59 Les Paul RI info needed!

[sambencuda]

Ok, I have no experience with these reissues at all, but I think I just scored a good deal on one. Any info would be major helpful.

Here.s what I know....

ser num 7 9##8 (can't remember the ## numbers) Does this make it a 98 model?

Custom shop logo on the back of the headstock

zebra neck pup / black bridge pup. any one know what these are?

Looks like a tobacco sunburst top ( no figuring), but it looks more yellowish in the middle

It's heavy as all hell and I love the way it feels and plays.

I found it a Daddies Junky Music for $1300. I put a 10% deposit on it that is refundable if I choose not finish paying. Is this a screaming deal or an decent price? It was original marked $2000. It's been in the Daddies circulation for a month or two. Thats what they told me anyway.

Thanks!

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Or this could be 99 model?
Tabacco sunburst but no figure? Plan top?
So if this has custom shop logo, but no historic logo, this would be one of Reissue 59 models(non historic).
I used to know more details but I totally forgot... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[VinceV]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

The 1st number indicates it's a 1957 reissue, the 9 means 1999 and the other numbers are it's production number. As for the if you got a deal or not. Sorry I have no idea. Hope I did help some. I was under the impression that all R7s were goldtops( I can be completely wrong), looked around the web a bit and I have seen 2000, 2001 Goldtop R7 going for $1700.

[sambencuda]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Yup. Plain top and no historic logo. The cool thing is, it's on hold for me, but I have no obligation to buy. I really like it, but I wasn't planing on spending $1300 on another Les Paul right now. Time to surf for a little more info.

Thanks Toru and Vin!

[sambencuda]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Other than it's a 57 RI and that I can't find one that isn't a gold top, I can't find any more info. Could it be an early classic? It' doesn't have discolored plastic or inlays and I forgot to mention that it has Grovers.

Anyone have any more info?

[Shawn]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

I think at one point, someone did 57 RI Refins...Like they took the goldtops off, and refinished them. I will look and see if I can find it.

Shawn

[veliyasin]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

They didn't take the Goldtops off. It was a special run done by the Custom Shop for them. '57 RIs, done to "look" like they were refinned. Actually there were a couple of stores that were carrying them but I can't remember their names now.

[Shawn]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Thats what I mean, not like some dude took a sander to it..I meant they were ordered for a special run, I think Centre City, or Music Machine, one of those guys. It should have 57 classic buckers though, I know that much.

Shawn

[jgcable]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Jim, did you post this on the Les Paul Forum? There are a few guys there that know EVERYTHING about Les Pauls. Unfortunately, they are surrounded by guys who know NOTHING about Les Pauls.

[Tetsuo]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

[ QUOTE ]
Thats what I mean, not like some dude took a sander to it..I meant they were ordered for a special run, I think Centre City, or Music Machine, one of those guys. It should have 57 classic buckers though, I know that much.

Shawn

[/ QUOTE ]

I know Gibson put out some R7's maybe last year or the year before that were with a plaintop in a aged cherry type finish also. I know lots of people on the LPF told me that thet put out more than Goldtops on the R7's. Not sure if this applies to this guitar though. If it isn't a Historic does this guitar have the longer neck tenion?

[DonP]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

I know a lot about Les Pauls.

Did you handle the neck? R7's (1957 Reissues) have a baseball bat for a neck. 1960 Classics (which I think this is) have a skinny shreder neck.

I think you have a special run 1997 Classic, might be the original pickups, or they might have been swapped. Special run because of the high number (9) after the 7. For Les Paul Classics, the first number is the year. The following numbers are just sequence numbers. Mine is 6 3212 indicateing a 1996 Classic, not a 1956 reissue. In 2000 or higher, they went with 2 digits because the started in 1990. 0 = 1990, 00 = 2000, 01 = 2001, etc.

I've heard of special runs coming with zebra 57 Classics, so this might be one.

Classics never got the long tenon, and after 1993, had "CLASSIC" printed on the headstock (except for special runs!), and a thick binding cutaway instead of the smaller "correct" binding.

$1300 would be a fare deal if this is a Classic. Less than $1100 would be a lot better deal.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Gibson guitars are so confusing.
They are hard to identify what they are.
They should put exact name and built date in the cavity or something...

[sambencuda]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

[ QUOTE ]
Classics never got the long tenon, and after 1993, had "CLASSIC" printed on the headstock (except for special runs!), and a thick binding cutaway instead of the smaller "correct" binding.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, it very well could be a limited run Classic. I'm pretty sure that it had "Model" under "Les Paul and not "Classic." The neck was indeed a baseball bat!

Did Classic special runs have the green inlays and plastic? this one did not.

[jgcable]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

Aren't classics really light? You mentioned that the guitar is really heavy. That sounds like a 10lb Reissue to me.

[sambencuda]

Re: 59 Les Paul RI info needed!

reeeeally heavy, but in a good way.[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I'm not so sure it's a classic, but I have no idea. Still searching......