Why I love my 1973 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe

[acstorfer]

I think there seems to be a lot of people who think we are preaching that the best Gibsons were made during the Norlin era. Or they believe we are saying that these Les Pauls are identical to Les Pauls from the 1950's. While I will say that my current 1973 Les Paul Deluxe is the best Les Paul for me (while however much i loved my previous 1973 Deluxe, in all honesty it was akin to wearing furniture around my neck, and even a bit on the clowny side it sounded absolutely Les Paulliscious) and I have a belief that a guitar that is pancaked is more accurate to a 50's Les Paul than one that is weight relieved (which I have a new found respect) or chambered, I still concede that Henry era Les Pauls also have some things going for it, that the Norlin era Les Paul doesn't in terms of true to 50's. Probably for me, the most important of this issue is headstock angle. I think I am speaking for the majority in saying we love our Norlin era Gibson Les Pauls in spite, or for many or some of us because of these differences.

While some here love their "Norlins", jheez I can't stand that identification, for other reasons such as they've had it for thirty something years and know what to expect, or because it is a proven die hard play hard guitar, or even because they think it is simply the most beautiful guitar they ever laid eyes on, we all devotees of this era for our own reasons, despite conventional beliefs of the "traditionalists".

The reason I love my 1973 Deluxe is simply I can do anything I want to it, to make it my ultimate guitar. Let's face it, in it's day it would have been considered the Studio of it's time. No flash or pageantry, it was simply a guitar made for the person who wanted to beat the sh*t out of their guitar. It was a guitar created to let it be morphed into an extension of the player without fear. My guitar has figuratively been to hell and back. It was routed for a bridge humbucker. It has been routed for a Kahler tremolo. It has been drilled for a coil tap switch. It has had holes put into it for a tuner upgrade. In fact, my previous Deluxe had even more things done to it. It was built out of a solid slab (well a few slabs) of wood and could take it. It cried out, "give me all you want, I can take it!"). In fact, it wasn't only Gibson that made their guitars like that. I would have to believe that out of the box I wouldn't love the Deluxe as much as I love my "butchered" Les Paul. It was because of this solid as a rock guitars willingness to accept these changes. It is because all of these upgrades (to me) that I believe I have the best guitar in the world. I am sorry that these guitars have become more highly coveted. I am sorry that today it is heresy to truly modify these guitars. I have great joy in knowing that my guitar came to me already modified, which I would have wanted to do to a unmolested specimen but no longer could. My Les Paul to me has everything I ever wanted in a guitar and if there came a day I wanted to, I could modify it even further.

I have owned many, many Les Pauls and Gibsons for that matter. I have tried many more. I have never played a Gibson from the fifties though. While I have no doubt I think it would be very cool to hold one in my hands, and even cooler to own, I do doubt very much that I would love it more than the guitar I have now. For no small part, because I couldn't make changes to it. Probably my two finest Gibsons I have owned were my Les Paul Axcess and my 61 SG Custom reissue. These were magnificent guitars and were better built than my current Les Paul. I just couldn't bond with them. I never felt comfortable playing them. I was always too paranoid about scratching or denting them to play with wild abandon. Also, they were just too damned valuable to make the changes I would have liked to. Also, quite honestly they were too light for me. As said in Jurassic Park, if it's heavy it's valuable.

I have little doubt that people here aren't saying buy a Norlin era Gibson because they are the best guitars ever made. What we are saying is give them an honest try and disregard the chatter. You'll be selling yourself short not to keep an open mind. Especially in considering our guitars have truly stood the test of time and at 30 and even 40 years, they are still beasts.

I would love to hear from others as to why they proudly rock their "Norlins".

 

[Mildperv]

Love my '73. I keep having brief romances with other guitars but always come back to this one.

 

[Duke 44]

I was looking for info on the Gibson neck profile for a 1973 LP Deluxe and I came across this forum. I would like to know what current and/or other Gibson guitars are/were made with the same neck profile. I read somewhere that their neck profiles were not always consistent back then and I would welcome info about that issue. I bought my 1973 Goldtop Deluxe new and in 1976 I added a Dimarzzio Super Distirtion at the bridge and my bandmate's LP Std's stock lead pickup at my neck position. I have gigged this guitar since 1974 to the present and I get regular compliments about its tone and sound. It is a great old friend that I can always depend on to perform. I have developed upper back issues -- muscle cramps and spasms -- in the area where the strap rests and I have tried other guitars but I still use my old friend 95% of the time and I just " deal " with the back issues.

