ID's for 50's or 60's neck

[lpfaded]

I have a 2008 USA Made Gibson Les-Paul Faded...How can i tell from the ID if this guitar has a 50's or 60's neck?...I was told when i bought the guitar that is was a 50's neck...but is feels thin to me?..Thanks

 

[John Sage]

I would go play a bunch of Les Pauls in some stores, knowing what necks you're playing. You will pick up on the differences. I like both and don't have trouble playing on a 50's or 60's neck. The really thick baseball bat 50's on some of the historics turns me off though, but those are pretty much only on some of the historics. You will know that one when you play it.

 

[Mr Insane]

If I'm not mistaken it has a asymmetrical neck, or is that only for 2008 Standards?
And for gosh sakes, take off your freaken serial number.

 

[kspeed]

It's about a 3-4mm difference in thickness at frets 1 and 12, IIRC. This is pretty dramatic, really, like the difference between a Fender C neck (your everyday Strat or Tele) and an Ibanez Wizard II. It doesn't sound like much but if you've been playing for a while you'll pick up on it pretty quickly.

 

[John Sage]

If it's a faded I would say it's a 50's neck like the ones they use on the Studios.

 

[LPGEM]

Look at the neck from the side. If it looks skinny, it's a 60's. If it looks thick, it's a 50's.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

If I'm not mistaken it has a asymmetrical neck, or is that only for 2008 Standards?
And for gosh sakes, take off your freaken serial number.

+1. Remove the serial number from your original post. Companies that counterfeit Gibsons use the serial numbers on their fakes.

Actually the assymetrical necks were never used on the fadeds (Only on regular 08 standards). With that being said it would either be a 50's neck or 60's neck.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Look at the neck from the side. If it looks skinny, it's a 60's. If it looks thick, it's a 50's.

My 2004 was documented as having a 50's neck but feels like a 60's neck. With that being said the 50's and 60's neck profiles can be quite misleading. 50's necks are known to fill your hand but some don't even come close to delivering.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

If it's a faded I would say it's a 50's neck like the ones they use on the Studios.

Studios actually have the 59 neck profile.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

I would go play a bunch of Les Pauls in some stores, knowing what necks you're playing. You will pick up on the differences. I like both and don't have trouble playing on a 50's or 60's neck. The really thick baseball bat 50's on some of the historics turns me off though, but those are pretty much only on some of the historics. You will know that one when you play it.

What it feels like and what its documented as can be two totally different things. If it feels thin to you it's most likely a 60's neck. I have learned this from personal experience. The neck profiles tend to be all over the place and not the least bit consistent because they are hand sanded. This is why alot of people will not buy a guitar online. They simply don't know what to expect. If you want to find out the "official" neck profile of your LP call Gibson with the serial number of your LP and they can look it up for you.

 

[highenuff]

My 2004 was documented as having a 50's neck but feels like a 60's neck. With that being said the 50's and 60's neck profiles can be quite misleading. 50's necks are known to fill your hand but some don't even come close to delivering.

I have had the same expierence...My 2004 feels way to thin to be a 50's neck, and a bit thicker than a 60's...almost in between.

When I got it back in 04 it was sold as a "50's" neck.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

I have had the same expierence...My 2004 feels way to thin to be a 50's neck, and a bit thicker than a 60's...almost in between.

When I got it back in 04 it was sold as a "50's" neck.

When I took my LP in to get a setup the tech swore it had a 60's neck.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

My guess would be that the people who do the sanding at Gibson try to stick within the neck profile the LP is supposed to have but sometimes over sand just because they had a hard time shaping the neck evenly. If you think about it perhaps by the time they had the neck shaped evenly they had a 60's neck profile rather than a 50's neck profile like it should have had. And obviously they still document the neck as a 50's neck because that is what it was supposed to have regardless of the fact it didn't really fall under the 50's neck profile. If they did it based on how each neck actually turned out the 60's necks would undoubtedly outweigh the 50's necks and they'd be in trouble.

 

[GeeJay]

Pull the bridge pickup and take a look in the cavity..

LP5 = 50's neck
LP6 = 60's neck

or e-mail Gibson with the serial no. and they'll tell you.

Cheers!

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Pull the bridge pickup and take a look in the cavity..

LP5 = 50's neck
LP6 = 60's neck

or e-mail Gibson with the serial no. and they'll tell you.

Cheers!

Or if you have the Gibson Production Checklist it will tell you either way (I forgot about this).

 

[TattooedCarrot]

+1. Remove the serial number from your original post. Companies that counterfeit Gibsons use the serial numbers on their fakes.

Comedy, you guys are paranoid. They could simply make any number up they want that corresponds with Gibson's format, why would they need his specifically, and what would it matter? LOL

And IMO it seems the current production 50's necks I've encountered aren't all that big, and nothing compared to the early 50's profile of the historics.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Comedy, you guys are paranoid. They could simply make any number up they want that corresponds with Gibson's format, why would they need his specifically, and what would it matter? LOL

So be it, let them create fake serial numbers but let's not make legit serial numbers available to them and make their scam quest any easier for them.

 

[dennistruckdriver]

Two posts in eight months....slow down, lpfaded-dude!

 

[Lemonhead]

I'm not sure on this, but I think I read that the Production '50s and '60s neck have different truss rod acorn nuts. Gold for one and silver for the other, to make it easier to identify during neck/body assembly.

If some of you guys can show your nuts, that would be helpful.

 

[Lowdown]

Or if you have the Gibson Production Checklist it will tell you either way (I forgot about this).

Checklist does not describe neck profile. At least it doesn't for my Standard Faded and Trad +.

I'm not sure on this, but I think I read that the Production '50s and '60s neck have different truss rod acorn nuts. Gold for one and silver for the other, to make it easier to identify during neck/body assembly.

If some of you guys can show your nuts, that would be helpful.

Yep. Silver for my Standard - 60's
Gold/Brass for my Trad + which has a fat '50.