What model is this guitar, and is it legit?

[nath7173]

Hi there, Gibson are telling me this is a 2014 LP Standard Min-ETune from 2014. It is clearly not an e-tune. It also has a pick guard which all the 2014 standards I see online don't have. It doesn't have knob pointers which seems in line with standards, but not traditionals which I am told this is. Don't they also usually have the model name on the truss rod cover...? I'm a bit confused...

 

[Neemo]

The min-e-tune could have been replaced with normal tuners since there are alot of folks who despise its very existence ... but if gibson told u what model it is there shouldn't be a reason to doubt it

Truss rod covers, knob pointers and pick guards are things easily added/removed/replaced depending on the owner's preference

A full shot front and back of guitar would be helpful as well

Another way to tell model is to remove neck pickup and see what they wrote in the cavity under there

 

[Roman4405]

I have no idea if it’s legit or not but the damn stings are giving me anxiety.

 

[diskotekno]

I have no idea if it’s legit or not but the damn stings are giving me anxiety.

Strings be damned. The filth on that guitar has made me feel so dirty I just quit drinkin'

 

[Michael Matyas]

I'm not positive, but the color of the plastic parts looks fishy to me. I think the installation of robot tuners would leave a telltale mark on the back of the peghead. The holes for the tuners look like they are not drilled properly. I'm not talking about the holes for the tuner mounting screws (they are way off)--I'm talking about the holes for the tuner shafts themselves. They don't look symmetrical from side to side. And the pickup height adjustment screw looks wrong. That is a slotted screw, which I believe is only on Historics. The pickup height screw looks like one from DiMarzio. The fit of the pickup mounting screws in the mounting ring looks wrong. This could be a Gibson that had pickups replaced. The truss rod cover looks wrong too. The nut is not original. More pics, please, if possible. I'd like to see the fingerboard inlays and the neck heel. Can you get the back covers off and take pics of the cavities and the wiring?

 

[1all's Pub]

• I think the installation of robot tuners would leave a telltale mark on the back of the peghead.
• And the pickup height adjustment screw looks wrong. That is a slotted screw, which I believe is only on Historics.
• The truss rod cover looks wrong too.
• The nut is not original.

• If the Min-E-Tuners were removed earlier in its life (which many were by owners) these marks could be avoided.
• Height adjustment screws are easily and often replaced, especially during a pickup swap, which this one may have had.
• Again, easily replaced and often done because many prefer a blank truss rod (like the original 50s LPs had).
• The black nut is indeed correct if it was originally equipped with Min-E-Tuners, ie, such equipped guitars had black nuts in 2014... it was one way to tell if a guitar had its Min-E-Tuners swapped out back then.

This is a 6 (almost 7) year old guitar that has obviously been played a lot and modded (and not particularly well cared for). I’d be willing to bet good money it is a legit Gibson... just can’t figure out what model it is without better pics.

 

[Gibsonrocknroll]

The guitar is legit. Like others said the mini e-tune along with the e-tune truss rod cover was removed and replaced. A pickguard was added.

 

[mudface]

Does it have push-pulls on the tone and volume knobs?

And the banner 12th fret inlay?

 

[Michael Matyas]

• If the Min-E-Tuners were removed earlier in its life (which many were by owners) these marks could be avoided.
• Height adjustment screws are easily and often replaced, especially during a pickup swap, which this one may have had.
• Again, easily replaced and often done because many prefer a blank truss rod (like the original 50s LPs had).
• The black nut is indeed correct if it was originally equipped with Min-E-Tuners, ie, such equipped guitars had black nuts in 2014... it was one way to tell if a guitar had its Min-E-Tuners swapped out back then.

This is a 6 (almost 7) year old guitar that has obviously been played a lot and modded (and not particularly well cared for). I’d be willing to bet good money it is a legit Gibson... just can’t figure out what model it is without better pics.

I did not claim that the woodwork was not done by Gibson. I do still doubt that this guitar was a self-tuner, because Gibson's lacquer finishes can take a year or more to fully cure, and if the guitar had left the factory with Min-E-Tuners they would have likely left an impression in the still-soft finish. I was just trying to point out a number of concerns with this instrument. Somebody did a barn job on the tuning keys, and there's no telling what is going on with the wiring. I do agree with you about the nut, but somebody messed that up too.

It makes no difference to me personally what model or year this guitar is. There are just too many danger signs. If I was in the market for an instrument I'd pass on this one.

 

[1all's Pub]

I did not claim that the woodwork was not done by Gibson. I do still doubt that this guitar was a self-tuner, because Gibson's lacquer finishes can take a year or more to fully cure, and if the guitar had left the factory with Min-E-Tuners they would have likely left an impression in the still-soft finish. I was just trying to point out a number of concerns with this instrument. Somebody did a barn job on the tuning keys, and there's no telling what is going on with the wiring. I do agree with you about the nut, but somebody messed that up too.

It makes no difference to me personally what model or year this guitar is. There are just too many danger signs. If I was in the market for an instrument I'd pass on this one.

I used to own a 2014 LP that was originally equipped with etuners (which I also got separately, still have them in fact) but had been removed early on in its life and replaced with regular tuners... and it showed no such indentations... so that is not a reliable sign always. And it’s a fact that the black nuts were used on the etuner guitars in 2014, so that is a very solid sign it was indeed equipped as such.

And the fact that the TRCs on etuner-equipped guitars said so explains the guitar‘s present blank TRC.

 

[RufusTelestrat]

That is the rare Dusty Paul

 

[CB91710]

That is the rare Dusty Paul

Ahh... Les's older brother, quite popular in the Country scene.

 

[dspelman]

That is the rare Dusty Paul

Rusty, Crusty, Musty, Lusty and Busty are around here somewhere, but Gusty left town and is in the wind somewhere.

 

[CB91710]

Rusty, Crusty, Musty, Lusty and Busty are around here somewhere, but Gusty left town and is in the wind somewhere.

I saw Rusty hanging out in the pits down at Talladega, and I heard that Musty was spending some time in Aspen getting some fresh air.

 

[nath7173]

Thanks for your thoughts folks. I grabbed the guitar from the owner today just to give it a clean and to pull the cover off to see if it can be athenticated. The owner is not a guitarist, and this guitar has been sitting for the last few years on a stand in the corner of an unused room. Hence it's a bit dusty! Anyway, here's a few more images, including LPS14 under the bridge pickup... so Les Paul standard Mini eTune, removed, with truss rod cover changed and pick guard added...

BTW, it smelt a bit burny under the back cover, and what I assume used to be insulation around the ground wire basically fell off when I touched it. What may cause that?

 

[MP4-22]

cleaned up well

 

[1all's Pub]

Assuming it has a skinny asymmetrical neck profile (which I’m betting it does), this is indeed a 2014 Standard in Tobacco Sunburst Perimeter, which has had the etuners replaced with regular Klusons and the “e-Tune” TRC replaced.

Nice looking guitar now that she’s all cleaned up.

 

[1all's Pub]

Pickguards are easily added, btw. And may have even come in the case uninstalled back then. Either way don’t let things that are easily (and very often) added and/or changed throw you. Remember this is an almost 7 year old guitar now... lots and lots of time for people to make such changes... AND... these changes (replacing etuners and adding a pickguard, etc) are EXCEEDINGLY common.

Congrats on your new Standard!

 

[Michael Matyas]

Pretty guitar. Looks like it needed lots of love.

 

[CB91710]

Oh ya... that's legit.
Very nice. The "burny" smell may be from dust or was the owner a smoker?
The ground wire is normally not exactly "insulated"... I've had them with paint on them, which will tend to flake off when flexed.