Can you please help me identify this 73 Deluxe?

God of Thunder · Mar 29, 2023

This was one of those "on a whim" purchases that I probably shouldn't have made - but I digress. I got a call about this one as it was just coming for sale - and figured I'd take a gamble on it.

This is identified as a 1973 Gibson Les Paul with a new neck (done in 93). THERE IS NO SERIAL NUMBER ON THE NECK. However, some things really threw me as I notice the logo was correct for a 70s LP. The neck has the wings you'd come to expect from Gibson. The frets still appear to have some nibs(?). The neck also has the volute on it which you'd expect from a 70s Gibson. And finally - the neck even has the wings which you'd not likely find elsewhere (that I am aware of). Unfortunately I don't know much about 70s LPs other than what I've discovered recently - but obviously no serial number is a red flag. This guitar also has the original case. Can someone please take a look at some photos and help me figure out a little more about it?

Bobby Mahogany · Mar 29, 2023

Wow!
A "Warrior".

God of Thunder · Mar 29, 2023

Here's the gut shots! I'm really hoping the neck is actually original - but the lack of serial number casts a ton of doubt. But with the correct logo, correct volute, correct wings - although I think it should be a 5 piece neck, I'm very confused by it.

ARandall · Mar 29, 2023

Whilst a volute might be there, there was never a time where the 1 piece neck and volute overlapped....nor a pancake body and a 1 piece mahogany neck for that matter. The closest to what you have was the 1972/73 RI of a 54 goldtop for the anniversary.....but that was a wrap/stoptail bridge and 1 piece body, so fundamentally different.
And the fact that you've said it was a re-neck means the builder could have built the neck any way they chose....it not being in any way impossible to make necks with volutes and wings or fretboards with nibs (just go to any build in the Luthiers corner here and you'll see more accurate 50's burst clones than anything the Gibson Custom Shop has ever done). Hell the original fretboard could be there too if it was just the headstock area that broke.
There are also a few places on the net where you can buy complete intact Gibson fibreboard veneers.....for both the 70's Custom and regular LP (deluxe/standard) model. And thats even after assuming that they couldn't simply have salvaged the veneer or the part of the veneer that held the logo. Then you simply buy a waterslide decal for the model part as that was period correct too.

Elrathia · Mar 30, 2023

Agree with Mr. Randall, volute isn’t right, looks like a much later version of. A volute, late 70’s ish. Nice job though. Does it matter?

HardCore Troubadour · Mar 30, 2023

Not to mention those frets are the size of railroad tracks…..did not happen during that time.

And you can see where the neck was replaced at the heel.

To me the volute is the worst part…it doesn’t look correct for any time period (and other than the very first that were really small (late 60’s) and the very next that were extremely large (early 70’s), I don’t know that you can pin down a volute shape to specific years)….

the slope/dip here looks very, very low…..very elongated.

Hey, they actually did a pretty damn good overall job IMO at a first glance.

Body is 73 though, if that makes you feel better.

ABCarlson · Apr 4, 2023

HardCore Troubadour said:
Body is 73 though, if that makes you feel better.

How can you tell if it's specifically a '73 body? Are there tells in those pancake bodies from '69 and after?

HardCore Troubadour · Apr 4, 2023

The shape and location of the wiring channel in the control cavity…..up until early 73 it was square and right behind the pot, where it was really in the way…..mid 73 it began to move upwards toward the center/flat sand eventually by mid to late 74 it was all the way to the top (almost behind the other pot) and turned round.

This one is square and has already been moved out from behind the pot, a little.

Something strange with the pots…the small Brown M&M looking cap was from about 78 or so.

Have you verified the date on the pots?

Uncle Vinnie · Apr 8, 2023

Doubt the neck is original. I don't believe Gibson would ship a guitar without a serial #.

Dilver · Apr 8, 2023

Pics of my 72 for reference. And yes, in the last pic the solder connections on the pots are not original. Those heinous solder blobs were done by 20 year old me when I didn’t know how to solder very well. Tried P90s for a spell and went back to mini humbuckers in this guitar.