1983 Gibson Les Paul Reissue

[1Step4Ward]

Hi

a local shop is selling a beautiful 1983 Gibson Les Paul Reissue.

i'm new to the LP universe and am not sure what this is

i have done a little research and it seems that unlike current reissues - there is no 59, 58, 57 - etc. it's just called a reissue - what does that mean - re pups, neck, electronics, etc.?

have any of you seen or played one of these instruments?
how would you compare them to the more modern circa 2008 and forward reissues?

any advice???

many many thanks

 

[delawaregold]

The Kalamazoo plant was still open in '83, so first you need to identify which
plant made it. A lot of limited runs were made in '83, so you have to see if
it was regular production, or Dealer ordered. Shaw Pickups were used in '83,
so you need to be able to identify a Shaw pickup.
I will post some links to different resources..


Gibson Les Paul Late 70’s/Early 80’s “Pre-Reissues”: On the Road to ’59?

Tim Shaw Pickups - The Gear Page

The Gibson Les Paul Guitar Trader

Jimmy Wallace guitars.. - Les Paul Forum

Vintage Gibson Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard

Nobody was getting the specifications correct back then, so
be careful. 1979 to 1989 it was very easy to mistake the guitar
for something it's not. Accurate Reissue Les Pauls didn't start until
after 1993. Unless you are willing to educate yourself, I would by a
1994 or later Custom Shop Reissue. Before that, you have to
know what your looking at, or risk being taken advantage of.

 

[BSeneca]

Artie, you are the MAN! Always so informative I love to read your threads I always learn something. Thank you.

 

[BigJim]

One of the sweetest Les Pauls I have played was an early 80's Guitar Player reissue. Not quite accurate, a little heavy, but it had a set of NOS PAF's that sounded great in that axe...

Take some pix of it!

 

[delawaregold]

I didn't mean for my post to come off sounding like there weren't
great guitars made in the '80's, of course there were! I'm just saying
that it's easy for someone to say this guitar is a "KM Model", or a
"Strings-and-Things", or a "Jimmy Wallace", or a "Guitar Trader",
and by some casual reading you might know these guitars have
some extra value, but unless you really know what your looking at,
and can be sure the guitar is what it is advertised. It is easy to be
fooled into buying a guitar that is not what the seller has claimed it
to be.