A true 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom

[lhric]

The caps and the wiring channel location.

They used those brown bean shaped caps as well on the first batch of 68 guitars and they usually have the 1376745 date codes on the pots. I know that they were using the black cat Sprague caps from the mid 60s upwards. I don’t know why they were not used initially on the new Les Pauls at the time.

 

[lhric]

Plus the guitar has the distinctive clover shaped control cavity used on the 68 guitars.

 

[ScumbackSpeakers]

Gibson wrote me a letter in 1976, the year after I got the guitar. The letter said it was built November 8th or 11th (can't remember exactly, lost the letter), and it was the 3rd guitar off the line that day. They confirmed it was a 1968 LPC model, though.

Serial # 558742

Pot codes are late 68, and I think one early 69. It probably shipped in early 1969, but it's 1968 construction. After 46 years it's only a curiosity for me.

 

[rudedude]

So, I sent some pics of my 68 LPC to TVGuitars over 30 hrs ago but no response so far. That's OK, I'm not complaining but I thought I'd have a go at loading a pic here as per member Fernieite's advice to me earlier in the thread.

I know what my geet is and don't need confirmation from forumites. The point of my first post is that my LPC has a 512XXX serial (very close to the OP's), my ship date is late Sept 68 (close again) and my control cavity is almost exactly the same as his LPC. In other words, those orange drop caps are original. I bought my guitar in Australia, brand new. It has lived in Oz and the UK (London) but never been to the US. The chances of a repair or cap replacement being exactly the s
me in different parts of the planet are...zilch!!! LOL. Just an attempt to add to the 68LP knowledge base. PS .. my pot codes end with 6745.

 

[guitplayer]

Thanks! The capacitors are certainly not original, but all the rest of the electronics are solder are. He had changed a few other parts including the switch tip, output jack plate, and saddles. All else is original.

Caps replaced , solder redone?

 

[Triplet]

Yes, we forumites are scum and generally live to discredit anyone and anything, BUT, those caps are not original. (I would defer to MoonWeasel but he's been MIA for awhile.)

 

[TrueVintageGuitar]

So, I sent some pics of my 68 LPC to TVGuitars over 30 hrs ago but no response so far.

Hey thanks for sending the pictures! Can you DM me your email address? I can't find your email in my inbox. I was on the road all day yesterday to pick up a killer late 1953 Gibson Les Paul Model with added gold Bigsby so I have haven't checked in here in a bit.

So cool to see those caps in your guitar! I'd love to see more!

 

[TrueVintageGuitar]

I know what my geet is and don't need confirmation from forumites. The point of my first post is that my LPC has a 512XXX serial (very close to the OP's), my ship date is late Sept 68 (close again) and my control cavity is almost exactly the same as his LPC. In other words, those orange drop caps are original. I bought my guitar in Australia, brand new. It has lived in Oz and the UK (London) but never been to the US. The chances of a repair or cap replacement being exactly the s
me in different parts of the planet are...zilch!!! LOL. Just an attempt to add to the 68LP knowledge base. PS ..View attachment 14517 my pot codes end with 6745.

So cool to see those same capacitors in your guitar! I had not idea that they were made and used back in '68. But yes, I believe yours is definitely a first 100 Les Paul Custom with that serial number range, those potentiometer codes, etc. Such a nice guitar. Thanks for sharing this pic!

 

[TrueVintageGuitar]

Caps replaced , solder redone?

Looks I was wrong! @rudedude's 512xxx control cavity is exactly like the one in my 513xxx down to the potentiometer codes and capacitor brand.

The gentleman I bought mine from said he never changed them (sole owner since '74), but I thought he just conveniently forgot. Guess he was right.

 

[ScumbackSpeakers]

I received a reply from Gibson about my 68 LPC.

Hello Jim,



Thank you for your request, however at this time we’re not able to access the shipping legders.

If it’s any consolation, according to your SN#, it does correspond to a 1969 ship year.

Best Regards,

Terry Greene Consumer Service Representative Gibson Brands, Inc. 1-800-4GIBSON www.gibson.com

 

[LyleGorch]

So what are we looking at?

 

[rudedude]

Hey thanks for sending the pictures! Can you DM me your email address?

I won't send them again as they weren't very good except the control cavity, that you've seen. wasn't too bad. I'll try to get some better ones and post them here if that's OK with you. They'll only be phone pics though!
Its a wet rainy day here in my part of the world, not good for pic taking!
Nice goldtop! Beautiful colour .... sorry color .

BUT, those caps are not original. (I would defer to MoonWeasel but he's been MIA for awhile.)

Gibson was known in the 50's and 60's to produce guitars with anomalies such as this. An example is the tuners on the OP's axe are Grovers, mine had Kluson waffle backs. Does that mean one is not original? Most 'bursts had 50's pot wiring but some had what we call 'modern wiring'. With the possibility of only 100 true 68 LPC's being made, they are so rare that no one, not even Moonweasel has seen them all and you can tell from his owners section that late 60's guitars
were shipped all over the world. My guitar has had only one owner and I have never changed the caps.

So what are we looking at?

The OP's acquisition of a really cool guitar lol, with a side sauce of 'capacitor originality'.

PS I badly damaged my kluson G tuner in 1974-ish and they we're replaced with chrome schallers, DO'H !!! I scored some repro waffles for future owner restoration )

 

[latestarter]

My birth year Custom!

Great guitar. I did a tone test years ago on my 64 SG re those nylon saddles, vs some old brass ones. I preferred the brass ones but there was an acoustic style tonal shift with the nylon....very usable.

Thanks for sharing the photos...looks great!

 

[rudedude]

Found a break in the rain, wife took the photos.

 

[rudedude]

oops ... cavity shot

 

[corpse]

Love LSLP's.

 

[Progrocker111]

Beautiful Custom, congrats!

 

[toxpert]

My 68 GT has the bean shaped caps.