Beauty of The Black Beauty - The "Alnico" Custom thread

[darkwave]

I have not read anywhere, that I can recall, that the fretboard was ever replaced? It certainly has been refretted, likely multiple times. The MOP on the first fret of "The Phenix" is exactly the same as it was back in the '70s, so if it was replaced, whomever did the work must have saved the MOP?

This is a fairly early (latter Humble Pie/early Frampton) picture of it. The marker is nowhere near the size of Les Paul's '54 or any of the '50s for that matter, but Frampton's was confirmed to be a '54.

Well, that picture is a head-scratcher... When his guitar was first discovered I was in the camp that thought it was a fraud BECAUSE the inlays weren't typical of a '54. When it was authenticated there was a quote from Frampton himself that said Gibson had done work on it shortly before the crash which included replacing the fretboard. Read it on this site and thought that was the magic bullet in believing it was real. Don't know what to say now, but I had never seen a 54-56 that didn't have the typical "same sized" upper inlays. Not sure what to think now...

-Douglas C.

 

[Midnight Blues]

Well, that picture is a head-scratcher... When his guitar was first discovered I was in the camp that thought it was a fraud BECAUSE the inlays weren't typical of a '54. When it was authenticated there was a quote from Frampton himself that said Gibson had done work on it shortly before the crash which included replacing the fretboard. Read it on this site and thought that was the magic bullet in believing it was real. Don't know what to say now, but I had never seen a 54-56 that didn't have the typical "same sized" upper inlays. Not sure what to think now...

-Douglas C.

I was skeptical at first myself as well. I'm just glad it turned-out the way it did!

Here's another where it's '70s-ish:

Like I typed above, it could be the angle and lighting I guess? I have some pictures where it looks like a more traditional '50s and some of those are post the pictures I posted above! :laugh2:

Here are a few:

In case you can't tell, I'm a Frampton fanatic. He's been my favorite guitarist since "Humble Pie Performance Rockin' The Fillmore" was released back in '71 (yes, I'm that old) and his Les Paul has been hands-down my favorite for just as long.

 

[spursn17]

I had a chance to buy a alnico black beauty in the early 90s, from a guy who had two of them.
He allegedly found them in an attic while working as an electrician,
and made the owner of the house (who didn't know of their existence or who might have put them there) an offer and got them.
Anyway, he wanted about $1500 for the guitar, and being a poor metal/grunge guitarist at the time...i passed on it:rolleyes
To this day there is nothing i regret more in my life...and there is plenty of regrets:dang

 

[zhivago]

I had a chance to buy a alnico black beauty in the early 90s, from a guy who had two of them.
He allegedly found them in an attic while working as an electrician,
and made the owner of the house (who didn't know of their existence or who might have put them there) an offer and got them.
Anyway, he wanted about $1500 for the guitar, and being a poor metal/grunge guitarist at the time...i passed on it:rolleyes
To this day there is nothing i regret more in my life...and there is plenty of regrets:dang

I've had a couple of things that got away as I was in a similar position, so I know how it feels...

Here's a '56 to cheer us both up! :salude

 

[NachoMan77]

A "new" '56 BB spoted on Bill Wyman's auction @7:05 mark

Bonus points for the ABB connection and "that thing" :2cool

 

[zhivago]

Well spotted! Man, that BB has been played hard!! :jim

 

[zhivago]

Here is a nice Alnico Custom (and a few other LPs)...

:salude

 

[Luca79]

Hey guys,
how do you like the Alnico V neck pickup when used with some overdrive, in comparison to a neck PAF of a 58-60 burst?
I guess it's a brighter and more articulate/less dense sound, right?

 

[zhivago]

Personally I love it...it is thicker sounding than the P90 on the bridge, but with enough high end to not make it muddy.

It is definitely different than the neck PAF on my '63 Custom, but still a great sound.

If you go to page 1 of this thread, I posted a Phil X video where he plays an alnico Custom, and you can hear the Alnico setting really well. :salude

 

[Midnight Blues]

I prefer mine over the bridge P90 as well.

 

[tooold]

The Alnico was Gibson's version of the DeArmond DynaSonic, with the adjustable magnets - the only pickup I like as much as a P-90.

 

[zhivago]

A really cool '56 BB takes us back to the top! :salude

 

[Midnight Blues]

:nut

 

[zhivago]

Here's a '53 hanging out with a couple of friends... :jim

 

[Midnight Blues]

I'll take the one in the middle please.

 

[zhivago]

I'll take the one in the middle please.

Wise choice!!! :jim

 

[Midnight Blues]

Wise choice!!! :jim

👍

 

[zhivago]

By the way, I just noticed we went past 200,000 views on this thread! :bug

Many thanks to everyone participating! the lurkers too! We are well on track to be the most viewed thread on the LPF! :salude


Here's a '55 to help us celebrate!

 

[Midnight Blues]

:applaude:applaude:applaude Well done Z!

 

[zhivago]

Heheh I can't believe this thread started six years ago...lots of Black Beauty love! :hank