I don't understand why people dislike Norlin era Gibson products so much...

[Der_Kaiser]

Don’t forget Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, 1974 white custom not a bad sound for a crappy norlin.

Legends of the Les Paul: Steve Jones

As one of the founding fathers of punk, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols was also the ultimate anti-hero of guitar, yet his prominent use of a blinged-out 1974 Les Paul Custom in Arctic White went entirely against type, and helped to make both the guitarist and the guitar lasting figures among Les...

legacy.gibson.com

 

[Wilko]

Don’t forget Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, 1974 white custom not a bad sound for a crappy norlin.

Legends of the Les Paul: Steve Jones

As one of the founding fathers of punk, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols was also the ultimate anti-hero of guitar, yet his prominent use of a blinged-out 1974 Les Paul Custom in Arctic White went entirely against type, and helped to make both the guitarist and the guitar lasting figures among Les...

legacy.gibson.com

Supposedly not his guitar. He then got a Burny copy and that's what he still plays. Burny.

 

[Bob Womack]

Andrew Latimer of Camel is back to playing his 1974 Deluxe, though it has been rebuilt with a new top, fingerboard, headstock overlay, and a pair of PAFs.

Bob

 

[GlassSnuff]

sounds harsh, but if you "don't understand" then you don't understand.

This.

The "internet wisdom" some of you ninnies are spouting is pathetic. It's all been covered here on the LPF. And documented. Search for "Norlin" by "Big Al" to get started.

And remember - none of you knew, in the '70s, that Norlins wouldn't sound just like 'Bursts in 10 years.

 

[fl_799]

My first couple of Les Paul's were mid-late Norlin era (75-79) when the construction and material totally changed to the 3 piece maple neck, the volute, and the pancake body. Most of these were very heavy and made with dense woods that might have better been suited towards making furniture or wooden tools, not necessarily a musical instrument. None of these guitars were particularly resonant acoustically with not much boom to the notes. The tone was pretty focused. Not knocking them by any means as this era had a unique and particular sound to them.

 

[Bob Womack]

This was the era of Santana's first coming (with gobs of sustain) and Gibson began building the Les Paul to emphasize sustain via rigidity and density. As a result, what Nigel said about Norman's burst is true of the Norlins: "You could go and have a bite an'...aaaaaaaaa...you'd still be hearin' that one."

Bob

 

[GiGo]

I often find myself (as does everybody else on this site) asking, "Why do people dislike the Norlin tenure of Gibson?" [...]I'd love to hear about when you got them and how much the Norlin tenure meant to you.

I got a '76 blonde beauty, a Les Paul Custom with maple neck and fretboard. Bought it new in 1978 (still got the reciept) and I use it frequently. When I bought it, I was told that guitars from Gibson at that time could be poor quality. I don't know anything about that and I didn't know about "the Norlin era" until now basically. And my six-stringed friend was more than all right and has served me flawlessly through the years. If it's good, it's good and I just want to play guitar. Who doesn't!

 

[jb_abides]

I love those blonde beauties. Wow,I've never seen one with neck wear to that extent. Well loved. Thanks for sharing, welcome, and awesome 1st post. @GiGo.

 

[GiGo]

Thx, @jb_abides . Well, I guess that I should've been taking care of it a bit more. It's worn, but deeply loved, and it's my blood, sweat and skin that's gone into that fretboard. It is what it is!

 

[Greywolf]

My first electric , which I still have is a '79 LP Custom in natural birdseye, she's over 12 lbs but I'd never give her up.

 

[1allspub]

Full disclosure, I love Norlins… I own 3 of them (L-R: ‘78 LPC, ‘79 Standard, ‘80 LPC).


I love their look (even clown bursts), I love their feel (especially fond of 3pc maple necks and the “low-wide” frets of the late-‘70s/early-‘80s), I love volutes, and I love the sound of a good set of T-tops (or of a Super Distortion rockin’ in one). Admittedly, I don’t love their penchant for being heavy, and I don’t love their 300k (sometimes even 100k) pots. But all in all I am absolutely a fan of the era! I grew up with many of my guitar heroes playing them and many of the songs of my youth made with them.

That said, I can see why some of the changes made during the Norlin era can be viewed as odd (especially at the time—switching from the more traditional ‘50s/‘60s way of things) and I completely understand how those changes could have been off-putting in real time (ie, during the ‘70s). But now those idiosyncrasies which maybe made folks roll their eyes back in the day have, to some (admittedly not all), become quaint and fond reminders of the bygone era of the ‘70s (like bell bottoms, platform shoes, Farrah hair, and “Keep on Truckin’” t-shirts ).

Admittedly, the Norlin burst paint jobs aren’t as attractive as what classic ‘50s Bursts have faded into (ie, not necessarily what they (Bursts) originally were—some of the ‘58-‘60 Burst paint jobs were actually rather meh originally… old pics of original ‘58-‘60 LPs and a quick perusal of burstserial.com prove this out, but I digress). Anyway, to folks who like them, the quirky cosmetic and construction methods of the Norlin era have come to represent part of the spirit of that era (the zeitgeist), and over time (again to some, not all), have come into their own in terms of a ‘70s-chic vibe that’s appealing in a way different than the classic ‘50s vibe. And it’s okay to like both eras, and to appreciate the differences and variety—it doesn’t have to be an either/or thing.

Yes, they do sound (& feel) a bit different than ‘50s LPs (or their Reissues)… and if the sound (& feel) of those ‘50s LPs is your only reference point for what a LP is and/or should be, then I can see why the era of maple necks and T-tops can be a turn-off. However, if your definition of what a LP can sound (& feel) like is a bit more flexible, and if many of the guitar heroes of your youth actually played Norlins, and made music important to you with Norlins, then you may find this era appealing. I certainly do!

