Northern Les Paul Custom

[northernguitarguy]

OK. I was told by a couple of guitar techs that this was not made in Canada, but it is a Japanese 'lawsuit' era Les Paul.

Has anybody heard of this make before?

[UITA]

There's something about it that say's "Ibanez connection"....can't put my finger on it.

[Muddslide]

Someone on another forum was recently talking about an old "Northern" Telecaster copy. They were raving that it was one of the best copies they'd ever played, and that it rivaled many Fenders they'd played.

Can't be positive this is the same "brand" from the same time or same factory, but if it plays as nice as it looks, seems like a winner to me!

[northernguitarguy]

It's a great player. Neck pickup is hot and well-toned for soaring solos.

I use it to play rock, punk. grunge, alternative. Plays nicely with distortion, either the tube distortion or my vintage Boss Heavy Metal HM-2 MIJ pedal.

Can sound sweet as well when played clean. Chorus and Phaser add to help me weave a wall of sound, when I have the time.

I can't compare it to many others. I've played on of my students Epi LP and was amused but not interested in much else. I played a lot on a friends' Gibson LP Custom, built in '78. Very nice player he has, but I always hated how LP's jab into my rib cage.

With sound I like the Northern better.

[cn679]

Intricate fretboard inlays, 3 screw "Custom" TRC, scored speed knobs, tuners look orginal (Japanese peg shape), VOLUTE... I'd say this is definetely a MIJ, Ibanez factory guitar (Fuji Gen Gakki?)

[northernfan]

Originally Posted by northernguitarguy

OK. I was told by a couple of guitar techs that this was not made in Canada, but it is a Japanese 'lawsuit' era Les Paul.

Has anybody heard of this make before?

It looks a lot like mine. Bought mine in 78 or 79 at 16 years old. From what I've read on a different forum, the stylized K on the back of the tuners indicate it was made by Kasuga of Japan for the Canadian Market. The neck on mine has mapleleaf inlays for the fret markers. I just love my Northern LP. Plays great. In my own opinion, better than many Gibsons or Fenders I've tried. Would post pics if I knew how.
Northernfan

[northernfan]

Figured out how to post pics.
Northernfan

[northernfan]

A few more pics.
Northernfan

[northernguitarguy]

Hey neat. Are those maple leafs painted on? They look sharp.

Nice to know that someone else has one of these. I reviewed mine on Harmony Central under Northern. It is the only review.

Sounds and looks like yours is a well-played and loved axe. I got mine in the mid-90's. It was my aunt's guitar and she hardly ever played it and when she did it was babied.

When I got it it had a number of problems. I took it to a number of places in Toronto to have it serviced and it would come back playable for a few days and then went back to probs. I gave up on it and for a few years it sat in it's case.

I finally took it to the Arts Music Store in Newmarket where they replaced the nut with an imitation ivory one and did a proper setup on it.

It came back like a new guitar, with of course great tone and it's (I think) killer looks. Because of light use and good care it's a near mint guitar.

Are you a Canuck?

Cheers!

[northernfan]

I don't believe the maple leafs are painted on as there is no fading at all. And yes, canuck it is. I live in the Gatineau Quebec area right across the river from Ottawa. Just got it back today from having a setup done. Only minor adjustments but I need a new nut. The last setup it had was 30 years ago. Can't wait to try it tonight. An old friend of mine from the 70's had a beautiful white Northern Strat. Nice quality guitar. Haven't seen him in decades.
From the pictures, can you or anyone tell me what kind of pickups I have?
All the best.
Northernfan

[northernguitarguy]

Umm, I was gonna say humbuckers, but that is obvious!

I dunno, but a good tech should be able to ID them. On my Northern, I was told by two techs that the pickups are real Gibsons. Perhaps that was what the makers of Northern used on all their LP copies?

[northernfan]

Thanks Northernguitarguy.
I'm a little light on the tech knowledge here. What makes it obvious that they are Humbuckers? I've seen other guitars with similar looking pickups but haven't seen any detail.

[northernguitarguy]

I'd say they are humbuckers because they are dual-coil pickups, the standard for Les Pauls.

I dunno if they are Gibsons (they invented them) or not. Lots of companies make them now. Back then, I don't know who else made them. I'm not really much of a tech either.

[Skynyrdpicker]

I love these guitars! As a fellow Canuck, I'd love to pick one of those up!

[northernguitarguy]

Hey Skynyrd, good luck finding one, I've been looking for a Northern Strat for about a year. No luck.
I saw one Northern bass on ebay and it went for about $200. I'm kicking my ass now for not buying it. It was all maple with maple leaves on the fretboard. Looked to me like it was modeled on a Rickenbacker.

