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LP Classic/1960 Reissue myth?

dj335

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Oct 16, 2008
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120
Manolian,

Nice looking guitar. I see you changed the pickup mounting rings, at least the bridge pickup one, as it is much taller than the stock Classic ring, at least taller than the one on my '05 Classic Goldtop.

Who's rings did you buy? Also, did you have a fit problem, or did the bottom of the replacement rings have the right radius to fit the top carve of your 2000 Classic? Would my '05 have the same top carve so I could use the same rings? Please reply if you can.

Dave in So Cal
 

Manolian

Les Paul Froum Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2008
Messages
645
Manolian,

Nice looking guitar. I see you changed the pickup mounting rings, at least the bridge pickup one, as it is much taller than the stock Classic ring, at least taller than the one on my '05 Classic Goldtop.

Who's rings did you buy? Also, did you have a fit problem, or did the bottom of the replacement rings have the right radius to fit the top carve of your 2000 Classic? Would my '05 have the same top carve so I could use the same rings? Please reply if you can.

Dave in So Cal

Dave,
those PUP rings are OEM Gibson historics , I installed both bridge and neck .
No problem with the fit , bottom of the rings molded right to the top's curve.
The pickguard is a gibson '59 historic also.
I don't think you will have a problem , top radius on an '05 is probably the same as the '00.
 

Boogie Bill

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Oct 27, 2005
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334
I have two of the mid-90s Classic Plus models in my collection. They don't have the same feel as the Historics I have, but they are wonderful guitars. My Classics have very "authentic 1950s" looking tops, like the ones you'd find in "Beauty Of The Burst"; and not the perfect ten tops of the Re-issues. I know at one time these guitars listed for more dough than Standards. And my guitars have inlays that actually look "aged" unlike the greenish-yellowed inlays of new versions.

Lot of folks complain about the pickups, but the Hot Ceramics are great for hammering the front end of a non-MV amp; and give great rock tone. I found that they were too hot for the Mesa amps I use, and I swapped the pickups for a set of Antiquitys in one and some Custom Shop Seth Lovers in the other. My only other mods were LW Gotoh aluminum tailpieces, RS Kits, metal jackplates, and the mandatory Schaller Strap Locks. The HCSB LP also got a set of reflector knobs for more of a '60 look.

I seem to recall that a couple of the Jimmy Page Sigs were based on the Classic, if I remember correctly. Is that right?

I honestly think those early to mid-90s Classic Plus and Classic Premium Plus models are sweet guitars. With the right mods, you can cop about 90% of the Historic vibe and look, with the fast-playing slim taper neck.

Bill
 

mailman4

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Jan 19, 2004
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...I honestly think those early to mid-90s Classic Plus and Classic Premium Plus models are sweet guitars. With the right mods, you can cop about 90% of the Historic vibe and look, with the fast-playing slim taper neck.
Gotta agree. My '94 Classic-Plus with '57 Classic pups, correct pup-fitting pickguard, off-set Buzz Feitin bone nut & intonation, nickel jackplate (replacing the notorious plastic-crackers), previously fitted with an early Bigsby B7, make this LP a "keeper!" The wider binding and only slightly yellowish inlays don't phase me, nor affect my playing.
 

Boogie Bill

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Oct 27, 2005
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And I think it's funny that the "thin" binding in the cutaway, so revered, is actually "wrong" from a wood-working perspective; where you use the binding to cover the end-grain of the wood.

The thin binding may be period correct, but I don't my "incorrect" wide-bound Classics at all.

Bill
 

Hamerfan

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Dec 20, 2004
Messages
791
My recollection of Gibson addressing the buyer that wanted a vintage style Les Paul Standard which was even vaguely correct was the Heritage Series in 1980. It's been awhile but I believe this was in the 1980's timeframe. I think they were "Heritage Series Standard 80" and "Heritage Series Elite 80". Difference between the two series was Standards were curly maple tops and Elites were quilted maple tops.

Thats not the point: there are curly/flamed Maple Elites as well.

The 'Heritage Series Standard 80 Elite' has an Ebony fingerboard, a one piece neck and a one piece body. The 'Heritage Series Standard 80' has Indian Rosewood fingerboard, a three piece neck and a 2 piece body.
Since the prices differ not too much, the Elite is the better deal.
 
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Tom Wittrock

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Aug 2, 2001
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42,567
Gibson makes a 1960 reissue: R0.
They also make the Les Paul Classic. To call it a 1960 reissue is deceptive.
 

Delmeteor

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Jul 10, 2009
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I have a 91 all gold classic with very thin neck.
It is one of the heaviest Paul's I've ever played.
The sustain is tremendous.
 

57Lefty

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Jun 7, 2005
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The Classics were all regular line production guitars. They were not made in the custom shop. That to me has always been the biggest difference. I rather liked the hotter pups though.
 

EFburst58

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Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
196
Gibson made a few stabs in the late 60's and on at reissue stuff.

In that respect the Classic 1960's were not early at all.

My recollection of Gibson addressing the buyer that wanted a vintage style Les Paul Standard which was even vaguely correct was the Heritage Series in 1980. It's been awhile but I believe this was in the 1980's timeframe. I think they were "Heritage Series Standard 80" and "Heritage Series Elite 80". Difference between the two series was Standards were curly maple tops and Elites were quilted maple tops.

I was so intrigued by the thread that I went and found a pic of a Heritage Series LP that I was offered at an non-refusable price and played as a backup guitar way back when.

