Can anyone identify Roy Orbison's Les Paul Custom?

[LesP]

Hi everyone,

I want to buy a Les Paul exactly the same as Roy Orbison's.

The pictures I've found (below) I believe are all from 1972 so my first guess was that it was a Norlin. However, now looking at it, the headstock doesn't look like a Norlin - looks earlier. Can anyone guess what year it is and did Gibson factory fit bigsbys on Les Paul customs back then?

 

[LesP]

also see these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMl4yX1JiA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bokmbBGylr8

 

[ARandall]

Well, the two pics have 2 different guitars for a start. So which one are you going to go for??

Personally I'd choose an R7 custom with Bigsby if thats an option

 

[LesP]

Well, the two pics have 2 different guitars for a start. So which one are you going to go for??

Personally I'd choose an R7 custom with Bigsby if thats an option

different guitars? how can you tell?

 

[Khshockey44]

top two have a bigsby bottom one has a stop tail

 

[LesP]

ah ok cool thanks. hadn't spotted the stop tail on the bottom one!

Yes - I was meaning the one with the bigsby. Any idea what year it is? Is it a Norlin?

 

[acstorfer]

different guitars? how can you tell?

The first LP has a split diamond on the headstock. The second LP has that floral pattern for which I don't know what it's called.

 

[LesP]

some more pics to help identify it:

 

[X–Ray]

The first LP has a split diamond on the headstock. The second LP has that floral pattern for which I don't know what it's called.

I believe the second photo also shows a split diamond

However I think the excess string lengths hadn't been cut interfering with a clear image of the headstock...

 

[LesP]

the photo with the orangey background is from sometime in 1969 so I guess that means it could still be a Norlin?

 

[acstorfer]

I believe the second photo also shows a split diamond

However I think the excess string lengths hadn't been cut interfering with a clear image of the headstock...

That be freaky!

 

[jeffy]

That be freaky!

You can make out the split diamond in this larger pic. http://www.recordsale.de/cdpix/r/roy_orbison-sings(1).jpg

 

[LesP]

So what do we think? Norlin or not?

 

[questionman]

Probably a Norlin. Although any Custom with a Bigsby would replicate it.

 

[LesP]

Are there any visual giveaways of a Norlin era custom? It seems to me that the headstock is wider and perhaps more angular. Also maybe the cutaway is very slightly differently shaped. Anyone else noticed this?

 

[LesP]

Are there any visual giveaways of a Norlin era custom? It seems to me that the headstock is wider and perhaps more angular. Also maybe the cutaway is very slightly differently shaped. Anyone else noticed this?

compare these different shapes:

 

[LesP]

also these cutaway differences:

 

[Tonemeister]

compare these different shapes:

Very distinct differences. Which is which?

 

[Tonemeister]

Hi everyone,

I want to buy a Les Paul exactly the same as Roy Orbison's.

The pictures I've found (below) I believe are all from 1972 so my first guess was that it was a Norlin. However, now looking at it, the headstock doesn't look like a Norlin - looks earlier. Can anyone guess what year it is and did Gibson factory fit bigsbys on Les Paul customs back then?

Assuming this pic was taken during the time period of the compilation then it would have to be pre 1970

 

[Tonemeister]

If one could find a shot of the headstock where you could make out the GIBSON logo you could narrow it down but I'm gonna guess it's a '69 for the following reasons...

Gold tuners
Smaller width inlay at the 21st fret
Witchhat knobs with gold inserts
I've seen catalog adverts of the '69 with all gold hardware and factory Bigsbys.

That's my , somewhat, educated guess.