LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

[SirJackdeFuzz]

http://s59.photobucket.com/user/bluetone73/library/LP Custom?sort=3&page=1


Seeing as my ES-135 buying is on hold . . . i came across yet another guitar i am hunting for, for some time now.

The above link is of the actual Les Paul Custom. A 1983 model.

It falls in the so called "Norlan Years". (1969 - 1987) Are those LP's on the same quality level as the early 70's ?

Is the $2500.00 asking price decent ?

What can you guys tell me about this guitar - by looking at the iPad taken images !




Any info welcome !

Thanks

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I mean if you don't care about the year or what ever. You could also get a much newer (used) LPC off ebay for that much.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I mean if you don't care about the year or what ever. You could also get a much newer (used) LPC off ebay for that much.

A lot of sellers do not ship over seas :-(

They like to keep it in the States.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

a lot of people ive seen can be pretty voodoo about the norlan era gibsons. I haven't ever played one myself, so I cant speak for them. But if are able to play it before you buy it, do and see how it feels

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

play it before you buy

this

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I've owned a couple Norlin customs (still have one) and both were great guitars. They fall on the heavy side, for the most part. IMO $2500 for that one is too much. If it was white turned yellow ala Randy Rhoads you'd be closer, but a stock wine red is overpriced in the current market. Also, see if it still has Shaw pickups in it, if it does that's worth a couple hundred alone. That guitar with Shaws to me would be fair at $2200-$2300 and $2000 without.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

Obviously, you cant play before you buy as would be the ideal thing. Its up to you if you want to take the gamble. Have you ever played a Norlin era LP? they are different animals than todays LPs. Some guys Love them, some loathe them. They tend to be heavier, sometimes pancake bodies.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

Pancakes ended in the 70's, this one won't have that. It might still have a 3-piece maple neck though, which adds to the weight and focused punch that these Norlin era customs are known for. They are also stronger than sh.t, and the neck profiles are on the thinner side, unlike the 50's necks on more recent customs.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I bought my black '78 for $1900, all stock but without any pickups (on the left)

In the past year I sold my natural '81 (to an actual rock star) for $1900 cash. It had a Tuttle refret with jumbo stainless steel frets, and aftermarket pickups and electronics (on the right)

(in the middle is a Norlin '78 SG standard - also a killer guitar)

 

[uOpt]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

A 1969-1971 is significantly more valuable. Other than that, crazy construction first got better and then completely stopped in IIRC 1983-86 but that is when swiss-chessing started so there isn't a change in vintage price. People don't hate the pancaked bodies, some thing the super heavy ones are sounding good and some prefer the maple neck over mahogancy.

$2500 for any LPC, any year, is a middle of the road price. The photos show a wine red one in very good shape. That's an attractive guitar. Whether it ever brings vintage guitar price increases is a different question.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

My issues with 70's Norlins are maple necks, heavy pancake bodies with obvious lines where they were joined, and the few years they came as fretless wonders....flat frets.

But this 83, doesn't appear to suffer from any of those. It's probably a bit heavier than most modern LP's though, but that's not always a bad thing for tone and sustain.

It's 30 years old, so it falls into the vintage market. He's got a clean one and wants top dollar. You've just got to figure out who wants it more; you or him.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

A lot of key LP players played norlin era LP's.....like Sykes, Rhoads, slash, Frehley) LOL

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

My issues with 70's Norlins are maple necks, heavy pancake bodies with obvious lines where they were joined, and the few years they came as fretless wonders....flat frets.

But this 83, doesn't appear to suffer from any of those. It's probably a bit heavier than most modern LP's though, but that's not always a bad thing for tone and sustain.

It's 30 years old, so it falls into the vintage market. He's got a clean one and wants top dollar. You've just got to figure out who wants it more; you or him.

. . . understood - thanks for the info !

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I haven't ever played a Norlin, but I have a feeling they are all doomed to be labeled as "dogs", even though some are probably amazing guitars. There are quite a few dogs though. I think the SGs suffered more than the Les Pauls, simply because all of the stupid cheap and ugly variations of the SG that were made.

