Newbie Needs Help

[ravinblue]

I'm a 57 year old physician who played in a band throughout high school and college, but gave it up when I got married and started medical school. A busy career and family, next thing you know it's 36 years later, but I still have my guitar under the bed. It is a Les Paul Custom that I bought new in ?1969. It has gold plated metal parts (including a Bigsby tailpiece/vibrato, bridge, pickups, tuning pegs) that are badly corroded, some minor scratches, but otherwise in great shape. The serial number is 804377.
Questions:
1. How do I go about restoring the metal parts - take them off and have them re-plated or buy new parts from Gibson or ?
2. For resale, is it worth more as is, with restored old metal parts, or with new metal parts.
3. Any other advice on restoration?

Frank

[Roman Rist]

Welcome!

Leave it alone!

Do not touch it!

There are very few original, under the bed, original owner instruments left in the world.

clean the parts..................do nothing else.



Roman

[R9.]

Yes, just clean it.

Some guys would give their first born son for that guitar!

I have no clue what an all orig 60s Custom is worth...could be a lot if you find the right buyer. If you want to get a rough idea what it's worth, why not try eBay every once it a while and see what other old Customs are going for.

If you try taking it into a dealer, they may pull a fast one over you and tell you it's not worth very much, so you know.

If I were you and owned that guitar, I'd buy a nice tube amp and get back into it.

[ac4rd]

Strong agreement on not trying to restore it. And it's a gorgeous guitar. Bit of polish, maybe a nice professional setup after all these years ... If you have the urge for something shiny, you could always pick up a nice newer LP as a 'daily player' and keep that '69 Custom for special occasions. :-) Have fun getting back into playing! --ken

[Joeydego]

I dont have much money, but I can offer a very lightly used TESTICLE for that guitar, DAAMMMN!

[uloozer]

If you ever need a someone that needs a kidney, I'll trade you....

[Bluesjam]

Give us some pictures, we're picture crazy!

[Lester B. Flat]

If that guitar is all original and fuctioning properly there is nothing you can do to increase it's value. It's there now. Clean it carefully but don't try to remove the patina (like trying to make the binding white again). Originality trumps condition. Most importantly, play it and enjoy it!

[dwagar]

I agree with everyone here, anything you change is going to reduce the value. It looks absolutely fantastic as is. Clean it, get it set up, and play that puppy.

[ravinblue]

Thanks for all the replies, already.
Recommendations on cleaning, especially the metal?
I don't think I want to sell, but I was visiting my daughter in NYC a couple of weeks ago and saw one that looked a lot like mine in a music store window. I asked the clerk about it - a '69 and it was priced at $12K.

[dubyatf]

Originally Posted by ravinblue

Thanks for all the replies, already.
Recommendations on cleaning, especially the metal?
I don't think I want to sell, but I was visiting my daughter in NYC a couple of weeks ago and saw one that looked a lot like mine in a music store window. I asked the clerk about it - a '69 and it was priced at $12K.

IMO, the rust adds a certain something + you can probably get a tetanus shot with no problem! Since I really have nothing useful to add, welcome and that's a beauty!

[Paul46]

The only thing that guitar needs is new strings! Looks killer.

[Sony Oengui]

Man, thats a great looking guitar. Real vintage. DON'T TOUCH IT. Just clean it, as everybody said. If yo want to sell it, do a lot of research before. Internet, books, all you can find. Salesmen at stores eat uninformed newbes for dinner.

Again, great guitar.

[mdr40z]

Originally Posted by uloozer

If you ever need a someone that needs a kidney, I'll trade you....

I'll see that kidney and raise you two testicles for it

[diceman]

Beautiful! I would maybe clean it but would not polish it - I would not suggest shining the metal up, as it just won't look original - she looks great as is! I just got a '69 that is not at all original, but its a hell of a nice playing and sounding guitar.

I'm not a pro or collector, but I'm sure that the value on your guitar is between the $10-20k range.

It would be interesting to find out if your '69 is a 1 piece or pancake body, if its a 1 or 3 piece neck, long or transitional tenon, or even a '68. Those things will effect the value considerably.

[diceman]

http://www.atomeveeclipse.com/data/LPStats.html

It looks like its probably a 3 piece neck, a 1 or 3 piece body, transitional tenon... (thats what mine is as well - 3 neck, 1 body, trans)

[decoy205]

You have to leave that man!!! So sweeet. Awesome keep playing it cuz they sound better when they are played!!!

[ravinblue]

How can I find out if it's "a 1 piece or pancake body, if its a 1 or 3 piece neck, long or transitional tenon, or even a '68."?

[LJGriggs]

Originally Posted by ravinblue

How can I find out if it's "a 1 piece or pancake body, if its a 1 or 3 piece neck, long or transitional tenon, or even a '68."?

If you remove the plate on the back that covers the V and T pots you should be able to determine if it is a pancake or a solid body. Remove the neck pick-up and take a look to see if the neck tenon extends into the pickup cavity (and how far). You might also be able to tell if the neck is a single piece of 3-piece neck by looking at the tenon (I'm not sure about that) if you can't detect any seams on the back of the neck.
You can check the manufacture date of the guitar at this site by entering the serial number...

BTW, I'm 51 and basically stopped playing guitar on a regular basis at age 25. I decided to start again a little over a year ago because I got tired of my son having all the fun playing bass in his band. (My wife thinks it is an attempt to recapture my youth.) It was a little frustrating at first, but it comes back pretty quick. Re-learning is easier than learning, plus it gives you the opportunity to reverse some old bad habits...

[Lester B. Flat]

Originally Posted by ravinblue

How can I find out if it's "a 1 piece or pancake body, if its a 1 or 3 piece neck, long or transitional tenon, or even a '68."?

With that serial number it is most likely a 3-piece neck, one piece body and transitional tenon.

Some good info here.
1968 Les Paul and 1969 Les Paul Serial Number Information

[jomo]

If you want to adopt me, I'm available. I come complete with a blond head 8 year old boy and a red headed daughter in law. J/K
You have one sweet guitar

[masta_191]

ill give u an arm and a leg.....wait i cant play with 1 arm so make that 2 legs

[masta_191]

good deal?


lol jks

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by ravinblue

I'm a 57 year old physician who played in a band throughout high school and college, but gave it up when I got married and started medical school. A busy career and family, next thing you know it's 36 years later, but I still have my guitar under the bed. It is a Les Paul Custom that I bought new in ?1969. It has gold plated metal parts (including a Bigsby tailpiece/vibrato, bridge, pickups, tuning pegs) that are badly corroded, some minor scratches, but otherwise in great shape. The serial number is 804377.
Questions:
1. How do I go about restoring the metal parts - take them off and have them re-plated or buy new parts from Gibson or ?
2. For resale, is it worth more as is, with restored old metal parts, or with new metal parts.
3. Any other advice on restoration?

Frank

Gruhn's will give you a quote.
GuitarPriceOnline.com

[Nils]

at one point you think it's just old and corroded, and a little bit later you found out it's worth quite a lot nicee....