Gibson Custom Shop 1968 LPC Reissue vs. the REAL THING

[aladdinsane]

Has anyone directly compared a real 1968 LPC to one of the reissues (2018-present)? I've always wanted a 68-69, but I was just wondering how the reissues compare.

 

[RandyGoldtop]

I can’t speak to the 2018 and newer. However, I have a 2007 68RI and my Uncle had a 68 LPC from the very early 70’s until about 8 years ago. My take on them:

Neck profile, weight and top carve were very similar. Tone was miles apart. His sounded just like John Fogerty’s 68. Mine has 57 Classics and sounds good, but different. The neck pickups are close, but his on the bridge pickup was almost Strat like. Mine on the bridge had more balls and growl.
His had the original fret less wonder frets. Mine are medium jumbos. I prefer mine, but they aren’t historically accurate. The real 68 had witch hat knobs. Mine has the bell knobs with pointers.


I have a 2015 ES LP Custom 3 pickup black beauty that came stock with the MHS pickups. The bridge pickup on that guitar sounds like his 68, but it feels nothing like a 68. 50’s neck and it’s obviously much lighter. I like the way the RI plays better. My back likes the ES.

 

[RandyGoldtop]

Mine also came new with Grovers vs the original Schallers in 68.

 

[Shelkonnery]

What about their headstock angles?
The '68 Reissues supposedly have a 14 degree angle headstock, don't they?
(Rather than the usual 17 degrees)

 

[Lars Andreassen]

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[Lars Andreassen]

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[Shelkonnery]

From 1965 until the early eighties, 14 degree angle was standart on all the models I have knowledge on. I can´t say for certain that the weirdos, like Maruader and S-1 were the same. But all Les Paul certainly were 14 degrees. So yes, a 1968 should have a 14 degree headstock. However with Gibsons blatant disregard for correctness in reissues, I would check before buying, if it is important to you. I would personally prefer a 17 degree angle, like the fifties and the current guitars, whether it´s correct or not. With the 1968 reissue being introduced so long ago (Late eighties if I rember correctly), I would not be surprised if they´re not all the same.

Thanks, Lars! I had no idea the 14 degree angle was in production that long.

 

[aladdinsane]

Hey guys. Sorry, I'm just seeing this. I kept checking back and there were no replies for a while.

Looks like the newer reissues are the 14 degree headstock.

I'm wondering if these newer ones (from 2018 on) are closer to the original pickups, since they have the 68 custombuckers. I've always wanted a 68 or early 69, but I'm starting to wonder if the newer custom shop models are just as good as the originals.

 

[Wilko]

build quality will be very similar. Pickups very similar. The T-Tops the originals came with are the same 7.6k-ish pickup that went all the way through the stamped base T-Tops from the mid 70s. Yes, the same pickups that everyone hates. I love them.

I am one of the cursed who loves the old wood feel that only comes from old wood. I had owned several 1968 standards, but never the custom. The old has something special. Most people can't feel it. Knowing that, the reissue '68s that i've played (none after about 2005) are excellent guitars.

 

[RandyGoldtop]

The 1968 (And the next few years) didn´t have Schallers. They had Kluson wafflebacks. Some claim that the wafflebacks lasted all the way until 1975. I have however owned two 1974 Customs (20 th anniversary inlay is a sure sign it´s a 1974), that originally came with Schallers. All later 70s Customs I´ve seen had Schallers, so I believe that Schallers were standart from 1974 onwards. But I´ve seen earlier 70s Customs with Grover Rotomatics. The timeline clearly is, Kluson wafflebacks 1968-1972?) , Grover Rotomatic (1972?-1973?) and finally Schaller in 1974 and later.

 

[RandyGoldtop]

I bow to your knowledge. My RI came with Grovers. My uncles’s original did not.

 

[RobinS89]

Thanks for the advice! I found what I was looking for!

 

[Lars Andreassen]

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[El Gringo]

build quality will be very similar. Pickups very similar. The T-Tops the originals came with are the same 7.6k-ish pickup that went all the way through the stamped base T-Tops from the mid 70s. Yes, the same pickups that everyone hates. I love them.

I am one of the cursed who loves the old wood feel that only comes from old wood. I had owned several 1968 standards, but never the custom. The old has something special. Most people can't feel it. Knowing that, the reissue '68s that i've played (none after about 2005) are excellent guitars.

I agree about the old wood has something special . To me it's more resonant , but I bet that wouldn't hold up in a court of law . Do you think there is any difference to the 14 degree headstock angle on tone ? Or any difference that we can actually feel and hear ? Or is it purely cosmetic ? I have wondered about this before and all I could think of was in between 1960 when the last of the Les Paul's were made and then when production began again in 1968 tooling and equipment probably changed and was probably the reason why ? Maybe ? Is there any noticeable difference in how the 1968 Les Paul's functioned ? I cannot hear a difference ? I can see it looking at the guitar when it is sitting on it's stand but that's it .

 

[Shelkonnery]

I agree about the old wood has something special . To me it's more resonant , but I bet that wouldn't hold up in a court of law . Do you think there is any difference to the 14 degree headstock angle on tone ? Or any difference that we can actually feel and hear ? Or is it purely cosmetic ? I have wondered about this before and all I could think of was in between 1960 when the last of the Les Paul's were made and then when production began again in 1968 tooling and equipment probably changed and was probably the reason why ? Maybe ? Is there any noticeable difference in how the 1968 Les Paul's functioned ? I cannot hear a difference ? I can see it looking at the guitar when it is sitting on it's stand but that's it .

I don't think the 3 degree angle difference affects tone that much.

It's about tension relief on the strings - particularly the D and G which go through greater angles.
So technically it would help with tuning stabilty.

It also makes the headstock less prone to breaking, so maybe this is what they were after in the first place.
They went back to 17º and started adding the volute shortly after though.

 

[Lars Andreassen]

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[Shelkonnery]

This is not correct.
The volute was added sometime in 1969, and the 14 degree headstock lasted until sometime in the early eighties. I´m not sure about the 1972 reissue of the 1958 (Which was actually a 1954 Goldtop!), or the 1954 Custom reissue they made around the same time. But all ordinary Deluxe, Standarts and Customs had the 14 degree headstock all the way theough the seventies.

Thanks for pointing that out, man!
Had no idea the 14 degree headstock had such a long run.

 

[Lars Andreassen]

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[Shelkonnery]

Really?. Then why did you give me a like in post # 6 ?.

Take if easy, brother.
That's why you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet