Documenting a 1983 White Custom

[Northcoastwoods]

My friend from childhood bought a brand-new LP Custom in 1983 when we were 16. He has recently passed, and his younger brother has it. He has it hanging up in a case in his living room and is not a guitar player. As it is an 83 it has some really cool features and i was pointing them out to him recently at a party he was hosting in his brothers memory. As I was holding the guitar and blathering on about the features silence overcame the room and everyone was listening intensely. It was very emotional for his widow and brother but in a good fun way. Like wow, what a cool way to honor and reflect on those days and his life. He bought the guitar because Lindsey Buckingham played a white LPC.
Since that day I would like to do a full documentation on it for his widow and brother. Put together a nice certificate-like document for them.
Could you'se guys give me some input as to what to include in this "spec sheet". Pictures to follow.
Thank you

 

[jb_abides]

Here's some things to document and confirm --

- Serial Number, does it indicate Nashville, or Kalamazoo manufacturing? The serial number will be an 8 digit number impressed into the back of the headstock with "MADE IN USA" below.

The pattern is as follows:​

YDDDYRRR​

YY is the production year​

DDD is the day of the year​

RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number.​

Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989.​

- Essential measurements: nut width, 1st/12th fret depth, neck profile shape, weight. I believe Gibson began weight relief by this point, this after reverting back to non-Pancake...

- Ebony board with mother-of-pearl block inlays

- Split diamond headstock

- Era appropriate Gibson logo (more squared off and blocky, like 70s versus current) and lacquer condition of headstock face

- Document and overall wear and tear, including finish yellowing, lacquer crazing, dings, condition of frets, nut, bridge, other plastics and hardware, truss rod travel, neck relief, neck straight, set-up and action, etc.

- Check if Tim Shaw pickups still there, lead solder intact, wiring harness intact, covers solder intact, pole pieces original. Leads should be metal braided. Document cover shape, corners more square? Record any ink stamp numberss on the baseplate!

- Metal shielding tin in the rear cavity?

- Pots mounted on metal?

- Orange Drop capacitors?

- Capture the pot codes, check for year: R13783xx if made in '83, with 'xx' being the Week of the Year, these could be R13782 if early, etc. Or entirely different if modified... does the solder look original or re-flowed?

- Switch leads will be Red/Black/White

- Tuners are Gibson-branded Schaller flip-out winders. Some were plain non-flip. Any signs of additional holes on the back of the neck signalling replacements, etc? Also the front of headstock: proper nuts and washers for tuning pegs.

- Gibson Posi-Lok Strap Buttons?

- Jack plate, gold?

- Black Pickup rings/surrounds, check the part number markings underneath

- Black Poker Chip

- Black Rear Cavity Covers

- Gold Screws rusted? original or replacement?

- Black Speed Knobs, yellowed

- Truss Rod Cover two lines: Les Paul (script), CUSTOM (block all caps)

- Switch tip, color?

- Mulit-ply binding, front, back, and headstock face.

- Pickguard, Multi-ply beveled edge, correct shape... also gold bracket and correct screws

- Single-ply bound neck

- Neck wood, single piece mahogany? I am not sure but believe there were still some 3-pieces around then...

- Bridge type (Nashville or ABR-1 on there? replacement?), saddle condition and movement, post and thumbweel condition, post bushings, look for signs of bridge collapse

- Tailpiece, conditions and undernear tooling marks, idenification stamp? Also posts and bushings.

- Examine tenon under rhythm (neck) pickup.

- Document 'volute' depth, shape i.e. lack thereof

- How does the paint look in cavities, etc. does it look more like the original white than the yellowing with age?

- Inspect with black light, look for issues in finish. And with strong light, might see number of pieces of maple on the top. 2 or 3?

- You might want to capture the body dimensions, the thickness, the 'waist' and 'hips' e.g. bouts, the dish depth, describe the dish carve

- Also document the case... Protector/Chainsaw? Brown with Gold logo? Also note Lining color: Brown... or Red, Blue?

For everything, inspect condition, check originality.

 

[Northcoastwoods]

Here's some things to document and confirm --

- Serial Number, does it indicate Nashville, or Kalamazoo manufacturing? The serial number will be an 8 digit number impressed into the back of the headstock with "MADE IN USA" below.

The pattern is as follows:​

YDDDYRRR​

YY is the production year​

DDD is the day of the year​

RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number.​

Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989.​

- Essential measurements: nut width, 1st/12th fret depth, neck profile shape, weight. I believe Gibson began weight relief by this point, after reverting back to non-

- Ebony board with mother-of-pearl block inlays

- Split diamond headstock

- Era appropriate Gibson logo (more squared off and blocky, like 70s versus current) and lacquer condition of headstock face

- Document and overall wear and tear, including finish yellowing, lacquer crazing, dings, condition of frets, nut, bridge, other plastics and hardware, truss rod travel, neck relief, neck straight, set-up and action, etc.

