70s Les Paul Custom no serial number

slowpilgrim

Hi all,

I've been in contact with someone about a 70s LPC, and rather alarmingly there is no serial number on the headstock. In the picture you can see that the neck is definitely a 3-piece, so era checks out but just wondering if this is something I should be concerned about? Could potentially be a re-finish.

Also apparently the hardware is all original but was 're-dipped' by a previous owner - is this a done thing?

Cheers!

Revolting1

Thats certainly a re-finish.

ICBM

That's a '76 (ish) - they had the serial number in an oval decal, which you can see the outline of. Looking at the paint chip it was either cherry sunburst or possibly wine red originally, and has been refinished black over the top of the decal. If you were very careful it might be possible to remove the finish and find the number.

The tailpiece has also been replaced, as has the neck pickup - or at least its cover which has the wrong shaped corners, but probably the whole thing - and all the pickup mounting screws... so not exactly all original.

slowpilgrim

Thanks guys, can't believe how much you can pick up from some images!

MLten80

^what @ICBM said. Theres definitely a serial number in there at the bottom of the oval if you look carefully between the d & g string tuners

I'm hardly an expert but those tuners are correct for that period & the the hardware looks kosher at first glance.
 *edit, looks like an old refinish to my eyes
Looks like a fairly decent one!

guitars4you

ICBM said:

That's a '76 (ish) - they had the serial number in an oval decal, which you can see the outline of. Looking at the paint chip it was either cherry sunburst or possibly wine red originally, and has been refinished black over the top of the decal. If you were very careful it might be possible to remove the finish and find the number.

The tailpiece has also been replaced, as has the neck pickup - or at least its cover which has the wrong shaped corners, but probably the whole thing - and all the pickup mounting screws... so not exactly all original.

You got in before me, but yes I endorse the comments above especially the oval decal - For 2/3 years Gibson had a weird serial number sequence, but it is accurate to date a guitar and far better than the earlier 6 digit system from the mid late 60's on-wards and proceeds the 8 digit number

tony99

ICBM said:

That's a '76 (ish) - they had the serial number in an oval decal, which you can see the outline of. Looking at the paint chip it was either cherry sunburst or possibly wine red originally, and has been refinished black over the top of the decal. If you were very careful it might be possible to remove the finish and find the number.

The tailpiece has also been replaced, as has the neck pickup - or at least its cover which has the wrong shaped corners, but probably the whole thing - and all the pickup mounting screws... so not exactly all original.

That's very impressive, deserves more wiss

(how does one pluralise wis?)

richardhomer

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

ICBM

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

richardhomer

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

Less of the ‘old’ please. I was 56 recently and am struggling to come to terms with it....

Voxman

richardhomer said:

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

Less of the ‘old’ please. I was 56 recently and am struggling to come to terms with it....

richardhomer said:

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

Less of the ‘old’ please. I was 56 recently and am struggling to come to terms with it....

Just a youngster!! I remember (vaguely) when I was your age...a long long time ago in a galaxy far away!   
 

breakstuff

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

I'll always remember where I was when I first read that thread. 

poopot

breakstuff said:

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

I'll always remember where I was when I first read that thread. 

I’m relatively young and I still have a sticker!!!!!

boogieman

The “redipped” thing means the hardware has been cleaned up and then covered in clear lacquer to stop it tarnishing or flaking off any further. The plating isn’t in that bad a shape for a 70s guitar, assuming it’s all original. I’ve seen them where’s theres virtually no gold left at all. 

ICBM

boogieman said:

The “redipped” thing means the hardware has been cleaned up and then covered in clear lacquer to stop it tarnishing or flaking off any further. The plating isn’t in that bad a shape for a 70s guitar, assuming it’s all original. I’ve seen them where’s theres virtually no gold left at all. 

I don't see any evidence of any 're-dipping', just changed parts. The tailpiece and the neck pickup cover are clearly not original, even if things like the screws and strap buttons don't bother you.

slowpilgrim

ICBM said:

That's a '76 (ish) - they had the serial number in an oval decal, which you can see the outline of. Looking at the paint chip it was either cherry sunburst or possibly wine red originally, and has been refinished black over the top of the decal. If you were very careful it might be possible to remove the finish and find the number.

The tailpiece has also been replaced, as has the neck pickup - or at least its cover which has the wrong shaped corners, but probably the whole thing - and all the pickup mounting screws... so not exactly all original.

Bang on... got some pics from him that confirm...

ICBM

Interestingly the neck pickup doesn’t look as wrong in that pic. It’s still got a remarkably different degree of tarnishing compared to the bridge one though.

Clearly a very crude refinish over the top of the original too.

fretfinder

Voxman said:

richardhomer said:

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

Less of the ‘old’ please. I was 56 recently and am struggling to come to terms with it....

richardhomer said:

ICBM said:

richardhomer said:

Perhaps it used to have a sticker over it?

Only us old-timers will get that now .

Less of the ‘old’ please. I was 56 recently and am struggling to come to terms with it....

Just a youngster!! I remember (vaguely) when I was your age...a long long time ago in a galaxy far away!   
 

Yeah you’re but a yoof, I was 65 last month, and the worst of it is that I still have to wait another year to get me pension!