 

[horand]

I wouldn´t trade my Norlin era Les Paul for anything. I just bonded instantly when I got her in my hands. When I plugged her in, it was a hallelujamoment of rock and roll. Those T-tops is awesome. I have played a few Les Pauls from the 50´s era but I have never felt as connected to any other guitar as I did with my 79´ KM. She´s a beat-up old workhorse that takes me places I never been before.

 

[ant_riv]

Well said ac!

I love my "Norlin" for what it is. As you said, we're not saying "better", we're saying that they work for us not in spite of but because of!

 

[gtr-tek]

Well said acstorfer!

I too have a mid-seventies Deluxe that has been modified in many ways, including a Kahler. It was nice to not have to worry about losing value as it already had. I still love it. I need to get it out and finish modding it to what I want it to be now, which is more like it was when I got it.

My Norlin era Les Pauls are just as good as the newer ones I have in many respects. I don't have any late '50s Lesters except for my Junior. It isn't perfect either, but a tone monster it is. Some of the differences in the Norlin era guitars are indeed improvements wile others are not. I'm glad my guitars are not so valuable as to not allow me to enjoy playing them. To say that they are inferior is rubbish. The only way to get a newer guitar that isn't the real thing but is closer to it than current Gibson offerings, is to get one made by a luthier or build it yourself from a good set of plans.

A good friend of mine as a 5 or 6 year old Custom Shop R9. It is different in several ways from a real '59. The BurstBuckers, even when wired '50 style with PIO caps, don't sound the same as real PAFs or a set of boutique PAFs do. The nut is the wrong material and it doesn't have an ABR-1. It still is a stunning guitar, it sounds wonderful (yet a bit modern) and plays beautifully. The corksniffers would give it a thumbs down for the reasons I mentioned plus a few more most likely. It cost more than any of my Norlin era guitars yet it doesn't out perform them. In fact the owner has played some of my Norlins and likes them very much. Though he's keeping his R9, he would jump on a good Norlin era Paul if given the chance and budget.

 

[ThinLizzy]

Excellent post acstorfer! Now I love your '73 Deluxe too!

 

[pmonk]

I have really come to the conclusion that half the people on this board has no clue what a guitar should really sound like?

 

[acstorfer]

I decided that all the nay-sayers MUST be right. They all sound so educated on everything Les Paul! Surely they must know what they are talking about. I mean to discount an entire era of Gibson guitars, well that is something that only someone in the know is capable of doing. Thank you all for realizing the guitar I loved is actually inferior.

Thank you!!!!!!!



By the way, the above comment is purely sarcasm and is for satire use only.

 

[DADGAD]

Stop pumping up Norlins!! We need the fact they are excellent guitars (most of them) that should remain our dirty little secret. That means more for us.......keeps prices reasonable! I think they are battle tanks. Heavy tough and purpose built.

 

[CreamTone]

Norlins are old wood now and my 73 is awesome. It's unusually light too; under 9 pounds. A beautiful cherry sunburst Deluxe.

 

[acstorfer]

I have really come to the conclusion that half the people on this board has no clue what a guitar should really sound like?

Somehow it seems to me the focus has become what a guitar should look like, and what model the guitar is, has become the focus of many players here. There is nothing at all wrong with that I guess, some of the guitars I see here are stunning, but it's just my thing to dig a guitar for looks and playability. Don't get me wrong, my Axcess and SG Custom were amazing players. I couldn't believe when I played my SG my fingers couldn't go to the wrong spot! Both these guitars had phenomenol necks, which fit perfect in my hands. Unfortunately for me, playability goes far beyond that. Playability to me is a bond you get out of years of playing a guitar you love and perhaps more important to me, a complete feeling of comfort when holding your guitar. I have only had a bit over a year with my current Deluxe, I can't wait to see what the years bring to our relationship, but the comfort was instant. The way my Deluxe is right now I consider as an extension as myself. It has been recreated to be everything I want and it does what I expect.

Ha! It's been a while since I've done an "I love my guitar" thread.

