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Where are they now...

KappaHydroxide

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Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
3
Amazing information, Randy. Thank you for the thoughtful, detailed reply. I'm fortunate enough to have gotten my hands on some pre-Norlin Gibsons before they skyrocketed, but the Norlin ones are still my favorite between their interesting histories and my own background as a child of the 80s.

So my special is only several numbers off the first one you built! It's amazing to see the overall evolution of the model subtly reflected in your careful records. It's a thrill for me as I'm an ancient historian by trade and it's reminiscent of the records we are able to dig up to piece together the past, like scraps of papyrus from Egypt. I'm pretty sure the pickups are stock as the cavity solder joints look all original and they read in the low 8s DCR like every Spirit I've seen. They have all the traits of a Tim Shaw (magnet, screws, sweet tone very different from a T-Top, whitish oxidation on slugs, etc.) but slightly hotter as the readings show so I've always suspected they were purposefully designed this way despite being advertised generically as 59 reissue humbuckers like other Shaws. Whatever the case, they have no date stamps on the bottom like a post-85 Shaw but everything points to them being factory. The other interesting thing is that I'm pretty sure the body is maple despite ads saying alder or poplar for these early ones.

i'm happy to PM the numbers, which I'll do now. In addition to the special and the late '79 The Paul (both totally stock from what I can tell), I have an early '79 Paul that someone installed creme dirty fingers into the bridge position with a coil split switch like a 335-S (I believe in 1983 as the DF are stamped 82 and someone proudly wrote their name with '83 in the control cavity). I don't think it's your dad's initials in this one and it's been obscured by the proud 83 modifier, but I have a photo below for reference next to the earlier stock The Paul cavity.

Finally, I have an interesting May 1980 cavity-stamped SG Firebrand (127th day serial number) that I think is transitional in its own way (mahogany body despite it still being a Firebrand standard instead of a later deluxe). The original owner swears it's all stock and it looks so despite a TRC that just reads "Standard" (perhaps that day there were no more Firebrand appropriate TRCs?). I bought it thinking Velvet Brick and T-Tops as I'm a huge fan of T-Tops and generally prefer them, but the April stamped neck pickup looks and sounds like a Tim Shaw though people say the earliest ones are June or maybe May. Perhaps it was a more gradual change as parts got used up? The Velvet Brick has a black T-Top bobbin and a creme Shaw bobbin with its extra squared hole, so it seems so! The neck pickup definitely sounds very different from my February and September 1979 neck pickups in my The Pauls, even accounting for body/wood differences.

I also have a '79 GK-55 but that was made in MI, of course, and a different story...thanks again!


Late '79 The Paul
late79.jpg

Early '79 The Paul (with DF bridge mod)
early79.jpg
 

KappaHydroxide

New member
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
3
BTW, I chuckled at the "sex goddess" post regarding the employee names in the cavities, but perhaps names were were just better back then? My Special has "Ramona" in the bridge pickup cavity. Where are the Ethels and Berthas...:ROFLMAO:

20210909_105313.jpg
 

allentd

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Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Messages
7
I purchased my 1985 Les Paul Standard in 2001 from a music store owner and guitar collector here in NH. After trying out several Les Pauls over the course of a few days I picked the 1985 pictured here because it played and sounded great and I thought the VCS finish was beautiful. Additionally, I couldn't afford much else in the seller’s large collection of Les Pauls.

The background on the guitar, as per the seller, was that one of his store employees had special ordered the guitar from Gibson in 1984. He took delivery in 1985 and after a short while had some money troubles and had to sell the guitar. The collector bought it and put it into storage with the rest of his collection. He told me he liked the flamed top and various other features of the guitar.

Over the years I've tried to learn everything I can about the guitar and even corresponded with Gibson about it. Gibson Customer Service, via e-mail and a telephone call, told me the guitar is the re-issue outfit as listed in their catalogue at the time. A hand-written note in the case also says '59 Reissue. I've never been convinced it is a reissue because it has a standard serial number (80475537), the Gibson logo has a closed b and a closed o, it has a Standard TRC, the knobs are speed knobs, the control cavity plates are brown not black, it has a metal jack plate instead of a plastic one, and has Posi-Lok strap buttons.

The guitar has a couple of features that are found on reissues. It has a thin binding in the cutaway, has a very nice flamed two-piece top, and had the Gibson Deluxe Pearloid tuners.

