wernerg
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
- Messages
- 754
I've had this 1955 TV Special (5116xx) for about 25 years, and am considering letting go of it. Would love to hear your opinions.
To me, this guitar has always been a great player-grade TV Special, maybe candidate for a re-neck by someone who knows what they're doing, and has access to a good donor neck. You can see the doweled headstock repair with front headstock overspray and incorrect decal LP logo. The Gibson inlay looks real to me. Looks like it had different tuners at some point and the original in-line set re-installed. Fingerboard has divots. Nut shimmed. Neck profile is unusually slim to me, maybe because the finish is worn off, revealing the mahogany. What I love about the look is the deeply faded "wheat" color, its wear, and authentic wear and checking. Warped pick guard. Original P-90s (see pictures) as far as I can tell. Replaced tailpiece. Newer wiring harness with bumblebees. There are three plugged holes from a different tailpiece (no idea what kind that could have been).
As I said, this has been a great player for me, for a quarter century, but in the hands of a skilled vintage expert, it could be a great restoration project. Serious, non-disparaging opinions welcome...
To me, this guitar has always been a great player-grade TV Special, maybe candidate for a re-neck by someone who knows what they're doing, and has access to a good donor neck. You can see the doweled headstock repair with front headstock overspray and incorrect decal LP logo. The Gibson inlay looks real to me. Looks like it had different tuners at some point and the original in-line set re-installed. Fingerboard has divots. Nut shimmed. Neck profile is unusually slim to me, maybe because the finish is worn off, revealing the mahogany. What I love about the look is the deeply faded "wheat" color, its wear, and authentic wear and checking. Warped pick guard. Original P-90s (see pictures) as far as I can tell. Replaced tailpiece. Newer wiring harness with bumblebees. There are three plugged holes from a different tailpiece (no idea what kind that could have been).
As I said, this has been a great player for me, for a quarter century, but in the hands of a skilled vintage expert, it could be a great restoration project. Serious, non-disparaging opinions welcome...