Brentrocks Posted July 23, 2014 Author Posted July 23, 2014 Strange guitar. Gibson never had any 25th anniv. models ( the only known with number 25 was 25/50). Did you blacklight it? ..... may be some worker turned 25, or celebrated his 25th year of working for them) It would be interesting to see more pics of it, of course if you are interested in further investigation I had not Black lighted it until just now.....and your suggestion unveiled another mystery!!! THANK YOU!!!!! It came from "House of Guitars"...the black light revealed the rest of the message above Les Paul's signature!!!! The top and the top of the headstock all blacklights good and original....the back had been spray painted. Neck cavity Bridge cavity control cavity closeup of logo closeup of 9th fret inlay body blacklight headstock blacklight House of Guitars with les paul sig
Steve Haynie Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 This has been an interesting thread so far. Thank you, Brent.
Brentrocks Posted July 23, 2014 Author Posted July 23, 2014 Spill the beans, Jay.FWIW - my late '78/early '79 has a stamped (not inked) serial number and the last 3 or 4 digits are quite a bit lighter (read: barely there) compared to the rest.it is at least a 78 or a 79....the guy I bought it from has pics of the original pots that date to 1978
Brentrocks Posted July 23, 2014 Author Posted July 23, 2014 I'll advise Brent again. Keep it, dude. Nobody else has one, so far.that's good advise!
cynic Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Assuming there's only the one House of Guitars, you should reach out to them. According to their website and wiki, the same ownership has been in place since the 1960s.
Brentrocks Posted July 23, 2014 Author Posted July 23, 2014 Assuming there's only the one House of Guitars, you should reach out to them. According to their website and wiki, the same ownership has been in place since the 1960s.http://www.houseofguitars.com/I just got off the phone with them.They had 25 of these made in 1978 to commemorate their 25th Anniversary.
a.bandini Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 That's pretty cool! Mystery solved? Did they say there were no serial numbers on them?
cynic Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 To snag a copy of the purchase order would be a nice bit of added provenance.
Biz Prof Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 Definitely one of the cooler guitar mysteries I've read in a long time. And it didn't involve a wrecked Mustang!
murkat Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 Why was the HOG and LP info so faint?that's Gibson.Gibson does not even know.reality.really.
JustKid Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 I might have an explanation why the back was re-painted, and it might be a bit disappointing. Just look at the pic and tell me if you think what I think
JustKid Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 Also, I was thinking, if they commemorate 25th anniversary in 78, that puts the beginning of HOG to 1953. However official information says they opened in 1964. And in this light - did you have a chance to compare the size of this guitar's headstock and any other Gibson made from 84 and up? On '70s LPs it measures 86mm btwn the tips of the mustage, on modern - '1984 and up - it is 78mm . Also the tuners are grovers and in the 70s they put Gibsons with large diameter ferrules and no nut ( I understand that they could specifically order Grovers, but I doubt that). Now if the headstock is small, then everything makes sence - it's from 88-89 with grovers ( according to info 64+25=89...88 in some cases ), cavities look identical to the ones from 80s ( see pics), and with no metal surroundings ( I do not imagine someone going into the trouble taking all of them out, from the switch cavity in particular - it literally is pain in the ass), the hole for wires is rectangular, just like on the 80s. You can see that the shape of the cavities on 70s is quite different with round hole for wires. If the headstock turns out to be large, then I am no help without touching it, because sometimes you look at them and they look real, but when you touch them, you feel silicone , if you know what I mean . And on top of that the info on wiki about them opening the store in 64 will be incorrect. And I'm suspecting the headstock repair. I wish was wrong, but those lines usually left from bending the top layer + full back re-paint to cover it and make the color consistent all the way with the back of the body
cynic Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 He's aware of and acknowledges the headstock repair at 1:17 here.Could the square vs round wiring channel be a Nashville vs Kalamazoo thing? I ask because I think (Brent would know for sure) Heritage control cavities have the round channel.
Brentrocks Posted July 24, 2014 Author Posted July 24, 2014 I might have an explanation why the back was re-painted, and it might be a bit disappointing. Just look at the pic and tell me if you think what I think I know it has a headstock repair...I knew it when I bought it
Brentrocks Posted July 24, 2014 Author Posted July 24, 2014 He's aware of and acknowledges the headstock repair at 1:17 here.Could the square vs round wiring channel be a Nashville vs Kalamazoo thing? I ask because I think (Brent would know for sure) Heritage control cavities have the round channel.I'm not 100% sure on the routing (but I think you are right)....but the cross section of the fretboard binding is a sure way to tell a Kalamazoo Gibson VS a Nashville
Brentrocks Posted July 24, 2014 Author Posted July 24, 2014 I talked to one of the more senior staff at HOG today. He told me that this Les Paul had an inked on serial #....HOG 001 - HOG 025. There were 25 made. They do not have the records of which one was sold to who, so looks like I will never know if mine is 001 or 002 or 003 or 004....you get the idea. But its nice to know its origins.
murkat Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 it is a nashville plant made guitar.only a few les pauls/ models where made at Kalamazoo at the end of days,the last Les Pauls to push thru were the KM's.Also, Nashville was supplying Kalamazoo with necks, bodies, etc.,just like what they do today between divisions.Some things never change, Most certainly with Gibson.
Mike Shaw Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 So.... given the HOG year of opening and other info, does in seem more likely it's an 80's guitar?
Mike Shaw Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 "They had 25 of these made in 1978 to commemorate their 25th Anniversary" So.... if I'm interpreting this correctly, HOG commissioned 25 LP's to be built in 77-78 to celebrate the LP's 25 anniversary - not the HOG's 25th anniversary? Sound right?
Brentrocks Posted July 24, 2014 Author Posted July 24, 2014 Why was the HOG and LP info so faint?Old signature on a guitar that has been around the block a few hundred times.
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