Help with a gibson custom

[helikacarvalho]

Can you guys help me to identify a gibson custom shop? I want to know if this gibson is a VOS or not.
Thanks in advance

 

[Tonemeister]

Pictures of the cavity would help. VOS would mean it has a lightly aged look to the finish. Miniscule scratches, light patina on the hardware. Usually there are CTS pots and bumblebee caps. Stuff like that. I'm no expert. Just own one. I should add that the serial number indicates it is a Custom Shop model. I suck with figuring out the year and model so I won't try. Maybe this will help with identifying it. From R9's post...

"Serial numbers
Ah yes, how can I forget serial numbers??
Your one stop shop for serial numbers, right here ---> Gibson Support - Serial Number Search
Here's the gist of it.

The typical pattern for Gibson USA Les Pauls is
YDDDYRRR
YY is the production year
DDD is the day of the year
RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number

Gibson USA goes to a 9 digit serial number in early July 2005. The sixth number is now a batch number- batch 0 starts at the beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number will change to 1. Basically, YDDDYBRRR

Les Paul Classics
The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we've been using since 2000.

Examples -
9 xxx = 1989 (4 digit number beginning with "9" used only in 1989)
0 xxxx = 1990
9 xxxx = 1999
00xxxx = 2000
05xxxx = 2005

Those beginning with "94":
In 1994, Gibson's Centennial year, many instruments have a serial number that begins with "94" for the year, with the remaining 6 digits indicating the ranking number.

Gibson Custom
2004 & newer modern Customs has a serial number like this - CSxxxxx.
Pre-2004 had 8-digit serial numbers.

Historic Reissues
M YRRR or MYRRRR
M is the model year being reissued
Y is the production year
RRR(R) indicates the guitar's place production for that year"

 

[Tonemeister]

The binding doesn't appear to be aged at all.

 

[helikacarvalho]

saw this website Gibson Les Paul Custom Pelham Blue VOS at KeyMusic.com
mine is the same guitar...

 

[David Mccarroll]

ummmm - is it a little bit dull, with dull looking hardware - probably a VOS (whatever that is supposed to mean - regardless of what Gibson say, it sure doesn't mean "Vintage Original Spec" because they blatantly are not! I mean - a Pelham Blue 57 LPC - gimme a break!

If it is shiny and has new looking hardware, well, probably not VOS, but Gloss, whatever that is supposed to represent.

 

[Tuesday'sGone]

I love the color!

 

[Kalamazuu]

Looks great man!
That's all I can add.

 

[Tonemeister]

ummmm - is it a little bit dull, with dull looking hardware - probably a VOS (whatever that is supposed to mean - regardless of what Gibson say, it sure doesn't mean "Vintage Original Spec" because they blatantly are not! I mean - a Pelham Blue 57 LPC - gimme a break!

Well your opinion not withstanding, that is what Gibson defines VOS as. "Vintage Original Spec" I think it is a loose definition for sure. I think it might mostly be in regards to the vibe of the instrument. The dimensions and features. Wrapped into the Gibson "VOS" spec is the faux aging process.

 

[Tonemeister]

saw this website Gibson Les Paul Custom Pelham Blue VOS at KeyMusic.com
mine is the same guitar...

I don't think this can be considered a VOS 57. In that listing it says it was treated to the VOS aging process though. It also says this in regard to the body.....

"The body is crafted with a hand-carved maple top, which is fitted to a body made from a solid piece of mahogany with strategically routed holes to lessen the weight of the guitar"

Obviously NOT a "vintage" guitar building technique. My R7 is a custom shop guitar. Solid construction (no holes), long tenon and includes the VOS aging process. Bumble Bee caps, CTS pots etc. etc. These features are what I was led to believe define a CS VOS instrument. I surely hope Gibson isn't loosely using the term. That will affect resale on the instruments. Weakening the gene pool as it were.

 

[Lurko]

Looks VOS to me. The p/us are not shiny and new looking.