• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

New 60th Anniversary LP Issues:

SimonBarSinister

Active member
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
1,874
Can someone post an example of this, or what the OP is talking about. Thank you

See how the screw goes past the bolt? If you hit the pickguard when playing, which I do, it will gouge a hole in the top of the guitar.

While it isn't the end of the world, it will hurt the resale value down the road (been there once before). It is one of the things I check on a new LP whenever I get one.

All 12 of my other LPs are like the second picture where the screw doesn't extend past the bolt...


IMG_0645.jpg

IMG_0630.jpg

Thanks
SBS
 

Patek

Active member
Joined
Dec 4, 2015
Messages
415
See how the screw goes past the bolt? If you hit the pickguard when playing, which I do, it will gouge a hole in the top of the guitar.

While it isn't the end of the world, it will hurt the resale value down the road (been there once before). It is one of the things I check on a new LP whenever I get one.

All 12 of my other LPs are like the second picture where the screw doesn't extend past the bolt...


View attachment 9211

View attachment 9212

Thanks
SBS


understood. Thank you for showing that

My personal view is everyone wants the 1959 reissues to be as close to how Gibson were making them in 1959 in every possible way. I recon some of the inconsistencies (even negative ones, like you described) were what happened in 1959 (and other burst / GT years). Maybe it’s part of the deal?
There is hand swirling on my 60th, the pickguard was screwed on far too tight, there was a bit of hand rub within the horn. All dealt with but this is a hand made instrument and we want it as it was in 1959, not made in a sterile lab where everything is immaculate.
 

mistersnappy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,321
understood. Thank you for showing that

My personal view is everyone wants the 1959 reissues to be as close to how Gibson were making them in 1959 in every possible way.

Well, minus the very unstable aniline dye. They should try doing that. Maybe they have. They can call it The Color Crapshoot Historic. :laugh2:
 

markguitar

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,375
See how the screw goes past the bolt? If you hit the pickguard when playing, which I do, it will gouge a hole in the top of the guitar.

While it isn't the end of the world, it will hurt the resale value down the road (been there once before). It is one of the things I check on a new LP whenever I get one.

All 12 of my other LPs are like the second picture where the screw doesn't extend past the bolt...


View attachment 9211

View attachment 9212

Thanks
SBS

The main difference in your 2 pictures is that Gibson put the washer between the guard and the metal bracket on your new guitar. But the washer should go on the screw after the bracket and just before the nut like on your other guitar in the 2nd picture. That will change how it sits.
 

SimonBarSinister

Active member
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
1,874
The main difference in your 2 pictures is that Gibson put the washer between the guard and the metal bracket on your new guitar. But the washer should go on the screw after the bracket and just before the nut like on your other guitar in the 2nd picture. That will change how it sits.

Thanks Mark i noticed that right away as well but it didn't matter when I changed it.. Still stuck out just enough to gouge the top..
 

ChuckNOS

New member
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
22
I purchased a new R9 and its the anniversary model...

I was just curious if anyone else has noticed any of the issues below with theirs?

1) The pickguard profile is lower and on mine the screw is extending past the bolt and right into the top (not good)

SBS


Just received my Factory Burst today and I have the same issue with the bolt end.

Thanks for the head's up.
 

KR1

Active member
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
266
Thanks Mr. Know it all and your 300 posts... This is the exact reason no one comes here anymore...


1) You don't know anything about whether I ever returned or had any intention of returning the guitar. I didn't
2) Rather then bending a bracket (this is what a mental midget would do) I used a dremel to gently fix the screw..
3) The reason I didn't know about the caps was because the new CEO in one of his interviews said no more fake bumble bees, so yeah, I was expecting that they would not look like the BB Caps. I came here to ask about them... Which is what this site used to be for... I will leave it at that.

Gaston, a gentleman, explained it to me and I thanked him for taking the time to share his information with me. I then said I had made a mistake.

4) As far as the pickups go... it wasn't just the sticker they look different and some of us who don't like them resell them... Ahhhh

Lastly Who was complaining? I was asking a question... Its kind of what forums are about no? Why am I even explaining myself to you?

Most importantly, I was posting it to warn those who have them to make sure the screw wasn't gouging their new tops... I have had this happen to LPs in the past and I didn't realizing it until it had gouged a nice hole in it... That's all ...

I already buffed it out, fixed the screw and recorded with it yesterday so thanks for the advice but kindly STFU if you have nothing to contribute....

SBS,

Your sentiments in this post absolutely mirror my own. I rarely visit anymore and even more rarely, post.

I think that the issues and questions that you raised are absolutely valid. Anyone dropping the $Bread that these guitars draw should be observant (and it's not like Gibson hasn't occasionally shipped some strange stuff!).