 

[jb_abides]

If we are sharing Norlin era guitars, then...

My only Norlin, a 74 Anniversary. Oh, and a dog!

 

[zoommutt]

The weight on that poor dog! You can see it in the eyes! If I put my 77' deluxe goldtop on my cat, there would just be a little stain under it. :dang

 

[jb_abides]

The weight on that poor dog! You can see it in the eyes! If I put my 77' deluxe goldtop on my cat, there would just be a little stain under it. :dang

He's just not that impressed with my playing...

 

[charliechitlins]

And remember - none of you knew, in the '70s, that Norlins wouldn't sound just like 'Bursts in 10 years.

Well...I was around then.
I bought my first "real" guitar around 1976 or 77; a '71 Les Paul Deluxe goldtop.
I lived near a very good luthier and he explained to me at length how Gibsons are hand made, so there's less uniformity that with the stuff that was starting to be built at the time, using more automated machinery.
He explained that the new management didn't suit a lot of the old timers and many left. Many of the ones who stayed were unhappy.
He explained that the materials they had to work with weren't up to what they were used to, and they weren't happy about that.
Even though they were fewer and further between, there were still some excellent ones and he said that mine was one of them.
While he had it he was pressing it into the hands of all his best playing customers and they all loved it.
A guy named Nick Moroch from Lenny White's band was trying to buy it.
I was a beginner and this was a LONG time ago, but I clearly recall one of his tells...if somebody good really put time into the guitar.
He would turn it upside down and hold it up to the light. If it was a really well-made neck would show a sharp, thin, dead straight line of light running down the back of the neck.
You can tell if the inconsistencies are in the finish or in the wood itself.
I still use this as part of what I do to assess an instrument.
So...actually...back then people already knew that these instruments were very different from the golden era in construction and materials.

 

[GlassSnuff]

Well...I was around then.
I bought my first "real" guitar around 1976 or 77; a '71 Les Paul Deluxe goldtop.
I lived near a very good luthier and he explained to me at length how Gibsons are hand made, so there's less uniformity that with the stuff that was starting to be built at the time, using more automated machinery.
He explained that the new management didn't suit a lot of the old timers and many left. Many of the ones who stayed were unhappy.
He explained that the materials they had to work with weren't up to what they were used to, and they weren't happy about that.
Even though they were fewer and further between, there were still some excellent ones and he said that mine was one of them.
While he had it he was pressing it into the hands of all his best playing customers and they all loved it.
A guy named Nick Moroch from Lenny White's band was trying to buy it.
I was a beginner and this was a LONG time ago, but I clearly recall one of his tells...if somebody good really put time into the guitar.
He would turn it upside down and hold it up to the light. If it was a really well-made neck would show a sharp, thin, dead straight line of light running down the back of the neck.
You can tell if the inconsistencies are in the finish or in the wood itself.
I still use this as part of what I do to assess an instrument.
So...actually...back then people already knew that these instruments were very different from the golden era in construction and materials.

You're generalizing based on your experience with one person. I stood in a store and talked to thousands.

And, you didn't address my point at all. It took 30 years for my '75 to "bloom", but now I feel sorry for players that bought Historics.

 

[charliechitlins]

Lots of people knew the materials, construction and workmanship were different.
I don't think too many people thought pancake bodies, 3-piece necks, Indian rosewood, t-top pickups, etc. were going to magically morph into a 'burst.
The thing that IS different is, not many people caught the fever/fetish of the 'burst, so there was little desire to achieve that.
If anything, the conventional wisdom was, I can buy Les Pauls all day long for $400, why pay 2500 for one that might be a LITTLE better.

 

[Gary Ladd]

When I became active playing in bands 79-81 none of us could even afford Norlins, nor did I care based on tone + weight anyways

Then I played a real 1960 PAF Burst & was ruined in about 82, but I was a total Super Strat Floyd maniac anyways, so C'est la vie...

Oh, I did have a non-pancake *light* 76' RI Explorer with Dimarzios from 1980 thru 1986 that scratched my Gibson itch, so there was that.

Later in 2004-2005 I bought my 4 LPs (was flush with $$$ by then), all winners except a Sam Ash LE R8 that I couldn't bond with ~ My 05' R9 @ 8lbs. with Holmes pups matched the tone/feel of the 1960 that wowed me (in my head), still not sure what all the hoopla is about "vintage" Norlins these days

 

[Bob Womack]

You know, the whole thing was sort of complicated by the T-top pickups. If I remember correctly, they were the first pickup Gibson wound that was consistently wound with a fixed number of turns. It wasn't particularly powerful, in fact, it was a fairly quiet compared to the hot end of the PAFs. As a result, everyone (including me) cranked them up close to the strings. Joe Walsh talked about that in the October 1972 "A Pro Replies" column of Guitar Player Magazine. However, when you cranked them up near the strings, their magnet influence attenuated the high end and dampened sustained. I only figured out later that lowering them back to spec made them sing and sound pretty. They are very nice pickups!

The sandwich body and three-piece neck contributed to the rigidity of the system. What resulted was a guitar with natural compression of the initial attack and with the kind of sustain that Nigel talked about - go away and get a bite and come back and "waaaah!" it is still sustaining. If you are looking for that sound, look no further.

Bob

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Subjectively speaking 70's Gibsons have recorded a lot of great music - I bought a new 76 Deluxe with mini HB sound was good - just did not like the pancake - the paddle head stock - the ugly poorly shaded sunburst cherry finish - the chromed hardware- at this point every Gibson I owned & many was 50's & 60's . For many people these are vintage Gibsons now still affordable for most play & enjoy - I will stay with my fabulous Historics . Lets also not forget VOLUTE . My 76 Explorer was ok & my 76 Birdland blonde was ok nothing great .