FAKE 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitars and the factory ledgers. A Wall Street Journal story 7-10-2020

[PGguy]

It certainly did sound to me like you were lumping Vintage Gibson Project Guitars
into a category of "Fake Kits", which to me at least, is something that is not
what it purports to be.




If you are going to make Bold, open ended statements like this, it would be
helpful to include some documentation or reference to back up your claim.
While you may be correct, not everyone here is familiar with the guitars you are
referring to.​

Eric can put up the photos, it was listed for $7,000, talking about the sanded to heck Goldtop. On a separate subject, the fake kits were sold at a guitar show many years ago, many were bought, completed and resold. There are a lot of Fake Fender guitars out there as well...

 

[delawaregold]

I remember the kits very well. We had to deal with them here on the Forum.
We had some members who purchased them, and after long delays, and
delivery issues, a few of them were delivered, and completed.
I am quite confident in saying that regardless of how good a Luthier you are,
these guitars were never going to fool anyone into believing they were from
Gibson, let alone a Vintage Guitar. They were very poor quality "Chibsons".

I'm sorry, but I just don't see how this compares with someone
taking a "Basket Case" Vintage Les Paul, and doing the best they
can to make it playable.
As far as the cost...I pay a proctologist more money than
I pay a plumber, but its basically the same thing.

 

[eric ernest]

Eric can put up the photos, it was listed for $7,000

You are referring to the guy I sold it to (Solo Guitars) he flipped it for way more than I was asking for it.

Is there anything else you would like to be wrong about?

 

[eric ernest]

Eric: It’s lonely at the top!

In today's upside down world, that puts me at the bottom.

 

[PGguy]

You are referring to the guy I sold it to (Solo Guitars) he flipped it for way more than I was asking for it.

Is there anything else you would like to be wrong about?

What were you referring to about selling the parts then?..., you broke my trust from your previous statement earlier, thanks

 

[PGguy]

So how would that be....in your words..."a fake kit?"

It was a boogered up '52 Goldtop....and no, I did not convert it, or make it into a "fake."

Oh, and the electronics sold for more than what you say the entire guitar was worth.

This statement is not the same as selling the guitar to Solo, is it?

 

[delawaregold]

I have known Eric Ernest for well over ten years.
I have spent many hours learning from him. I have
been to dinner with Eric and Sheila many times.
Eric is like an encyclopedia of music knowledge,
and guitar history. More than that, Eric is a
"Country Gentleman" in the truest sense of the term.
Southern warmth, hospitable, honest, hardworking,
loyal, and humble, especially for someone who knows
as much as he does. I know less than one tenth of what
Eric knows, and I am a hundred times less humble about it!
If you asked Eric for the shirt off his back, while he was taking
it off, he would ask you if you needed his shoes. He is the last
of a dying breed.

 

[VictorB]

This statement is not the same as selling the guitar to Solo, is it?

That you Scott?

 

[PGguy]

If Gibson Custom Shop wanted a grand idea, this would be it a CC Goldtop once owned by Paul Reid Smith, even though it was owned by the competition, for Paul to say it was the best sounding LP that gave up all of it's secrets before they were done with it, the marketing and hype is already done by the competition for FREE!

Gibson Les Paul Goldtop 1958 | Reverb

The Gibson Les Paul Standard stands as one of the most widely played and universally recognizable guitars ever. First marketed as the Les Paul model in 1952, the Les Paul evolved throughout the '50s until the design was replaced by the SG in late 1960. Up until 1958, the Les Paul sported a gold f...

reverb.com

Also, if Gibson uses this idea, I would expect at least some credit, thanks

 

[58 special]

Did you just quote yourself ?

 

[PGguy]

Did you just quote yourself ?

That you Scott?

 

[PGguy]

Just get Heritage to build 59's, they still have the original equipment and are former employees,

CARRYING ON THE TRADITION
Several former employees wanted to continue the tradition of handcrafting beautiful, high quality electric guitars in Kalamazoo. During the spring of 1985, they purchased space at the iconic factory along with its original guitar-making equipment. And with that, Heritage Guitars was born.

