My Old Guitars

Original 1958 Les Paul Custom, triple pickup serial number 8 2022

Dave — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:49:56 +0000

1957 through 1961 (or even a bit later) Les Paul Custom models are a continuation of the marvelous craftsmanship exhibited on the earlier 1954 through 56 LP Customs. The body is made from a simple one piece Honduran Mahogany block of wood. At some point in 1957 Gibson introduced Humbucking pickups to this model. And the triple pickup late ‘50s early ‘60s Gibson Les Paul Custom is the norm.

Our ‘58 Les Paul Custom still has the waffle back tuning pegs and I love that. If our Les Paul custom had been made later it would have the heavier Grover tuning machines. The previous owner put a tremolo on this guitar and then removed it. And they did not do a good job adding the tremolo or removing the tremolo. When I bought it back in the late ‘70s, I purchased it as a player guitar and had no concern for the holes in the top. If I had added just $1000.00 to what I spent on this guitar I could have had as “Slick” a ’58 Les Paul Custom as could be had at the time. No the difference between this ‘58 Les Paul Custom is thousands and thousands. Just because of condition. Remember folks think before you add that piece of unoriginal hardware to your favorite old guitar.
However I love this guitar and would not trade it.
We hope to feature videos soon. Until then please enjoy the image gallery and specs.

• Model Name: 1958 Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty”
• Series: Original 1958 Les Paul Custom, triple pickup serial number 8 2022
• Neck Dimensions: 1st fret .878”, 5th fret .902”, 8th fret .920”, 12th fret .958”.
• Neck Construction: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Truss Rod Routing: Deep
• Neck Joint: long tenon
• Neck Peghead: Holly-head veneer, Split Diamond MOP Inlay, and Gibson logo MOP inlay, 5 ply binding front, Kluson Waffle style tuning machines with pearloid tulip shaped buttons
• Neck Wood: Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Slightly thinner medium C shape
• Back of the neck: Nitro Cellulous
• Pickup Bridge: PAF Humbucker DC resistance 8.05K Ohm (in circuit) grounded gold-plated covers
• Pickup Neck: PAF Humbucker DC resistance 7.05K Ohm (in circuit) grounded gold-plated covers
• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the middle pickup DC resistance 4.0K Ohm (in circuit)
• Wiring Path: ‘50s wiring scheme
• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
• Body Wood: One Piece Honduran Mahogany (has not been built with a one piece body since 1961)
• Top Wood: Top and Back are one and carved from a single piece. So there really isn’t a top wood or back wood, it is just one piece of carved Honduran Mahogany.
• Pickguard: Milled 5 Ply plastic. Thickness: .115 inches.
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
• Fretboard: Ebony with large MOP block inlays.
• Fretboard Binding: Single-ply, white colored
• Fretboard Inlay: Mother of Pearl Block Inlay
• Frets: Low Glide “Fretless Wonder”
• Fret Width and Height: at .70” wide and approximately .20” high
• Fretboard Radius: Approximately 12 inch
• Fingerboard: smooth unfinished Ebony
• Nut Width and Material: 1.66 inches, Dunlop “Nylon 6/6”
• Bridge: No wire ABR-1, on threaded post with single thumbwheel (2 sides)
• Bridge Saddles: Slotted individual metal blades with adjustment screws (these bridge pieces fall out easily)
• Bridge Inlay: Raised “GIBSON ABR-1” underneath
• Stop Tail Piece: Lightweight gold-plated pot metal tailpiece slides into slotted adjustable studs, held by serrated stud inserts pressed into body
• Controls: Neck Pickup Volume and Tone, Bridge pickup Volume and Tone, each utilizing 500K audio taper potentiometers (the reading on the Neck tone pot was 441K Ohms, the reading on the Bridge tone pot was 573K Ohms) with “Chiclets” .022uf capacitors.
• Knobs: Black top hats
• Tuning Machines: Kluson, single ring tulip, waffle style back plate
• Hardware color: Gold
• Pickup selector: Three position toggle.
• Switch Tip: Beautifully aged amber tip.
• Switch Washer: Plastic, black with gold imprint barely there. Thickness: .020 inches.
• Serial Number Application: Yellowish Inked on back of the headstock 8 = year , 2022 is the 2022 product made within this serial number scheme (Les Paul Junior, Special, Standard and Custom, “Vs” Explorers etc, examples of excluded models included ES guitars such as the ES-335 and other Archtops).
• Control Cavity Cover Plates: milled plastic. Thickness: .09 to .086 inches
• Control Cavities: Machine routed: Tone/volume controls, pickup selector, pickups.
• Screws: Flat and round-head Phillips (except studs which are flat slotted)
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous.
• Introduced: 1954 Humbucking pickups added in 1957
• Unique Features: One Piece Body, and Fretless Wonder frets, Three Humbucking Pickups!
• Color: Black
• Input Jack Plate: Milled plastic, black/white/black. Thickness: .073 inches.
• Case: Black Alligator with Yellowish interior
• Strap Buttons: Gold plate aluminum
• Weight: 9.5 pounds

1958 Gibson Les Paul Custom Triple Pickup photo gallery

1936 Gibson Super 400 FON 400B 6 serial number 93031

Dave — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:33:06 +0000

This 1936 Gibson Super 400 is one of my favorite guitars. It came to me in the late ‘70s and I jumped at the opportunity to own and play this very early version of the Gibson Super 400. There were only 96 Gibson Super 400 guitars built like this one. From 1934 to 1936 Gibson built the Super 400 with a very beautiful girlish figure, shorter scale length and super high quality but very light weight Grover tuning machines. These special features make this Super 400 and her other 95 sisters the finest and sweetest sounding Gibson Super 400 Archtops ever made. My late friend Darwin (one of the most active and energetic Jazz guitarists I have ever met) and I would use this Super 400 as the standard by which we judged all other archtop guitars. When Darwin or I would get a new Jazz box (full body hollow body arch top guitar) we would make the time to get together and compare the new Jazz box to this guitar.