After reading all of the posts in this thread I have reached a conclusion that satisfies my curiosity. I believe my guitar is a 1985 Les Paul Standard that probably began life in the factory as a re-issue but during an inspection somewhere in the process was determined not to be worthy and was changed to a Standard. Perhaps the guy that ordered it requested these re-issue features but I struggle to believe it.

My apologies for this long post but I've wondered for quite some time about what this guitar might actually be. The posts in this thread have helped considerably in my reaching my conclusions.

Many thanks to Strings Jr. for starting this thread and being so forthcoming with information about the many guitars he built and helped build while at Gibson. If you have any records (like who Dianna is - she wrote her name in my guitar) or opinions related to this guitar it would be nice to know. Also, many thanks to everyone here who has contributed to this trove of valuable information.

For the record, I really like my Les Paul regardless of its history. It is in near perfect condition, plays great, sounds great, and is a piece of artwork that will be appreciated by me and others for many years to come. Pictures follow.

Thanks.

Tom

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1zZ3tJWboad4jAtk9
Any guesses to explain the dark red wire in control cavity? It doesn't go to the pickup switch. I'm guessing to one of the pickups. I'll look later when I have the time to look inside the pickup cavities. Thank you.
 

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allentd

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Feb 26, 2019
Messages
7
Any guesses to explain the dark red wire in control cavity? It doesn't go to the pickup switch. I'm guessing to one of the pickups. I'll look later when I have the time to look inside the pickup cavities. Thank you.
Nevermind. I believe it's a ground wire to the bridge or stop bar. Thanks.
 

Dallas_80

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Joined
Oct 22, 2021
Messages
1
Hello Randy,
I am new to this forum and just recently joined the Gibson LP Custom family with the tracking down and purchase of a 1979 Silverburst out of Sweden.
I found a "RL" marking under the truss rod cover and i was wondering if you might have this build in your very cool and famous ledger of Gibson art pieces?
Serial no: 70259516

This thread has been awesome to read!

Dallas from Australia
 

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Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Hello Randy,
I am new to this forum and just recently joined the Gibson LP Custom family with the tracking down and purchase of a 1979 Silverburst out of Sweden.
I found a "RL" marking under the truss rod cover and i was wondering if you might have this build in your very cool and famous ledger of Gibson art pieces?
Serial no: 70259516

This thread has been awesome to read!

Dallas from Australia
Hello Dallas!
I built 63 Silverbursts in 1979, but I didn't see your number in my records.
The "RL" initials under your TRC actually belong to my brother, Ricky. He worked at Gibson during that time also as a fret filer. That is where they put their initials in order to get credit for their work.
Thanks for checking!!
 

IMMUSICRULZ

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Joined
May 25, 2021
Messages
616
Strings Jr. did you ever get to design any guitars for Joe Perry or Brad Whitford from Aerosmith? They both played a Les Paul although Joe Perry has also played a Gibson ES 335, a Firebird and an SG.
Joe Perry has his own signature Les Paul, and Brad Whitford tried to talk Gibson into making a signature Les Paul, but it never happened.
Tom Hamilton played a Thunderbird bass and a Les Paul bass.

If you ever did meet those guys, tell me about it. I would love to know.
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Strings Jr. did you ever get to design any guitars for Joe Perry or Brad Whitford from Aerosmith? They both played a Les Paul although Joe Perry has also played a Gibson ES 335, a Firebird and an SG.
Joe Perry has his own signature Les Paul, and Brad Whitford tried to talk Gibson into making a signature Les Paul, but it never happened.
Tom Hamilton played a Thunderbird bass and a Les Paul bass.

If you ever did meet those guys, tell me about it. I would love to know.
Sadly, I never got to meet any of those guys. But we did do a guitar for Joe Perry. You can see it in post #88 of this thread.
 

gavindale

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2001
Messages
446
Hello! My Gibson journey began in 1979 with my first electric guitar. I purchased a new 1979 "The Paul" serial # 72419626 from New York Music in Youngstown Ohio. Any chance you worked on this one and we have been shaking hands for the last 42 years and never knew? Thanks for the posts and incredible information!
 

Strings Jr.

