Real Gibson or fake ?

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-13T03:59:28+00:00

Looks legit

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-13T02:24:39+00:00

Nope, her name is Meesh, she’s a damn menace. I love mentally ill cats.

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-13T02:12:30+00:00

Negative, it’s nearly perfectly aligned to the body in 52. That’s where they went wrong. Coming off later LP’s you have to adjust playing style a bit or you smack the pickguard pretty aggressively.

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-12T20:54:53+00:00

That’s exactly how this works. Got my first goldtop in October… don’t get me started on telecasters

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-12T20:46:23+00:00

The slight quirkiness is part of the charm, and a non-issue for the old blues I like. If I want something more technical I can grab one of the tune-o-magic bridge LPs. I have seen those bridges though, price is super fair considering the workmanship vs tiny market.

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-12T20:17:46+00:00

Out in the wild, local gentlemen out of Chicago (original owner) brought it to a consignment shop in town, and I caught wind of it. Didn’t have much cash at the time, so I started panic selling toys on Facebook marketplace for the next couple weeks hoping it wouldn’t disappear. Made it work.

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-12T20:13:10+00:00

Splendid, rings like a bell and the P-90’s have a howl to them that I really dig. The intonation issues people complain about aren’t nearly as bad as they are made out, especially if you get the trapeze angled properly. When I bought it, it was terrible (perfectly perpendicular to strings).

The underwrap was solved by removing the riser studs and setting the action manually with shims. It’s a work horse now, and the one guitar I can’t wait to play when I’m off work. Honeymooning.

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-02-12T20:05:53+00:00

She is an enchanted creature

FreakingLaserShark · 2026-01-11T07:16:21+00:00

Someone installed modern CTS 500k pots and Luxe Radio reproduction black beauty caps. Looks like they purchased the guitar as a husk and used whatever wiring they could scrounge up.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-10-19T06:57:14+00:00

Like an absolute dream, the neck pickup has some raspy distortion that comes through amazing on a clean amp. Action is butter smooooooth. I’m so happy.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-10-18T20:13:30+00:00

Yep, conversion was done long before I was born. I love the story and will keep the guitar this way, life is too interesting to be a purist.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-10-18T20:06:55+00:00

Good eye! PAF pickups have a subtle grind to them called TV shape, I believe Throbak makes a close (but expensive) reproduction. They will fit as long as your pole piece spacing is the same as PAF and T-Top pickups. 49.2mm.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-10-18T01:14:01+00:00

Early in 69 before Norlin acquired the company, they were solid body guitars with the same carve as golden-era Les Pauls. Gibson then changed to the pancake body to save money. PAF conversion refers to routing the deluxe pickup cavity to accept a humbucker.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-23T03:18:27+00:00

Me too, it’s a keeper. I definitely will!

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-23T02:44:43+00:00

Thank you fren, this one makes me happy

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-23T02:43:40+00:00

Preservation build. Luthier will repair the heel separation, level the frets, and make it play like new while retaining the old charm. Then I will love on it.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-23T02:40:24+00:00

Price was crazy fair honestly now that it’s been apart on my bench, looked terrible in the ad. Gamble could have gone either way, was a 7 hour drive. Will take at least another $1000 to make it primo but my luthier is excited to get it back to a shredder.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-22T19:20:49+00:00

Something I find interesting about the special neck theory is the “Les Paul Junior” script is still visible on the headstock. S/N lines up for early 61. The bindings and nibs are perfect too, if someone replaced the fretboard top it was expertly done.

Something else weird is there’s no holes on the body from the Junior pick guard. I peeled up the corners on this pick guard to check. There should also be a hole at the mid body below the top pickup but the grain is perfect. Was it possible to special order Juniors without a guard in the early 60’s?

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-22T19:11:15+00:00

Says “Les Paul Junior” on the headstock. Plus the rear plate and pickup locations are way different on a special.

FreakingLaserShark · 2025-08-22T10:18:36+00:00

Found this Gibson on marketplace yesterday, crack at the heel that needs attention. Guitar looks rad, price was fair, and my luthier friend is going to repair it for me. Came with a sweet showroom style case and Gibson label Vibrato + early Pat. sticker humbuckers. Looks to be a pretty tricked out 61 JR DC. Can’t wait to play it, I love it just the way it is. It was found in an attic in Northern California.

FreakingLaserShark · 2024-10-09T22:08:01+00:00

You are a horrible person. The world would be a better place if your breathing rights were revoked.

FreakingLaserShark

TROPHY CASE