Strange LP: Interested in People's Views

JerkMoans

Long round trip today to have a look at this bad boy that popped up on a Fb forum. 

Didn't buy it: still pondering.  Interested in any views/observations you gone cats might have.

Sold as a '72, the serial number checks out, but the LP Custom with Standard appointments is a novelty: shades of Peter Frampton...  Looks to me to have had a (not particularly great) refin at some point, and the absence of nibs suggests a re-fret.  There's also a volute where the neck meets the headstock: did Gibson ever do this?

All in all, a puzzle.

designerseye88

Did you take a look at the pickup routes? 

JerkMoans

designerseye88 said:

Did you take a look at the pickup routes? 

Not closely

tone1

I’ve not seen one with those colour cavity control covers, and I thought a deluxe had different tuners? 

JerkMoans

I don't think it can have been a deluxe: it's got the Custom inlay on the headstock.  The paint on the reverse is pretty poor, btw.  Of course the hardware could have been changed relatively easily...

Ben_McCarthy

That era of LP gibson were using volutes and three piece necks which you can make out with the picture of the rear of the headstock. The chainsaw case are also the best gibson cases and came in at around that time I believe. Looks legit but hard to tell without seeing it in the flesh.

artiebear

Looks right for the era. Will also have a pancake body, ( you can feel/ see this under the finish on the sides. Every bit of hardware has been replaced including the tuners. I cant see from the photos whether or not they are the original pick ups ( should be T tops ( you should be able to make out a "T" engraved into the plastic.. 

ICBM

Looks legit to me as well, albeit refinished not particularly well, and with all the hardware (but not the pots and caps) changed. The pickups have clearly been out, but that would be the case even if it had just been refinished.

The 'Standardised' Custom look was popular at one time, and it's not that uncommon - a friend of mine has a later 70s one that's been done as well. Personally I think it looks awful, but it would be fairly easy to put back.

tony99

smart as fuck, I'd grab it, it's ace

Garthy

How did it play? One of the best guitars I’ve ever is a bitsa with no resale value.

JerkMoans

Ben_McCarthy said:

That era of LP gibson were using volutes and three piece necks which you can make out with the picture of the rear of the headstock. The chainsaw case are also the best gibson cases and came in at around that time I believe. Looks legit but hard to tell without seeing it in the flesh.

Thanks for the info: certainly helps clear up a couple of (potential) oddities.

artiebear said:

Looks right for the era. Will also have a pancake body, ( you can feel/ see this under the finish on the sides. Every bit of hardware has been replaced including the tuners. I cant see from the photos whether or not they are the original pick ups ( should be T tops ( you should be able to make out a "T" engraved into the plastic.. 

Don't recall seeing a T...  I'll ask the vendor to take a close up.

ICBM said:

Looks legit to me as well, albeit refinished not particularly well, and with all the hardware (but not the pots and caps) changed. The pickups have clearly been out, but that would be the case even if it had just been refinished.

The 'Standardised' Custom look was popular at one time, and it's not that uncommon - a friend of mine has a later 70s one that's been done as well. Personally I think it looks awful, but it would be fairly easy to put back.

Well that would be the ultimate plan, I think, although I suppose the chrome hardware look adds eccentricity value.  Or get a rd pickup and go full Frampton

tony99 said:

smart as fuck, I'd grab it, it's ace

+1 for the Votes of Confidence. Thanks!

Garthy said:

How did it play? One of the best guitars I’ve ever is a bitsa with no resale value.

But for the fact it was my ham fisted amateurishness on display, pretty well: neck slightly wider and shallower than some.  reminded me of my Feline DC Jr...  As for the value, regrettably the vendor requires tokens of vulgar exchange...

JerkMoans

Here's the Frampton inspiration. 

Or Justin Hawkins

Philly_Q

It may be great, but the modifications make it look like a Japanese copy.

skullfunkerry

I think that looks wicked

ICBM

Philly_Q said:

It may be great, but the modifications make it look like a Japanese copy.

I’ve always thought that too - possibly because my first ‘Les Paul’ was a Hondo just like that.

artiebear

Cream plastic on a black Custom always reminds me of Thin Lizzy "Live and Dangerous", particularly the fold out sleeve photos of Brian Robertson with his LP Custom.

Philly_Q

artiebear said:

Cream plastic on a black Custom always reminds me of Thin Lizzy "Live and Dangerous", particularly the fold out sleeve photos of Brian Robertson with his LP Custom.

Me too, and I really like that look.  But it'd look better with gold (or even nickel) hardware and gold speed knobs.

PhilKing

Just saw Frampton 2 weeks ago.  It was a great show and he had the old Les Paul (as well as some new ones).  Opening act was Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening, which was also fantastic.   Go see him if you get chance (both of them).  I used to have a 1972 LP like that, and I have a 1970 now, but both of mine have gold hardware.  I have reflector knobs on the 1970, because I like the look - here it is

tony99

PhilKing said:

Just saw Frampton 2 weeks ago.  It was a great show and he had the old Les Paul (as well as some new ones).  Opening act was Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening, which was also fantastic.   Go see him if you get chance (both of them).  I used to have a 1972 LP like that, and I have a 1970 now, but both of mine have gold hardware.  I have reflector knobs on the 1970, because I like the look - here it is

fuckin' A

Dominic

If that floats your boat you should look at the Vintage  Navigator that is for sale on here......they are mega quality