Incredible Story: Rare Gibson LP Guitar Found in the UK

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  • andy_kandy_k Frets: 818
    Brize said:
    andy_k said:

    A well played guitar, when put in it's case for the last time, will not come out looking like it has been left hanging in a shed.
    Yes, because when you cover a guitar in bacteria, putting it in a case preserves it in stasis until the case is opened again.

    This was a time when even professional players generally only had one guitar. They were played hard, left out most of the time, and generally treated as tools.

    Judging by the condition, and given that it had been forgotten about by the owner, I would also imagine that this guitar has spent time, in its case, in a less-than-perfect environment like a loft or somewhere damp.

    Internet sleuths trying to pick apart this story based on their own experience of storing cosseted guitars in a collection of many don't really have the credentials.

    Joe B will have seen many Bursts in many different states and, if you know anything about his history on the Les Paul Forum, he can smell a rat from a mile off.




    To be clear, I am not suggesting the guitar is anything other than what is being presented as, I am saying there is a bit more to the story, it would be nice to fill in some of the gaps.
    If you have a guitar, in a case, it does not come out covered in more grime than it had when it was put away, as far as I know, bacteria needs to feed on something.
    If the case was stored in a damp location, the case would be displaying a lot of damage before it got any where near affecting the guitar, case looks to be in good condition?
    I am curious about some of the details, such as it having 2 'snapped off' bridge posts, have never seen that issue before, and the mods done to the scratchplate, which have been removed, along with some work being done to the pickups, when was this done?
    I have a feeling JB snapped this up because it is no where near as bad condition as it was described in the video, and it just seems like the 'bad' condition was overplayed.
    A new set of strings would probably correct most of the issues here.
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  • ATB_GuitarsATB_Guitars Frets: 214
    Sorry, a little late to this thread but thought I should clear a few things up.

    Firstly, I made a mistake in the video which will be corrected. The previous owner did in fact play this nearly three nights a week right up to the 90's when he left the music scene completely and did something else with his life. Before he stored it away, he got an insurance valuation from somewhere like 'Holiday Music' who appraised it for £4,000. This is all according to the daughter of the owner.

    For those enquiring about the financials, we told her straight up it is worth around £175,000. We said the renovations may cost up to around £2,000 depending on what vintage correct parts were fitted. We then offered her two deals - a consignment sale or a cash offer. Armed with this information her Dad thought about it for a few days then a deal was struck which everyone was happy with, including the eventual purchaser. Exactly how deals should go down.

    Maybe we could have bought it for £10k but then the story would be 'Guitar dealer rips off teacher for £165k!' We needed the family on our side and yes, we are unashamedly milking this story for every bit of PR we can and will continue to do so as it is a wonderful story for everyone involved. Including ourselves.

    For those disbelievers, yes, this is a real Burst, serial 0 0252.

    It is in totally unplayable condition, some of the work needed includes: refret, extensive fingerboard renovation, extraction and replacement of bridge posts, bridge is totally seized (saddles will not move or fall out!). Pickups are reading in the low M ohms so will probably need rewind. Pickups have been out then spliced back in to the harness using cheap plastic wire so this will need to be replaced. Pots need cleaning, tuners are bent and seized and all the tips are crumbling, it cannot even be tuned up right now and it does I assure you, need more than just 'A new set of strings!' Neil @IvisonGuitars has seen it too.

    How it got to that dirty condition I do not know. It may have been a wall hanger for a while? This would explain the filth on it. I never said it was stored in its case all this time and I have never asked about this. If the new owner wants me to ask about it I will but he has seen it, his tech looked it over and there has never been any question about it. 

    We asked her what amp her Dad had and it was a 1967 Marshall, sounded by the description to be a JTM45 plexi plus a 4x12 cab. She said her Dad threw it in a builders skip because it was stored in a garage and the mice got to it!

    Hopefully that will clear a few things up and add a little spice to the story. I will try to answer any other questions but please bear in mind some details we are going to keep confidential.
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8176
    Great to have your input, Mike and congrats on being part of a stellar story. 
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • RaymondLinRaymondLin Frets: 11814
    Big difference between played for another 25 years vs stored for another 25 years!

    Now that makes sense.
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    Thanks, it's great to hear a little more of the story and the details of the guitar.
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  • BrizeBrize Frets: 5619
    Sorry, a little late to this thread but thought I should clear a few things up.
    Great post Mike - thanks for coming on here and being so open, especially as some of our number seemed to be reaching for their pitchforks.

