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Available Information on Frets for 70's and 80's Les Pauls

Pistol Pete

New member
Joined
Jul 12, 2021
Messages
2
I can't afford 50's or 60's Les Pauls and, for the internet epoch of 90's to present day, it seems info is fairly available. However, I'm confused about 70's and 80's frets. In particular, the low frets that came stock on Les Pauls in the 70's and 80's. Is there any good, definitive, information out there on these? The reason I'm asking is because my style of playing, with bluesy string bending, is not suited to the low frets. I would like to avoid them. I'm not talking about fretless wonders, but it seems many guitars from this period have the low , wide frets. What years feature these type of frets?

Thanks,

Mike
 

somebodyelseuk

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
454
Not a definitive answer, but I played Yamaha SGs, back in the 80s and still own 'em. Their frets are similar to my 60th Annie R9. From what I remember of playing a couple of mates 74 and 80 LP Customs, they had the same kind of frets as the Yamahas.
I think Gibson had binned the thin wire by the 70s.
 

VirtualJazzbo

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
326
I don't have any info on the types of frets Gibson used during those years; however, I own a 1983 Les Paul Standard that is almost like new. Still has the little Patent Applied For stickers on the pickup surrounds that designated Shaw pickups. It has the low frets. Not as bad as the 75 LP Custom fretless wonder I bought new but definitely different than modern day frets. 83 LP Std.jpg
 

Okctodd

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Joined
Jul 27, 2020
Messages
24
In the 70's and into 80's Gibson LP's used 6130 fretwire. It was called "medium jumbo" by Gibson ( fret wire "names" were not then nor are they now standardized). What is commonly called medium jumbo NOW is a good deal larger. Dunlop 6130, what Gibson called medium jumbo, is more often now called Low Wide.
This is also what Gibson changed to in late 1958 and was on bursts and gold tops in 59' and 60. If you buy a 1959 LP and it doesn't have 6130 frets, it has non original frets.
Here is a pic that should help:
Fret size and material - KieselGuitarsBBS.com
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.carvinguitars.com/images/fretwire-profile-small.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.kieselguitarsbbs.com/viewtopic.php?t=17579&tbnid=8wGL9aezGxLFVM&vet=12ahUKEwjB-urjpfTxAhWK6KwKHVNfB_YQMygAegQIARA2..i&docid=BdkHwRHtH-QNEM&w=600&h=206&itg=1&q=carvin fret size chart&client=firefox-b-1-e&ved=2ahUKEwjB-urjpfTxAhWK6KwKHVNfB_YQMygAegQIARA2
Fret size and material ...
kieselguitarsbbs.com
 
Last edited:

Flogger

Active member
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Messages
555
We called the School Bus frets for the way they were crowned.
 
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