Thinking about parting with my LP

[presbychuck]

Well, yall have convinced me to keep it I think. A week before Christmas I took it to a local guitar shop and had the junky old NOT CORRECT AND BUTCHERED INTO IT pots replaced with some new stuff. He kept the old caps, but I don't think they were original either. The wiring was still good and was retained as was the three way switch.

A new set of strings and plugged into my old amp, she's making racket once again. I had had a hankering to sell it to get a newer nicer acoustic with electronics, but have instead decided to keep all I have and to put a Fishman Presys in the ol' Oscar Schmidt and keep the Les Paul as happy and unadulterated as I can. She really is pretty nice and my wife, JUST LIKE YALL, said "You'll be sorry!" and I know you are all right about that. So she's staying and the other old beater is getting a facelift of sorts. Now if I could just make some beautiful music with her........

 

[presbychuck]

BTW, my first guitar was a 1964 Teisco Del Ray I bought new (with amp) for $62 at the Giant Department Store in Wichita, Kansas. I think the guitar was $29.99 and the amp was the same plus tax. Anyway, that was a fortune for an eight year old kid with a paper route. 50 years later you'd think I'd have learned to play better than I do.

I also owned (all before I was twenty) a violin shaped Apollo electric guitar (not a bass), then a Telecaster, Jaguar, and several Strats (in that order) which were all gone when I fell upon this guitar in my early twenties. She's been around longer than either of my adult children so I reckon I'd just better keep her even if all I really do is abuse her, and all the ears in range, every now and again.

 

[presbychuck]

OK Some more pics. First a chip on the volute. The yellow on the left of the pic is reflection.

One side tuners. Remember, these are some Grovers that were on it when I originally bought it. I have made NO alterations to the guitar until replacing the pots last week.

Other side.

Here is the mess of A&B pots. The number matches up to a 2" shafted pot as I suspected. They had been cut off and ground shorter but no knobs have ever fit them.

Switch... yeah, the knob is new.

Bridge wear

Here is the body back. This is one of the more confusing things to me. It has a greenish cast to it that has become pronounced over the years despite hardly ever seeing the light of day for long periods of time. I am sure that the headstock was resprayed and believe that the back of the instrument was as well. There is a little buckle rash but not very much.
[URL="http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b553/RevRyder/My%20Norlin%20Les%20Paul/SMALLBack_zpsad77c9d2.jpg[/img"][COLOR=#0066cc]http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b553/RevRyder/My%20Norlin%20Les%20Paul/SMALLBack_zpsad77c9d2.jpg[/img[/COLOR][/URL]]

Here is a place on the back of the neck where I had the guitar in my shop and leaned it against a rag that had some lacquer thinner on it and it imprinted the paint. It's since worn smooth, but still appears.
[img][URL="http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b553/RevRyder/My%20Norlin%20Les%20Paul/SMALLClothPrintinNeckfromLacquerThinner_zps8705facb.jpg[/img"][COLOR=#0066cc]http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b553/RevRyder/My%20Norlin%20Les%20Paul/SMALLClothPrintinNeckfromLacquerThinner_zps8705facb.jpg[/img[/COLOR][/URL]]

Another shot of the rash on the back.
[IMG]http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b553/RevRyder/My%20Norlin%20Les%20Paul/SMALLBuckleRash_zps7de37bda.jpg

Better yet.

I hope this is of some value to someone.

 

[Progrocker111]

The sort of greeny finish on the body seems original to me, most older black Gibsons look like this one.

 

[ARandall]

Yep, thats the ambering of the clear doing weird things to the black. Great guitar, glad you decided to keep it.

 

[Oranjeaap]

Apart from the scratches, it's in what we call excellent condition
Next time you change the strings, take a picture from the underside of the pickups. If it has original pickups it adds to the value.

Anyway, if you dont really need the money right now, better keep it. It will be more valuable in the future. Lets say 15-20 years from now, I can see these early norlins sell for big bucks

 

[HardCore Troubadour]

I am glad in now has value to you bro...play on!

 

[marantz1300]

Don't sell.
You WILL regret it.

 

[oli]

Don't sell.
You WILL regret it.

+1000 !
Don't ask me how I know...

 

[siggy14]

The title of this thread should be.
"Thinking about partying with my LP"

 

[The Ballzz]

Really glad you decided to keep it and got the pots changed and hopefully put some knobs on it.

Gene

 

[moonweasel]

To the original poster, you luthier kept your capacitors?

Did they look like these? If so, best to go get them back. (ignore the red marks, sorry)

 

[Stinky Kitty]

+1000 !
Don't ask me how I know...

How do you know, my friend?

 

[presbychuck]

To the original poster, you luthier kept your capacitors?

Did they look like these? If so, best to go get them back. (ignore the red marks, sorry)

I'm sorry. I really didn't say that well. I should have said he RETAINED them in the mix. Yes, MY OLD caps are STILL in there with the new pots. Thanks for helping with my poor communication skills there. The bad of that is they do not look like the ones in your pics. They look like this.


And Yes, I did put some new witch hat knobs on as well. They're the Chinese knock-offs that are obviously NOT old Gibson witch hats, but they look and work well enough.

And Yes, NOW I AM thinking about "partying" with my LP. I wish I'd have spent the last 50 years developing mad skillz. LOL

 

[Jack's back]

Glad to hear you're keeping that beauty. I could never part with my 71 Deluxe, I've had it from new and to me it sounds and plays better than ever. Its had a refret and the bridge replaced but only because both were just flat worn out. Everything else is original. I think you'd be very sad if you sold her.

 

[Stinky Kitty]

And Yes, NOW I AM thinking about "partying" with my LP. I wish I'd have spent the last 50 years developing mad skillz. LOL

There's no time like now time! Let the party begin!!!

 

[oli]

How do you know, my friend?

Haha, well, long story short, I stupidly sold my beautiful, nearly mint, white 77 Custom almost a year ago... And I've been trying to buy it back for the past 2 months, but the guy I sold it to really fell in love with it and doesn't even want to hear about parting with it... So here I am, kicking myself in the ass...
OP, KEEP YOUR GUITAR !!!

 

[rabidhamster]

If my wife didnt enjoy my playing I'd turn it up for her until she did.

Nice guitar!

 

[Stinky Kitty]

Haha, well, long story short, I stupidly sold my beautiful, nearly mint, white 77 Custom almost a year ago... And I've been trying to buy it back for the past 2 months, but the guy I sold it to really fell in love with it and doesn't even want to hear about parting with it... So here I am, kicking myself in the ass...
OP, KEEP YOUR GUITAR !!!

Such a sordid and familiar tale! I didn't even have the spark with my L6-S when I sold it, but i pine for that guitar now that I have a better grasp of playing, and I'm no longer wanting to make it be what it never could be!

I wish you the best of luck in convincing the buyer that, indeed she belongs with you for the happiness of everyone involved!

OP: Take note.

 

[oli]

Such a sordid and familiar tale! I didn't even have the spark with my L6-S when I sold it, but i pine for that guitar now that I have a better grasp of playing, and I'm no longer wanting to make it be what it never could be!

I wish you the best of luck in convincing the buyer that, indeed she belongs with you for the happiness of everyone involved!

OP: Take note.

Thanks, my friend !