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- Type: Electric
- Manufacturer: Gibson
- Model/Stylename: Les Paul Custom Black Beauty / Fretless Wonder
- Serial Number Location: Back of headstock
- Condition: Good
- Description: Beat to hell, and it's a KILLER axe. And NO... it's NOT a frettless guitar!!! It's just known as a Fretless Wonder because it comes stock with squared off banjo fret wire that's filed ultra low. While you shreders LOVE gi-normous frets, little frets are more accurate and play better in tune in the first few positions. This one's no exception.... it is absolutely the bomb. Here's the description; 1973 LP Custom Black Beauty, Fretless Wonder with rare embossed gold pickup covers. New gold Kluson waffleback tuners. Finish is beat to shit from honest playing wear, but who cares, this is one killer axe!!! Gibson Embossed pickup covers were something Gibson added for the 1972 model year only. They put them on some of their jazz guitars as well as all LPs, including a small chrome version for their smaller LP Deluxe pickups. Now, as many of you Gibson aficionados know, Gibson has historically always eased into and out of new models and new features. They NEVER abruptly start or end any feature on their instruments unless there's some sort of supply problem (like when they have their wood taken from them by the government). Well, since gold pickup covers were only used on their most expensive guitars, which they sold a lot less of, their stock of gold embossed pickup covers lasted into early 1973. This is unlike the nickel and chrome covers which depleted quickly in 72. My guitar's serial number dates it to 1973, so undoubtedly it was one of the last ones to be fitted with the short-lived embossed covers. The reason the covers were discontinued was due to irate service techs who now had to stock two types of pickup covers. They were no longer interchangeable.
- Vintage Guitar? No
- Modifications: All Original
Additional Information
- Original Owner: No
- Year Manufactured: 1973
- Country of Origin: USA
- Original Factory Tags: No
- Logo Location: Hdstk
- Guitar Weight: Heavy
- Original Case: No
Guitar Body
- Body Color: Black
- Body Shape: Single Cut out
- Scale: 24.75
- Fretboard Radius (Neck Width): 12"
- Body Wood: 3/4 maple cap
- Neck Wood: Mahagoney
- Fret Board/Fingerboard Wood: Ebony
- Top Wood: Mahagoney
- Finish/Laquer: Nitro Cellulose
- Body Options: Fixed Bridge
Accessories
- Pickguard: No
Control Knobs
- Volume: Two
- Tone: Two
- Pick-up Switching: 3 Position
- Tremelo: No
- Knob Shape: Witch hat Knobs
Electronics
- Jack Location: Side
Pickups
- Number: Two
- Neck Pickup Manufacturer: Gibson
- Neck Pickup Type: HB Alnico V
- Pickup Covers: Yes
- Pickup Covers: Embossed with Gibson Logo- RARE
- Bridge Pickup Manufacturer: Gibson
- Bridge Pickup Type: HB
- Fret Board Wood: Ebony
- Position Inlay: Yes
- Truss Rod Cover: 3/8 nut with single-action compression rod
- Number of Frets: 22
- Neckplate: No
- Nut Width: Other
Provenance Documentation
Other
This the best LP made. Everyone wants a 57′ but this is the best. Page had one until it was stolen. Awesome guitar.
Man, you know your guitars! I feel the same way about 57 vs earlier Customs. There’s just something magical about a Custom, and there’s something even more magical about an early 70′s “intermediate tenon” Custom. Even with its micro frets, this Paul plays better than just about any other Paul I’ve ever played. I wanted a beat-up white one since ’78 when I played a friend’s, but this black one came into the shop abut a year ago and I HAD to have it.
I Just wish I could wear it for more than 10 minutes!
Hello…I am just inquiring about your guitar…I’ve been searching for a ’76 custom…its my birth year…Lespauls are my choice because my talented Father owns a ’78 custom…nothin plays better…I hope I get my hands on one before they become obsolete..Thanks for sharing your Ax ..!
I wish you luck in your search
Hi,
Les Pauls with the embossed pickup covers, can not date of 1973, because they made them until about mid 1972 ! The serial numbers has to be in the 100, 600 and 700 000series.
This guitar has to be in this numbers.
What are the pot codes : 13772xx ?
Thanks for reading,
You may be right, I figured it was a molested ’74, but it’s Gibson who guestimated it to an early ’73, but that was done with a phone call and email pics.
As you know, the s/n scheme was very weird at that time, so to say anything with certainty is not a good idea, especially if information is from the web. It was Gibson who suggested that the gold embossed pup covers didn’t run out of stock until early ’73 which sounds right for the way they do business.
If I recall, the pots date out to two non-sequential years so someone’s been in there.
So, it’s questionable. I’ll be bringing the guitar to Nashville to see George and Henry next year for a better eval. I’ll repost my blurb above after that trip. Till then, this guitar is just AMAZING.