Thinking of selling my R7 LP and buyin a late 70s Custom...

[MrDan666]

Iv wanted a Custom for so long now.. I bought my R7 VOS Goldtop a few years ago because it was a good deal and it was also my first real LP.

I got to try a bunch of 70's LP Customs a while back, and found that i really like the late 70's Customs with the maple neck. One that i got to try sounded and felt amazing.. but i couldnt afford it. Been kicking myself ever since, as i liked it much more than my R7 LP and it just was perfect for me.

So im thinking of selling my R7 Goldtop LP and hunting down a late 70's Black LP Custom. Since trying that one before, i know what i want and how it should sound/feel and everything so its just a case of trying enough until i find what i want for the right price...

sound like a good idea or am i crazy?

 

[tweed]

 

[J.B.]

Dan, DO NOT DO IT UNLES YOU CAN PLAY IT FIRST!!!!!

My 2 cents

 

[Tnjpekar]

if you really like the thinner maple necks, then I would say go for it.
I personally dont care for the baseball bat necks on the ri's, I have a 78 pro, a shop issue 89 custom with a shaved neck, and a classic with a super thin 60s profile. all thin, fast necks.

 

[MrDan666]

Dan, DO NOT DO IT UNLES YOU CAN PLAY IT FIRST!!!!!

My 2 cents

Yup im not gonna do a thing unless i get to play it first. I realised just how different LP's can be when i tried a bunch of 70s Customs late last year...

For example, the 71 and 73 Customs i tried sounded practically dead. They hardly resonated much at all and sounded flat. Then when i tried the 76 Custom, it was just mindblowing... It sounded so loud even unplugged, and i could feel the entire guitar vibrating away when i struck a chord!

 

[messenger]

If thats what you want. Sell your R7 and happy hunting.

 

[BGG]

I LOVE late 70's LP Customs.

My 1979 Custom (black) is my number one guitar. I played about six or seven new Customs the day I bought it and they were either too heavy, huge necks, both or very dull sounding. As a last resort the manager says he had a part ex deal in and hands me the 79..... straight away it felt good, nice weight ... not a back breaker, great slim neck ... not 60's thin but nice and it had GROWL and BITE something the others were missing.
At the time I was gigging an Engl Powerball and the guitar squeeled like a pig and the pups were bright and real toppy. I read about some 70's LP's not having earth wires fitted so got my mate (tech) to fit one ASAP, then contacted Tim from BKP for some pup advice and ordered some Cold Sweats.
This guitar looks, feels and sounds killer.

My 1976 Custom (wine red) is also a great guitar, slim neck again but as slim as the 79. It's heavier hence the reason for selling as I have a shoulder injury but it is still awesome. My guitar tech says it must have spent all it's life in a gym as it's the loudest Les Paul he's ever heard, it's really sweet too, lovely singing tone.
It's beat to shit, well they both are and it's had a Bigsby fitted in the past but it rocks. Since I sold my collection of five PRS I don't polish guitars anymore, they are tools

I also had a 1977 Custom (creme) in the mid 80's but sold it for an ESP superstrat with a Floyd WHY ??? it's was a back breaker, really heavy but it had a great fat tone to it.

Yes, late 70's Les Paul Customs certainly get my vote mate !!!

 

[MrDan666]

if you really like the thinner maple necks, then I would say go for it.
I personally dont care for the baseball bat necks on the ri's, I have a 78 pro, a shop issue 89 custom with a shaved neck, and a classic with a super thin 60s profile. all thin, fast necks.

Yeah i have to admit, the thinner neck on the late 70's Customs i tried were really nice.. Thats not to say i dont love the R7 baseball bat neck, but the slightly thinner Custom neck definitly felt easier on my hands thats for sure!

What i did find is that the LP Custom's (well atleast the good ones) sound somewhat tighter overall compared to the Standard LP's. Im guessing its due to the Ebony board and Maple neck..

 

[MrDan666]

I LOVE late 70's LP Customs.