Click here to download and watch original higher quality QUICKTIME MOVIE

Why did Gibson change the guitar? Two reasons mainly, 1) Gibson wanted the loudest guitar and the big bulky heavy tuning machines looked more luxurious and expensive. What all happened to the Gibson Super 400 in the pursuit of sheer volume and a more expensive look… well in 1937 Gibson broadened the shoulders so our beautiful Super 400 looked a little more like a linebacker than a show girl. Gibson also changed the tuning machines to incredibly large Grover Imperials and later Kluson Sealfast. These tuning machines added almost a pound of weight to the guitar which inhibited the peghead resonance and changed the balance of this previously perfectly balanced Gibson Super 400. The scale length was increased to gain a bit a volume in the upper frequency range making the guitar more percussive for the orchestra guitarist playing down strokes on the fours but yet sacrificing some sweetness and playability. Next to go was the Brazilian Rosewood bridge and engraved heel cap and our show girl was gone.

Don’t get me wrong I have a high regard for the later Gibson Super 400 guitars. And I must admit that I have seldom taken my beautiful old 1936 Gibson super 400 to the gig. I normally use a more modern arch top hollow body with a cutaway. However I wish every guitar player could play one of these first 96 Gibson Super 400 guitars as they are one of the sweetest guitars ever built. And in the future I will use this guitar. Who wants hear the high notes up past the fourteenth fret?

1936 Gibson Super 400
Some specs;
• Model Name: Super 400 FON (factory order number) 400B-6 serial # 93031
• Series: Acoustic Arch Top
• Neck Dimensions 1st fret .900”, 5th fret .955”, 8th fret .985”, 12th fret 1.08 ”
• Made as an Acoustic Archtop guitar (No Pick Up) without equal, the previous owner has added a DeArmond 1000 pickup, these DeArmond pickups sound incredibly good and are destructive only to the pickguard (on this guitar the alteration was not done with any skill or elegance). I just can’t say enough about these wonderful DeArmond pickups! When I was a kid some of the old timers would refer to these pickups as a “Monkey on a Stick”. I still call them that today.
• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
• Body Wood: Back and Rims Maple Laminate 16 inch by 20 inch
• Body Binding: Single ply top and back
• Top wood: Spruce, with two braces running the length of the top a few inches apart near the neck, widening toward the butt of the guitar
• Pickguard : Mottled Celluloid
• Scale Length: 24 ¾ inches (Unusual for the Super 400) Only the first 96 were made this way.
• Neck Joint: Dovetail
• Neck Wood: Figured Maple
• Neck Shape: full but prefect C
• Neck Heel Cap: Bound and Engraved
• Back of the neck: Most of the finish is present and wonderfully worn in
• Fretboard: Ebony
• Fretboard Inlay: Mother of Pearl Split Block Inlays
• Frets: 20,
• Fret Width and Height: at .074” wide and approximately .025” high (many appear original with 5 or 6 replacements) this guitar has had its frets dressed very low.
• Fretboard Radius:
• Fingerboard: a few track marks
• Nut Width and Material: 1.67 inch bone material (looks very original with lacquer on the sides)
• Bridge: Floating Adjustable Brizilian Rosewood with Triangle Inlays
• Bridge Saddle: Brazilian Rosewood with Triangle Inlays
• Bridge Inlay: Triangles
• Tuning Machines: Small (Fancy Shaped) Metal Button Highly Engraved Grover tuning machines (These Machines work very well and guitar is easy to tune)
• Hardware color: Gold
• Serial Number Application: Inked on White Oval tag inside the upper F-Hole
• Screws: Phillips Round Head
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous
• Introduced : 1934 and then greatly altered in 1937
• Unique Features : Small light weight tuning machines for better resonance! Short sweet 24 and ¾ inch scale length as opposed to the 25 and ½ inch scale length which gives the guitar a sweeter sound. The shape of this Super 400 is much more beautiful than the later guitars starting in 1937 when Gibson widened the upper bout. Split Diamond inlay on the back of the peghead
• Color: Golden Sunburst
• Case : Beauitful Leather form fitting hardshell case
• Weight: 6.7 pounds with pickup attached

1936 Gibson Super 400 photo gallery

1955 Gibson Les Paul Custom serial number 513028

Dave — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:41:48 +0000

Gibson Les Paul Custom guitars made from 1954 through 1956 are true marvels of craftsmanship. The body is made from one piece Honduran Mahogany. Not a one piece back with a one piece top. It is just one piece of Honduran Mahogany carved so beautifully and finished with elegance. The pickup combination here is unique in that the bridge pickup is a P90 and the neck pickup is an Alnico 5 pickup. Most of us are familiar with a P90. P90s are featured on some very great guitars that we all admire such as a Les Paul Junior or the Gibson ES 330. The Alnico 5 pickup is featured on the top of the line Gibson arch-top guitars such as the Byrdland, the L5 CES, the Super 400 during the early to mid 1950s.