I spent an hour or so with a 60th Anniversary R9 at WW a couple of weeks ago and the guitar was musically, tonally stellar (Cherry Tea; don't remember the SN)! The pups were perfectly balanced, clear, and squishy in the bloom. It needed a little set-up attention but it had literally just come off of the truck. I hope your guitar sounds like this example (!).

Congratulations -

Kim
 
Last edited:

markguitar

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,375
Thanks Mark i noticed that right away as well but it didn't matter when I changed it.. Still stuck out just enough to gouge the top..

So looks like they may be using a slightly longer screw. You can always just bend the bracket up a little and that will keep the screw from hitting the top of the guitar. For a number of years Gibson was doing that. Also, put a small piece of masking tape over the end of the screw. I've done that a number of times in the past.
 

SimonBarSinister

Active member
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
1,874
Yeah they are a little bigger than the ones in last year's guitars... I just used a dremel and slowly ground it down it perfect now...

Thanks Man...
 

Patek

Active member
Joined
Dec 4, 2015
Messages
415
Just received my Factory Burst today and I have the same issue with the bolt end.

Thanks for the head's up.

I took the pickguard off mine last night as it looks better without; I can confirm the same thing. Although doesn’t touch the body itself
 

ChuckNOS

New member
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
22
I took the pickguard off mine last night as it looks better without; I can confirm the same thing. Although doesn’t touch the body itself


I took the guitar to my tech Jack last evening and he removed the PG. Sure enough there was a pin hole sized ding/blemish on the top. Probably not through to the wood. Jack filed down the bolt and glued a piece of craft paper to it to prevent further incident.

Now I hardly touched the instrument before we pulled the guard, so it may have been that simply shipping and handling from manufacture to receipt caused the "damage."

I say "damage" because it is so slight that it is almost not worth mentioning but it is annoying to say the least.
 

KR1

Active member
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
266
Been applying white felt dot adhesives underneath the threaded bolt end for years - 5 minute job.
 

Jaydash

New member
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Messages
8
I'm concerned about this 'pickguard screw eating into the top thing', so am keen to know if basically all/ most of the 2019s are coming through with it, or just some of them? Is the issue that the screw is too long or that the washer is in the wrong (well, not optimal) place? I added that part in brackets because I wonder which way round it was on the 59's and if it's a deliberate choice on behalf of Gibson for 2019 i.e. they've changed it to be more historically accurate, even though it's a compromise.

Is it worth fixing the issue and what's the early consensus on that? Should I just leave it as it is, or loosen the screw slightly, or dremel something, or ask Gibson to aknowledge the issue and provide a shorter screw etc?

Just to say, I can actually read and I'm not an idiot (LOL), however this is a £5K guitar and I'd want to be absolutely clear what I'm doing if I'm trying to fix something minor and not turn it into a nightmare, especially seeing as people have mentioned drilling above for some reason. I'm sure you guys understand.
 
Last edited:

DANELECTRO

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2003
Messages
6,318
The pickguard bracket screws have been digging into Les Paul tops for 67 years....

1952%20Pickguard%20Screw%20Dig_zpsvrvu6swn.jpg
 

Gold Tone

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 2, 2002
Messages
6,825
The pickguard bracket screws have been digging into Les Paul tops for 67 years....

1952%20Pickguard%20Screw%20Dig_zpsvrvu6swn.jpg

Thanks for the photo Dan

Are people really worried about this? It’s a Les Paul characteristic that’s part of the charm
 

bluesky636

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Messages
656
Thanks for the photo Dan

Are people really worried about this? It’s a Les Paul characteristic that’s part of the charm

Some people will always find something to whine about. Takes more time to post on a forum then to fix the "problem".
 

SimonBarSinister

Active member
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
1,874
All this talk about its ok etc is crazy. You spend 5K-6K on a guitar the beautiful top on it shouldn't be marked because a screw is too long or someone put the bracket on too low...

Sorry but that is BS... Try explaining the ding when/if you flip the guitar... Trust me it will matter... Gold Top or an original guitar I guess its OK but to say its OK that a new guitar comes like that is nuts.

This is the exact kind of Gibson QA issue people talk about everywhere... All over a screw... Its just not ok...


Is it ok for a new car to leave the factory with a gouge or chipped paint on it? Of course not... Would you consider it whining if you mentioned a discount to the dealership because there is a ding in the hood? Of course not... Unreal logic
 

Gold Tone

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 2, 2002
Messages
6,825
Is it ok for a new car to leave the factory with a gouge or chipped paint on it? Of course not... Would you consider it whining if you mentioned a discount to the dealership because there is a ding in the hood? Of course not... Unreal logic

Sure it is! Of course it is!! It’s okay because it’s a mark from a part that was never “intended” to be removed.

Remove the bedliner on your new GM Sierra...paint rubout
Remove any chrome trim...marks


Remove your tuning machines...marks, chips, a mess often
Remove your toggle switch...marks
Remove your strap buttons...marks
And on, and on, and on

If you just leave it alone and stop f’n with it...
 
Top