My 1979 Custom (black) is my number one guitar. I played about six or seven new Customs the day I bought it and they were either too heavy, huge necks, both or very dull sounding. As a last resort the manager says he had a part ex deal in and hands me the 79..... straight away it felt good, nice weight ... not a back breaker, great slim neck ... not 60's thin but nice and it had GROWL and BITE something the others were missing.
At the time I was gigging an Engl Powerball and the guitar squeeled like a pig and the pups were bright and real toppy. I read about some 70's LP's not having earth wires fitted so got my mate (tech) to fit one ASAP, then contacted Tim from BKP for some pup advice and ordered some Cold Sweats.
This guitar looks, feels and sounds killer.

My 1976 Custom (wine red) is also a great guitar, slim neck again but as slim as the 79. It's heavier hence the reason for selling as I have a shoulder injury but it is still awesome. My guitar tech says it must have spent all it's life in a gym as it's the loudest Les Paul he's ever heard, it's really sweet too, lovely singing tone.
It's beat to shit, well they both are and it's had a Bigsby fitted in the past but it rocks. Since I sold my collection of five PRS I don't polish guitars anymore, they are tools

I also had a 1977 Custom (creme) in the mid 80's but sold it for an ESP superstrat with a Floyd WHY ??? it's was a back breaker, really heavy but it had a great fat tone to it.

Yes, late 70's Les Paul Customs certainly get my vote mate !!!

Ains, thanks for the advice mate!! Appreciate it!

Yeah i totally understand what you mean about only one or a few out of a bunch having that bite and growl to them. I only found one that had that going on, and it was that 76 i mentioned. All the rest of them sounded either too mellow, or not resonant enough and dull sounding.

Im gonna go and visit a few shops tomorrow and see if i can test out any late 70's LP Customs out. If i find one that really blows me away.. well then il have to find a way to get it. But im 100% sure of the way it must sound and feel, so im going to be picky.. that way when i get one, il know that i have bought THE one for me!

 

[MikeT]

Hey Dan, you may already know but here's some general 70s LP info as I recall.

70s LPs are known as Norlins (kinda like CBS Fenders) and the construction differs slightly from the tradional 50s design - I have both and like both. Check out things like headstock shape, logo, volute, body carve, and the neck heal/joint area between the two designs.

mid 70s serial numbers read:
1st = decade or 7
2nd 3rd 4th = day of the year (001 to 365)
5th Nashville factory = year of decade
6th = The Gibson factory (Kalamazoo or Nasville, Nasville = 5 not sure for Kalamazoo)
7th 8th number denotes the LP # built that day.

I have a 77 Standard that reads 72237528 or 1977 223rd day of the year, Nashville factory (5) and guitar 28 for that day.

Stock pickups are ink stamped T-tops and the pots are 300k. The neck T-top sounds like God with high gain but the bridge T-top sounds isn't the greatest (fllubby lows and chirpy highs) for a tight rich high gain tone - OK for open AC/DC tone though. Stock frets are super low so you may require a re-fret off the bat.

72-75 LPs had less desireable pancake bodies 76 onward had one piece bodies. The glued three piece maple necks are solid. Generally there is no particullly good year although I would prefer 76 +. I always heard there are duds and winners in this era and would recommend you spend some time to find the "one".

Mike

 

[Marshall Freak]

You might also keep an eye out for a 57 Reissue LP Custom, or a 68 LP Custom. They might give you the quality and lighter weight of your R7 and the tone of the Customs you're after?

I'd only do it if you find a magical one, but I don't have any room to talk, I sold my R7, Bogner XTC, Dual Rectifier and Splawn Quickrod to buy a '56 Custom.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

The norlins have their own sound. The custom shop RIs sound more like the 50s models but alot of time they fall way short. I have played some smoking RIs and some good norlins too but they each have certain characteristics that the others don't. It just depends on what you're after.

 

[MrDan666]

Hey Dan, you may already know but here's some general 70s LP info as I recall.

