13 years later, 7.5 lbs of Korina Weirdness

[355mono]

2008, my local shop opens a case with a crazy Les Paul, light as a feather, and resonant as could be. The price was out of reach for me. 13 years later, the owner traded it back in. From the looks of it, never having enjoyed playing it, maybe a collector. I'm not a Les Paul player, but this guitar had something special tonally for me. It's been on a few gigs so far, and I love the feel and sound. And, say what you will, the thing gets a lot of positive comments! I even love looking at the cool V-style case!

https://imgur.com/6wNa2Er

https://imgur.com/4cWlWZI

 

[Dilver]

More details please. what exactly am I looking at? Is this some sort of one-off custom made actual Gibson or an independent build of some sort?

 

[elephantrider]

what in the world...

 

[Brazilnut]

THAT is an extremely cool Lester! Talk about a one-off.....

 

[355mono]

This is a 2008 50th Anniversary Tribute. This is 14 out of approx. 100? Korina body, neck, 3 pickups, individual volumes, master tone. An ES-5 Switchmaster 5-way switch, allows lots of combinations of pickups. I don't believe these were weight relieved, most being 8-plus pounds (still lightweight). I love the unbound neck, and simple dot markers. The neck is quite full, maybe like a '58 ? It came with all the case candy, COA, cable, pick guard.

 

[Leumas]

Good lord. This short circuited my brain for a minute. Definitely cool, absolutely unique. It’s almost like the first time I saw a silver sky, except 10 times more pronounced.

 

[redcoats1976]

wasnt aware of those...good score.

 

[DaveSG]

Interesting...I like. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ARandall]

There's a distinct cool factor with it that defies the obvious oddities of controls.
Makes me want to make something a bit similar.

 

[LtDave32]

It is in fact the real Deal.

cool as all git-out!

 

[LtDave32]

there's one on reverb..

 

[LtDave32]

Very interesting electronics. This is how they work:

"Electronics: Original, with Gibson Burst Bucker pickups and 4-way pickup selector switch. The four positions of the switch correspond to each of the three pickups, with the fourth being all pickups together in parallel. Each pickup has its own volume control, which function independently in the fourth switch position, and the guitar has a master tone control..."

I'm really smitten withat guitar.

It's just stomp-down bitchin'.

 

[LPTDMSV]

2008, my local shop opens a case with a crazy Les Paul, light as a feather, and resonant as could be. The price was out of reach for me. 13 years later, the owner traded it back in. From the looks of it, never having enjoyed playing it, maybe a collector. I'm not a Les Paul player, but this guitar had something special tonally for me. It's been on a few gigs so far, and I love the feel and sound. And, say what you will, the thing gets a lot of positive comments! I even love looking at the cool V-style case!

https://imgur.com/6wNa2Er

https://imgur.com/4cWlWZI

The wiring / switching arrangement (1,2,3, all) is from the 1955 ES-5 Switchmaster, headstock (+ fingerboard + neck) is 1957 "Futura" / Explorer prototype, as is use of "Korina" / limba. Body shape, well we all know that one

So that's a guitar that Gibson could have made in 1957, they had all the parts! The clash of modernistic versus traditional styling is definitely waay out there.

7.5lbs is my kind of weight, you could get to that with carefully chosen Korina without any weight relief although I don't what the spec says about that. I've seen the one on sale at CME/Reverb, if you want to look cool and unique then what an opportunity.

 

[endial]

Wow. That thing is the balls.

I dig the non-bound fretboard on this too. Enjoy that unique beauty, man. I got the envies.

 

[LPTDMSV]

I dig the non-bound fretboard on this too.

Yes. That too!

 

[Grenville]

Stunning, well done.

 

[LPTDMSV]

More details please. what exactly am I looking at? Is this some sort of one-off custom made actual Gibson or an independent build of some sort?

Gibson Custom Shop 50th Anniversary Korina Tribute Les Paul Natural 2008​

If you have the necessary $$ you too could buy one today! Switchmaster Les Paul at CME

 

[Brek]

The year is 2007, the place?, Gibson board meeting,

'y'know those guys always bitchin' about les paul headstocks D and G string angle?'
'yeah'
'well screw 'em'


Really really cool axe there.

 

[musicmaniac]

Not my thing but good for you!

 

[355mono]

The controls take some getting used to, especially playing with a band. A conventional 3 way toggle is much easier to use on the fly. It just takes some practice. I enjoy getting some unusual tones in addition to the classic sounds. It is nice to read such nice responses. The responses on another site are not always so positive. I judge a guitar by the music I can pull out of it. The controversy just adds to my fun factor.