I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

FretFire

FretFire

SingedFingerologist
I was jamming over at a buddy's house tonight, when one of his friends showed up with his 1968 Gibson Les Paul (either Special or Junior, not sure which). Flat top, sunburst, P90s, all original and in excellent shape. Apparently his Dad bought it 15 years ago at a garage sale for $200 or $300.

It played great and sounded incredible. It had the meatiest low E I think I've ever heard. I didn't have a digital camera handy, but I need to get back over there and take some pictures soon. Just thought I'd share my joy :rolleyes:.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

Kommerzbassist said:
Weren't the late 60's to 70's Versions the "not so good ones"?
Click to expand...


I think the Norlin era was 70s-80s, but I could be wrong. No matter who made this one, it was a winner.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

I get very wary of playing vintage stuff in case I fall for it and can't afford to buy it. Same thing with PRS. I would love to own an instrument with a bit of history, but I'll have to win the Lotto first. Glad you enjoyed the experience tho.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

It's nice to know that there are still good old Gibson's out there. I have my '67 SG with P90s stuck inside a closet for the last 5 years because I don't play that loud any more. I always smile when people say how good their guitars sound 'cause I know Gibson guitars have never sounded and played the same since they moved out of Kalamazoo MI in the 70s. Gone is that sweet tone and nice playability; and then they introduced the 80's sound which I don't think it was half as good. It is a sad thing that Fender went through almost the same thing. The re-issues just don't measure up to the real ones.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

Cool! It's neat to think about all the places old guitars have been. I have a post-war mandolin (WWI, that is) and I wonder about who owned it before me.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

[BRAG] My 48 y.o. Gibson, with original P.A.F., is just dreamy. [/BRAG]
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

It couldn't have been a 1968 LP Special. Gibson did 2 LP models in 68, the Custom, and the Goldtop. I seem to recall a reissue of Specials just prior to 76.

The '68-69 LPs are pretty well regarded because it was still constructed pretty much like the 50's models. In '69-70 Gibson/Norlin instituted changes that weren't the most popular with players.

As far as "not the same since Kalamazoo..." I'm sorry, the guitars Gibson has been putting out since the mid 90's generally surpass a great majority of the guitars that Gibson put out of Kalamazoo from the 70s-83 or whenever it was they closed the plant. Until the last 2 years or so, Gibson under Henry had done a fantastic job of listening to players, and making changes that a majority of players would like.

Cool! It's neat to think about all the places old guitars have been. I have a post-war mandolin (WWI, that is) and I wonder about who owned it before me.
Click to expand...
Being a dork who's interested in history, it's really nifty to think about where your guitar has been before you had it. It's a piece of history that you can own and enjoy. It's why I don't understand in the 80's when someone would take a 30 year old guitar and rout it out for a Kahler and a locking nut. I still don't understand it today when someone gets a 52 LP and routs it for humbuckers and retops it and sprays it sunburst. That guitar is more than likely going to exist after you're gone. In whatever shape you leave it in. In a sense you don't "own" a vintage guitar- you just take care of it for the next "owner."
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

seafoamer said:
[BRAG] My 48 y.o. Gibson, with original P.A.F., is just dreamy. [/BRAG]
Click to expand...


Brag part 2. My 56 LP Jr was given to me for free! :dance: :saeek:
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

It sounds like a Junior to me. They ARE sweet, aren't they? I have an acquaintance who is in possession of an early LP Jr, and I have told him that if he ever sells it without telling me, I'm going to buy a McDonald's fillet o' fish sandwich, put it in his glove compartment and break the key off in the lock.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

[BRAG] My 1952 Gibson ES-125 with original dogear P-90 is the best sounding guitar I've ever heard [/BRAG]
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

Kommerzbassist said:
Weren't the late 60's to 70's Versions the "not so good ones"?
Click to expand...

Don't believe everything you hear. I've got two '77's, a Deluxe and a Special Double cutaway that will blow most anything made today out of the water, ESPECIALLY new Gibsons. I've got a '55 Junior, and they both stand up pretty well to it, too, although there is nothing like the sound of a 50 year old P-90!!
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

The Golden Boy said:
As far as "not the same since Kalamazoo..." I'm sorry, the guitars Gibson has been putting out since the mid 90's generally surpass a great majority of the guitars that Gibson put out of Kalamazoo from the 70s-83 or whenever it was they closed the plant. Until the last 2 years or so, Gibson under Henry had done a fantastic job of listening to players, and making changes that a majority of players would like.
Click to expand...

That's exactly when I smiled.
 
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

Amateur said:
That's exactly when I smiled.
Click to expand...
On a random sampling of instruments, show me a majority of multi-piece bodied, boat paddle headstocked, three pieced topped, short tenoned, thick finished, clown bursted, twelve pound instruments that are subjectively "better" than a random sampling of guitars Gibson has produced in the past 10-12 years.
 
Last edited:
Re: I played a 37 year old Gibson tonight...

The Golden Boy said:
On a random sampling of instruments, show me a majority of multi-piece bodied, boat paddle headstocked, three pieced topped, short tenoned, thick finished, clown bursted, twelve pound instruments that are subjectively "better" than a random sampling of guitars Gibson has produced in the past 10-12 years.
Click to expand...

I don't want to get into an argument, but let me tell tell you that if anyone has a good product, they don't have to put out any re-issues because people will go buy whatever is good. A re-issue is just a subtle way of admitting the old stuffs were better. It's not by the manufacturer's choice. When people play the vintage guitars, they usually say "This sounds awesome!" or "I gotta get me one of these!". They may not have the best sounds, because sounding good is a subjective thing; but it is definitely something that make people like it. I never told anyone that the vintage guitars sound better, but people will find out by themselves eventually, and that's why we have the so called re-issues because the manufacturers want people to believe they are just as good. When you play a guitar which is almost considered as a benchmark day in and day out, you know its sound very well, you'll notice the difference when you play any another guitars including the re-issues. It's just like you handle the real dollar bills every day and you can tell a phony right the way because it just don't feel the same. I never try to convince people the the vintage guitars are better, but that is people's trend of thought right now, which I have to agree. I smile because I know what the majority thinks. I never told anyone my guitar is good, they told me that after they played it.

Sorry to give you an answer so late because I had band practice yesterday.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

guitarkid
Should I get a Gibson ES-339?? Help! Paging all 339 owners!
Replies
14
Views
13K
Rand-O-Monium
Rand-O-Monium
daan
Project A Palooza (or, Get to work, Daan!)
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
16K
daan
daan
Back
Top