I'm in the "if it is good, you decide if the price is right" party. I'd pay more for something I will LOVE and cherish, even if it won't retain its value - than something I hate that would retain its value.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I have owned an '83 Black Beauty for over 10 years. It looks sweet. It's heavy as hell. It has a very thin neck with wide, low frets. It sounds extremely dark and muddy with any pickup you can imagine in it (including P90's). Norlins can be okay guitars for some people, but they definitely do have a bad reputation for real, tangible reasons. The guitar may work for you, and it may not, depending on what you like in a guitar. I got mine because at $1,100, it was the best Black Beauty I could afford at the time. I don't love it, and it probably isn't a lifer guitar for me in the end, but I've made it work for me okay over the years I've had it. Now that Norlin Gibsons are selling for absolutely idiotic prices, I may just sell the thing. A modern Custom Shop Gibson, or even a Standard production post-Norlin Black Beauty is easily a better quality guitar. Bottom line for me: Try it before you buy it. Don't spend $2,500 on a guitar you've never played.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I have a white custom frm '88. The stock pickups were harsh. 498's? I never found out. It's got a crappy neck angle as evidenced by the high bridge. The consequence of the neck angle is. A bright, snappy, muddy tone. The only p'ups that seem to work well are Seth lovers. A pearly gates and p-rails were ok, but truly, the only way to get a good sound is to crank up the string height. It's my first "real guitar" so I'll never sell it, but I would never buy another without some serious trial time. There's too many luthiers out there who can make an awesome piece for that kin of money, and they are way more consistent.

 

[AlexR]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

^ all LP eras have their duds and screamers. The thing is - your idea of a screamer might be different to the next man's

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I haven't ever played a Norlin, but I have a feeling they are all doomed to be labeled as "dogs", even though some are probably amazing guitars. There are quite a few dogs though. I think the SGs suffered more than the Les Pauls, simply because all of the stupid cheap and ugly variations of the SG that were made.

I'm in the "if it is good, you decide if the price is right" party. I'd pay more for something I will LOVE and cherish, even if it won't retain its value - than something I hate that would retain its value.

. . . i deff agree with that statement !

 

[erksin]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

My issues with 70's Norlins are maple necks, heavy pancake bodies with obvious lines where they were joined, and the few years they came as fretless wonders....flat frets.

But this 83, doesn't appear to suffer from any of those. It's probably a bit heavier than most modern LP's though, but that's not always a bad thing for tone and sustain.

It's 30 years old, so it falls into the vintage market. He's got a clean one and wants top dollar. You've just got to figure out who wants it more; you or him.

Not all Norlins were pancake bodies - that only ran from '70-'74. And maple necks started in '75 and were pretty much all back to mahogany by '81.

The Customs are typically pretty heavy - rarely under 10lbs. So if weight is an issue I'd ask for him to weigh it for you.

Pickups in that thing should Tim Shaws and that's a very good thing, highly desirable all on their own. That one is clean and very fairly priced, IMO. If he has the original 'chainsaw' case for it those are worth $200-$300 all on their own.

 

[erksin]

Re: LP Custom for $2500.00 ? ( !)

I have owned an '83 Black Beauty for over 10 years. It looks sweet. It's heavy as hell. It has a very thin neck with wide, low frets. It sounds extremely dark and muddy with any pickup you can imagine in it (including P90's). Norlins can be okay guitars for some people, but they definitely do have a bad reputation for real, tangible reasons. The guitar may work for you, and it may not, depending on what you like in a guitar. I got mine because at $1,100, it was the best Black Beauty I could afford at the time. I don't love it, and it probably isn't a lifer guitar for me in the end, but I've made it work for me okay over the years I've had it. Now that Norlin Gibsons are selling for absolutely idiotic prices, I may just sell the thing. A modern Custom Shop Gibson, or even a Standard production post-Norlin Black Beauty is easily a better quality guitar. Bottom line for me: Try it before you buy it. Don't spend $2,500 on a guitar you've never played.

Ever investigate which pots were in yours? Gibson used 300K pots in all of their '70s and early '80s guitars regardless of pickup - they're perfect for the mini humbuckers used in the Deluxe, but not so much for the humbuckers in the Standards and Customs.