- Check if Tim Shaw pickups still there, lead solder intact, wiring harness intact, covers solder intact, pole pieces original. Leads should be metal braided. Document cover shape, corners more square? Record any ink stamp numberss on the baseplate!

- Metal shielding tin in the rear cavity?

- Pots mounted on metal?

- Orange Drop capacitors?

- Capture the pot codes, check for year: R13783xx if made in '83, with 'xx' being the Week of the Year, these could be R13782 if early, etc. Or entirely different if modified... does the solder look original or re-flowed?

- Switch leads will be Red/Black/White

- Tuners are Gibson-branded Schaller flip-out winders. Some were plain non-flip. Any signs of additional holes on the back of the neck signalling replacements, etc? Also the front of headstock: proper nuts and washers for tuning pegs.

- Gibson Posi-Lok Strap Buttons?

- Jack plate, gold?

- Black Pickup rings/surrounds, check the part number markings underneath

- Black Poker Chip

- Black Rear Cavity Covers

- Gold Screws rusted? original or replacement?

- Black Speed Knobs, yellowed

- Truss Rod Cover two lines: Les Paul (script), CUSTOM (block all caps)

- Switch tip, color?

- Mulit-ply binding, front, back, and headstock face.

- Pickguard, Multi-ply beveled edge, correct shape... also gold bracket and correct screws

- Single-ply bound neck

- Neck wood, single piece mahogany? I am not sure but believe there were still some 3-pieces around then...

- Bridge type (Nashville or ABR-1 on there? replacement?), saddle condition and movement, post and thumbweel condition, post bushings, look for signs of bridge collapse

- Tailpiece, conditions and undernear tooling marks, idenification stamp? Also posts and bushings.

- Examine tenon under rhythm (neck) pickup.

- Document 'volute' depth, shape i.e. lack thereof

- How does the paint look in cavities, etc. does it look more like the original white than the yellowing with age?

- Inspect with black light, look for issues in finish. And with strong light, might see number of pieces of maple on the top. 2 or 3?

- You might want to capture the body dimensions, the thickness, the 'waist' and 'hips' e.g. bouts, the dish depth, describe the dish carve

- Also document the case... Protector/Chainsaw? Brown with Gold logo? Also note Lining color: Brown... or Red, Blue?

For everything, inspect condition, check originality.

Thank you so much JB!!! I really appreciate it. Pictures to come. This is great info to go on!

 

[jb_abides]

Thank you so much JB!!! I really appreciate it. Pictures to come. This is great info to go on!

Took my best shot at what an 83 LPC might have. Issue is that it's period of transition in specs and encroaching upon the closure of Kalamazoo -- so you'll have to do your due diligence and follow-up research to see what you have versus what known examples would be spec'd as.

Looking forward to see it... and it's a very nice gesture to document for the family, I hope they keep it and let trusted folks play it, maybe someone will pick up and learn.

Good luck!

 

[Jethro Rocker]

That's quite a list! Cool...
Let's see pics

 

[Ed Driscoll]

My friend from childhood bought a brand-new LP Custom in 1983 when we were 16. He has recently passed, and his younger brother has it. He has it hanging up in a case in his living room and is not a guitar player. As it is an 83 it has some really cool features and i was pointing them out to him recently at a party he was hosting in his brothers memory. As I was holding the guitar and blathering on about the features silence overcame the room and everyone was listening intensely. It was very emotional for his widow and brother but in a good fun way. Like wow, what a cool way to honor and reflect on those days and his life. He bought the guitar because Lindsey Buckingham played a white LPC.
Since that day I would like to do a full documentation on it for his widow and brother. Put together a nice certificate-like document for them.
Could you'se guys give me some input as to what to include in this "spec sheet". Pictures to follow.
Thank you

My '83 Custom had the little "PAF" stickers on the pickup rings to spotlight the Tim Shaw-designed PAF clones which were pretty good-sounding pickups, the diamond-shaped strap pegs, and the gold-plated tuning pegs with the little crank handles that pop out. Here are the photos of my black '83 Custom's crank tuners; I lost the PAF stickers fairly quickly while playing, and 20 years ago, I replaced the diamond-shaped strap pegs with Schaller straplocks, so I've attached photos of those I found on the Interwebs:

 

[Jethro Rocker]

My '83 Custom had the little "PAF" stickers on the pickup rings to spotlight the Tim Shaw-designed PAF clones which were pretty good-sounding pickups, the diamond-shaped strap pegs, and the gold-plated tuning pegs with the little crank handles that pop out. Here are the photos of my black '83 Custom's crank tuners; I lost the PAF stickers fairly quickly while playing, and 20 years ago, I replaced the diamond-shaped strap pegs with Schaller straplocks, so I've attached photos of those I found on the Interwebs:

View attachment 29906View attachment 29907


View attachment 29902View attachment 29903

Some of the features that my 79 Artist has. Plus it has belly cut and brass output jack plate. Nice!