About Les Paul Customs, Norlin Era? Good years?

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Heritage Softail

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I have a chance to get a LP Custom, 1990. I have been reading about the Norlin era and pancakes. Some good or bad.

There are plenty of customs out there in the used market. For a good solid rock and roll guitar, is there a best era? I'm keeping it under 3500.

Ideas in what to look for? Or most importantly anything bad to look for.

I believe the correct pickups would be HB-L and R.
 
68-69 great but expensive, 70-74 mostly great mahogany necks some may have tiny frets though so I would look for wider fret or refret, 75-83 maple necks hit or mis and different vibe than mahogany, 84 to current mahogany necks probably mostly good. If I was looking I would get early 70's or a historic. I wouldnt pay more than 2000-2500
 
halebox":kjkkvwgs said:
If I was looking I would get early 70's or a historic. I wouldnt pay more than 2000-2500
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Good luck finding an early 70's Custom in that price range. :lol: :LOL: If you do, it's beat to shit and not all original.
 
70 to 83 is supposedly the Norlin era. Pancake slab bodies. Review wise, they get slagged. Anything to it or just guitar snobs?
 
I have a '78. It's a fantastic guitar.

BTW, not every Custom made during the Norlin era was a pancake. By '77, the pancake era was pretty much over. My '78 does not have a pancake body.

It's snobbishness. Like any other guitar, it comes down to what sounds right to the player. You might love how the pancakes sound. Then again, you might hate them. You just have to play a few and decide for yourself.
 
rlord1974":1cmgtw26 said:
I have a '78. It's a fantastic guitar.

BTW, not every Custom made during the Norlin era was a pancake. By '77, the pancake era was pretty much over. My '78 does not have a pancake body.

It's snobbishness. Like any other guitar, it comes down to what sounds right to the player. You might love how the pancakes sound. Then again, you might hate them. You just have to play a few and decide for yourself.
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I couldn't agree more with this ^^

A 1990 Custom isn't Norlins era. Most of the "short cuts" and changes made stopped around 81. I recently picked up an 82 standard that kills!

Google Norlins era. Lots of good info out there. Just like any other era of LP, it's hit or miss.
 
I hear ya.

I am getting it from Sam Ash and will have 30 days to return it.

Mid 70s are in my price range in some road wear condition, which is fine. I don't want something I will scared to play.

Thx for the replies. I like LP's in general. Have had 4 standards. Always dug the faded alpine custom.
 
rlord1974":mplic6ie said:
halebox":mplic6ie said:
If I was looking I would get early 70's or a historic. I wouldnt pay more than 2000-2500
Click to expand...

Good luck finding an early 70's Custom in that price range. :lol: :LOL: If you do, it's beat to shit and not all original.
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Yeah, I'd like to see those $2000-2500 early 70s LP Customs in good condition as well...

Steve
 
My awful pancake body '76 LPC with the hideous tone-sucking maple neck cost me a ball busting $1600 and came with both original T-Tops and a set of Alnico II Pros. It was even refretted with bigger frets to make it play worse than when they originally came from the factory, had a replacement brass nut for extra tone sucking and Sperzel locking tuners to make string changes harder with less tuning stability. :)

https://soundcloud.com/code001/76-les-paul-custom-w-emg

But seriously, the thing weighs over 10 lbs. It's a beast, though. The neck is really thin, and it feels amazing since the finish has been worn off. The whole "Norlin era sucks" thing is so played out. There are good ones and bad ones of every year. There are even great sounding pancake models, so don't let that stop you from buying one. Simply put, they have a different tone. They're snappier and more direct sounding. My R7 is fatter and warmer but can't keep up with the LPC in terms of aggression, even with the Aldrich pickups in the R7. Oh, and I don't really recommend brass nuts. They really do have a "clanky" tone on the open strings. You can kinda hear it in that clip. I didn't realize that until I put a mic in front of the thing.
 
There are so many good Les Pauls from all of those decades that I prefer that people think they all suck so that they will still be available for me when I the money to buy them. The 70s might have had some duds, but there are plenty of killer guitars from then. The 80s had tons of awesome Gibsons. I will put my 35th Anniv. up against any LP made. My 90s SGs kick as too. Great shit was available from all decades. It doesn't have to be old wood, custom shop or historic for it to be good.
 
Code001":2w6r83wt said:
My awful pancake body '76 LPC with the hideous tone-sucking maple neck cost me a ball busting $1600 and came with both original T-Tops and a set of Alnico II Pros. It was even refretted with bigger frets to make it play worse than when they originally came from the factory, had a replacement brass nut for extra tone sucking and Sperzel locking tuners to make string changes harder with less tuning stability. :)

https://soundcloud.com/code001/76-les-paul-custom-w-emg

But seriously, the thing weighs over 10 lbs. It's a beast, though. The neck is really thin, and it feels amazing since the finish has been worn off. The whole "Norlin era sucks" thing is so played out. There are good ones and bad ones of every year. There are even great sounding pancake models, so don't let that stop you from buying one. Simply put, they have a different tone. They're snappier and more direct sounding. My R7 is fatter and warmer but can't keep up with the LPC in terms of aggression, even with the Aldrich pickups in the R7. Oh, and I don't really recommend brass nuts. They really do have a "clanky" tone on the open strings. You can kinda hear it in that clip. I didn't realize that until I put a mic in front of the thing.
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Ha

I'm detecting a slight bit of snarkasm there?

:lol: :LOL:

It may turn into a few road trips.
 
Like others have said, there's good and bad from all eras. I just picked up a worn cherry 2008 Gibson SG from GC for $329 and it plays like butta. I compared it to one from 2010 that was $499, exact same guitar and mine shit all over the other one. No idea why. They also had an one older LP studio that was smokin and another that wasn't. If the one you get sucks take it back and find another one...
 
I have 3 Norlin era Goldtops:humbuckers, minis, and P90s. I love the tones. Wickedly good. I have played new Les Pauls and some high end LP-ish kotur guitars. My guitars hold their own. Just throw in some decent after market pups and pots/caps.

The neck shapes are all over the map so if you are particular about that you should try before you buy.
 
I think the whole norlin thing is very similar to Silverface Fenders. Both get a bad rap and there is good reason for that, but in both eras there are some nice gear if you are willing to look a bit and tweak it.

I have a '73 LP custom and love it. Such a mean and thick sounding guitar. I did get it re-fretted which really set the guitar over the top for me. I have Gibson BBpro pickups in mine. I did have an Jazz and Aldrich pickup in the guitar, but the Aldrich was just to hot for this guitar. In my '03 Standard LE, the Aldrich pickups work great, its amazing how different les pauls can sound.

Here is a picture of my LP custom and a friend's that I worked on. They were actually pretty similar in feel and sound. Mince is on the right with the pickguard on.

IMG_2631.jpg
 
My '81 LPC is by far and away the best guitar Ive ever played. Its absolutely perfect
 
Thanks for the feedback.

I pulled the trigger on a 90 Alpine White faded to creme Custom. Got plenty of pics and it looks good. Got 30 days to try it.

Psyched to finally get a Custom!

:rock: :rock: :rock:
 
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