Here are the specs and an image gallery for our 1955 Gibson Les Paul Custom. This guitar has a tremendous feel to its neck. We hope to put up some videos soon. In the mean time enjoy the image gallery.

• Model Name: 1955 Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty”
• Series: Les Paul serial number 513028
• Neck Dimensions 1st fret .906”, 5th fret .927”, 8th fret .948”, 12th fret .980”.
• Neck Construction: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Truss Rod Routing: Deep
• Neck Joint: long tenon
• Neck Peghead: Holly-head veneer, Split Diamond MOP Inlay, and Gibson logo MOP inlay, 5 ply binding front, Kluson Waffle style tuning machines with pearloid tulip shaped buttons
• Neck Wood: Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Medium C shape
• Back of the neck: Nitro Cellulous
• Pickup Bridge: P90 DC resistance 7.5K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Pickup Neck: Alnico V DC resistance 8.1K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the neck pickup DC resistance 3.9K Ohm (in circuit)
• Wiring Path: ‘50s wiring scheme
• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
• Body Wood: One Piece Honduran Mahogany (has not been built with a one piece body since 1961)
• Top Wood: Top and Back are a single piece. So there really isn’t a top wood or back wood, it is just one piece of carved Honduran Mahogany.
• Pickguard: Milled 5 Ply plastic. Thickness: .115 inches.
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
• Fretboard: Ebony with large MOP block inlays.
• Fretboard Binding: Single-ply, white colored
• Fretboard Inlay: Mother of Pearl Block Inlay
• Frets: Low Glide “Fretless Wonder”
• Fret Width and Height: at .70” wide and approximately .20” high
• Fretboard Radius: Approximately 12 inch
• Fingerboard: smooth Ebony
• Nut Width and Material: 1.69 inches, Dunlop Nylon 6/6
• Bridge: No wire ABR-1, on threaded post with single thumbwheel (2 sides)
• Bridge Saddles: Slotted individual metal blades with adjustment screws ( these bridge pieces fall out easily) (original bridge with sag)
• Bridge Inlay: Raised “GIBSON ABR-1” underneath
• Stop Tail Piece: Lightweight gold-plated pot metal tailpiece slides into slotted adjustable studs, held by serrated stud inserts pressed into body
• Controls: Neck Pickup Volume and Tone, Bridge pickup Volume and Tone, each utilizing 500K audio taper potentiometers (the reading on the Neck tone pot was 525K Ohms, the reading on the Bridge tone pot was 470K Ohms) with large “Bumble Bee” .022uf capacitors.
• Knobs: Black top hats
• Tuning Machines: Kluson, single ring tulip, waffle style back plate
• Hardware color: Gold
• Pickup selector: Three position toggle.
• Switch Tip: Beautifully aged amber tip.
• Switch Washer: Plastic, black with gold imprint barely there. Thickness: .020 inches.
• Serial Number Application: Yellowish Inked on back of the headstock 5 = year , 13028 is the product made within this serial number scheme (Les Paul Junior, Special, Standard and Custom, “Vs” Explorers etc, examples of excluded models included ES guitars such as the ES-335 and other Archtops).
• Control Cavity Cover Plates: milled plastic. Thickness: .09 inches
• Control Cavities: Machine routed: Tone/volume controls, pickup selector, pickups.
• Screws: Flat and round-head Phillips (except studs which are flat slotted)
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous.
• Introduced: 1954
• Unique Features: One Piece Body, and Fretless Wonder frets!
• Color: Black
• Input Jack Plate: Milled plastic, black/white/black. Thickness: .058 inches.
• Case: Black Alligator with Yellowish interior
• Strap Buttons: Gold plate aluminum
• Weight: 8.9 pounds

1964 Epiphone Casino E230TD serial number 71030

Dave — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:12:54 +0000

I buddy of mine, whose opinion I trust, had this Epiphone Casino. When considering sound and playability he felt it was as fine as could be found. I think he is right and the vibrato on this Casino works much better than the same type ov vibrato that is on a couple other ’60s Epiphone guitars that we have. Needless to say I purchased the guitar from my friend when he offered it to me. I hope to do more videos with this guitar soon. Please enjoy this video below, the image gallery (coming in the next day or two), the measurements and specs.

