Framptons '54 Custom found

[bryvincent]

Gibson would work on it again. Another re-board with Baked Maple, Firebird X Electronics and Robot Tuners!

 

[Bluesky]

He needs to make a kick ass Guitar album with it now, No excuses.

They need to document the rebuild at gibson and post it. Always dug Frampton (except when he did that silly Bee Gees thing with SGT Pepper).

 

[VA_siCkBoy]

So Peter is going to play at the Beacon Theater and other places on the east coast. I say we go see him.

I can't make the Beacon in NY but I'm seriously considering making the trip to D.C. on the 19th.....I have to see this guitar in action!

 

[VA_siCkBoy]

Someone posted this pic on his Facebook page...1973

 

[L60N]

Such an incredible story!! Thanks for sharing with us. That must have bee a long two years, nevermind the last thirty previous!

 

[Wilko]

I like that 1973 pic. You can see the first new board there with the binding mis-match.

 

[GooCart]

I've followed this thread with great interest from post#1and wow, what a epic thread it is!
Congrats to everybody involved, it's such a cool story about a legendary guitar.
I can't wait to see and hear it played by Frampton again after all this time.

 

[GooCart]

double post....sorry

 

[atheos]

I cannot explain yours, but I have yet to see a picture of a mid 53 and up Les Paul without a SN, except for a refin or repair. 1952s do not have SN. I have no idea why your 56 does not have a SN. As far as different body sizes and neck angles, I am sure that is very possible. If you have ever worked in a factory, you know that there are many variations that are not on spec.

my '55 has no serial, and no evidence of ever having one.

 

[tonebone]

"But he said he will leave the burn marks and scrapes alone.

“I want it to have its battle scars,” he said."

- from the Times article. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ton-reunited-with-best-guitar-after-31-years/

Doesn't sound like a total rebuild to me at all!




Why are they always trying to make a big lug like me get all misty eyed with a great story like this one? It's always so friggin' hard to talk with a big lump in my throat.

 

[RevWillie]

Congratulations Donald and Ben!!! Stellar effort all around.

A question:
For 40+ years it has been said that Frampton's guitar is either a '54 or a '55 - this was repeated by Gibson after inspecting the guitar last month.

What evidence or proof do you have for saying it is a 1957 guitar? Serial number (can we see a photo)? Potentiometer date codes?

I realize that for the first ~6 months of 1957 that Les Paul Customs came equipped with the 1-Alnico/1-P-90 pickup configuration, and this is obviously a Alnico/P-90 guitar.

 

[charlie]

Sorry you feel that way, but the fact of the matter is the burden of proof is on you, not us. We are not the ones making the claim that this is a famous guitar, you are.

Whether or not it's true (and again, I hope it is), the fact is all you have given us is your statement that this is Frampton's guitar. Not a lot for us to go on, is it?

In the world of guitar, particularly vintage guitars, there are a lot of folks out there trying to say they have something they don't. That goes double for famous guitars.

Not saying you are in any way dishonest, but unfortunately in your position, you are just going to have to deal with skepticism. Just the way it is.

Well, it appears someone is certainly appropriately named.

 

[Wilko]

A question:
For 40+ years it has been said that Frampton's guitar is either a '54 or a '55 - this was repeated by Gibson after inspecting the guitar last month.

From #17:

Mark Mariana thought it was from 1954, but in fact it was from 1957.
I personally emailed with mister Peter Frampton. My first question to him was . are you certain that the lost guitar was a 1954 Gibson ? Because we found a 1957 guitar. And he said yes i could be one from 1957.
In that time (1970) nobody bothered with dates. If you look closely at the pictures from that time you can see that the last three inlays are different Just as a 1957 one should be.

 

[tdarian]

Great story.

 

[joshhohensee]

I feel honored that I could actually contribute to such an epic thread. I'm happy for everyone involved that we can still be friends.

Also, as a side note, living in Nashville is awesome! You shoulda seen my face when I heard the news. I was like "Holy shit, there are probably less than 50 people on the planet that know what I know!" Woot woot!

Lastly, after all the equipment lost in the flood, (a metric shit ton) I'm glad something good can happen for this dude.

 

[harpman54]

What a great turn of events, and a great story to read as well! Now, I'll await PF's album release with his re-found guitar.

 

[Toby]

Awesome! Thanks to those who made it happen. If I ever loose a guitar I'll make a message to Ben and Donald to find it an bring it back! ;-)

 

[RevWillie]

From #17:
My first question to him was . are you certain that the lost guitar was a 1954 Gibson ? Because we found a 1957 guitar. And he said yes i could be one from 1957.

And it could be from any year from late 1953 through mid-1957. No offense but I'm not sure Peter knew what year it was, just that it 'could' have been from 1957 as easily as 1954.

In that time (1970) nobody bothered with dates. If you look closely at the pictures from that time you can see that the last three inlays are different Just as a 1957 one should be.

AFAIK the 3 different inlays occurred in only from parts of 1960 to today. There are variations, to be sure, but I don't think 3 different inlays is a 1957 feature.

Here's a '59 with the last 3 inlays the same size

Wilko - you mentioned that it was re-boarded twice? So it was made in the '50s, re-boarded in the '60s (would explain the 3 different inlays), and re-boarded again around 1978?

Where is Mark Mariana? Seems like he might be able to clear up some of this, though of course he owes us nothing.

 

[Wilko]

I'm sure Peter Frampton is going to be in touch with Marianna.

The finders know it be a '57. That's why they asked him, and that's why he said, it sure could be a 57. He knows it didn't matter as much back then, and the pickups were all changed and the neck shaved anyway. (paraphrased above) from Benwave's #17.

I speculate that it reboarded before it was given to Frampton. As you noted, that would explain the inlay discrepancy. It was then reboarded in the late 70s when it was refurbished at Gibson with new paint and hardware (Nashville bridge and other Schaller gold bits) and that explains why only very late pictures (such as what I posted) show the "new" inlays matching the found guitar.

 

[rockstar232007]

From #17:

Mark Mariana thought it was from 1954, but in fact it was from 1957.
I personally emailed with mister Peter Frampton. My first question to him was . are you certain that the lost guitar was a 1954 Gibson ? Because we found a 1957 guitar. And he said yes i could be one from 1957.
In that time (1970) nobody bothered with dates. If you look closely at the pictures from that time you can see that the last three inlays are different Just as a 1957 one should be.

There's a very clear pic of the neck pickup cavity in a previous post showing the "step" of the original P-90 rout. 1957 Customs wouldn't have said step, because they were routed for HBs, so you would see the neck tenon just like any other '57 LP.

Every interview I've ever seen/heard, Peter always referred to it as a "'54, routed for HBs, like a '57", and never that there was any question that it "could be a '57".