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Do we like 1974 Les Paul Customs?

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I believe 70's LP's are going to start seeing a rise in value- for good pieces. A tone-less, square-neck (or toothpick neck) 14 lb beast will always be what it is- and be wary. But a good LP is a great guitar. There is a 79 KM custom for sale up here for about $4K- i would be sniffing if it didn't have microswitches. Undead don't dig on wood plugs.
 

gibson-r8

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
574
Don’t have a 74, wish I did. It would go nicely with my 75 and 76. Sorry forgot I already posted this pic.
 

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MikeSlub

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
Nice, looks like a two piece top!

Besides the 20th anniversary logo inlay, are there any other differences compared to a ‘73?

Thanks.
No other differences that I see.
 

Cholo

Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2002
Messages
35
Love mine. Had it for 30+ years. Refretted 2x. The last time was with EVOs and man, what a difference. Really love it.
(Sorry for the double post...can't figure how to get rid of one)
 

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Mick_7

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
84
This is my 21/22 project, denicotine the laquer of this 1974 anniversary (celebrity owned) guitar which has seen heavy studio and stage use. The value of the cigarettes which smoked the guitar outvalue the guitar by large.
Already have the right tone knobs, new historic bridge and an aluminum tail, selector knob.
pictures are from the day I got it.

Bildschirmfoto 2021-08-27 um 11.28.28.pngBildschirmfoto 2021-08-27 um 11.12.14.pngBildschirmfoto 2021-08-27 um 11.23.50.png
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
Personally I'd leave it be - obviously clean up any surface stuff, but I'm digging the yellowing of the bindings and headstock...
 

ICR

New member
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
20
I had [what I thought was] a 1972 Les Paul Custom Black/Gold from 1986 to 2006. After I cleaned solder off the pots [and saw the 1974 date code] it became a 1974!


1974.JPG1974 Control Cavity Les Paul.JPG
 

Mick_7

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
84
Personally I'd leave it be - obviously clean up any surface stuff, but I'm digging the yellowing of the bindings and headstock...
The headstock and binding stays but it smells like a pub in the morning.......so laquer must have a polish and it is really sticky and you won´t even touch it
 

sirloin

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Messages
26
Question: Have a stock, unmolested 74 Custom. Sounds good but in comparison to my other Les Pauls, it gets pretty muddy when you turn the pickup volumes down. Considering moving the tone cap to 50s wiring and if that doesn't help, changing the pots to 500K (the originals read around 350K). Sacrilege? What do you guys think?
 

Billy Porter

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
1,129
Change the pots as the guitar really comes alive with 500k pots, but check which caps you have if your thinking of replacing them. They may be very good ones.

Also change to 50's wiring which eliminates the tonal changes when you roll-back some volume.
 

guitplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
2,114
The one I have curiously has side dot markers on both sides.
Super guitar!
 

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IMMUSICRULZ

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2021
Messages
616
Margy Landgraf of Norlin was the one responsible for all those Les Pauls.

But yes, the 1974 Les Pauls are pretty good. Kerry Livgren of Kansas played one, and so did Bob Welch and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac (Lindsey played a white Les Paul Custom for much of the Rumours album).


big_article-2157409-1382B142000005DC-791_468x563.jpg



lindsey_buckingham_uses_1974_gibson_less_paul_custom_1_8d98c03f4b.jpg


Randy Rhoads also used a 74 Gibson Les Paul for much of Ozzy Osbourne's Diary Of A Madman and Blizzard of Ozz albums.
 

RossL

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2021
Messages
68
Guys, I believe my Custom is also a ‘74. Are the tailpiece studs steel on these and also is the tailpiece aluminum?
 
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