1973 Black Beauty

[Chris Pile]

A client recently brought me this 1973 LP Custom. He had let his nephew play it for awhile, and said nephew changed out the gold hardware for a bunch of chrome Babicz stuff - which didn't look right at all. Needed a good cleaning, and ordered new hardware (vintage stuff was too high). Got it all put back together this afternoon, and strung up to pitch. It plays like butter and sounds great! Thank goodness the nephew didn't change out the original Patent Number humbuckers. However, all the original pots and jacks are long gone - replaced with Chinese stuff. That will be fixed later.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

Nice! Was there a bigsby or diff tail piece on it at one time?? Looks like holes and markings from a diff bridge..?

 

[AlexR]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

^ And additionally the t/p is quite new.....and seemingly a different shade of gold.
There is an example of where a reliced t/p would have been the ideal purchase.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

I love customs... beautiful.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

There have been Bigsbys and other stuff on it..... 2 weeks ago it had a cheap chrome bail tailpiece on it and one of those horrible Babicz TOM bridges with a totally unnecessary grounding plate underneath (wired into the harness).

Yes, it's brand new gold Kluson parts. WHY? Because I (and the client) hate fake patina. We can find real vintage parts later that look right.

 

[Coma]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

There have been Bigsbys and other stuff on it..... 2 weeks ago it had a cheap chrome bail tailpiece on it and one of those horrible Babicz TOM bridges with a totally unnecessary grounding plate underneath (wired into the harness).

Yes, it's brand new gold Kluson parts. WHY? Because I (and the client) hate fake patina. We can find real vintage parts later that look right.

Hey now, I would love to try one of those Babicz bridges. Though I'd probably shell out for a gold one instead of chrome if I was to put it on a Custom.

 

[Wattage]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

Without going crazy to fake patina the tailpiece I've used tarnish remover/polish to take down some of the "brand new" look of gold plated parts, it also seems to pull back some of the orange-y color of a lot of the import gold.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

Hey now, I would love to try one of those Babicz bridges. Though I'd probably shell out for a gold one instead of chrome if I was to put it on a Custom.

It's a huge clunky looking piece of gear that has no grace and is overly complex.

 

[Coma]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

It's a huge clunky looking piece of gear that has no grace and is overly complex.

You could say the same about the Floyd Rose. But if it does what it promises, it's still an interesting piece of gear.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

Without going crazy to fake patina the tailpiece I've used tarnish remover/polish to take down some of the "brand new" look of gold plated parts, it also seems to pull back some of the orange-y color of a lot of the import gold.

Not to get OT, but some of those black LTDs that have the orange colored gold hardware and the orange binding are hideous IMO

 

[Aceman]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

Pancake or one piece?

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: 1973 Black Beauty

Pancake or one piece?

Pancake, of course.