[Wolfe]

Bit of a long shot, but please drop me a line if you're ever interested in selling it. I'm a displaced Canadian living in the UK (for the past 20 years) and I would love to have one of these.

[beardog63]

Hey always great to find a northern thread!! I don't have a les paul but heres a few pics of my northern 335. I just picked up an original ad for these guitars. The distributer was N.A.M.E. [ northern audio musical enterprises ] they were out of Burlington Ontario. They were also the distributer for Slingerland drums and Yairi guitars. The banner on the add says " WHEN IT'S BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL-ITS NO LONGER A COPY " From what i've been able to find out the company was around from the early to late seventies any bought in the eighties were probably old stock . Hope this helps

[beardog63]

can't get the pics to load

[northernfan]

Originally Posted by northernguitarguy

I'd say they are humbuckers because they are dual-coil pickups, the standard for Les Pauls.

I dunno if they are Gibsons (they invented them) or not. Lots of companies make them now. Back then, I don't know who else made them. I'm not really much of a tech either.

Irrelevant now. I just got it out of the shop. New Seymour Duncan 59 for the neck and JB for the Bridge. New pots, wiring, nut and input jack, 3 way switch, fret leveling and crowning.
Close to the cost of a new guitar but I really wanted this one to be the best it could be. The tech did a beautiful job. He had to modify the pickup cavity and pick guard to fit the new pups. Won't get to play much for the next few days, but really looking forward to it. The tech told me that to get something new of this quality, I would have to buy a Gibson. Likely the Studio model.
Northernfan.
PS. There is a guy in the Toronto, Canada area who mentioned on another forum that he had one for sale. I enquired about the guitar but got no response.

[clarkee3]

!!!!!!! very glad to see more of these kicking around.. especially with the vine inlays! i got this guitar from my uncle when i was 5 and been rockin it ever since! and havent seen another one like it.. even online until this thread lol.. everything on this one is ORIGINAL.. though it is tempting to spend a couple grand on pickups and really have a sick sound.. but i love the vintage lp sound! nothing beats it.. hopefully my pics loaded up well for ya.. (notice thats a jen mr cry baby from early 70s)

@ northern fan: my tuning keys have a stylized "S" and say "made in w. germany".. if you see another with the same head as mine let me know where it is!

i love this guitar!

[northernguitarguy]

Aint that something! The two are nearly identical. Are the tuners Schallers maybe?

They were made by Kasuga. My original tuners have the Kasuga logo on them. I replaced them with Grovers. Also, I bought a '57 Classic for the neck and a Dirty Fingers for the bridge but haven't put them in yet. I don't really know how so I'm gonna wait until our lead guitarist can help me.

Which pups cost a couple grand??

[ilovelps]

Originally Posted by northernguitarguy

Which pups cost a couple grand??

PAFs.

[northernguitarguy]

Wow. They better have some pretty righteous goddamn tone for that kind of dough...

[ilovelps]

Originally Posted by northernguitarguy

Wow. They better have some pretty righteous goddamn tone for that kind of dough...

They are the original humbuckers.

[NCG]

Hello

I have a question I was wondering if anyone could possibly answer. I have the exact same guitar as you do Nothernguitarguy and I was wondering if you or anyone else knows what the possible resale value is? I have someone asking about buying it and before I sell I just wanted to know how much it is worth.

I hope someone can help

Thanks

[BGD]

Are all Northern (LPs) bolt-on?

[northernguitarguy]

Originally Posted by NCG

Hello

I have a question I was wondering if anyone could possibly answer. I have the exact same guitar as you do Nothernguitarguy and I was wondering if you or anyone else knows what the possible resale value is? I have someone asking about buying it and before I sell I just wanted to know how much it is worth.

I hope someone can help

Thanks

Hey

I put mine on craigslist toronto to see what I could get for it. I think that the highest offer I got was around $500. I refused to sell for that. Good thing too, because when I took the old pups out to replae them they turned out to be Gibson T-Tops, which hold some kind of value.
These guitars are so unique that I would not trade or sell it. With lotsa cash I could buy any kind of new LP or find many used ones. I dont know where I could find another Northern.

[northernguitarguy]

Originally Posted by BGD

Are all Northern (LPs) bolt-on?

Mine's not, it is set well as good as any Gibson.

[Udonitron]

Such cool guitars guys...LOVE the maple leaf inlays eh

[ckalfag]

I can't believe i found other people who has a Northern guitar. Tommorow i will put up some photos of my dads northern les paul.