 

[61LPSG]

AC, that's a sweet looking guitar...love the fade on her.
I've played a few "Norlins", and always liked them. I think that the volute is a real improvement from a structural point of view.
I too am an outcast because my '61 Custom isn't a "Real" Les Paul in the eyes of the few and privileged sniffers out there, but that's fine...their loss. Like you guys all said it keeps the prices down for the true devotees.

 

[Solid Cherry]

In 1973 I graduated from High School. I decided to buy myself a new really good guitar to celebrate. Up to that time, I had only bought cheap, not-so-nice guitars because that's all I could afford. So I went to my local music store with plenty of time on my hands, and saw the banner they had hanging on this long wall that said: "Any Les Paul on the wall - $595". I pulled every single one of them down and played them one at a time. I didn't know there were different kind of Les Pauls. All I had ever seen or played at the time were Fender student Musicmaster, Mustang and Strats (in the really nice guitar category) except for one kid in the neighborhood who had a Gibson SG. So going through all the LPs, I set this one aside, put that one back. Nope, like this one better, skinny neck, feels better than that one. Leave that one. Put another one back. I wound up with about 4 or 5 down off the wall. Then I plugged them all into a Peavey 400 Musician witha 4/12 cabinet, played them all again. And I took a step back and looked at all of them side by side. They were all sunburst or tobacco burst except for this one... which was a solid Cherry Red finish. (I called it candy apple red at the time.) It had different pickups on it too. (Baby Humbuckers). So I thought that was neat too. I bought that Les Paul, strap, cord, picks, strings, hardshell case, and that Peavey 400 Musician with the 4/12 cabinet too. I went into debt so far it wasn't funny, but I wanted that rig and I didn't care. That was the very first loan I ever had.
I joined a Top-40 dance band that fall in college and we played every weekend. If we weren't booked at a fraternity party, it was an apartment complex monthly party, or a High-School Senior Prom. We were busy. And I paid that rig off in no time. After my college days, I joined a country band playing 6 nights a week in clubs all over the Southeast. Good money, too. I hauled that guitar everywhere. But I took really good care of it. It is still in mint condition. I never scraped any of the finish off the back with my belt buckle or anything like that. After I married, my wife bought an Anvil flight case for it. The old case was really showing it's wear. But it had protected my LP well. Once, while in Florida, I took it to a music store to get the intonation set. I just couldn't do it right myself for some reason. The owner was on the phone when I walked in, so I set it on the counter and opened the case. He couldn't get off the phone quick enough. He said he would set the intonation, but offered me a lot of money for it. I told him I never had any intention of selling it. And I still don't! I once found a Gibson rep was coming to a local music store, so I carried it by there, and asked him for an opinion. He told me about how much he thought it was worth (which was a LOT more than the $595 I paid for it). I was a Stage Manager at a blues Fesitval one year, and a group of "youngsters" came to play. The guitar player pulled 4 Les Pauls out of cases, and put them in his rack. I asked him about them. He said "That's a LP re-issue 1980, a re-issue 19xx, blah, blah, blah..." They were nice looking. I asked if I could play one. He said, "Sure, go ahead". So I picked one up, hit a few blues licks. He looked surprised that I actually knew how to play (and wasn't in a nursing home, I guess). He asked, "So, how do you like it?" I told him it was nice, but not as good as my "original, vintage 1973 Deluxe". He said "Wow! Where did you find one of THOSE?!!!" I told him I bought it brand new, and he stood there for a minute like a deer in the headlights, then realized just how old I had to be. I said "One owner, high mileage, mint condition." We both just laughed.
All my guitar buddies who have played my Les Paul want it. My wife swears that if I go before she does, she is going to bury it with me. She doesn't want to see a fight amongst all my friends. They all want to be named in "The Will".
I take other guitars to festivals if I play. I only take the Les Paul out of the vault at home and very special occasions to play at church, with an orchestra or some other gig where I have complete control of the environment. I worry about someone knocking over my irreplaceable LP, or stealing it. I will always have my '73 Deluxe. I may change amps like underwear (Peavey, Vox, Marshall, Crate over the years) but no matter what I play my LP through, it stills sounds great! I finally built a rack system I love, with 2 single 12" speaker cabinets I built, and a wireless footpedal board I made. I've bought and sold Strats, Telecasters, Paul Reed Smiths, but there will never be another guitar like my Les Paul.