Click here to download and watch original higher quality QUICKTIME MOVIE

• Model Name: Late 1964 Epiphone Casino E230TD, serial number 71030
• Series: Electric Spanish E230TD
• Neck Dimensions 1st fret .800”, 5th fret .889”, 8th fret .931”, 12th fret .998”.
• Neck Construction: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Truss Rod Routing: Shallow
• Neck Joint: Short dovetail tenon joining at the 16th fret
• Neck Peghead: .58 inch thick, Unbound Holly-Head veneer, and Epiphone logo MOP inlay, Kluson (single line) tuning machines with small nickel plated oval shaped buttons.
• Neck Wood: Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Medium C shape
• Back of the neck: Nitro Cellulous
• Pickup Bridge: P90 or P-90 single coil DC resistance 8.6K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Pickup Neck: P90 or P-90 single coil DC resistance 7.6K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the middle pickup DC resistance 4.07K Ohm (in circuit)
• Wiring Path: ‘50s and early ‘60s wiring scheme (the cap is connected to the center lug of the volume control)
• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
• Body Wood: Laminate Maple pressed top with a Spruce contour brace reinforcing the top, supporting both of the bridge posts and affixing the top to the Mahogany neck block and end block, laminate Maple pressed back has no spruce contour brace (or bracing for that matter).
• Body thickness: 1.65 inches, with 1.12 inches of wood between the binding
• Top Wood: Laminate Eastern Maple 3 ply, center plyn (Blind Ply) possibly maple (center plys are reported to have changed to poplar and other woods in 1967/8)
• Pickguard: Missing (if anyone has an extra original pickup we would be interested)
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
• Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood.
• Fretboard Binding: Thin Single-ply, whitish cream colored
• Fretboard Inlay: Smokey Pearloid Inlays
• Frets: Original Medium Jumbo Frets
• Fret Width and Height: at .100” wide and approximately .040” high
• Fretboard Radius: Approximately 12 inch
• Fingerboard: smooth unfinished Brazilian Rosewood
• Nut Width and Material: 1.64 inches, original nylon material (probably nylon 4/6 since it is a bit translucent with a yellow tint (a bluish tint would indicate Nylon 6/6) , in late ’64 and early ’65 you will find a mix of Micarta and Nylon 6/6 or Nylon 4/6 on Gibson guitars by ’67 the nut and the bridge saddles will both be Micarta)
• Bridge: Nickel ABR-1 (with “GIBSON ABR1 and some symbol on the bottom), on threaded post with single thumbwheels (extra set added by previous owner, seems to add sustain, this was a common thing to do in the ‘70s)
• Bridge Saddles: original saddles are slotted white synthetic saddles (these are translucent and are probably Nylon 6/6 a Dupont material as found on 1959 - 1964 with superior string glide) with intonation adjustment screws.
• Bridge Inlay: Raised “GIBSON ABR1 and some symbol on the bottom”) underneath
• Original Epiphone Tremotone Vibrola: Nickel-plated metal vibrato tailpiece with no screws to hold the Vibrato to the guitars top and two screws per side (four screws total) at the tail block on each side of the strap button. The Tremotone Vibrato is grounded.
• Controls: Neck Pickup Volume and Tone, Bridge pickup Volume and Tone, each utilizing 500K audio taper potentiometers pot code CBA 811-1053 500 KAT 137-64XX (the reading on the Neck tone pot was 507K Ohms, the reading on the Bridge tone pot was 571K Ohms) with large Sprague Black Beauties .022uf capacitors.
• Knobs: Gold top hat knobs with reflectors
• Tuning Machines: Kluson, single line nickel plated oval button machine heads.
• Hardware color: Nickel
• Pickup selector: Three position toggle.
• Switch Tip: Original White tip.
• Switch Washer: none
• Serial Number Application: Stamped back of the peghead and written on the rectangular tag inside the upper f-hole
• Control Cavity Cover Plates: none
• Cavities: Machine routed: Tone/volume controls, pickup selector, pickups, f-holes.
• Screws: Round-head Phillips
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous Shaded Sunburst.
• Introduced: The 16 fret neck ES-330 was introduced 1959
• Unique Features: True thin hollow body guitar with bridge posts threaded directly into the top of the guitar. Tremotone vibrola. Super light weight and fun to play!
• Color: Shaded Sunburst
• Input Jack Plate: none, the jack comes through the top wood.
• Case: Grey Blue Hardshell
• Strap Buttons: aluminum
• Weight: 6.3 pounds

1964 Epiphone Casino E230TD photo gallery

Early 1965 Gibson ES-330 serial number 274390

Jason — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:33:15 +0000

This old 1965 Gibson ES 330 “16 fret” is favorite of mine. This guitar has been well played and is not in perfect condition. A Tri Cities local played this guitar for years in the local bars. As a teenager I used to love to try to sneak in or peer from the window when he was playing at “Emil’s” (a local restaurant and bar in the ‘60s). I could stand outside the back door on a hot night and watch this guy perform. Some people collect guitars based on condition and criteria. I like owning this guitar because it still looks nice, plays great, sounds wonderful and has a connection to the local music scene that I grew up in.

This ES 330 is in the same condition as when I purchased it. Our sunburst ES 330 is the hollow body Gibson guitar that was in the music room and played by everyone. When playing gigs I use a ‘67 long neck ES 330 (Christmas gift from my wife). With the extra reach to the higher frets I have the ability to cover all of the music I need to play. So I don’t have to change guitars. I can start the night with a Gibson ES 330 and play entire night.

While I prefer playing out with the later ES 330s because the neck connects at the 19th fret allowing me to use an ES 330 the whole night regardless of the material covered, this guitar is a joy to write songs on, do a little home recording on and simply play around the house.

