Unbound '52 GT's

[billys]

Curious for thoughts on those early unbound '52's with the diagonal screws in the back PU cover. Anyone know definitively how many were made before the switch over? What about pricing vs. a "standard" '52?

Thanks for any input.

 

[JIMI55LP]

Vaporwear! Count is unknown and value would depend on who was interested?

 

[Tom Wittrock]

If for any reason it becomes a conversion candidate, the earlier ones are worth less because of the lack of binding.

 

[JIMI55LP]

Lack of neck binding and the rear control cavity is a big difference along with the wire channel on the earliest ones with the diaginal P90 mount which has the wire channel going thru the center of the pup route. The Gibson MOP logo is 1951 style.

 

[VamboRool]

What is the difference in the rear control cavity? Anybody have side by side photos?

 

[Tom Wittrock]

What is the difference in the rear control cavity? Anybody have side by side photos?

The original control cavity was basically a trapezoid with rounded corners. They are very obvious.
Hopefully someone will post a photo.

 

[bandcgrizzly]

1952 unbound cavity

 

[JIMI55LP]

That cavity is so clean! You can see the giant differences in this early LP GT cavity and the angle the cables enter the pups.

 

[VamboRool]

Are the control cavity covers interchangeable? The photo that bcg posted looks like the cover on the unbounded guitars is not a parallelagram (maybe some optical distortion from the camera). Thx bcg for posting the photo.

 

[DANELECTRO]

The photo that bcg posted looks like the cover on the unbounded guitars is not a parallelagram

Neither of the opposing sides on a standard cover are parallel either.

1952 unbound cavity

Different, but it still has a widow's peak!!!! :spabout

Seriously though, that's a cleaner looking cavity with better access for installing the pots, soldering, etc. I wonder why they changed it? I can't imagine that there would be any measureable cost savings as a result of less material being removed. :hmm

 

[JIMI55LP]

Early unbound and later 52' bound LP cavity covers are the same except for imprinted markings on the inside left by the cavity shape. The rear cavity covers are very slightly smaller on all 1952 LPs and later covers have to be filed/sanded down to fit into the route. They are shaped the same as all 50s GT cavities.

 

[ChevChelios]

I have a question re. those very early Les Pauls, too. A friend recently offered me this thing ...

This is the headstock. I can't remember seeing the Gibson logo where the "i" dot is attached to the "G", but I also haven't seen many early 52s.

 

[Rev.WillieVK]

That one is pure junk - send it to me. :hee

The connected i-dot is distinctive of '48 - '51 Gibsons - totally normal that a few unbound '52s would have one.

 

[Reno_1ted]

I have a question re. those very early Les Pauls, too. A friend recently offered me this thing ...

This is the headstock. I can't remember seeing the Gibson logo where the "i" dot is attached to the "G", but I also haven't seen many early 52s.

This is really cool!

 

[JIMI55LP]

You can look inside the rear control cavity to see if it is one of the earlier model unbounds with the trapizoid shaped squared off type or if it's clover shaped which was on later unbound LPs. You should have fret side markers that are white if it truly was originally unbound. Some bound 1952 GTs also had the G touching the I also, but that is a low number. I've never seen an original unbound 52 without the older style 1951 logo.

 

[Stoj]

[/QUOTE]

:dude: :dude:

 

[JJ Jones]

Curious for thoughts on those early unbound '52's with the diagonal screws in the back PU cover. Anyone know definitively how many were made before the switch over? What about pricing vs. a "standard" '52?

Thanks for any input.

Poor Billy, had to wait eleven years for this input!

 

[Reno_1ted]

Poor Billy, had to wait eleven years for this input!

PMSL ! :rofl:rofl:rofl

 

[JIMI55LP]

It's said that Gibson built models in batches of 50, and I'm not sure where this is found? I've heard this stated a lot on many forums (here say). I know I've seen more than 20 since I bought mine in 2004. Most unbounds have Deluxe Klusons that have closed gear houses that are stamped on the small smooth side with "patent appld". Closed meaning the end of the worm shaft doesn't extend thru the opposite side, and they have hex shaped bushings.