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Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Hello! My Gibson journey began in 1979 with my first electric guitar. I purchased a new 1979 "The Paul" serial # 72419626 from New York Music in Youngstown Ohio. Any chance you worked on this one and we have been shaking hands for the last 42 years and never knew? Thanks for the posts and incredible information!
Hello and thanks for your question. The early "The Paul" was one of the best "bang for the buck" guitars ever. My records show that I built 342 of them in 1979, but incredibly, I didn't have your number.

Thanks again!
Randy
 

djcmusician

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Joined
Apr 29, 2015
Messages
263
@Strings Jr. how long did you work at Gibson? I recall Gibson website in the late 90s or early 2000s posted a Custom one off/prototype SG.

It had a flat top and back (no bevels) with binding on the front and back. Top of the body had a hot rod style flame paint job. Possibly block inlays and Custom style headstock, but can’t recall for certain.

It was one of the coolest SGs I have ever seen. Probably not very ergonomic. Wish someone had a pic of that one.
 

Strings Jr.

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Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
@Strings Jr. how long did you work at Gibson? I recall Gibson website in the late 90s or early 2000s posted a Custom one off/prototype SG.

It had a flat top and back (no bevels) with binding on the front and back. Top of the body had a hot rod style flame paint job. Possibly block inlays and Custom style headstock, but can’t recall for certain.

It was one of the coolest SGs I have ever seen. Probably not very ergonomic. Wish someone had a pic of that one.
Sorry, I left in October 1990. I wouldn't have any info on that one.

Thanks!
 

Strings Jr.

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
670
Do you have serial numbers of L5C’s? Or did Hutchins build the acoustic’s?
Hutch verified the tops and backs of the carved tops, and from there they were pretty much run through the normal process, with specific people doing certain processes in each Department. Like myself and one other guy did all the Final Assembly and setup. I have a few of the carved top serials I built, but generally I didn't write them down. Why? Because the whole point of writing them down in the first place was to prove your production quota numbers. With carved tops, there was no quota.

Thanks!
 

Mick_7

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
84
Hello, any recollection of this special guitar built for Billy?

Thanks Mick
 

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Strings Jr.

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wtf is going on with the electronics on that thing??
With those huge backplates, my guess is some variation of the Moog electronics Gibson was using at that time. Similar to an RD Artist. It actually has the RD peghead veneer.
 

Norton

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Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
137
wtf is going on with the electronics on that thing??
As StringsJr said it's a set of moog electronics from the RD artist line. There was an article about it years ago in Guitar World IIRC. Gibbons talked about the switches being hidden behind El Paso. I have absolutely no idea how I remember that, I would have thought I'd killed that brain cell by now.
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
30
Finally, I have an interesting May 1980 cavity-stamped SG Firebrand (127th day serial number) that I think is transitional in its own way (mahogany body despite it still being a Firebrand standard instead of a later deluxe). The original owner swears it's all stock and it looks so despite a TRC that just reads "Standard" (perhaps that day there were no more Firebrand appropriate TRCs?). I bought it thinking Velvet Brick and T-Tops as I'm a huge fan of T-Tops and generally prefer them, but the April stamped neck pickup looks and sounds like a Tim Shaw though people say the earliest ones are June or maybe May. Perhaps it was a more gradual change as parts got used up? The Velvet Brick has a black T-Top bobbin and a creme Shaw bobbin with its extra squared hole, so it seems so! The neck pickup definitely sounds very different from my February and September 1979 neck pickups in my The Pauls, even accounting for body/wood differences.
Hold onto your seat because the history of the Firebrands is a convoluted mess. The Mahogany Firebrand was introduced in January 1980 while the Walnut bodied version was still called The "SG" (as it had been since 1979). By July 1980, these models both became part of the "Firebrand Series" and were renamed as The "SG" Standard and The "SG" Deluxe.

Your TRC would not be original. The original on that guitar would say "SG Firebrand". More info here: https://solidguitar.fandom.com/wiki/The_"SG"_/_Firebrand
@Strings Jr. how long did you work at Gibson? I recall Gibson website in the late 90s or early 2000s posted a Custom one off/prototype SG.

It had a flat top and back (no bevels) with binding on the front and back. Top of the body had a hot rod style flame paint job. Possibly block inlays and Custom style headstock, but can’t recall for certain.

It was one of the coolest SGs I have ever seen. Probably not very ergonomic. Wish someone had a pic of that one.
I was able to find the pics and specs of that guitar from an archive of EverythingSG.com

 
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