1953 Gibson Les Paul Retread

[vandalay]

Hey there , curious with you be the previous owner of the red ‘53...do you know if it had a neck reset at all ? And was it originally a trapeze tailpiece?
I own a ‘53 trapeze LP #1693 (serial) and considering doing a neck reset.

 

[buyusfear]

Fwiw, if I was wanting to get a 1950s Les Paul refinished in gold, I'd be begging Buyusfear (from the Les Paul forum) to paint and lightly age it!

Check out the save he made on the '52 trapeze...

Sorokin Guitars - Home | Facebook

Thankyou for that!
And I hang out on this forum sometimes as well.
I would have posted a thread on that particular restoration here, but for whatever reason, this forum doesn't allow me to post images like we used to, using an image address, and when i upload them, like below, it messes with the color for some reason.
As someone who obsesses over details like, getting the color correct on a guitar, you won't be seeing me posting my work here anytime soon.

I also appreciate the endorsement; however, I am not accepting work at this time.
That particular goldtop you mention took me a little over 2 years to complete properly, which was the original deal made with the owner who is a friend. I much prefer to spend my time building.

Here is all of that process for those into the restoration process.
WARNING, i like to take many pics.
http://www.sorokinguitars.com/early-no-serial-goldtop-re-fin.html

And to the original poster, I obviously agree on going back to gold.

 

[red_house356]

Fwiw, if I was wanting to get a 1950s Les Paul refinished in gold, I'd be begging Buyusfear (from the Les Paul forum) to paint and lightly age it!

Check out the save he made on the '52 trapeze...

Sorokin Guitars - Home | Facebook

I also appreciate the endorsement; however, I am not accepting work at this time.

Believe me, I tried to have him do a top refin on my ‘53 Les Paul. Amazing work.

 

[barsinister]

my vote...keep the wrap and cherry or gold-but just my opinon please no 59 conversion

 

[jimi55lp]

I recently bought this 53 wrap tail Les Paul from the original owner's Son. The owner was a Pastor and he and his wife lead the singing at their church every Sunday and at mid week service. I was contacted a year ago and at that time the Son wanted me to do a restoration to the guitar. He had some financial things come up plus he got Covid and couldn't do the restoration. After getting thru Covid he then contacted me and asked if I would buy the guitar. So that's the back story on this guitar. I'll be doing a restoration, refurbish or retread whatever you want to call it. Sometime in the 60's he had someone finish over the existing gold. The color was a horrible green and there are a few minor repair's I'll be doing to the guitar. After the repairs I'm having Kim at Historic Makeovers do a total refin. I can't decide to put it back to the correct Gold or do a finish like the 53 Jared James Nichols bought from Charlie Daughtry. Tell me which one you like..... Thanks

Here's my new project
View attachment 514152

My 52
View attachment 514147

JJN 53
View attachment 514148

A center seamed 1953 wraptail is very unusual!!

 

[NINFNM]

Hate gold. Cherry sunburst gets my vote, specially with that center seam top

 

[rykus]

I vote gold too! I wondered what happened to the red one after Charlie bought it... really wanted that one when it was for sale here... wish I would have bought it then!

 

[VictorB]

I vote gold too! I wondered what happened to the red one after Charlie bought it... really wanted that one when it was for sale here... wish I would have bought it then!

Jared James Nichols owns it now.

 

[Progear]

Yeah, i should have also brought when Alex offered to me.. oh well

 

[Alex]

I vote gold too! I wondered what happened to the red one after Charlie bought it... really wanted that one when it was for sale here... wish I would have bought it then!

Jared James Nichols

 

[jimi55lp]

Gold as Gibson intended. Hey Jim, do you have a recommendation for replacement studs to cure the leaning bridge on mine? It’s strung with 10s, and doesn’t appear to have gotten worse since I bought it here.

I replaced my two 1955 LP Special 1/2" tilting bushings with Pigtail brand 7/8" bushings which are identical to vintage Gibson bushings. They come in 1" also but I'm sure it wouldn't make any difference? I asked BCRGREG to talk me thru it and he made it sound "simple", I find these threads along with experienced folks that dared blaze forward and later shared their knowledge gives me courage to " go where eagles dare". This forum has inspired me to do things I'd never have attempted without this MOST helpful advice! If you can't get BCRGREG to find time to explain the process, I'll be glad to talk you thru it if you want to do it in house or just want to understand all aspects of the conversion before hiring out the repair.

 

[marksoundguitars]

Paint it black and stick a Floyd in it.

Nah, I'm kidding.

Total resto is appropriate.

 

[Magnets And Melodies]

100% vote for original restoration back to gold!

 

[Gridlock]

Original Gold.

 

[Cozmik Cowboy]

I prefer the red to the gold - but I think that top would look marvelous with clear (or maybe a slight amber tint)!

When I offered the above opinion. (which I stand by), I forgot to add - first choice: Actual '53 P-90s. Second choice: Other early '50s P-90s. Third choice: Late '50s P-90s. Fourth choice: The closest-sounding repops you can find. Fifth choice: There is no fifth choice; this beauty can under no circumstances be hogged out for lesser p/ups!

I will add (and yes, I've told you all this before - but I will never tire of preaching it) that the first guy I did sound for professionally gigged a '53 on which a previous owner had sanded down the top & tung-oiled it, and set it up with an ABR with nylon saddles & a 330-style tailpiece; it was the most amazing LP I've ever known. You can't beat a '53!
Your top looks a lot like his, too - but I haven't seen that guitar in about 42 years, so I can't recall if it was a center-seam or not.
So, how goes the resto? Any progress (and pix to prove it )?

 

[Slashperryburst]

Can't think of many better caretakers for a guitar like that.

 

[rialcnis]

The thing is, the top looks more like a symmetrical Burst top which would go to waste if gold.

 

[bossaddict]

I vote Ol' Red, but gold would look great too. Just do whichever you prefer aesthetically with no worries about what it was originally. You can restore a guitar with proper vintage parts (and I would do that in this case), but the paint will never be truly "restored" or "original," gold or otherwise. My $0.02.

Looks like a great project either way!

 

[zeneffect]

Gold

See if you can get Murphy lab to do the refin like factory gibson. You will get to see that beautiful top come through shortly after opening the case when all the paint chips and flies away from looking at it wrong.