Has this Custom been refinished?

[Blind Jasper]

Hello, I was looking at an 83 Custom on Craigslist and its very orange. The ad says "slight imperfection in lacquer finish" but the top looks orange, including the Gibson and diamond logos. Is this a case of someone stripping it and then re-finishing it? If I had the guitar refinished would it fix the orange on the binding?

Here is the link Gibson Les Paul Custom vintage 1983

Thanks for any help you can give. I am trying to educate myself.

 

[emoney]

You could scrape the binding with a razor blade and "fix" the "orange". As for the initial
question; best to pull the pickups/remove the electronics cover to confirm if it's a refin or not.
I'm sure in the early to mid 80s the Custom Shop was offering a Natural Finish, however.
Probably the best person to confirm or deny that might be Bruce Bennett.

It's definitely not "Orange" I don't think. Looks more like exactly what the Ad says, "Natural"
and the "orangey-look" is more than likely just due to the Nitro fading. Either have the
seller email you a pic of the cavities with the covers off and/or the p'up cavities, or take
a screw driver with you when you go and look at it.

Having said all that; does it matter if it's a refin if you're planning to refin again?

 

[H.E.L.Shane]

well...

they made an custom "natural" in 1983 with a three maple top. All of the ones I've seen have gold hardware...



However..



i believe its been refinished... and i believe it was originally an alpine white guitar

1) Grainfiller on the back looks to light...(but.. this could be angle / flash / lighting on pic)

2) knobs are from a white custom. I've always seen those with black speed knobs, the naturals with "witch Hats" (but... knobs are changed out all the time)


3) but the kicker is the ORANGE clear

it looks like an "antiquing" project gone bad.. like they added way to much orange to the clear with the vintage amber (if you just add vintage amber.. it can get neon banana yellow on ya) if the respray is ten years old.. i bet it looked pretty close when originally sprayed, but as the lacquer has aged on its own.. its gone from close to nasty. Even over the binding its ORANGE.... that just aint right!


Finally.. the guy wants 2250 for a damn ugly guitar that there is a good chance was resprayed... i wouldn't even be a looky loo at it.... but thats me

 

[Mindfrigg]

Could have a poly overspray? It does look awfully orange for a natural finish. Maybe a heavy smoking environment. I have seen nicotene stain walls before.Maybe just very bad photos?

 

[emoney]

Nicotene could definitely do it. I don't think it's Poly because the picture of the back
looks like there's quite a bit of checking going on.

Of course now you've got us all nosy so you're going to have to go by there and inspect
it close up so we know what's what.

 

[Mindfrigg]

Looks like orange shellac. But what kind of idiot would...

 

[Blind Jasper]

Thanks everyone, I am waiting to hear back on it.

I asked about the refin just because of the orange binding, that's all I really care about cleaning up. If he gets back to me I'll ask a bunch of questions and report back.

 

[Blind Jasper]

3) but the kicker is the ORANGE clear

it looks like an "antiquing" project gone bad.. like they added way to much orange to the clear with the vintage amber (if you just add vintage amber.. it can get neon banana yellow on ya) if the respray is ten years old.. i bet it looked pretty close when originally sprayed, but as the lacquer has aged on its own.. its gone from close to nasty. Even over the binding its ORANGE.... that just aint right!


Finally.. the guy wants 2250 for a damn ugly guitar that there is a good chance was resprayed... i wouldn't even be a looky loo at it.... but thats me

This is what I was thinking. I have only ever tried to do finish work once, ageing a Strat neck, and it looked horrible. He's asking that price but I intend to either trade him for another guitar or offer him much less.

 

[LPBR]

Having been or not refinished, it is a very nice guitar. It has that vintage air but yet looks in very good shape. The price is excellent... a 30+ years axe for around 2K?. That seems to be too good to be true for me. I would buy it -- but not unless make a play-drive before to check how it feels of course.

 

[emoney]

Having been or not refinished, it is a very nice guitar. It has that vintage air but yet looks in very good shape. The price is excellent... a 30+ years axe for around 2K?. That seems to be too good to be true for me. I would buy it -- but not unless make a play-drive before to check how it feels of course.

That's not such a great price over here, LPBR. Those Norlin-Era guitar/concrete blocks
aren't so hard to find in these parts and can often be picked up for under 2k.

 

[LPBR]

That's not such a great price over here, LPBR. Those Norlin-Era guitar/concrete blocks
aren't so hard to find in these parts and can often be picked up for under 2k.

Oh I see, that's a brazilian thing then, I guess. I just saw an ad here of a guy selling a LP Firebrand 79 for 4K.

Anyway, I didn't know this Gibson line -- they just look like a LP Studio to me.

So now you know why this standard 83 for 2K sounded real cheap to me!

 

[j.six]

Man, if George Hamilton suddenly became a guitar, it'd be this one.

 

[Ronsonic]

A heavy smoker could get that color pretty easily in about ten years.

 

[emoney]

Oh I see, that's a brazilian thing then, I guess. I just saw an ad here of a guy selling a LP Firebrand 79 for 4K.

Anyway, I didn't know this Gibson line -- they just look like a LP Studio to me.

So now you know why this standard 83 for 2K sounded real cheap to me!

Haha...that's crazy talk. I bought one of these about 10 years for $200.00 in
a pawn shop. And truthfully, after playing with it for a day or so, thought I got
screwed. I'm not a fan of the "Firebrand".
And, for the record, the Firebrand made a Studio look like a Custom Shop '59.

 

[MaceRider]

Sorry for thread derail, but what is up with the switch position on that LP??

 

[H.E.L.Shane]

Man, if George Hamilton suddenly became a guitar, it'd be this one.

I was JUST trying to think of the actor that.s TOO tan!!!

 

[LPBR]

Haha...that's crazy talk. I bought one of these about 10 years for $200.00 in a pawn shop. And truthfully, after playing with it for a day or so, thought I got screwed. I'm not a fan of the "Firebrand".
And, for the record, the Firebrand made a Studio look like a Custom Shop '59.

So imagine that here in Brasil they are paying 4K for this crap.