 

[Reno_1ted]

In 1973 I graduated from High School. I decided to buy myself a new really good guitar to celebrate. Up to that time, I had only bought cheap, not-so-nice guitars because that's all I could afford. So I went to my local music store with plenty of time on my hands, and saw the banner they had hanging on this long wall that said: "Any Les Paul on the wall - $595". I pulled every single one of them down and played them one at a time. I didn't know there were different kind of Les Pauls. All I had ever seen or played at the time were Fender student Musicmaster, Mustang and Strats (in the really nice guitar category) except for one kid in the neighborhood who had a Gibson SG. So going through all the LPs, I set this one aside, put that one back. Nope, like this one better, skinny neck, feels better than that one. Leave that one. Put another one back. I wound up with about 4 or 5 down off the wall. Then I plugged them all into a Peavey 400 Musician witha 4/12 cabinet, played them all again. And I took a step back and looked at all of them side by side. They were all sunburst or tobacco burst except for this one... which was a solid Cherry Red finish. (I called it candy apple red at the time.) It had different pickups on it too. (Baby Humbuckers). So I thought that was neat too. I bought that Les Paul, strap, cord, picks, strings, hardshell case, and that Peavey 400 Musician with the 4/12 cabinet too. I went into debt so far it wasn't funny, but I wanted that rig and I didn't care. That was the very first loan I ever had.
I joined a Top-40 dance band that fall in college and we played every weekend. If we weren't booked at a fraternity party, it was an apartment complex monthly party, or a High-School Senior Prom. We were busy. And I paid that rig off in no time. After my college days, I joined a country band playing 6 nights a week in clubs all over the Southeast. Good money, too. I hauled that guitar everywhere. But I took really good care of it. It is still in mint condition. I never scraped any of the finish off the back with my belt buckle or anything like that. After I married, my wife bought an Anvil flight case for it. The old case was really showing it's wear. But it had protected my LP well. Once, while in Florida, I took it to a music store to get the intonation set. I just couldn't do it right myself for some reason. The owner was on the phone when I walked in, so I set it on the counter and opened the case. He couldn't get off the phone quick enough. He said he would set the intonation, but offered me a lot of money for it. I told him I never had any intention of selling it. And I still don't! I once found a Gibson rep was coming to a local music store, so I carried it by there, and asked him for an opinion. He told me about how much he thought it was worth (which was a LOT more than the $595 I paid for it). I was a Stage Manager at a blues Fesitval one year, and a group of "youngsters" came to play. The guitar player pulled 4 Les Pauls out of cases, and put them in his rack. I asked him about them. He said "That's a LP re-issue 1980, a re-issue 19xx, blah, blah, blah..." They were nice looking. I asked if I could play one. He said, "Sure, go ahead". So I picked one up, hit a few blues licks. He looked surprised that I actually knew how to play (and wasn't in a nursing home, I guess). He asked, "So, how do you like it?" I told him it was nice, but not as good as my "original, vintage 1973 Deluxe". He said "Wow! Where did you find one of THOSE?!!!" I told him I bought it brand new, and he stood there for a minute like a deer in the headlights, then realized just how old I had to be. I said "One owner, high mileage, mint condition." We both just laughed.
All my guitar buddies who have played my Les Paul want it. My wife swears that if I go before she does, she is going to bury it with me. She doesn't want to see a fight amongst all my friends. They all want to be named in "The Will".
I take other guitars to festivals if I play. I only take the Les Paul out of the vault at home and very special occasions to play at church, with an orchestra or some other gig where I have complete control of the environment. I worry about someone knocking over my irreplaceable LP, or stealing it. I will always have my '73 Deluxe. I may change amps like underwear (Peavey, Vox, Marshall, Crate over the years) but no matter what I play my LP through, it stills sounds great! I finally built a rack system I love, with 2 single 12" speaker cabinets I built, and a wireless footpedal board I made. I've bought and sold Strats, Telecasters, Paul Reed Smiths, but there will never be another guitar like my Les Paul.

Pics!!!!

 

[S. Rock]

I have a '75 Deluxe and it's staying right here with me. I waited and shopped a long time for my Les Paul. so what if it has mini-humbucker pickups. no matter how long I looked around for another one, I'll never be able to replace it. especially for the $350 I paid for it in 1985. yep, during that era, Gibson turned out some great guitars.

 

[HardCore Troubadour]

???? I personally think that the neck pup in a deluxe (mini) is one of the best I have ever heard.....

want your money back???

