First 50s Les Paul?

[aladdinsane]

Considering trying to get my first 50s LP. I have 68s, but no 50s. Thinking about a refin BB alnico custom or a 52-53 goldtop. They seem to be in the same ballpark. I've always wanted a 50s custom. Anyone have any thoughts? Better to always get something with no refin/mods, regardless? Or better to try for your #1 with issues?

 

[DutchRay]

Mine has issues, so what, it's a great guitar and it's what I can afford. It has been my number one since I got it!

 

[aladdinsane]

Now THAT's a guitar anyone would take with issues! 57?

 

[DutchRay]

'55

 

[aladdinsane]

I bet it's amazing. I'm looking at an original 52 with the case and a refin alnico custom (new case) right now. My number 1 is a 50s alnico custom, but it's a refin. The non-mod originals are just out of my reach now.

 

[VamboRool]

If you get a 52/53 with the trap tail piece you might want to consider getting one of the new replacement tail pieces. Get the best one you can and I think you'll be happy.

 

[ckouba]

"With issues" is the only way I could afford a real 50's, and this is the one I found:

I posted about it here when I got it. I love it. It's beat down enough to be in my budget range and worked over enough to be imminently more capable than me. Plays fantastic, sounds fantastic. I couldn't be happier.

When looking, my criteria were 1) budget, 2) play/feel and sound (equal), 3) everything else. Refin didn't matter to me but I preferred a crack/break-free example over a repaired one. A repaired one might have been more in my budget but it also clouds the valuation. I was lucky enough to find this one without such issues, although plenty of other things have been replaced- as in, this could be viewed as a repair and it clearly impacted its valuation. In the end, I wasn't buying it for an investment though. I wanted it to play it, and the most enjoyable thing is it plays well and I am not afraid to take it out and use it. It was my perfect storm (location, budget, condition, specs), so I jumped on it.

Chris

 

[irishbog]

50s Les Pauls
Here are the 50/ Les Paul’s I had last year.
All gone now
The 52 had been converted to 56 specs.
The 55 Custom had some kind of headstock repair and neck refin.
Great guitars but I became a Fender convert so swapped them for 50s Fenders

 

[El Gringo]

Mine has issues, so what, it's a great guitar and it's what I can afford. It has been my number one since I got it!

56 or 57 ? Beautiful Goldtop . I can't see any issues ?

 

[aladdinsane]

If you get a 52/53 with the trap tail piece you might want to consider getting one of the new replacement tail pieces. Get the best one you can and I think you'll be happy.

Yes, I was thinking about a Mojoaxe!

 

[aladdinsane]

"With issues" is the only way I could afford a real 50's, and this is the one I found:

I posted about it here when I got it. I love it. It's beat down enough to be in my budget range and worked over enough to be imminently more capable than me. Plays fantastic, sounds fantastic. I couldn't be happier.

When looking, my criteria were 1) budget, 2) play/feel and sound (equal), 3) everything else. Refin didn't matter to me but I preferred a crack/break-free example over a repaired one. A repaired one might have been more in my budget but it also clouds the valuation. I was lucky enough to find this one without such issues, although plenty of other things have been replaced- as in, this could be viewed as a repair and it clearly impacted its valuation. In the end, I wasn't buying it for an investment though. I wanted it to play it, and the most enjoyable thing is it plays well and I am not afraid to take it out and use it. It was my perfect storm (location, budget, condition, specs), so I jumped on it.

Chris

Looks amazing. Are those Firebird minihums? What year is yours?

 

[dwagar]

You have to decide if you want an investment piece, or a player. No way I could afford investment quality, so I went for players.

I didn't even think about player guitars until I discovered there was such a thing on this forum. Over the years I've found 2.

The '53 needed a refinish and had been routed in the top for an ABR1 bridge with a shortened trap. I converted it back to a normal trap with a Mojoaxe bridge to compensate for the neck angle.

The '57 Special had a broken headstock and a horrible finish. Greg Platzer put it back together and finished it for me.

(The only pic I found with both also has my '64 ES330. It is stock except for the tuners that were changed on it when I bought it in '69)

 

[aladdinsane]

You have to decide if you want an investment piece, or a player. No way I could afford investment quality, so I went for players.

I didn't even think about player guitars until I discovered there was such a thing on this forum. Over the years I've found 2.

The '53 needed a refinish and had been routed in the top for an ABR1 bridge with a shortened trap. I converted it back to a normal trap with a Mojoaxe bridge to compensate for the neck angle.

The '57 Special had a broken headstock and a horrible finish. Greg Platzer put it back together and finished it for me.

(The only pic I found with both also has my '64 ES330. It is stock except for the tuners that were changed on it when I bought it in '69)

Wow. How's the goldtop with the mojoaxe? That's what I would get.

My dilemma is that you can probably get a pretty stock 52 or 53 for the same price as a refin alnico custom. And both would be amazing to have.

 

[dwagar]

The Mojoaxe is perfect, gets the action down to where I like it. And intonation is good.

 

[ckouba]

Looks amazing. Are those Firebird minihums? What year is yours?

Thanks!! They are Chandler mini hums. Not sure if they were designed for a specific application though. They are fantastic.

The guitar itself is a '52.

 

[xyz123]

Considering trying to get my first 50s LP. I have 68s, but no 50s. Thinking about a refin BB alnico custom or a 52-53 goldtop. They seem to be in the same ballpark. I've always wanted a 50s custom. Anyone have any thoughts? Better to always get something with no refin/mods, regardless? Or better to try for your #1 with issues?

1955 Gibson Les Paul Custom Conversion - Ebony - GuitarPoint

That’s a great one: super nice 1955 Les Paul Custom that has been converted to late 50s specs with three humbuckers. The guitar has been converted in the 80s. The pickups are old 57 Classics, the pots have been changed (the middle pickup can be switched on and of with the bridge tone push/pull...

guitarpoint.de

 

[aladdinsane]

1955 Gibson Les Paul Custom Conversion - Ebony - GuitarPoint

That’s a great one: super nice 1955 Les Paul Custom that has been converted to late 50s specs with three humbuckers. The guitar has been converted in the 80s. The pickups are old 57 Classics, the pots have been changed (the middle pickup can be switched on and of with the bridge tone push/pull...

guitarpoint.de

Wow! Thanks!