• Model Name: Early 1965 ES 330 serial number 274390
• Series: Electric Spanish ES 330 TDC
• Neck Dimensions 1st fret .764”, 5th fret .828”, 8th fret .870”, 12th fret .980”.
• Neck Construction: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Truss Rod Routing: Shallow
• Neck Joint: Short tenon joining at the 16th fret
• Neck Peghead: .56 inch thick, Unbound Holly-Head veneer, and Gibson logo MOP inlay, Kluson (double line) tuning machines with small white oval shaped buttons.
• Neck Wood: Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Shallow C shape but not the thinnest I have seen
• Back of the neck: Nitro Cellulous
• Pickup Bridge: P90 or P-90 single coil DC resistance 7.8K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Pickup Neck: P90 or P-90 single coil DC resistance 7.7K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the middle pickup DC resistance 3.89K Ohm (in circuit)
• Wiring Path: ‘50s and early ‘60s wiring scheme (the cap is connected to the center lug of the volume control)
• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
• Body Wood: Laminate Maple pressed top with a Spruce contour brace reinforcing the top, supporting both of the bridge posts and affixing the top to the Mahogany neck block and end block, laminate Maple pressed back has no spruce contour brace (or bracing for that matter).
• Body thickness: 1.71 inches, with 1.22 inches of wood between the binding
• Top Wood: Laminate Eastern Maple 3 ply, center ply possibly mahogany (but center plys are reported to have changed to poplar and other woods in 1967/8)
• Pickguard: Milled Five Ply plastic. Thickness: .109 inches.
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
• Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood.
• Fretboard Binding: Thin Single-ply, whitish cream colored
• Fretboard Inlay: Smokey Block Inlays
• Frets: Original Medium Jumbo Frets
• Fret Width and Height: at .100” wide and approximately .040” high
• Fretboard Radius: Approximately 12 inch
• Fingerboard: smooth unfinished Brazilian Rosewood
• Nut Width and Material: 1.64 inches, original opaque material (probably Micarta, in late ’64 and early ’65 you will find a mix of Micarta and Nylon 4/6 on Gibson guitars by ’67 the nut and the bridge saddles will both be Micarta)
• Bridge: Nickel ABR-1 (with “GIBSON ABR1 and some symbol on the bottom), on threaded post with single thumbwheels (extra set added by previous owner, seems to add sustain, this was a common thing to do in the ‘70s)
• Bridge Saddles: Some changed, the three original saddles are slotted white synthetic saddles (these are translucent and are probably Nylon 4/6 a Dupont material, previous to 1965 the white saddles are more translucent in appearance and with string superior glide through the slots) There are 3 nickel plated brass saddles, with intonation adjustment screws, This guitar came from a friend that was one of the Tri Cities top players during the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s so I will not change anything my friend did to the guitar.
• Bridge Inlay: Raised “GIBSON ABR1 and some symbol on the bottom”) underneath
• Trapeze Tail Piece: Nickel-plated metal tailpiece with three small screws total on each side of the strap button and one below. This tailpiece is grounded.
• Controls: Neck Pickup Volume and Tone, Bridge pickup Volume and Tone, each utilizing 500K audio taper potentiometers pot code CBA 811-1053 500 KAT 137-6501 (the reading on the Neck tone pot was 499K Ohms, the reading on the Bridge tone pot was 555K Ohms) with large Sprague Black Beauties .022uf capacitors.
• Knobs: Black witch hat knobs with reflectors
• Tuning Machines: Kluson, double line white oval button machine heads.
• Hardware color: Nickel
• Pickup selector: Three position toggle.
• Switch Tip: Original White tip.
• Switch Washer: none
• Serial Number Application: Stamped back of the peghead
• Control Cavity Cover Plates: none
• Cavities: Machine routed: Tone/volume controls, pickup selector, pickups.
• Screws: Flat and round-head Phillips (except studs which are flat slotted)
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous.
• Introduced: The 16 fret neck ES-330 was introdueced 1959
• Unique Features: True thin hollow body guitar, super light weight and fun to play!
• Color: Cherry
• Input Jack Plate: none, the jack comes through the top wood.
• Case: Original Black Case with Yellow interior
• Strap Buttons: aluminum
• Weight: 6.07 pounds

Early 1965 Gibson ES-330 photo gallery

1967 long neck Gibson ES 330 TDC serial number 528630

Dave — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:41:48 +0000

This long neck 1967 ES 330 was a surprise Christmas gift from my wife back in the ‘90s. Wow what a surprise! I plugged the guitar in and knew I had to play it at the News Year eve gig coming up in few days.

On News Years eve I played the local Country Club with a Classic Rock band. Because this guitar has 19 frets clear of the body I was able to cover everything from Santana to Billy Idol and Chuck Berry. The Country Club attendees tend to like the level of the music a bit lower than the usual gig. Because the ES 330 is a true hollow body with only the top braced I was able to get the warmth and feedback notes at this lower volume. It really worked well.

Click here to download and watch original higher quality QUICKTIME MOVIE

I love this guitar. However the nut is very narrow! And the peghead rake or pitch is only 14 degrees. This is something Gibson did starting in about 1966. It has a modern wiring scheme (tone circuit hooked directly to the pickup instead of following the volume control wiper). I personally like the ‘50s early ‘60s style wiring (now termed “Memphis Tone Circuit” by Gibson), I like a bit wider nut and I like the 17 degree pitch to the peghead. In my travels I have not come across a long ES 330 with the combination of ‘50s style wiring, wider nut and 17 degree peghead pitch. Also I have been tempted to put a pickup riser on the bridge pickup of this guitar. My ‘50s Gibson ES-5 has three P90s and the middle and bridge pickup each have a pickup riser which makes the pickups tone fuller and the bridge pickup has more “sting” to it.

Click here to download and watch original higher quality QUICKTIME MOVIE

A guitar enthusiast from Michigan and I have often talked about getting Gibson to build a “Best of “ ES 330. I will be listing this new “Best Of” ES 330 soon.

Click here to download and watch original higher quality QUICKTIME MOVIE

Vintage long neck ES 330s and Epiphone Casinos are out there and are currently a good value. For young songwriters these guitars may provide more inspiration than any other electric. And Baby Boomers playing the music they love at maybe a bit softer level. These long neck ES 330s and Casinos can do the whole gig with magical warmth and controlled musical feedback. For everyone in between these guitars provide so much. Check one out! Once you have the experience, you may discover a guitar you have always needed.

