Looking for guidance - 1977 Les Paul Standard

[vaguely]

I'm gonna throw my endorsement behind checking those pickups as a deal-maker or breaker. If value is forefront in your concern over this acquisition, you need to know if that thing is correct. if those pickups are not what they're supposed to be (rings look off, I agree) then bail on that price and rethink the deal. if the 3k is NOT the end-all be-all concern for you and you love the guitar, then f-k, go for it! you only live once! overthinking the market and investment can really take the fun out of the straight physical enjoyment of the instrument, but not everyone can be cavalier with their spending, so I sympathize with your concern. hope that's of some help. that guitar looks awesome by the way, I dig!

 

[Duane_the_tub]

I think it looks fantastic. Buy it!

 

[fishbeiner]

Well, I brought it home. Turns out the seller was a little bit negotiable. Also, turns out he was very honest as well.

The shielding on the back cover looked like it had never been taken off before, or at least not in a long time. There was some white residue on the screw heads that looked like it sat there for a while.

Date codes on the pots put them ‘77. Solder joints look untouched. Also, and perhaps, I’m wrong, but it looks like it may be one piece mahogany based on the unpainted hole where the wiring from inside the control cavity passes. I don’t see any sign of the pancake construction.

I do see faintly through the paint on the neck, the three pieces there though.

And... the pickups are original to the guitar. Hard to tell from the photos, but the plastics are definitely aged. The underside of the pickups have “PAT NO 2,737,842” stamped on them with a faint stamp “AUG 12 1977. That makes them T-Buckers.

Overall, I’m very happy with the purchase. It’s exactly what I have been looking for and a keeper for sure.

Thank you all for your help! It was very useful and much appreciated.

 

[Shelkonnery]

That's awesome!
It even came with the original ashtray cover for the wiring.
Glad to hear it went well.
Congrats on the amazing guitar!
Enjoy it in good health, brother!

 

[VictorB]

Congrats! It’s a beauty!

 

[Oranjeaap]

Well done! How's the weight?

 

[JMP]

Congratulations. That’s a nice score and it’s in great condition. I dig the color a lot. I hope you enjoy it for a very long time.

 

[sparky2]

Fishbeiner, you did really well on that purchase.

Fjestad's Blue Book has a 1977 Gibson Les Paul Standard priced at $2,750 in Mint Condition.

As others have stated, this one isn't Mint, but it does appear to be in really great shape, and the all-original bits are a huge bonus.

If you paid less than the asking price of $3,000, I would say that everyone's a winner here.

 

[Sparkyshows]

Looks absolutely gorgeous!
congrats and enjoy!
you will have to keep us posted on your thoughts and impressions as you get to know it.

 

[mudface]

Excellent find.....congrats........enjoy in good health.

There's probably a host of info under that ground/shield plate in the control cavity.

From the date on the pickups it would make this one of latest with a decal serial number....most were done with the pressed stamp serial used like today by this time in 1977.......cool.

 

[HardCore Troubadour]

That was a good buy especially if you got him down a little...congratulations and welcome to the club!!

 

[Stealthracer]

That looks fantastic! Although I usually hate black guitars, I would so like a LP Standard in black - the cream binding and plastic, the chrome hardware and the gold knobs set it off perfectly.

(The only other black guitar I would consider is a 4001/4003 bass)

 

[JonnySledge]

I like it. The maple necked LPs with volutes are strong, stable, and give it a punchy, twangier tone that is like a Tele on steroids with the bridge T-Top pickup. The neck pickup will likely have a little more presence than PAF/Mahogany examples, making it more useful in many band situations, imo, unless your playing smooth jazz. Don't worry the "woman tone" will be there when you roll the tone knob down. That guitar should be an amazing rocker, maintaining cut and clarity when overdriving an amp. Regarding the pickup surrounds, I've seen some creams from that era not discolor much while others have can yellow a lot. It's not uncommon to see a yellowed bridge surround with a nearly new looking neck surround on the same guitar. I have that on my '79 and they are original.

 

[mrblooze]

Well, I brought it home. Turns out the seller was a little bit negotiable. Also, turns out he was very honest as well.

The shielding on the back cover looked like it had never been taken off before, or at least not in a long time. There was some white residue on the screw heads that looked like it sat there for a while.

Date codes on the pots put them ‘77. Solder joints look untouched. Also, and perhaps, I’m wrong, but it looks like it may be one piece mahogany based on the unpainted hole where the wiring from inside the control cavity passes. I don’t see any sign of the pancake construction.

I do see faintly through the paint on the neck, the three pieces there though.

And... the pickups are original to the guitar. Hard to tell from the photos, but the plastics are definitely aged. The underside of the pickups have “PAT NO 2,737,842” stamped on them with a faint stamp “AUG 12 1977. That makes them T-Buckers.

Overall, I’m very happy with the purchase. It’s exactly what I have been looking for and a keeper for sure.

Thank you all for your help! It was very useful and much appreciated.

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Congratulations! She's a beauty! As someone else mentioned, prices are all up due to the COVID thing, so indexes like Blue Books are out of date during this bubble. Prices may go back down, but they may not, and if you had hesitated, you might've lost out on The One. Good onya! And good to know that you met an honest decent seller. Most of us have been the seller, at one point, and looked at that way, the seller isn't the enemy... It's us. If both of you think you got a good deal, then regardless of price, it probably was.

And while there is definitely a difference in the tone of T-Tops from PAFs, they don't deserve the bad rep they had back in the day (I think that attitudes have come around a lot, over the years, and folks are starting to appreciate them for what they are, instead of just always comparing them unfavorably with PAFs.). With the right set up and amp, they have a voice all their own. I hope you love it!

Congrats again!

 

[zdoggie]

if you want it jump on it its gotta be better than whats coming out of the factory by todays standards
zdog

 

[dasherf17]

It does appear that this one doesn’t have the original mini humbuckers and was routed for full sized humbuckers. For resale a person wanting an all original guitar will pass on it. Just my opinion as I’m new to the vintage market.

Was '77 the year for Deluxes only?

 

[dasherf17]

Thank you for the information. Learning more every day.

Playing the part of the DA (an' I ain't talkin' district attorney), if you're looking for a decent Les Paul, knowing that this one is so close to toal accurate and are within a couple hundred of the top going price...I would spring for it, let's just say that. It a '70s guitar, prices have skyrocketed, it's there, you're there, do it...examine it from home, enjoy your NGD!
DO IT!

 

[musicmaniac]

Nice congrats!

 

[HardCore Troubadour]

I was done 2 days before you posted this....you District Attorney!

Playing the part of the DA (an' I ain't talkin' district attorney), if you're looking for a decent Les Paul, knowing that this one is so close to toal accurate and are within a couple hundred of the top going price...I would spring for it, let's just say that. It a '70s guitar, prices have skyrocketed, it's there, you're there, do it...examine it from home, enjoy your NGD!
DO IT!

 

[dasherf17]

I was done 2 days before you posted this....you District Attorney!

I object! I thought fishbein had the guitar in question...
(Good for you, too, tho, HCT!)