Les Paul Custom Sparkle legitimacy (sanity check)

[McCartney]

Hi Guys,

I purchased a Les Paul Custom Shop sparkle with dual cutaways many years ago at a shop. I had paid quite a lot for it, and I just assumed that a good guitar vendor wouldn't "cut holes" into a custom in order to sell it as something that it is not.

First things first. THe serial is INKED/DECALED horizontally on the back of the head/neck of the guitar in format M YRRR and the actual serial is 6 XXXX so it tells me that it is indeed a custom shop 56 reissue.

Someone in the Epiphone forum mentioned that the cutaways didn't look legitimate, however I've only seen one similar guitar to mine which was Noel Gallagher's, shown here:



Is it possible that I could find out the first owner of this guitar if I called Gibson?

THanks

[Bountyhunter]

I doubt very much that Gibson will know who purchased it first. Why do you want to know?

[McCartney]

Don't they keep information for customs?

I just want to know because I really haven't seen a guitar similar to this one ASIDE From Noel's. I'm also worried that the cutaways are "home madee" as someone suggested in the epi forum (where I first saw the pic of noel)

[Kalamazuu]

Wow! That looks really cool!
Are you worried about the cutouts being home-made because they are not "f" holes?
There have been other guitars with the holes like that, Trini Lopez, Dave Grohl signature.
If you bought it many years ago it would be terribly hard to add holes to a guitar like that as they weren't chambered.

[your idol]

Dave Grohl/trini lopez diamond holes.. Looks legit. Cool cs piece.

Florentine customs come with all kinds of strange features like this or sharp es137 style fret access cutaways...sweet rig

[Bountyhunter]

Originally Posted by McCartney

Don't they keep information for customs?

They may keep info on what went where in the world, but I doubt they would know who purchased the guitar from the Gibson dealer. Maybe it was registered with Gibson when first purchased? I really don't know, and would think not, but I'm often wrong. Good luck in your search.

[upl8tr]

Originally Posted by McCartney

Someone in the Epiphone forum mentioned that the cutaways didn't look legitimate,

Here you go, help yourself to a large pinch and take it along with that statement!



I was looking at that exact guitar in: CCMusic last year, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about, it is totally legit.

I had a look at the site and don't see it advertised but you could email or call them if you're still not convinced.

[McCartney]

upl8tr, thanks for the information.

Everyone thanks for your support.

Just curious, how much were they asking upl8tr?

Is this guitar really that rare?

[WinterOrb]

1996 Custom Shop Les Paul Florentine Diamond Sparkle

[Olds442]

that is an awesome guitar.

very much want that.

[McCartney]

Thanks for your help guys, appreciate it.

Just another question: Has anyone seen this color and design?

I haven't seen this color of sparkle anywhere else either. I know it may be crazy to hope that it's Noel Guitar because he has 2 and one of em as shown as above.

The color looks like a Manchester City Blue in sparkle form, any english lads disagree with the striking resemblence of my guitar to Noels? :S I am wondering how large of a coincidence this can be.

He's my second favorite musician of all time, the first being Richard Ashcroft, but he's the reason I started getting into britpop, and eventually guitar.

[ToneasaurusRex]

It's a cool guitar whether or not Noel Gallagher ever owned it. I'm afraid it's wishful thinking to see Man City blue in that sparkle. Love it for what it certainly is, not what it might be.

Peace

Mike

[upl8tr]

Originally Posted by McCartney

upl8tr, thanks for the information.

Everyone thanks for your support.

Just curious, how much were they asking upl8tr?

Is this guitar really that rare?

I don't think the guitar is as rare as you seem to, but that's only an opinion.

The shop was asking £2.5K Neg, at that time. (2nd Hand)

They also had a 25 Anniversary for the same price, that was Ok-ish.

They were heavily touting the Collector aspect of that one, but come on, if ever there was a guitar that wasn't going to go up in price because of being a collectors item, it's an anniversary or factory special where everyone that buys it originally looks after it for that exact reason...

(yer, they still have it in case you were wondering, except it's now gone up to 3.0K? )

Imo, you should just enjoy your guitar and put all doubt out of you mind, there is no need to question your guitar's authenticity whatsoever!

[SkullCrusher]

Originally Posted by McCartney

Someone in the Epiphone forum mentioned that the cutaways didn't look legitimate

]

Thats because theyre on the epiphone forum. megalolz

anyway, looks legit and ****ing shweet!

[McCartney]

Originally Posted by upl8tr

I don't think the guitar is as rare as you seem to, but that's only an opinion.

The shop was asking £2.5K Neg, at that time. (2nd Hand)

They also had a 25 Anniversary for the same price, that was Ok-ish.

They were heavily touting the Collector aspect of that one, but come on, if ever there was a guitar that wasn't going to go up in price because of being a collectors item, it's an anniversary or factory special where everyone that buys it originally looks after it for that exact reason...

(yer, they still have it in case you were wondering, except it's now gone up to 3.0K? )

Imo, you should just enjoy your guitar and put all doubt out of you mind, there is no need to question your guitar's authenticity whatsoever!

Was this a shop in the UK that was selling it around 2006?


If so, the individual who sold me the guitar said that hte person who purchased it actually bought it from a shop in the UK second-hand, and the individual had a bit of a liquidity issue because of the economy and had to sell it :S

Could be all BS though.