I was thoroughly convinced by the recent thread I started that I needed some double cut in my playing life, and after some good fortune and an very understanding wife, I made the trip to a respected dealer today to check some out.
I came back with a 1962 Les Paul Special Double Cut. Yeah, okay, so they stopped making them in early 1961, right? Well, this one checks out - and it's serial is 1962 according to the online guides to Gibson serial numbers. Now, it's either Gibson's wacky serial numbering from 1961 onwards kicking in and it's a shipped-in-61, or this is probably the most expensive Gibson made parts-o-paul ever. Apparently Gibson kept parts back for warranty purposes, and then often used them to assemble whole guitars a bit later on to get rid of stock.
This one is clearly a MkIII LP Special DC - Neck pickup moved, and bridge pickup slightly moved too. It's a bit rare, as it's a '60 edition with Les Paul Special script on the headstock and the black knobs rather than reflective.
The Pots and Pups date as 1959.
It's in remarkably fine condition. No cracks or breaks or repairs - and I've seen it under a black light too.. (!)
I probably handled a good couple of dozen guitars this afternoon - total worth more than my house. I tried 2 genuinely nearly mint SG Specials with stop tail - one '63 and one '64. The '64 was so mint that I really didn't want to touch it. It was scary mint.
But this DC blew the lot away. Mostly it was two things - neck feel and the neck pickup. The neck is wide slim, but seems fatter than any modern Gibson I've played with that profile. It's beautiful. And as for the neck pickup - it's difficult to really describe, but the best way I can try is to say that the Bridge pup is lovely - just as I expected, but the Neck pickup sounds Stereo by comparison to the Bridge's Mono.
It came with the original (comical) crocodile cardboard case.
You want some pictures, right? Oh, okay go on then...
Comments
(formerly miserneil)
One good tip - if you find intonation a touch out, especially on a plain 3rd - Look at www.mojoaxe.com for either a compensated bridge for plain 3rd - or what looks like a wrapover tailpiece, but engineered with a correct intonation 'slant' for plain 3rd - Total direct replacement and look totally authentic - so use this, put the original away until required
(formerly miserneil)
@miserneil - Believe me, I have so much to learn about the misty world of golden era guitars...
beautiful body colour. Not much fading there.
And I don't know if it's been in a cupboard its whole life - it's certainly spent most of its life in one of the dry states as there is very little rusting - but the level of fade is definitely minimal
My favourite style of guitar.