Is this a 1990 Gibson Classic or 1993 Pre Historic R0 ?

[Anand Mahangoe]

Hi all,
I have bought this guitar which was advertised in a Vintage Guitar shop in Germany as a 1991 Gibson Classic Plus !
According to my good friend this is a 1990 Gibson Les Paul because of its s/n : 0 3228 , not sure yet if it is a 'Classic' as he owns 1 and knows some more and this one seems off in many ways....Perhaps a 1993 Pre Historic R0 ?

I have found some info here on this forum and would like to get your opinion too or if you have articles / video links which could help me out , very much appreciated !!
What makes it a 1990 Classic pros / cons ?
What makes it a 1993 Pre Historic R0 pros / cons ?

Here is a video on YT which I recorded with this Guitar as it was sold with a single coil split mod built in and the paper in oil capacitors weren't there.....you will hear also the sound after my guitar tech did the rewiring as it should be originally including the paper in oil capacitors. Thanks a lot !

SOLVED : SEE LAST POST PLEASE !!!

 

[DutchRay]

Nice one!
Judging from the last pic, I'd say it's a Classic Plus. The Custom shop version should have a Custom shop decal on the back of the headstock and should have a long neck tenon, which this one doesn't have.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

I can't get past the serial # font , short tenon , R0 serial # , not Nashville bridge no bushings . I really don't know what you bought could be a import .

I would advise posting before purchase

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

Nice one!
Judging from the last pic, I'd say it's a Classic Plus. The Custom shop version should have a Custom shop decal on the back of the headstock and should have a long neck tenon, which this one doesn't have.

Classic plus started in 1991 April , so would not match the s/n.....

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

I can't get past the serial # font , short tenon , R0 serial # , not Nashville bridge no bushings . I really don't know what you bought could be a import .

I would advise posting before purchase

Yes, the s/n font is quite different than the 'standard' Classic font....I really love the guitar and sound so that is fine...compared to even an R9 , I am more than happy...just curious what it can be....
Bridge is an ABR with serial number , according to my friend / guitar tech and Gibson connoisseur an old and expensive one.
The previous owner bought this guitar in 1998 in the USA , so in some matter it is an import in the Netherlands.....

 

[SS901771]

I had a 1990 pre-historic 0 0065. No decal on the headstock, and back then the 0 stood for 1990. They weren't year specific reissues then, this guitar was called "the Les Paul Reissue". It had the slim taper neck, and a fabulous top.

 

[Strings Jr.]

For reference, this is the serial number font on my 1990 Classic.

The date stamp in the bridge pickup route is December 13th, 1990.

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

For reference, this is the serial number font on my 1990 Classic.

The date stamp in the bridge pickup route is December 13th, 1990.

Thanks a lot ! Still don't know why they used another style Font on my '1990 Classic'......and then labelled as Classic Plus....not existing yet in 1990...NO date stamp nor Classic stamp in the cavity.....

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

Got a reply back from Gibson :
- S/N is different font than the font style used for the 90's Classics .......0 3228 would stand for 1990 .....
- Font style is the same as used for the Reissue '58 , '59 , '60 .......0 3228 stands for : '60 - R0 , 3: made in 1993 , 228 production.
- Gibson reissue models began having a long neck tenon in 1993 , mine has that NOT* ( edited)
- Classics have the original pick-ups : the 496R/500T which did not have covers
- Classic stamp in the cavity.....Reissue might not have them in this early Historic period....
- The historic reissue Les Paul models would have had covered 57 Classic humbucking pick-ups which would not have had the Gibson logo on the bottom. That all applies to mine , as the pickups were original known by the previous owner and according to my guitar tech it sound , look and measuring details are those of the 57 Classic HB.

So here we have it : 1993 Gibson Les Paul Pre Historic 1960 Reissue. (Tom Murphy Designed)
Thanks !

 

[DutchRay]

- Gibson reissue models began having a long neck tenon in 1993 , mine has that

The pics of the front pickup cavity doesn't show a long tenon, do you have a better shot of it?

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

The pics of the front pickup cavity doesn't show a long tenon, do you have a better shot of it?

This should be it

 

[DutchRay]

This should be it

That is NOT a long tenon.

This is what a long tenon looks like.

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

Oh perhaps I am looking at the wrong part….. I see that middle part and then the space , I think that is meant with Long tenon……?
Anyhow , long tenon entered 1993 in the Historic series and before October 1993 there were many experiments with different things / prototypes and stuff …. Thanks for pointing it out ! Will edit that !
Pre Historic

 

[DutchRay]

The difference is in the length of the mahogany.

 

[Anand Mahangoe]

The difference is in the length of the mahogany.

Thanks a lot , great to learn new things about these great guitars...., thanks ! It plays killer so , long or short , it does the job

 

[El Gringo]

That is NOT a long tenon.

This is what a long tenon looks like.

I have to ask as I am curious , what is this Les Paul . At first glance I think it's a Les Paul Deluxe , but then I see the long tenon ?

 

[DutchRay]

I have to ask as I am curious , what is this Les Paul . At first glance I think it's a Les Paul Deluxe , but then I see the long tenon ?

That's my late '55 before Florian Jaeger sprayed some gold on it.

 

[El Gringo]

That's my late '55 before Florian Jaeger sprayed some gold on it.

Okay , now that makes sense . I was thrown by the outline of the pickup rings which are the P-90's right ?