70s LPs are known as Norlins (kinda like CBS Fenders) and the construction differs slightly from the tradional 50s design - I have both and like both. Check out things like headstock shape, logo, volute, body carve, and the neck heal/joint area between the two designs.

mid 70s serial numbers read:
1st = decade or 7
2nd 3rd 4th = day of the year (001 to 365)
5th Nashville factory = year of decade
6th = The Gibson factory (Kalamazoo or Nasville, Nasville = 5 not sure for Kalamazoo)
7th 8th number denotes the LP # built that day.

I have a 77 Standard that reads 72237528 or 1977 223rd day of the year, Nashville factory (5) and guitar 28 for that day.

Stock pickups are ink stamped T-tops and the pots are 300k. The neck T-top sounds like God with high gain but the bridge T-top sounds isn't the greatest (fllubby lows and chirpy highs) for a tight rich high gain tone - OK for open AC/DC tone though. Stock frets are super low so you may require a re-fret off the bat.

72-75 LPs had less desireable pancake bodies 76 onward had one piece bodies. The glued three piece maple necks are solid. Generally there is no particullly good year although I would prefer 76 +. I always heard there are duds and winners in this era and would recommend you spend some time to find the "one".

Mike

Hey Mike! Thanks for the info!

Yeah there are definitly duds and winners.. i need to just find one that suits me sound/feel-wise. Ideally I would like a 78 if i can find one, either Black or White (creme) would be fantastic too!

I also get what you mean about the frets.. so when i find one i like, im going to get it refretted for 6100's, so its nice and easy to play!

Thanks for the info about the serial numbers, i will keep that in mind!

 

[MrDan666]

You might also keep an eye out for a 57 Reissue LP Custom, or a 68 LP Custom. They might give you the quality and lighter weight of your R7 and the tone of the Customs you're after?

I'd only do it if you find a magical one, but I don't have any room to talk, I sold my R7, Bogner XTC, Dual Rectifier and Splawn Quickrod to buy a '56 Custom.

I tried the 57RI Custom but never got to try the 68RI. I didnt get on with the 57RI as much, and after trying various Norlin's i found that i just love the way they sound with the maple neck! I guess now i know that, it would just make sense to find a nice old one!

56 Custom?? is that the one with P-90's that you had restored?? That looked incredible!!

 

[duesentrieb]

get a wide strap then

 

[MrDan666]

get a wide strap then

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Do all the 70's Custom's have the long neck tenon?

 

[blackba]

Do all the 70's Custom's have the long neck tenon?

I think only '76 and older have the modified long tenion.

What is this pancake body, I have a '73 custom. I don't find it dead at all, very resonant guitar. I always thought the early 70's customs were supposed to be better in general than the late 70's versions....

 

[Digital Jams]

Dan, DO NOT DO IT UNLES YOU CAN PLAY IT FIRST!!!!!

My 2 cents

Yup im not gonna do a thing unless i get to play it first. I realised just how different LP's can be when i tried a bunch of 70s Customs late last year...

For example, the 71 and 73 Customs i tried sounded practically dead. They hardly resonated much at all and sounded flat. Then when i tried the 76 Custom, it was just mindblowing... It sounded so loud even unplugged, and i could feel the entire guitar vibrating away when i struck a chord!

That is how my Hamer is, I play classical style and I can feel that guitar's body just buzzing in certain places Just rings for days.

I picked up a early 70s LP custom for cheap several weeks ago and it had nothing, good thing I sold it to a collector the next day Goood luck with the hunt and I agree, do not buy unless you can play it.

 

[MrDan666]

What is this pancake body, I have a '73 custom. I don't find it dead at all, very resonant guitar. I always thought the early 70's customs were supposed to be better in general than the late 70's versions....

I shoulda rephrased the way i wrote that! The 71 and 73 LP Customs i tried were duds.. they must have been a few bad ones from a good bunch. Iv heard other 71's and 73's that were unbelievably good!!

Im not buying the whole 'Sandwich bodies aren't as good as 1 piece bodies' talk that i have read everywhere... If a guitar sounds good, it sounds good. If its sounds crap then its crap. Who cares how many pieces it is, aslong as it sounds good then thats all that matters!