Our Story | Heritage Guitars

Since 1985, Heritage Guitars has been handcrafting some of the finest musical instruments in the world, building them at the iconic 225 Parsons, Kalamazoo.

heritageguitars.com

 

[eric ernest]

Just get Heritage to build 59's, they still have the original equipment and are former employees,

I already did that...27 years ago....but they mucked it up.

It was suppose to have an Explorer headstock....but it ended up getting a Kramer "banana" headstock...so much for "having the original equipment."

It was also supposed to have a "killer top...."

FYI: This was one of the last 3 or 4 custom made with the original '59 LP shape guitars. That 100% ended in 1993.

 

[PGguy]

I already did that...27 years ago....but they mucked it up.

It was suppose to have an Explorer headstock....but it ended up getting a Kramer "banana" headstock...so much for "having the original equipment."

It was also supposed to have a "killer top...."

FYI: This was one of the last 3 or 4 custom made with the original '59 LP shape guitars. That 100% ended in 1993.

View attachment 477364

You know ESP and Hamer unofficially built some 59's and a few flying V's, at least the employees did.

 

[PGguy]

I already did that...27 years ago....but they mucked it up.

It was suppose to have an Explorer headstock....but it ended up getting a Kramer "banana" headstock...so much for "having the original equipment."

It was also supposed to have a "killer top...."

FYI: This was one of the last 3 or 4 custom made with the original '59 LP shape guitars. That 100% ended in 1993.

View attachment 477364

Larry Corsa - Corsa guitars, had the initial Prototype Corsa guitar made by Heritage.

 

[PGguy]

 

[Qam]

Another "wheres the beefy-books '58-60" guess I have, is: attorneys representing Gibson's legal defenses against demands by Mary Ford for legit numbers in the her divorce with Mr. Polvus.

It may also be, regarding this supposed "Norlin-Shredding of '71" that even the legal boxes got ditched, too.

So if I was on that research team, I would try researching who in Kalamazoo and Chicago were related to attorneys back then, or successors to the firms if possible who represented Gibson, and see if they got any archives.

Some of these jokers up in the Great Lakes area live to be over 100 and they don't throw nothing away.

It's probably in one of those 104-year-old attorney guys' basements... right between the box of Readers' Digest '56-67 and the Schwinn Stingray banana seat you been looking for since junior high.

 

[Qam]

I already did that...27 years ago....but they mucked it up.

It was suppose to have an Explorer headstock....but it ended up getting a Kramer "banana" headstock...so much for "having the original equipment."

It was also supposed to have a "killer top...."

FYI: This was one of the last 3 or 4 custom made with the original '59 LP shape guitars. That 100% ended in 1993.

View attachment 477364

That guy at Performance Guitar used to do some great Epi Paul headstock mods.

Just saying-

 

[DBDM]

I think Gibson knows, fully well, that they will not recover the book. They are simply trying to drum up free press and to get guys like us to discuss it on the internet. It is possible that they recover some blueprints and other artifacts but I do not believe that they think someone will turn over the book.

 

[Lousyatit]

I have known Eric Ernest for well over ten years.
I have spent many hours learning from him. I have
been to dinner with Eric and Sheila many times.
Eric is like an encyclopedia of music knowledge,
and guitar history. More than that, Eric is a
"Country Gentleman" in the truest sense of the term.
Southern warmth, hospitable, honest, hardworking,
loyal, and humble, especially for someone who knows
as much as he does. I know less than one tenth of what
Eric knows, and I am a hundred times less humble about it!
If you asked Eric for the shirt off his back, while he was taking
it off, he would ask you if you needed his shoes. He is the last
of a dying breed.

I really don't want to even think about how long I've known Eric, it would just make me feel old. I think that you pretty well describe him here. I never cease to be amazed by his knowledge. When I'm asked about dealers my reply is always along these lines, " If you don't want to run the risk of getting screwed, call Eric Ernest...". I can think of no better compliment.