Here's something I've been after for a few years.... a Gibson Custom Shop Lee Roy Parnell Signature CS-336.
It's taken over a month to arrive from the USA - most of that time spent in Customs - so it was nice just to see the box had no massive dents in it when it arrived this morning.
There's not much information about these on the internet, all I know is they were built in 2003 and 2004, in very limited quantities - some sources say as few as 25, certainly no more than 75, so it's a pretty rare thing. I don't know much about Lee Roy Parnell either, he's a country/blues singer-songwriter but I've never heard any of his work.
It's a CS-336, so a hollowed-out mahogany body and carved maple top, not laminated like an ES-339 or ES-335. Vintage-style tuners, PAF-style pickups (I don't know if they're 57s or Burstbuckers). After that, the specs get a little more unusual:
It has a VOS finish, which I don't think had been seen on a CS-336 at that point. I've learned from a Gibson forum that a previous owner of this guitar had polished it to a high gloss, but it's re-acquired a bit of a patina (and a fair few scuffs and scrapes) over the years since.
The bridge and tailpiece are TonePros, which I wasn't expecting. I don't know if they're original or not. I also think the nut may be a replacement, it seems like it's had more attention than a typical Gibson nut.
What really made me want one of these? It has a fat '50s neck, rather than the slim taper of a typical CS-336. It also has an ebony fretboard, which goes very well with the black finish. As it turns out, the neck isn't
huge - I guess it's '59-ish, rather than '58-ish. Feels good though!
At the moment, this feels very much like "somebody else's guitar" (the seller had owned it since 2006, the receipt's in the case!).... but I think I like it.
(Photos from Reverb, I hope they'll be visible)
Comments
No immediate plans! I have another 336 too, a very blingy one with a figured top. Must say I'm more comfortable with the subdued look....
I would second the suggestion of nickel knobs. Or black.
Beaut! Looks fabulous.
Yeah, there have been a couple on eBay and I've been very tempted to buy, but both disappeared before the auctions ended. The last one was in Japan earlier this year.
I am planning to put some SG style reflector knobs on it, not sure why LRP went for the amber ones. Also some pointer washers, I like pointer washers....
Pictures can be deceptive of course, but yes, the binding is actually white, rather than the usual pinky-yellow-cheesy colour. So it looks better with the all-black colour scheme. And the white layers in the scratchplate don't clash with the binding!I come from a long tradition of not sounding very positive about things we like.