1977 Les Paul Custom Specs
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Lovie's Guitar has a great write up on SN's with gibson and I found this as well, might not be true but according to this resource Kalamazoo was still using old SN system in the late 70s and that production in KM was on the "fancier" models that GIbson offered and apparently the decals were ordered way ahead of time and that could be why my custom has the decal vs an impression. Here is the quote from Lovies guitar.
"However, it has come to light recently that the Kalamazoo plant did not directly switch over to the “new” 8
digit serialization method in 1977. When the Nashville Gibson plant was opened in 1974, it was decided
that the bulk of the production of products would be run in the South; the Kalamazoo plant would produce
the higher end (fancier) models in the North. Of course, many of the older guitar builders and craftsmen
were still in Kalamazoo; and if they weren’t ready to change how they built guitars, then they may not have
been ready to change how they numbered them! Certain guitar models built in the late 1970s can be used
to demonstrate the old-style 6 digit serial numbers . It is estimated that Gibson’s Kalamazoo plant
continued to use the 6 digit serial numbers through 1978 and 1979. So double check the serial numbers
on those 1970s L-5s, Super 400s, and Super 5 BJBs!"
loviesguitars.com
"However, it has come to light recently that the Kalamazoo plant did not directly switch over to the “new” 8
digit serialization method in 1977. When the Nashville Gibson plant was opened in 1974, it was decided
that the bulk of the production of products would be run in the South; the Kalamazoo plant would produce
the higher end (fancier) models in the North. Of course, many of the older guitar builders and craftsmen
were still in Kalamazoo; and if they weren’t ready to change how they built guitars, then they may not have
been ready to change how they numbered them! Certain guitar models built in the late 1970s can be used
to demonstrate the old-style 6 digit serial numbers . It is estimated that Gibson’s Kalamazoo plant
continued to use the 6 digit serial numbers through 1978 and 1979. So double check the serial numbers
on those 1970s L-5s, Super 400s, and Super 5 BJBs!"
Gibson Serial Numbers | Lovies Guitars
loviesguitars.com I thought I had a photo on my phone of the TRC but I guess I didn't take one but would be happy to later this evening when I get home. What is your email? I can send higher resolution photos...I love this stuff, love learning the history of these guitars.
HardCore Troubadour
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yeah, well I have just posted 2 pics that blow their first sentence out of the water....
I stopped after that.
That statement has been used and recycled by everyone.....
take a shot under the TRC and let's look at the wood....post it here....we will figure it out.
I stopped after that.
That statement has been used and recycled by everyone.....
take a shot under the TRC and let's look at the wood....post it here....we will figure it out.
Will do, I found this photo as well from previous owner. not sure if this helps with the tenon debate or not. Appreciate all the info so far! I won't pay you $20 if it's Made In Nashville but I sure appreciate your willingness to help me find out for sure lol
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HardCore Troubadour
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short tenon.....we are here to help.
does the bridge and/or fret dots mean anything? I've read somewhere that Nashville never used ABR-1? Not sure if that's true and not sure what I have exactly, but gonna go ahead and pull these strings off later and try to document this thing with better photos
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HardCore Troubadour
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It means you have a Nashville bridge, turned around backwards......
change it when you change the strings and be sure to really check the intonation.
I am guessing it was sold to you this way?
Question is, why?
Fret dots are normal size....the larger ones in KM were early 70's.
Nashville made.
Paypal friends and family......
change it when you change the strings and be sure to really check the intonation.
I am guessing it was sold to you this way?
Question is, why?
Fret dots are normal size....the larger ones in KM were early 70's.
Nashville made.
Paypal friends and family......
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What makes it a Nashville? And
so they only used Nashville bridges in Nashville? And yes, it was turned this direction when I acquired it. Not sure why. How does one tell the difference between an ABR-1 and nashville?
HardCore Troubadour
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There is a search feature in the top right-hand corner of this forum, out by your user name.
also great videos on youtube.
www.mylespaul.com www.mylespaul.com
also great videos on youtube.
