All gone: 1979 Gibson 'The Paul' / 1979 Vesta Graham VGC 1000 (ES335-a-like)

JerkMoans

Laydeez and Djentlemen

After a protracted absence from the forum's bazaar sections, time for a spring clean. Vicissitudes of resurgent work and family health issues have led to me barely playing a note since Christmas, and having a music room one cannot move in for all the gear seems a trifle superfluous.

So: here we have 2 cracking examples of late '70's hard rockin' perfection.

First up is this 1979 Gibson 'The Paul' (dated 10/4/79, if the dater websites are to be believed).

Obviously lived a rock n roll life but looks all the better for it, I think, with all the knocks, dings and general patina an axe might wish for after 43 years of red hot action.

Walnut body and neck, lovely LP Custom style oversized headstock, ebony fretboard, Grover tuners and the original T-Top pickups that seem to have survived earlier crazes to replace with DiMarzio Super Distortions and similar horrors.

Arm chamfer on the front and the gut cut on the back arguable improvements to some of the more uncomfortable aspects of 'true' LPs. At least to the more generously proportioned gentle person.

Best bit about it is the neck: worn satin smooth from decades of having the shit played out of it. 

Should mention someone in its history had added a pick guard - now removed, but in the case, with little screw holes to show for such barbarism.

Comes in (non original) generic case in vgc.

Asking £1200 now £1100! Madness!





Second up we have something rather rare, and rather special: a 1979 Vesta Graham LGC 1000.  

What is that?! I hear you all cry.

Well.  According to myth and legend, Vesta Graham was a brand created by Hidesato Shiino in 1978. Shiino was one of the founders of ESP and after leaving founded Shiino Musical instruments Corporation and PACO studio to meet the needs of professional musicians. Vesta Graham was the first brand launched by Shiino Musical Instruments. Vesta Graham instruments were truly high-end, hand made using the best materials and components, an attribute common amongst the brands Shiino created.

With the back story out of the way, this is a semi acoustic model manufactured in late 1979. Original price of the guitar was ¥100,000 making it an expensive guitar at the time. As such it was made to a very high standard, featuring a one-piece mahogany neck with ebony fretboard and mother of pearl markers of a unique design. The neck is bound with the frets featuring fret edge binding, as well as fret over binding. The f-holes are bound - more binding than an S&M session.  

The guitar is built like a 335, with a full length center block and features a long tenon. Tuners are US made Grovers. The body is three ply laminate and flamed on all sides, finished in this gorgeous orange sunburst, with nitro on top to seal the deal. I believe the guitar is all original.

Few minor dings that I"ve tried to picture - nothing that affects playability.

Comes in a Greco Super Real case, with all catches working.

Once again, £1200 now £1100 takes this fine instrument.

Pictures!



Based N London/Herts. Am VERY unkeen to post, being currently in the exchanging letters of claim stage prior to suing a national courier firm for losing a Strat last year.  Happy to drive out an hour or so to meet up.

Happy to answer all queries/send more pics etc.

Thanks for reading this far!  Check out my acoustic in that section

DrCornelius

Ooof to The Paul - lovely looking thing 

Adamski

The Paul is simultaneously beautiful and ugly, which is quite a feat! Someone will be very happy with that. The Vesta is up my street but my dad's name is Graham, which rules that one out! Good luck with the sale! 

impmann

Again... ooof to The Paul. Wish I had the money - mine was nicked from a mate's flat many years ago (I know its not this one... :-) ) and its on my list of guitars to own... one day. 

GLWTS

Squareheadedfreak

'The Paul' was my first ever Gibson when I was 17 and gigging, loved it, however it was about 6.5 tonnes. Great workhorse of an instrument!

brooom

If I was still in the UK I'd buy the vesta graham back from you @JerkMoans good luck with the sale. Really cool guitar

JerkMoans

Squareheadedfreak said:

'The Paul' was my first ever Gibson when I was 17 and gigging, loved it, however it was about 6.5 tonnes. Great workhorse of an instrument!

Hmmm.  This one is certainly lighter than my full fat LP.  Might try to find some scales...

JerkMoans

Adamski said:

The Paul is simultaneously beautiful and ugly, which is quite a feat! Someone will be very happy with that. The Vesta is up my street but my dad's name is Graham, which rules that one out! Good luck with the sale! 

Sounds like it'd be perfect for pops  

JerkMoans

Both bits of 1979 grooviness still up for grabs, y’all.

danishbacon

Love the Vesta!

JerkMoans

danishbacon said:

Love the Vesta!

It’s very, very well put together. Just ankle deep in the things. You know how it goes  

JerkMoans

Price drop!  £1100 each!  I make you much bargains, sir!

MikeC

Hi mark. How much does that lovely Vesta weigh please? 

JerkMoans

MikeC said:

Hi mark. How much does that lovely Vesta weigh please? 

Apols for delay in responding - was away at a festival all weekend.  Will locate scales and get back atcha

JerkMoans

MikeC said:

Hi mark. How much does that lovely Vesta weigh please? 

Right: after a scientific process of weighing self without, and then with said guitar x 2, the definitive answer is 3.6 kg, which Gooooogle tells me is s whisker under 7 lbs 15 oz, for the old/soon to be new imperialists among us.

MikeC

Thanks mark, a little too heavy for my elderly back (that’s the guitar I am referring to, not you!). 

JerkMoans

MikeC said:

Thanks mark, a little too heavy for my elderly back (that’s the guitar I am referring to, not you!). 

So you're still on for the piggy back races at the Totteridge & Whetstone Summer Fete, this Saturday?

MikeC

Might skip that this year! But am playing at the east Barnet festival next month. 

DrCornelius

Keep looking at The The Paul fondly … shouldn’t have let that one go . Lovely woody tone , ebony fretboard had a lovely feel and it actually stayed in tune !

JerkMoans

Right: I've gone mad and lost my head over something very specific..  Down to £1k each for the weekend.  If you've been hovering and wondering, that's as low as I'll go

JerkMoans

The Paul on hold. Don’t say you weren’t warned…