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hrsbln

New member
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
4
Re: One of your guitars


Thank you so much! That's amazing, I really love the Internet for making things like this possible! :)

Also, you actually have two sets of initials. The "FL" on the right was made by my Dad. He was the first Sound Booth Inspector after assembly. For him to put his initials inside, it had to be a very special guitar.

Wow, that's great to hear. Yes, it's a fantastic guitar, it plays great and sounds amazing, also unamplified with a strong and loud tone.
I'm really happy I got it and will definitely keep it, along with my other Les Paul, an August 1990 black Custom that I bought used in 1993 :)

Are you the original owner? Just wondering who installed the pickguard. I sure didn't.

No, I bought it only last year at a Vintage Guitar Shop in Ireland - got there by plane at noon and flew back with the guitar (in its case) on an extra seat in the evening :biggrin:
The pickguard was already installed - I wouldn't have installed it either :)

HRSBLN that is a spectacular Reissue- just fantastic.

Thank you so much!
 

Axelorox

New member
Joined
Sep 12, 2018
Messages
83
Do you know anything about 92070325? Left-handed Les Paul Custom in heritage cherry sunburst. The Guitar Dater Project says it was built on July 26th, 1990. I got it some years ago and in the time since, I have never seen a more beautiful HCB Custom.
 

wmachine

Active member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
303
Strings Jr., maybe you can clear up something for me. In '79, before the Custom Shop, I understand one could special order a guitar. Was there any indication on the guitar itself that it was a special order? Did Gibson keep records of it being special ordered, and if one wrote to Gibson with the serial number, should Gibson be able to give you the specs and the special order features?

I'm looking into the non-standard features on my '79 Explorer (post #297). I'm finding evidence that at least some of the anomalies cannot be explained away as being changed made after it left the factory. I did write to Gibson, but it has been over a week, and no response.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Do you know anything about 92070325? Left-handed Les Paul Custom in heritage cherry sunburst. The Guitar Dater Project says it was built on July 26th, 1990. I got it some years ago and in the time since, I have never seen a more beautiful HCB Custom.

No info on that one. You may want to check the serial number. The sixth digit should be a 5 or 6.
However, there's a very good possibility I did the Final Inspection on it. :dude:
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Strings Jr., maybe you can clear up something for me. In '79, before the Custom Shop, I understand one could special order a guitar. Was there any indication on the guitar itself that it was a special order? Did Gibson keep records of it being special ordered, and if one wrote to Gibson with the serial number, should Gibson be able to give you the specs and the special order features?

I'm looking into the non-standard features on my '79 Explorer (post #297). I'm finding evidence that at least some of the anomalies cannot be explained away as being changed made after it left the factory. I did write to Gibson, but it has been over a week, and no response.
I think Gibson has taken “special orders” for as long as they’ve been making guitars.
The E-2’s were built in Kalamazoo, same as the V-2. I would say finding any documentation on a guitar that old, especially from Kalamazoo, would be a VERY long shot.
Probably be a good idea to start a new thread about your guitar to explain these anomalies and why you think they are factory. There are people here that know way more about these than me. One thing I can tell you, I didn’t see any Kahler vibrolas at Gibson until 1983.

Good luck!
 

slater529

Active member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
195
@Strings Jr. - I just bought a 1985 Les Paul Reissue, sn. 5 0185, and your initials are in the control cavity. It's a wonderful guitar and I feel very fortunate to be the new owner! Do you have this one in your ledger?

i-2QXwKWW-XL.jpg


i-4xrzjcs.jpg
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
@Strings Jr. - I just bought a 1985 Les Paul Reissue, sn. 5 0185, and your initials are in the control cavity. It's a wonderful guitar and I feel very fortunate to be the new owner! Do you have this one in your ledger?

Absolutely!!
She was born on September 6th, 1985.
Congrats on getting this fantastic guitar!! Thanks for sharing.

 

slater529

Active member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
195
Absolutely!!
She was born on September 6th, 1985.
Congrats on getting this fantastic guitar!! Thanks for sharing.


Awesome! Thank you so much!

I'm told it was a one-owner guitar that had been purchased new, played very little, and then stored away in it's case for the past 33 years. Based on it's condition, I would say that story is highly possible. It's nearly mint! At any rate, it was in Minnesota all these past years, but now resides with me in the great state of Washington.

Thanks again for sharing all the wonderful pictures and information about our beloved guitars! :salude
 

slater529

Active member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
195
Randy, I have one more question about 5 0185, if you don't mind... Inside the pickup routes, there's a strip of bare wood that looks as if there was a piece of tape there when it was painted. Could you please take a look and tell my what you think?

i-hG3hvpV-L.jpg


i-PmBDLvZ-L.jpg
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Randy, I have one more question about 5 0185, if you don't mind... Inside the pickup routes, there's a strip of bare wood that looks as if there was a piece of tape there when it was painted. Could you please take a look and tell my what you think?
Yes, it was masking tape. All of the openings (including controls, toggle, etc.) were taped before finishing. Along with the fingerboard.
After buffing, the Neck Prep person would remove the tape and "prep" the fingerboard before assembly.
 

slater529

Active member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
195
Yes, it was masking tape. All of the openings (including controls, toggle, etc.) were taped before finishing. Along with the fingerboard.
After buffing, the Neck Prep person would remove the tape and "prep" the fingerboard before assembly.

Thanks Randy!
 

wmachine

Active member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
303
I think Gibson has taken “special orders” for as long as they’ve been making guitars.
The E-2’s were built in Kalamazoo, same as the V-2. I would say finding any documentation on a guitar that old, especially from Kalamazoo, would be a VERY long shot.
Probably be a good idea to start a new thread about your guitar to explain these anomalies and why you think they are factory. There are people here that know way more about these than me. One thing I can tell you, I didn’t see any Kahler vibrolas at Gibson until 1983.

Good luck!
Thanks, I'll start a new thread.
One more question, Same era, did Gibson ever use other brand pups, especially on special orders? Can it be safely said it is impossible that a special order one would come with Dimarzios?
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Thanks, I'll start a new thread.
One more question, Same era, did Gibson ever use other brand pups, especially on special orders? Can it be safely said it is impossible that a special order one would come with Dimarzios?

The only time I saw non-Gibson pups used was when we put EMG's in the Showcase Edition guitars.
But, like I've said before, anything was possible with Gibson during that era.
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
This continues to be my favorite thread! :dude:

(Not including threads about black ES345s from 1959 & 1960...!)
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
My buddy has two Reissues. He would love to get the background but these might be too early.
80441566 with code 1750
82191550 with code 2798

Thank you.
 
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