Duane Allman's 57 Goldtop

[rodneyk915]

This was from the Arlington, Tx show a couple of weeks ago:

[BoxyBrown22]

I didn't know Duane had a 57', I thought it was Dickie Betts who had the gold top. Did they trade at some point?

[TM1]

Duane had a Goldtop that he used while Dickey at first played an ES-345 and then a SG/LP that Duane bought from him and used for slide the last year of his life.
Duane traded the Goldtop for a cherryburst in Sept. 1970 and then bought the darkburst in June of `71. Dickey got his Goldtop in late 1970. Dickey's had a ton of Goldtop's over the years. Duane's Goldtop was used on the whole Layla LP except the outtro of the song Layla.

[rodneyk915]

I found this info: Duane Allman

He moved to Gibson guitars shortly after the formation of the Allman Brothers Band in 1969. During the recording of this album he used a Gibson ES-345, while co-guitarist Dickey Betts also used a variety of Gibsons, in particular an ES-345 and a 68 SG. It is highly likely that both Dickey and Duane occasionally swapped guitars with each other, and maybe took spares on the road with them.

From photo evidence though it can be seen that Duane switched between several Gibson guitars, although his favourite was a 1957 Les Paul Goldtop (serial number 7 3312) with PAF pickups. He part-exchanged this guitar in Daytona Beach, FL on the 16th September 1970, having played a concert with a local group there, (having also recorded the large part of Layla with it) for a plain-top 1958/59 cherry sunburst Les Paul that was then in the posession of the guitarist in the opening group; they were called "The Stone Balloon". The plain-top is the guitar he can be seen to play in the Fillmore Video; it is also the guitar that he used to complete the recording of the Layla album.

When he did that exchange, he also switched over the PAF pickups from the 57 Goldtop to the 58/9 Cherryburst - apparently he preferred the sound of the Goldtop's bridge pickup to that of the newer guitar, and consequently swapped them over in a Hotel Room after the concert where he found the Cherryburst.

[Airline-Olie]

i hope someone gets this

[benjammin420]

Originally Posted by Airline-Olie

i hope someone gets this

[goldie75]

I get it!!

[BoxyBrown22]

Learn something new everyday!

That's a really cool piece of pop music history there, I'm always surprised at what's out there.

[R8R6Ben]

that is one killer guitar.... the Love Valley concert is up on youtube now and it looks like that is the one Duane plays the entire time... killer tones!!!

[Elk Nation]

Lee played that guitar at the Arlington show..right up to the point where we found out the asking price was $1.4 million dollars.

[NowGibson]

so without the original pickups that were swapped out in the hotel room 1 mil??? or with them if restored 2 mil....

[ryancrossguitars]

was it for sale and did murphy check ou his work all put back together

[BigDaveOnBass]

Have you seen the photos of the Gold Top BEFORE it was restored? It was in BAD shape. A dog had even chewed on the headstock at one time. A LOT of work went into the restoration of that guitar, and while there's no denying the historical significance of this particular guitar, as a collectible, I don't think it's worth $1.4 million. It is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it, though.

[slowhand0461]

[BigDaveOnBass]

Here ya go...

Duane Allman's 1957 Goldtop Les Paul

[BigDaveOnBass]

I think it's possible Duane owned more than one gold top. In some photos, the gold top he's holding you can see the trim ring on the pickup selector. On this particular guitar, there's no trim ring on the pickup selector. Also, Duane was playing a gold top at some time during the Hourglass days.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by slowhand0461

I'm not sure if that's the same guitar. Doesn't seem to have the dark inlay at the 15th fret, although that could've happened with time, or the photo mightn't show clearly enough

[truetone6]

Maybe because it was refinished by Tom Murphy

Photos of Duane Allman's 1957 goldtop Les Paul

[jimi55lp]

I've seen very close photos of the inlays when the GT was first restored and it was very evident that the inlays were the same, and the chew marks from the puppy were not as bad as it might sound in this thread. The GT has a HOT rewound PAF in it when he traded up for the Burst' and swapped the PAF's. I don't think anyone would stager if Pages Burst' went for twice what this GT is asking, even though Pages has several headstock repairs, has no serial#, and a replaced PAF. Clapton describes Allman as the best guitarist in the world, and this GT has stong evidence to being the real thing with 2 original PAF's from one of the most famous Bursts in the world, and a very documented swap. It doesn't surprise me that 1.4 Million would be the asking price for this very documented guitar with an undeniable superstar previous owner. Refins and repairs don't count when your pricing something that could be displayed in the "Rock Hall" at any time it was offered for loan! Do some searches on this GT and you'll find it is very well documented.

[BostonGuitar]

I know it was restored by Murphy...

But I have 2 curiositys...

In the old pic we have vintage stock tuners and what appears to be a "Dark" back...

Also in the old pic is very evident shading where the pickguard used to be...

So did Murphy refin the back to a lighter shade mahog?

Did he respray the front?

And did he do the grovers?

[Chip Korea]

Originally Posted by BigDaveOnBass

It is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it, though.

I HATE THAT PHRASE! IT IS COMPLETELY WRONG!!!

Let's talk about a Les Paul Classic, a few years old, that - when you do the research, is 'worth' £1,000. 10 similar ones have sold on ebay in the last 2 months, the cheapest at £850, the most expensive at £1,100, but most at £975- £1,025. It is worth £1,000, give or take.

But The Badgers of Death (a famous Southern Rock band who had 3 number one albums in 2006-2008) lead guitarist used to own it. Badgers of Death have thousands of fans who are keen Gibson fans and rich. A few dozen of these fans would hapily pay £5,000 for a piece of history (most would only pay £1,000-£2,000). The guitar, given it's history, is therefore 'worth' £5,000.

Ted "The Mug" Hopkins has an IQ of 64, has just won the lottery and he is a massive Badgers of Death fan. He offers £50,000 for the guitar and the guitar is sold.

The price of this guitar was £50,000 but this does not make the guitar worth £50,000. It is 'rationally' worth £1,000, but actually - because of the history - it is worth £5,000 because that is what Ted Hopkins could sell it for - there are plenty of BoD fans out there who will stump up £5,000 but when he comes to sell Ted will sonn discover that there was only one prepared to pay £50,000.

When you say 'worth' you effectively mean 'market value' and 'market value' is set by the 'market' not one nutter.

[lonesome56dave]

Only 1.4 million and I can't get anybody to answer the phone!

[Atomic Rox]

Originally Posted by slowhand0461

I dig this picture of Duane Shows his Goldtop at rest with him.

[Emerald]

I though that '57 Goldtop looked a little too clean to be original finished.., those were great days for these LP players..
Emerald

[jimi55lp]

The GT had Grovers on it when it had the front and back refinished to what looks to be the same shade on the back that it was. I'm not sure if the guitar was a dark back originally or if the photo of Duane laying on the floor in his filthy jeans is just the light or the angle. The GT he's holding is IMO the same GT that was refinished as far as the inlays being a dead on match. I think the guitar was badly treated and heavily handled after it was traded for the Burst'.