    One thing I am interested in: did you find out from the seller what the slider on the pickguard did? I assume that switch explains the splice on the pickup wiring.
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    Brize said:
    One thing I am interested in: did you find out from the seller what the slider on the pickguard did? I assume that switch explains the splice on the pickup wiring.
    I noticed there are crude little notches in the treble side of each pickup ring, I wonder if he had wires coming out of the pickup cavities over the top of the guitar to that switch, hidden by the scratchplate?
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  • MikeCMikeC Frets: 448
    Can’t people just accept that it’s a really nice story and everyone got what they wanted - the family got a windfall, Mike acted like a real gent, got I hope a decent profit and great PR and JoBo got yet another burst with a story that he will use, get Gibson to make a model out of it so that he makes more money and then sell the guitar on at a profit to a collector once the fuss has died down. And the collector gets his dream guitar..
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  • BrizeBrize Frets: 5619
    MikeC said:
    Can’t people just accept that it’s a really nice story and everyone got what they wanted - the family got a windfall, Mike acted like a real gent, got I hope a decent profit and great PR and JoBo got yet another burst with a story that he will use, get Gibson to make a model out of it so that he makes more money and then sell the guitar on at a profit to a collector once the fuss has died down. And the collector gets his dream guitar..
    Nice sentiments, but they don't take account of the fact that envy is the most common trait among human beings...
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  • BrizeBrize Frets: 5619
    Philly_Q said:
    Brize said:
    One thing I am interested in: did you find out from the seller what the slider on the pickguard did? I assume that switch explains the splice on the pickup wiring.
    I noticed there are crude little notches in the treble side of each pickup ring, I wonder if he had wires coming out of the pickup cavities over the top of the guitar to that switch, hidden by the scratchplate?
    Good spot. Some kind of coil split, perhaps? The guitar was clearly well used so I imagine he was playing all sorts of music, possibly necessitating single-coil type tones. It's actually not a bad idea to have that switch on the pickguard - it's easily engaged and, as you say, the wiring can be hidden.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    Brize said:
    MikeC said:
    Can’t people just accept that it’s a really nice story and everyone got what they wanted - the family got a windfall, Mike acted like a real gent, got I hope a decent profit and great PR and JoBo got yet another burst with a story that he will use, get Gibson to make a model out of it so that he makes more money and then sell the guitar on at a profit to a collector once the fuss has died down. And the collector gets his dream guitar..
    Nice sentiments, but they don't take account of the fact that envy is the most common trait among human beings...

    Is it?  I'd probably go for stupidity.
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  • ATB_GuitarsATB_Guitars Frets: 214
    Brize said:
    Sorry, a little late to this thread but thought I should clear a few things up.
    Great post Mike - thanks for coming on here and being so open, especially as some of our number seemed to be reaching for their pitchforks.

    One thing I am interested in: did you find out from the seller what the slider on the pickguard did? I assume that switch explains the splice on the pickup wiring.
    Thanks. Yes, this is the one thing Joe asked us to find out abut, her Dad claimed the switch was on there when he bought it although it had been disconnected prior to sale so he never used it.

    Best guess is, as has been speculated, some kind of coil tap and there are tiny holes in the side of those £15k rings that small wires could have poked through which would have made the wires invisible when the pickguard was on.


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  • DefaultMDefaultM Frets: 7271
    I watched the video in the same room as my wife and she assured me its an incredibly boring story, so that told me.
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    Thanks for posting Mike - as one of those who challenged the story, I really appreciate it. 

    Fwiw it’s a great story - and I’m pleased for the family. I guess the Harrisons (and others) have made some of us more cynical than we ought to be. Myself included. It’s not envy, as I have no interest in bursts but the money would be nice!!!

     Thanks for being so open 
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12258

    I am feeling very Victor Meldew today but am still trying to find the incredible part of the story...

    A random nobody buys a Les Paul in 67 after seeing Clapton play one (probably would be bought a Strat instead had Clapton played a Strat on stage).

    Isn’t that almost every story of every young guitarist ever told on planet earth?

    How is that a great story? It’s the most generic, boring one that we all have. Or is it the story of the Antique Roadshow-esq part where he paid only £50? But that was the market price back then. It’s the same story as someone getting a bitcoin for £20 10 years ago too?

    Am I missing something?

    Plus, yet another Burst surfaces, only log books for like 800 or so but we have like almost 2000 known ones.  I dunno, i am feeling very Meldew!

    That old case looks like it's feeling a bit Mildewy too.
    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • robertyroberty Frets: 10893
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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14039
    tFB Trader
    @roberty - thanks for posting the above - update further for what I'm guessing is the last chapter (before season 2 !!!!!!!!! ) 
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  • ATB now have some good photos of this guitar on their website.

    https://www.atbguitars.com/1960-gibson-les-paul-standard
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  • robertyroberty Frets: 10893
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    Wow, that's a lot of photos!  It's a genuinely intriguing story, looking forward to the next instalment.
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