1976? Gibson Les Paul Custom Norlin era

webrthomson

guitars4you said:

Logie said:

@webrthomson ;
The codes are 70-028 which I believe correspond to 300k pots and the date? Code is 1377401 which looks like 1974 if google is correct.

Correct - Of course it is possible that the pots were purchased in bulk and used later - Equally possible they aren't original - And/or it is a 74 not a 76 but think we can't see a serial number any more (is that correct) - Suspect the former

I said earlier that I'd change the pots - Purely as I can't stand 300K pots on an LP - 500K will IMO produce a better tone and control over the 1-10 range of the pot - But IMO keep those pots/loom as without any serial number they are almost the only form of 'ID" you have left on the guitar

74 seems more likely - its got witch hat knobs and a Mahogany neck - by 76 Gibson were using different knobs and Maple for the necks.

guitars4you

webrthomson said:

guitars4you said:

Logie said:

@webrthomson ;
The codes are 70-028 which I believe correspond to 300k pots and the date? Code is 1377401 which looks like 1974 if google is correct.

Correct - Of course it is possible that the pots were purchased in bulk and used later - Equally possible they aren't original - And/or it is a 74 not a 76 but think we can't see a serial number any more (is that correct) - Suspect the former

I said earlier that I'd change the pots - Purely as I can't stand 300K pots on an LP - 500K will IMO produce a better tone and control over the 1-10 range of the pot - But IMO keep those pots/loom as without any serial number they are almost the only form of 'ID" you have left on the guitar

74 seems more likely - its got witch hat knobs and a Mahogany neck - by 76 Gibson were using different knobs and Maple for the necks.

Need better tech's than me to know this, but if you carefully removed that finish, would you still see hints of the stamped serial number ?

Logie

@guitars4you ;
I don’t think the serial numbers were stamped into the headstock around this period.

ICBM

Logie said:

@guitars4you ;
I don’t think the serial numbers were stamped into the headstock around this period.

In '74 they were - they changed to a decal in 1976, then back again. It's likely the number is still there under the paint unless the head was sanded down.

It's almost certainly a '74 from the pot codes and the features, which are consistent with each other.

I would actually keep the pots in the guitar if they still work OK - I'm not a big fan of 300Ks but they're not really that bad.

guitars4you

Logie said:

@guitars4you ;;
I don’t think the serial numbers were stamped into the headstock around this period.

Up to 75 should still be 6 digit impressed into the headstock with made in the USA below - they changed to a silly 8 digit number during 75 on  an oval sticker and ran with this for 3 years - during 75 both options were in use for a while- Usual transition period with some guitars already in part build etc

Logie

@guitars4you ;

There’s not even a hint of an impression so I don’t think it’s stamped even under the thick paint.
It’s back with it’s owner now and he’s going to contact Feline ref the repair.

Offset

Logie said:

@guitars4you ;

There’s not even a hint of an impression so I don’t think it’s stamped even under the thick paint.
It’s back with it’s owner now and he’s going to contact Feline ref the repair.

If it goes ahead, I'll be fascinated to follow it and see the end result.

Boromedic

^^agreed, if it goes ahead would love to see this in a repair thread from Jon

Logie

I’ll be interested myself so I’ll make sure he asks for pics from the repair.