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'Frampton's '54 Custom found'

keef

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,006
Maybe a hoax - fire away guys:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/vintage-les-pauls/170645-framptons-54-custom-found.html

Here's the real thing

e3158e371e9d43dfb064f25d207d3670.jpg


peter-frampton.jpg


With a pickguard in 1979 -looks like a brass nut:

2188034026_7faebbf34a_b.jpg


1979, with Schallers

4035777136_37c8ab2b93_b.jpg
 
Last edited:

keef

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,006
I don't know what to make of those pics on the MLPF, but at least the truss rod cover location on that charred headstock looks good...TRC has no engravings though. Other pickups too.
 

Witchdoctor

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Messages
442
@DHBucker
It has been lost for quite some time now, so if it's the real thing, I wouldn't be surprised if parts were changed.
 

Rev.WillieVK

Active member
Joined
Jul 26, 2002
Messages
9,268
In post #17 at the MLP, the Dutch guy claims that Frampton's guitar was really a '57 and that they had 3 different-sized inlays for the 17-19-21 positions. Wrong! I know that with Gibson you 'never say never' but the different-sized inlays started in about 1960, NOT 1957.

IMO nice try but not Frampton's guitar.
 

Classic71

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Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,745
Regarding the possibility of a difference in size between the last two inlays on a '50s Custom - below is a link to a thread about forum bro JJ Blair's '58 Custom which has this unusual anomaly. Tom W. also comments that he has seen the same thing on a '61 Custom.

Whether or not it has anything to do with the Frampton guitar story, it's worth noting that there do seem to be some late '50s/early '60s Customs with the last two fret markers being of different sizes.

http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173665

Edit:- I just saw your post Rev., I wasn't replying directly to you BTW
 

Rev.WillieVK

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Jul 26, 2002
Messages
9,268
No problem Classic71! :salude

Well, I can always learn something new: I just went through a bunch of old Frampton photos and it appears that his beloved Custom DID have the smaller last inlay.

I find it interesting that for the past 35+ years we have been told that the Frampton Comes Alive guitar was either a '54 or a '55 Les Paul Custom with P-90 and Alnico pickups that was converted to 3 humbuckers - and now we have somebody come along and tell us that it is really a '57 (either humbucker or P-90/Alnico) as you can tell from the serial number?

I'd like to see cavity shots - maybe the fan that gave it to Peter will recognize the pickup routing work. Until Peter blesses it, I'm still dubious.
 

soulbrojcs

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
939
Hmmm... well, either way, this is SUCH a cool story!!! and I would tend to agree that a guitar (especially one that has supposedly survived a plane crash) might have replaced parts/PU's. the info on it being a 57 is new to me... always heard that it started life as a 2 PU 54, and was converted by Mark Mariana, who gave it to Frampton. and finally, that last inlay on the B&W pic of Frampton playing the original from the early days looks smaller to my eyes than the others... anyone else?
 

pinefd

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
3,060
To my eyes, it appears that the 17th and 19th fret inlays are the same size in this pic, with a smaller 21st fret inlay:

peter-frampton.jpg



Whereas, in this photo of the "newly discovered" guitar, those three inlays all appear to be different sizes:

front.jpg



Frank
 

woody-89

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
855
Well, for a start that new guitar has binding nibs, whereas all the other pics show it having had a refret..
 

John Smolakis

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
336
Here's my response to the thread on MLP:

The inlays are not the same size, and I worked up this quick image to prove it. I just drew a box to the height of the inlay (I only included 17 and 21 here) and set them against each other. The white line extending over the 21st fret box just highlights the discrepancy.
framptoninlays.gif


EDIT: Also, according to my measurements, the 17th and 19th fret inlays are the same.
 

latestarter

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
The 17th fret inlay on the original looks slightly off centre in the two photo's above where it is visible. The worn Custom shown does not have that characteristic (if it exists that is).
 

John Smolakis

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
336
Bigger frets on the imposter Custom too... that plus the nibs, along with all the other details will lead me to call this myth busted.

At least, "this isn't the Custom you're looking for."
 
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