ABR-1 bridge vs. Nashville bridge
Hello, Well, I always read that the ABR-1 bridge is superior to the Nashville, but I do not know the reason it is better. I would like to hear from members their thoughts on this, Thanks
Understanding bridges: Tune-O-Matic, ABR-1 & Nashville
Good Evening, I would like to know some pieces of information. 1) Are Tune-O-Matic, ABR-1 & Nashville three different types of bridges? 2) Would anyone happen to have or can create some pictures (preferably side by side) that depicts the different types of bridges? Thank you very...
alright good deal, I understand the bridge differences now. Previous owner must have turned it wrong direction by accident when they restrung it. It really doesn't matter to me where it was made, but I'm just curious as to how you know it was made in Nashville for sure? Seems that Kalamazoo was doing the fancier guitars at this time were using Nashville bridges at KM as well. And from doing more research here on the forum it appears that the decal/impression serial numbers were used in both locations as well. But mine has the "06" at the beginning of the serial, indicating 1977---according to the Gibson website those that were impressed using the new serial number format YDDDYRRR had the plant/ranking number and the clear photo you shared earlier followed that format (73437018) which would indicate KM ranking number. Please explain what it is about my guitar that tells you it's Nashville made over KM? I haven't left work yet, but will confirm neck wood material later this evening.There is a search feature in the top right-hand corner of this forum, out by your user name.
also great videos on youtube.
ABR-1 bridge vs. Nashville bridge
Hello, Well, I always read that the ABR-1 bridge is superior to the Nashville, but I do not know the reason it is better. I would like to hear from members their thoughts on this, ThanksUnderstanding bridges: Tune-O-Matic, ABR-1 & Nashville
Good Evening, I would like to know some pieces of information. 1) Are Tune-O-Matic, ABR-1 & Nashville three different types of bridges? 2) Would anyone happen to have or can create some pictures (preferably side by side) that depicts the different types of bridges? Thank you very...
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Bulletboy5150
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Looks like a maple neck to me, mahogany would be darker.
Beautiful guitar, this looks to be almost exactly the same as John Sykes' Les Paul. I believe his is a 77, maple neck, single piece body and didn't have the pointy horn like most late 70s had. It's hard to tell but it appears yours has the traditional horn shape as well which is hard to come by in this configuration. Sykes is one of my all time favs and I was on the lookout at one time for a 77 or 78 without a pointy horn and they were hard to come by!
Beautiful guitar, this looks to be almost exactly the same as John Sykes' Les Paul. I believe his is a 77, maple neck, single piece body and didn't have the pointy horn like most late 70s had. It's hard to tell but it appears yours has the traditional horn shape as well which is hard to come by in this configuration. Sykes is one of my all time favs and I was on the lookout at one time for a 77 or 78 without a pointy horn and they were hard to come by!
ARandall
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Looking 100% like maple to me....this is mahogany from my early 1975. Why were you thinking it was mahogany - was it one of those 'seller said it was mahogany' type things.
77 still has the regular horn no matter where its made. Its 78 where you start to see the pointy horn come into play....and this is another Nashville only feature as my 1980 Kalamazoo Deluxe still features the non-pointy horn.
The sticker serial numbers do not indicate plant of origin. As you get closer to the end of the 70's you start to see more and more of the solid body guitars come out of Nashville. 77 would be one of those times when the odds become more likely stacked toward a Nashville.
77 still has the regular horn no matter where its made. Its 78 where you start to see the pointy horn come into play....and this is another Nashville only feature as my 1980 Kalamazoo Deluxe still features the non-pointy horn.
The sticker serial numbers do not indicate plant of origin. As you get closer to the end of the 70's you start to see more and more of the solid body guitars come out of Nashville. 77 would be one of those times when the odds become more likely stacked toward a Nashville.
Bulletboy5150
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Did not know it was only Nashville les pauls that had the pointy horn, good info!
I actually was just going by the advice of a local luthier, who looked it down in front of me with a black light. I thought it looked like maple when I just popped the cover off earlier. He actually still thinks it’s mahogany after I sent this photo to him in a message.
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Finally figured out how to post good photos! Thanks for all the help answering my questions guys, and for helping me clear up where it was built and how it is configured.
I greatly appreciate it.
ARandall
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Maple, from my 1980 Deluxe (with flash).
I can only hope his screen is damaged or scratched. I'd be a bit wary of a 'luthier' who couldn't tell maple from Mahogany.
