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Necks on 1952-1960 Les Pauls

Randy00

New member
Joined
Jun 30, 2021
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1
Since i'll probably never get to play any 1950's Les Paul i wonder were there like an early 50's neck the 57-58 like a baseball bat and the 59 a bit thinner or were they really all over the place so this is more of a myth? If so since no change was januari the first did the early 59's have a thicker neck than the later? I've red there were like three types on the 1960 Les Paul. First like the 59 then a transitional slimmer than what's referred to as the 60's slim neck.
192.168.4.1
192.168.1.3
 
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irishbog

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Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Messages
36
Had a 56 special - very full neck not quite baseball but getting there.
Had a 55 Custom that was pretty standard. Played a few other early Customs that were the same.
A 55 Jr had what felt like a narrower nut width but a little chunky profile behind it. Quite comfortable and very much like a 67/68 profile and nut width that I’ve seen on 335s
 

zhivago

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Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
1,417
My '56 Custom has a medium size C shape neck. They were all over the place, it seems.
 

goldtop0

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Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Have tried a '52 that had a U shape neck.......that's big.
From what I know and have played 52-56 were bigger necks and after that they got progressively slimmer bit by bit.
 

viking LP

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2009
Messages
271
My '53 LP has like ...a perfect neck ;-) Not a baseball bat neck at all , not a slim one either...No, really confy but it fits a LP ,of course, not made for a strat obviously ...
 

sws1

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Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846

Note Tom Wittrock's comments....they all varied.
 

fernieite

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Jan 3, 2010
Messages
609
Perhaps the question should be: What is your favorite colour?

Bridge_of_Death_monty_python_and_the_holy_grail_591679_800_4411271399897.jpg
 

MikeSlub

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
From memory, my Goldtops have medium sized necks, except the '54 is chunkier. The Bursts are all medium sized, in the same ballpark. But all these questions motivate me to pull everything out again and check them out, including their weights. o_O

IMG_0540.JPGIMG_0377.JPG
 

Sol

Active member
Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
If I need to reference the neck profile of a Fender Stratocaster from 1954 to 1968 for example there are templates that Fender use in the custom shop. The four or five primary profiles they use are available to see in books and are perhaps available on the net.

Sadly there is no such resource available that accurately depicts the variations found in the profile of Les Paul necks from 1952-1960.
Gibson have this information, theyve been reproducing famous bursts for some time now using laser mapping technology.
Publicising this information would make many people very happy and at absolutely no cost to the Gibson company.. Let's hope someone at Gibson is watching..
 
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jrgtr42

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Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
Since the necks in that era were done by hand, there is a lot of variation. Overall, though, the earlier ones are bigger, then from 57 - 60, they got progressively thinner, though there's till plenty of overlap - a '59 might have a thinner neck than a '60, for instance |(a thin 59 and a thick 60.|)
 

Sol

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Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
I should have added that the period from 1960 to around 64 or 65 saw some very interesting changes in Gibson neck profiles during this 4 or 5 yr period.
 

ADP

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Jul 16, 2015
Messages
681
My buddy's got a '55 Custom that has a nice tight "V" shaped neck. Truly unbelievable feeling in every way.
 

Sol

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Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
My buddy's got a '55 Custom that has a nice tight "V" shaped neck. Truly unbelievable feeling in every way.
Thats not the first time I've heard of V shaped necks in the late1950s. All the more reason for an official record of Gibson neck profiles, don't you think ?
 

DutchRay

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Mar 15, 2015
Messages
872
Is your 55 also a Custom.?
A standard.

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Sol

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Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
I just love looking at the 'stretch marks' in the lacquer that outlines the top carve beautifully, you must be very proud to own such an instrument.
 
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