AlienVintage
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2015
- Messages
- 334
First - some background to make an important point about pot codes:
Skip to around 5:45 in this video about a Les Paul Deluxe from circa 1970:
https://youtu.be/b3shwV1vTdg
This is just one example, luckily here in YouTube video form which makes it simple for me to point to here, but I have seen *many* Les Pauls from the early 70s (70-73ish) that have factory pots with 1966 pot codes.
It is actually pretty common. I remember the first time I saw it, I thought I might be having some eureka moment about discovering something important.
But, over the years, and observing tons of factory installed pot codes from early 70s Les Pauls, I realized: loads of 70-73 Les Pauls had factory installed 1966 pot codes in them.
For whatever reason. This is just how it went in the Gibson factory. They used them. In the very early 70s. Who knows why.
So now... my theory about the “1967” black (wraparound tail) Les Paul (not the “Torpedo Joe” guitar - that one is different and is absolutely a legit custom order from 1966/67).
(A) It’s either a genuine circa ‘54 that was reworked and refinished black in the circa 1970-73 time frame, with pots changed in the factory at this time.
(B) Or it was some sort of one-off “58 Reissues” from circa 1972 that they did in factory black.
Factory black can be found in the very early ‘70s (71/72/73) from time to time. Factory black Les Paul Deluxes. Factory Black ‘71 SG Standards (batwing pickguard style). Rare, but they absolutely exist.
I’m betting that one of the reasons this guitar is being dated to 1967 could be (what I expect might be) late 1966 pot codes. Which, again, for whatever reason, were surprisingly common in 70-73 Les Pauls.
One key question that would be a really important detail: does it have a long tenon, or a trans tenon?
I think: if long tenon, then likely explanation “A” above. If trans tenon, then explanation “B” above.
Skip to around 5:45 in this video about a Les Paul Deluxe from circa 1970:
https://youtu.be/b3shwV1vTdg
This is just one example, luckily here in YouTube video form which makes it simple for me to point to here, but I have seen *many* Les Pauls from the early 70s (70-73ish) that have factory pots with 1966 pot codes.
It is actually pretty common. I remember the first time I saw it, I thought I might be having some eureka moment about discovering something important.
But, over the years, and observing tons of factory installed pot codes from early 70s Les Pauls, I realized: loads of 70-73 Les Pauls had factory installed 1966 pot codes in them.
For whatever reason. This is just how it went in the Gibson factory. They used them. In the very early 70s. Who knows why.
So now... my theory about the “1967” black (wraparound tail) Les Paul (not the “Torpedo Joe” guitar - that one is different and is absolutely a legit custom order from 1966/67).
(A) It’s either a genuine circa ‘54 that was reworked and refinished black in the circa 1970-73 time frame, with pots changed in the factory at this time.
(B) Or it was some sort of one-off “58 Reissues” from circa 1972 that they did in factory black.
Factory black can be found in the very early ‘70s (71/72/73) from time to time. Factory black Les Paul Deluxes. Factory Black ‘71 SG Standards (batwing pickguard style). Rare, but they absolutely exist.
I’m betting that one of the reasons this guitar is being dated to 1967 could be (what I expect might be) late 1966 pot codes. Which, again, for whatever reason, were surprisingly common in 70-73 Les Pauls.
One key question that would be a really important detail: does it have a long tenon, or a trans tenon?
I think: if long tenon, then likely explanation “A” above. If trans tenon, then explanation “B” above.