What is this?

[hippychip]

I got this in the shop today to remove the modern pickups. I have what are supposed to be the original pups, but I'm wondering if I should put them back in, or leave it to a professional restorer.

 

[Juan Tumani]

I got this in the shop today to remove the modern pickups. I have what are supposed to be the original pups, but I'm wondering if I should put them back in, or leave it to a professional restorer.

Do you have more pics?

It's either an old Gibson that's had many lives or its a fake Gibson made to look old. The stop tail looks way too oxidized to be legit, but you never know.

What I think I see so far is no fret nibs (could be a re-fret) a Schaller roller bridge (player mod) pickup mounting rings with non Gibson screws (could be no one cared at the time of mod) and then the obvious drill and fills with incorrect knob placement.

 

[VictorB]

70s LP of some sort.

 

[icantshred]

Block inlays makes me think Custom.

Is the 3rd pickup option stock or was that added later?

 

[Uncle Vinnie]

70s LP of some sort.

Or early 80s. That's the exact case as my '81 Deluxe, 5 latch with 4 lid straps, red interior.

The hardware looks to be gold or very "aged relic".

 

[judson]

headstock pic would help......bridge looks funkified..

 

[Axeman16]

It's clearly a late 70s early 80s white custom. More pics helpful. Bridge vol knob has been relocated. Probably mostly original 2 additional holes added to likely control middle pickup independently.A refin of the top would hide that no problem. Gibson did use those bridges stock for a time.

It's hilarious how many forums I see people claim something is a fake with little to no evidence.

 

[LeftyF2003]

From that my guess is a 70s white custom with an added 3rd pickup and replaced bridge and studs. Current pickups are anyone's guess, but the zebras could be early Seymore Duncans, and the double black maybe a period T-Top. Total guess, but should be looked into as those could be worth something on their own.

I really want to know the story on the extra plugged holes. Maybe it had a dedicated volume and tone for the 3rd pickup at one time?

 

[mudface]

Bastardized.

 

[Juan Tumani]

It's clearly a late 70s early 80s white custom. More pics helpful. Bridge vol knob has been relocated. Probably mostly original 2 additional holes added to likely control middle pickup independently.A refin of the top would hide that no problem. Gibson did use those bridges stock for a time.

It's hilarious how many forums I see people claim something is a fake with little to no evidence.

Since I'm the only one who has the word fake in my post I assume you meant me.

I didn't say it was fake I said it could be fake and asked for more pictures. All of the things we look at to help make an educated guess as to what's real have been changed on this guitar (fret nibs, Nashville or ABR style bridge, knob position etc...).

Plus in this picture the MOP aren't reflecting very much light. Mine reflect at any angle so it makes me wonder if the inlays are not MOP.

Since this isn't even the OP's guitar it doesn't even matter if it's fake. However, there would be no point to finding someone else to restore it.

 

[Axeman16]

Those inlays are not going to be mop. They will be celluloid acetate or post 80 mother of toilet seat depending on year.

 

[integra evan]

It's a guitar.

 

[Juan Tumani]

Those inlays are not going to be mop. They will be celluloid acetate or post 80 mother of toilet seat depending on year.

Which years of Gibson Les Paul Customs did not have real MOP inlays?

Edit I should clarify that I'm not saying that these can't be MOP. I'm saying it doesn't look like it in this picture.

 

[mudface]

Those inlays are not going to be mop. They will be celluloid acetate or post 80 mother of toilet seat depending on year.

ALL Legit Les Paul Customs will have Mother-of-Pearl block inlays no matter what year they are made.... Only the model identified as a Les Paul "Custom Classic" will have acrylic block inlays.... The Custom Classic can be identified by the fact they only have multiply binding on the top of the body and not the back.

The OP's pic has all the tell-tale signs of a Norlin era Custom,...Pointy cutaway horn, multiply binding, ebony fretboard, and block inlays.

 

[HardCore Troubadour]

Nothing looks fake in that pic that I see, fucked-up, but not fake.

Horn looks correct, body joins at the right place, binding is right etc….
actually looks like a factory 3 pup from that terrible pic (spacing etc.).

If the case is correct…….mid 70’s.

Worth about 1K-$1200



FYI Your 81 is in a mid 70’s case.

Or early 80s. That's the exact case as my '81 Deluxe, 5 latch with 4 lid straps, red interior.

The hardware looks to be gold or very "aged relic".

View attachment 676202

@Uncle Vinnie That color looks like “Cherry”, is that correct?

I can not tell if it is a “sparkle” etc…..if so, even better.

If so, great color and there’s not a lot of them in Cherry, if that is what it is.

Of course, if it is the “sparkle”, it makes my sticker peck out.