 

[frankv]

In 1973 I graduated from High School. I decided to buy myself a new really good guitar to celebrate. Up to that time, I had only bought cheap, not-so-nice guitars because that's all I could afford. So I went to my local music store with plenty of time on my hands, and saw the banner they had hanging on this long wall that said: "Any Les Paul on the wall - $595". I pulled every single one of them down and played them one at a time. I didn't know there were different kind of Les Pauls. All I had ever seen or played at the time were Fender student Musicmaster, Mustang and Strats (in the really nice guitar category) except for one kid in the neighborhood who had a Gibson SG. So going through all the LPs, I set this one aside, put that one back. Nope, like this one better, skinny neck, feels better than that one. Leave that one. Put another one back. I wound up with about 4 or 5 down off the wall. Then I plugged them all into a Peavey 400 Musician witha 4/12 cabinet, played them all again. And I took a step back and looked at all of them side by side. They were all sunburst or tobacco burst except for this one... which was a solid Cherry Red finish. (I called it candy apple red at the time.) It had different pickups on it too. (Baby Humbuckers). So I thought that was neat too. I bought that Les Paul, strap, cord, picks, strings, hardshell case, and that Peavey 400 Musician with the 4/12 cabinet too. I went into debt so far it wasn't funny, but I wanted that rig and I didn't care. That was the very first loan I ever had.
I joined a Top-40 dance band that fall in college and we played every weekend. If we weren't booked at a fraternity party, it was an apartment complex monthly party, or a High-School Senior Prom. We were busy. And I paid that rig off in no time. After my college days, I joined a country band playing 6 nights a week in clubs all over the Southeast. Good money, too. I hauled that guitar everywhere. But I took really good care of it. It is still in mint condition. I never scraped any of the finish off the back with my belt buckle or anything like that. After I married, my wife bought an Anvil flight case for it. The old case was really showing it's wear. But it had protected my LP well. Once, while in Florida, I took it to a music store to get the intonation set. I just couldn't do it right myself for some reason. The owner was on the phone when I walked in, so I set it on the counter and opened the case. He couldn't get off the phone quick enough. He said he would set the intonation, but offered me a lot of money for it. I told him I never had any intention of selling it. And I still don't! I once found a Gibson rep was coming to a local music store, so I carried it by there, and asked him for an opinion. He told me about how much he thought it was worth (which was a LOT more than the $595 I paid for it). I was a Stage Manager at a blues Fesitval one year, and a group of "youngsters" came to play. The guitar player pulled 4 Les Pauls out of cases, and put them in his rack. I asked him about them. He said "That's a LP re-issue 1980, a re-issue 19xx, blah, blah, blah..." They were nice looking. I asked if I could play one. He said, "Sure, go ahead". So I picked one up, hit a few blues licks. He looked surprised that I actually knew how to play (and wasn't in a nursing home, I guess). He asked, "So, how do you like it?" I told him it was nice, but not as good as my "original, vintage 1973 Deluxe". He said "Wow! Where did you find one of THOSE?!!!" I told him I bought it brand new, and he stood there for a minute like a deer in the headlights, then realized just how old I had to be. I said "One owner, high mileage, mint condition." We both just laughed.
All my guitar buddies who have played my Les Paul want it. My wife swears that if I go before she does, she is going to bury it with me. She doesn't want to see a fight amongst all my friends. They all want to be named in "The Will".
I take other guitars to festivals if I play. I only take the Les Paul out of the vault at home and very special occasions to play at church, with an orchestra or some other gig where I have complete control of the environment. I worry about someone knocking over my irreplaceable LP, or stealing it. I will always have my '73 Deluxe. I may change amps like underwear (Peavey, Vox, Marshall, Crate over the years) but no matter what I play my LP through, it stills sounds great! I finally built a rack system I love, with 2 single 12" speaker cabinets I built, and a wireless footpedal board I made. I've bought and sold Strats, Telecasters, Paul Reed Smiths, but there will never be another guitar like my Les Paul.

I know you graduated from high school.. Beyond that I stopped reading.. Ya gotta use paragraphs man..

 

[S. Rock]

???? I personally think that the neck pup in a deluxe (mini) is one of the best I have ever heard.....

want your money back???

not a chance.

 

[frankv]

My "Norlin era" 77 Custom is sorely missed.