• Model Name: 1967 ES 330 serial number 528630
• Series: Electric Spanish ES 330 TDC
• Neck Dimensions 1st fret .805”, 5th fret .885”, 8th fret .935”, 12th fret .983”.
• Neck Construction: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Truss Rod Routing: Shallow
• Neck Joint: long tenon neck joins body at the 19th fret
• Neck Peghead: .58 inch thick, Unbound Holly-Head veneer, and Gibson logo MOP inlay, Kluson (double line) tuning machines with small white oval shaped buttons.
• Neck Wood: Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Medium C shape
• Back of the neck: Nitro Cellulous
• Pickup Bridge: P90 or P-90 single coil DC resistance 8.1K Ohm (in circuit) grounded chrome-plated covers
• Pickup Neck: P90 or P-90 single coil DC resistance 7.8K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the middle pickup DC resistance 3.97K Ohm (in circuit)
• Wiring Path: later wiring scheme (the cap is connected directly to the pickup using the outside lug of the volume control)
• Peghead pitch: 14 degrees
• Body Wood: Laminate Eastern Maple pressed top with a Spruce contour brace reinforcing the top, supporting both of the bridge posts and affixing the top to the Mahogany neck block and end block, laminate Maple pressed back has no spruce contour brace (or bracing for that matter).
• Body thickness: 1.71 inches, with 1.22 inches of wood between the binding
• Top Wood: Laminate Eastern Maple 3 ply, center ply appears to be mahogany
• Pickguard: Milled Five Ply plastic. Thickness: .102 inches.
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
• Fretboard: Indian Rosewood.
• Fretboard Binding: Thin Single-ply, whitish cream colored
• Fretboard Inlay: Smokey Block Inlays
• Frets: Original Medium Jumbo Frets
• Fret Width and Height: at .100” wide and approximately .040” high
• Fretboard Radius: Approximately 12 inch
• Fingerboard: smooth unfinished Indian Rosewood
• Nut Width and Material: 1.53 inches, original opaque material (probably Micarta alhtough Dupont does introduce and begin to sell Corian in 1967)
• Bridge: Chrome ABR-1 (with “GIBSON PAT.NO. 2,740,313” and some symbol on the bottom), on threaded post with single thumbwheels (extra set added by previous owner, seems to add sustain, this was a common thing to do in the ‘70s)
• Bridge Saddles: Slotted individual white synthetic saddles (these are opaque and are probably Micarta, previous to 1965 the white saddles are more translucent in appearance and are probably nylon 4/6 when tranlucent with a yellowish tint and nylon 6/6 a Dupont material) with intonation adjustment screws
• Bridge Inlay: Raised “GIBSON and below that is the Patent Number 2,740,313 ” underneath
• Trapeze Tail Piece: Chrome-plated metal tailpiece with two small screws total on each side of the strap button. This tailpiece is grounded.
• Controls: Neck Pickup Volume and Tone, Bridge pickup Volume and Tone, each utilizing 500K audio taper potentiometers pot code CBA 811-1053 500 KAT 137-6723 (the reading on the Neck tone pot was 548K Ohms, the reading on the Bridge tone pot was 542K Ohms) with large .022uf capacitors.
• Knobs: Black witch hat knobs with reflectors
• Tuning Machines: Kluson, double line white oval button machine heads.
• Hardware color: Chrome
• Pickup selector: Three position toggle.
• Switch Tip: Original White tip.
• Switch Washer: none
• Serial Number Application: Stamped back of the peghead
• Control Cavity Cover Plates: none
• Cavities: Machine routed: Tone/volume controls, pickup selector, pickups.
• Screws: Flat and round-head Phillips (except studs which are flat slotted)
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous.
• Introduced: The long neck ES-330 was introdueced 1967
• Unique Features: Long neck (long wide tenon) on a true hollow body guitar and a super narrow nut width (even for this period) Micarta nut and saddles instead of Nylon 4/6, no model stamp inside the f-hole, super light weight and fun to play!
• Color: Cherry
• Input Jack Plate: none the jack comes through the top wood.
• Case: Later Black Case with purple interior (though the guitar and case came to me together this is a later Gibson case)
• Strap Buttons: aluminum
• Weight: 6.1 pounds

1967 long neck Gibson ES 330 TDC pop-up photo gallery

Original 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard serial number 9 0583

Dave — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:39:02 +0000

My lovely and very generous wife purchased this original 1959 Les Paul Standard for me in the mid 1990s. It was purchased as a replacement for an original 1958 Les Paul Standard we sold following the arrival of our second child , and the need for a larger house for our family . This is a remarkable guitar every aspect, tone, playability and beauty! This particular guitar has smaller frets (Gibson changed to the jumbo fret during ‘59, but this guitar was manufactured prior to the conversion) which gives it a woodier tone. I am not saying small frets are better, it is just a different sound (soon we will put up a video of this ‘59 compared to my buddies ‘60 which has the large frets). Although an original ’50s Les Paul Standard can be hard to find and expensive, they’re worth the effort and every penny. I can’t remember being happier about spending a bunch of money! Don’t get me wrong I love the house, and all our memories associated with raising two wonderful boys, and very proud that my house helped nurture the musicianship of my two boys and also other talented young musicians and bands associated with my sons. I am glad I sold my first 1958 Burst to purchase our home, but I am so happy and grateful that my wife replaced it with this wonderful 1959 Les Paul Standard guitar.