They certainly were not correct in a few respects. No Klusons, truss rod cover misplacement, etc. etc. However, I will tell you that if you could go through a few of them there was some magic to be found.

Here's a pic hard dated 1980 that shows me playing a far earlier go by Gibson of a "vintage" style LP as opposed to a 1990 or 1991 1960 Classic.

1980-1.jpg


heritage80.jpg

BTW 1fastdog,in that pic from '80 you look like a young Eric Clapton-cool :)
 

fadman

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Dec 24, 2005
Messages
366
Gibson made a few stabs in the late 60's and on at reissue stuff.

In that respect the Classic 1960's were not early at all.

My recollection of Gibson addressing the buyer that wanted a vintage style Les Paul Standard which was even vaguely correct was the Heritage Series in 1980. It's been awhile but I believe this was in the 1980's timeframe. I think they were "Heritage Series Standard 80" and "Heritage Series Elite 80". Difference between the two series was Standards were curly maple tops and Elites were quilted maple tops.

I was so intrigued by the thread that I went and found a pic of a Heritage Series LP that I was offered at an non-refusable price and played as a backup guitar way back when.

They certainly were not correct in a few respects. No Klusons, truss rod cover misplacement, etc. etc. However, I will tell you that if you could go through a few of them there was some magic to be found.

Here's a pic hard dated 1980 that shows me playing a far earlier go by Gibson of a "vintage" style LP as opposed to a 1990 or 1991 1960 Classic.

1980-1.jpg


heritage80.jpg

It's Dave Grohl
 

Rasher

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Apr 15, 2009
Messages
119
IMG%5D
This is fascinating stuff.

I bought my Les Paul in 1990 from a shop in Edgware, North London. This was a quirky one as it was actually one of two prototypes of the Classic made in 1989 and hawked around the trade shows in the USA. It didn't have strap buttons but just a temporary screw, and no case, so the dealer supplied a current hard shell Gibson case. I paid £730.
The guitar has the slim neck and a two piece maple top, and I don't think the body is weight relieved. It had the 'Classic' logo on the truss cover and '1960' on the pickguard. I'm assuming being a prototype, it was pretty much handbuilt, and the quality is amazing.
I still have the bits, but I put on a plain pickguard, truss cover and changed the 490T whatever pups to Seymour Duncan SH-1 59s that I had custom made as zebras, as they for some reason didn't do them like that at the time.

Nice guitar and I have all the original parts, except that after 20 years I have to finally admit that it isn't for me. I really want a big neck, not this thin thing, and I'm going to have to trade it for another more faithful reissue, but trouble is I don't know where to start.
I really want a Kossoff type Les Paul reissue, as good as I can get because I won't be doing it again I can tell you.
Any ideas what I really should be looking at? I don't want an amazingly figured top or anything, just a faithful reissue of an original sunburst with the tree trunk neck. That's what I really wanted all along, but didn't know it at the time, not having had one before.
You know what it's like - you don't know what you want until you have one and find out.
lp.jpg
 
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Jimi_AlnicoII

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Oct 1, 2008
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566
IMG%5D

I really want a Kossoff type Les Paul reissue, as good as I can get because I won't be doing it again I can tell you.
Any ideas what I really should be looking at? I don't want an amazingly figured top or anything, just a faithful reissue of an original sunburst with the tree trunk neck. That's what I really wanted all along, but didn't know it at the time, not having had one before.
You know what it's like - you don't know what you want until you have one and find out.

I'd say an R8 then. Currently come with plaintops, baseball bat neck too.
 

Rasher

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Apr 15, 2009
Messages
119
Rasher, what's the serial#?

[FONT=&quot]s/n : 0 0453 in ink on the back of the headstock top

You're going to tell me that's 1990 now, aren't you. Maybe it was. I bought it in the autumn.
It was sold cheaper than a usual Les Paul because the dealer saw it as an incomplete used outfit without the usual candy.


Jim - What's an R8?

[/FONT]
 

Barrington

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Joined
Jun 2, 2007
Messages
14
Thanks for all the info on this. I've got a 1993 Classic Premium Plus, which has thick binding, but also an ABR-1. It doesn't have the green inlays either.

I guess Gibson used up existing stock as they made the changes, which may be why the Classics still had many of the R0 features throughout the early 1990s.

Anyway, it's a lovely guitar. Pickups changed to 490/498Rs, plus several other bits and pieces.Weighs about 9.5lbs
 

Mats A

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Messages
799
The Classic is a "reissue" of a classic design in exactly the same way as the new "Traditional" is a traditional Les Paul design. what with it's new electrics, straplocks, fender-style burst paint job (which allways reminds me of a receeding hairline)...


In other words...not at all.

As always, Gibson marketing monkeys need to stay away from the crack pipe.

still, they are fairly decent entry-level Les Paul models IF you find a light one (the ones I have owned have mostly been boat anchors for some reason) and IF you can deal with the ceramic magnet pickups (never kept a pair in any of mine, I find they drown out the sound of the actual guitar) and IF you can get used to the weirdly shaved neck shape (allways used to make my hand go numb).

Of course, this is personal taste, some people swear by them. and I have heard some pretty nice sounding ones.
I stumbled on this thread. Calling a Les Paul Classic a decent entry level Les Paul! What do you mean? What is a good Les Paul for a more experienced or professional player then?! A 1950's Les Paul? There are high profile players using Les Paul Standards and Classics.
 
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