had no serial numbers, but '53s...
Tom Wittrock
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Mark said:
How, then, do you know it is a 53, adn how do you know it has never been refinnished? Do you have the original sales receipt?
Mark Kane
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Hey Mark, I saw your guitar yesterday. It really looks straight. You should take some pics and post them here for these guys to get a look at. Take a pic of the neck joint too and the top where the neck goes over. It looks original and unmessed with to me and also to the guys at the shop that know a whole lot more about them than I do but it has a couple things that aren't supposed to be. It is cool guitar and I hear it sounds great too, I wouldn't mind owning it.
Mike M
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I have a refinished 53. I had considered havng the top aged a bit to match the back and neck. The guitar also has pots and caps dating to 1966. Everything else is stock. Any idea what this is worth and what do you think about the aging idea?
Mark
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53 gold top
52-53 trapeze lespauls have a hole near the bottom strap button for the ground wire this lespaul does not have one. Please see my picture attached. will send more pictures later.
52-53 trapeze lespauls have a hole near the bottom strap button for the ground wire this lespaul does not have one. Please see my picture attached. will send more pictures later.
Mark
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Rev.WillieVK
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Re: 53 gold top
Mark - does yours have the extra channel route in the control cavity next to the neck volume pot? That's usually a dead giveaway for an early '53 (or a '52).Mark said:
Mark
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53 gold top
no extra holes
no extra holes
Mark
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53 gold top
It does have the extra route near the neck volume pot but no trapeze holes at the bottom strap button. All trapeze LP's have two holes at the strap button for the screws that mount the trapeze and a 1/4" hole for the ground wire. Maybe its a very early wrap around made with left over 52 body's.
It does have the extra route near the neck volume pot but no trapeze holes at the bottom strap button. All trapeze LP's have two holes at the strap button for the screws that mount the trapeze and a 1/4" hole for the ground wire. Maybe its a very early wrap around made with left over 52 body's.