Click here to download and watch original higher quality QUICKTIME MOVIE

• Model Name: 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard “Burst”
• Series: Original 1959 Les Paul Standard, double pickup serial number 9 0583
• Neck Dimensions: 1st fret .905”, 5th fret .940”, 8th fret .985”, 12th fret 1.020”
• Neck Construction: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Neck Truss Rod Routing: Deep
• Neck Joint: Long Tenon
• Neck Peghead: Unbound Holly-Head veneer, and Gibson logo MOP inlay, Kluson (single ring, single line) tuning machines with pearloid tulip shaped buttons. The original B string tuning machine is no longer usable (cracked! Ouch!) . The unusable Machine head has been replaced by another original ’59 tuning machine but it has yellow much more and is very visibly different!
• Neck Shape: Super large C shape almost hinting of a V shape.
• Back of the neck: Nitro Cellulous
• Pickup Bridge: PAF Humbucker DC resistance 7.6K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Pickup Neck: PAF Humbucker DC resistance 8.3K Ohm (in circuit) grounded nickel-plated covers
• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the middle pickup DC resistance 3.96K Ohm (in circuit)
• Wiring Path: ‘50s wiring scheme
• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees
• Body Wood: One Piece Honduran Mahogany
• Top Wood: Eastern Maple “Flitch Matched”
• Pickguard: Milled Single Ply plastic. Thickness: .09 inches.
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
• Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood
• Fretboard Binding: Single-ply, white colored
• Fretboard Inlay: Trapezoid Inlay
• Frets: Original “Narrow Frets”
• Fret Width and Height: at .070” wide and approximately .030” high
• Fretboard Radius: Approximately 12 inch
• Nut Width and Material: 1.67 inches, Dunlop 6/6 (translucent with a bit of a bluish tint)
• Bridge: No wire ABR-1, on threaded post with single thumbwheel (2 sides)
• Bridge Saddles: Slotted individual metal blades with adjustment screws (without a retainer spring these bridge pieces can fall out, however when we turned this bridge over to capture an image of the bottom only two bridge saddles fell out)
• Bridge Inlay: Raised “GIBSON ABR-1” underneath
• Stop Tail Piece: Lightweight nickel-plated pot metal tailpiece slides into slotted adjustable studs, held by serrated steel stud inserts pressed into body.
• Controls: Neck Pickup Volume and Tone, Bridge pickup Volume and Tone, each utilizing 500K audio taper potentiometers (the reading on the Neck tone pot was 544K Ohms, the reading on the Bridge tone pot was 581K Ohms) with “Bumble Bee” Barrel .022uf capacitors.
• Knobs: Gold (ambered) top hats “My Favorite”
• Tuning Machines: Kluson single ring single line tulip
• Hardware color: Nickel
• Pickup selector: Three position toggle
• Switch Tip: Beautifully ambered tip.
• Switch Washer: Plastic, crème with gold imprint. Stamped, Thickness: .038 inches.
• Serial Number Application: Yellowish Inked on back of the headstock 9 = the year 1959, 0583 is the 583rd product made within this serial number scheme (Les Paul Junior, Special, Standard and Custom, “Vs” Explorers etc, examples of excluded models included ES guitars such as the ES-335 and other Archtops).
• Control Cavity Cover Plates: Milled plastic. Thickness: .085 to .096 inches
• Control Cavities: Machine routed: Tone/volume controls, pickup selector, pickups.
• Screws: Flat and round-head Phillips (except studs which are flat slotted)
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous.
• Introduced: 1952, Stop Bridge/Tail piece added in mid ’53, ABR 1 tune –o –matic added in mid to late ’55, Humbucking pickups added in 1957 and the Cherry Sunburst finish appeared in sometime in early 1958, the larger frets were added in 1959 (this ’59 Les Paul does not have the larger frets) and the thin necks appeared in 1960 though not all 1960 LP Standards have a thin neck. In ’61 the single cut disappears and it is on to what we now call the “SG” shape.
• Unique Features: The back of the peghead is painted black and comes to a point. This is sometimes referred to as a Stinger or a widow’s peak. Other unique features, small frets, such fine condition and beautiful color combined with the such a large neck! This Les Paul is featured in the book, “The Beauty Of The “Burst” by Yasuhiko Iwanade, on page 122.
• Color: Cherry Sunburst
• Input Jack Plate: Milled crème plastic. Thickness: .058 inches.
• Case: Brown with pinkish interior

• Strap Buttons: Aluminum
• Weight: 8.35 pounds

1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard pop-up photo gallery

Supro Lap Steel Guitar

Jason — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:51:16 +0000

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1943 Martin D-28 Dreadnaught Flat Top Acoustic Guitar 83249

Chris — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:49:36 +0000

1943 Martin D-28 serial number 83249 photo gallery

Some specs;
• Model Name: D-28 serial # 83249

• Year of manufacturer: 1943 Body (War Era) with ‘50s neck
• Series: Orchestra Model, Dreadnaught
• Neck Dimensions: 1st fret .842”, 5th fret .929”, 8th fret .997”, 11th fret 1.07”
• No Pick Up
• Peghead pitch: 16 degrees

• Body Wood: Back (center strip of ebony) and sides Brazilian Rosewood lower bout 15.79 inch, shoulder 11.51 by 19.97 inch
• Body Binding: The top is bound with white Ivoroid celluloid and fine wood herringbone and the back is bound with white/black/white celluloid binding with a highly detailed center stripe zigzag wood decoration
• Top wood: Adirondack Spruce, Scalloped X Brace 1 and 25/32nds inch back from the sound hole. This top has some repaired cracks

• Rosette: Standard style 28 three ring pattern the two outer rings are Black/White/ Black/White/Black Celluloid and center ring is 9 layer Black/White/ Black/White/Black/White/ Black/White/Black

• Pickguard : tortoise celluloid
• Scale Length: 25.4 inches
• Neck Joint: Dovetail
• Neck Wood: Honduran Mahogany (Brazilian rosewood headstock veneer, Ivoroid heel veneer)
• Neck Shape: Medium Soft V
• Back of the neck: Good with some wear and dents
• Fretboard: Ebony
• Fretboard Inlay: Mother of Pearl Dot pattern

• Frets clear of body:14
• Frets: 20
• Fret Width and Height: at .080” wide and approximately .036” high
• Fretboard Radius: 20 inch
• Fingerboard: Good
• Nut Width and Material: 1.7 inch,
• Bridge: Ebony Belly Bridge, long slot
• Bridge Saddle: Ivory
• Bridge Inlay: None
• Tuning Machines: Small Nickel Button open back tuner (details unknown) string post diameter is .216 inch.

• Tuning Machines hole pattern: two step hole diameter, the back side is .26 inch to accept the tuning string post and the front side is .338 inch to facilitate the push in bushing

• Hardware color: Nickel
• Serial Number Application: Stamped into the neck block
• Screws: Slot Head
• Finish: Nitro Cellulous with some overspray on top crack
• Introduced: 1934 as an orchestra model, a 14 fret (clear of the body) dreadnaught, from 1933 to 1933 it was a 12 fret (clear of the body) dreadnaught. First catalog appearance was 1935.
• Unique Features: Martin oversize pickguard.
• Color: Natural
• Case: Yes
• Weight: 4.46 lbs

Comments:

Okay Martin aficionados, what is this guitar? Judging from the picture you might say a 1945 to 1947 Martin D-28. At face, herringbone marquetry and the new dot pattern on the fret board introduced in forty five, is pretty good digital criteria for dating this instrument. If that were all folks you’d be correct. But (the infamous “but”), thanks to the meticulous efforts of the shop foreman keeping logs and Martins long standing tradition of stamping model and serial number on the neck block, we have a more sure criteria just below the surface to accurately date this wonderful old D-28.

The first and easiest method (not to mention near bullet proof) of dating Martin guitars, afore mentioned, is the model and serial on the neck block. Peering into the soundhole and toward the head of the instrument you will locate the mahogany neck block where the neck and body meet. There you will find in two lines: the model on the top line and the serial number one the bottom line. These will be pressed into the wood stamp and ink fashion. I have seen many examples lacking ink but with the deep stamp all is easily legible.

The second bit of information to glean from the inside of this guitar is the top bracing. We know from shop logs (see: Martin Guitars a History; by Mike Longworth) that scalloped braces were still applied through the early and mid part of 1944. This instrument does indeed have this coveted bracing system with the X bracings center more than 1” farther back from the sound holes edge, a design modification implemented around 1939.

So what do we have? Reading from specs and following a conversation I had with Mike Longworth, then Martins historian, shortly after I purchased the instrument in the mid 1990’s, the instrument is a 1943. According to Mike it became a D-28 Martin on January 22nd, 1943. Dates by serial number, at least the year of manufacture, can easily be gotten from your local Martin dealer or the book: Martin Guitars a History.

So… what of the dot pattern on the fretboard? Well, I’m glad you asked. The neck on this instrument belongs to a later Martin D-28. It is probably from an instrument in the Late 1940’s to early 50’s judging from the relative squareness of the peg head. This is a war era instrument. During the war effort not even the guitar industry was immune to shortages of material and man power. During this time the metal T bars reinforcing the neck were replaced with ebony. This stout exotic wood was no match for some of the early player’s propensity for heavy gauged strings and some guitars of this era had fallen victim to neck warps beyond repair. It is possible this was the fate of this instrument. That story simply is not known.

Let’s piece the instrument together in a manner that those of you who might be new to Martin guitars can get a feel for what’s right/wrong with this guitar and add to your cadre of guitar stuff.

The body or box of this guitar is correct. Herringbone marquetry, scalloped braces, long channel bridge, non slotted Ivoroid bridge pins with black dots are all correct. The slightly oversized pickguard is most likely factory. I have seen several period photographs of Martin guitars with this pickguard shape. Moving onto the “what’s wrong” category: we have the entire neck. I’m going to cut to the chase here and deal strictly with what a 1943 D-28 neck most likely will be. It will have diamond inlay fret markers, ebony reinforcement instead of steel T bars, and most likely will be missing the metal bushings where the string post penetrates the peg head. Also a lot of these instruments will sport plastic buttons on their tuners.

Enough said about this instrument. What we must remember about these vintage Martin dreadnaughts is there single most noted characteristic: tone. This guitar is absolutely beautiful to hear. Loads of volume, and a most fluid, airy mid-range reminds Martin fans the world around why the pre-War D-28 is an Icon. Also a pleasant surprise is this instruments treble response. It will rival that of any mahogany body instrument. This is truly a great player’s guitar.