1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Blue Sparkle

[Archtop]

Pics first. Text below.












This is a Holy Grail type score for me. I've got a thing for blue Les Paul's, especially blue tops with natural back. I was stunned when I first saw this, I have never seen this color before. I can't believe I got it. The fact that someone routed it for humbuckers was a bonus to me. I can play it and not feel guilty about being the one who did it. What an absolutely kick ass guitar!

So, anyone ever seen one of these before? Know anything about it?

I know Gibson offered the LP Deluxe in 'Rocket Red' and 'Baltic Blue' during the mid-'70's. But I've never seen this shade of blue, which I like way more than the Baltic Blue.

Baltic Blue photo

Rocket Red photo

[Boxcar Willie 84]

sick!!

[straycat]

Nice Norlin....Cool as hell.

[skorb]

wow. that is a rare finish.

[asix]

awsome finish.

[Carbophos]

70's LP's are cool because of maple neck. They still have all the beef but the attack is way more deifned. It's a shame that the only maple neck LP's now are the artist models/replicas.

[Firebird V]

sweet!

[Crankdaddy]

Les Paul with a sparkle finish. Me likey.

Great score, bro!

[hippietim]

very cool!

[thebisch]

VERY cool indeed! If you ever want to sell it let me know! I am willing to bet though that Gibson never offered that color and that it is a Gold Top with a refinned top.

[Bengal]

VERY cool indeed! If you ever want to sell it let me know! I am willing to bet though that Gibson never offered that color and that it is a Gold Top with a refinned top.

My thoughts too. Then I looked at the pics of the Baltic Blue one and I can't see a huge difference in the shade. Yours looks a little darker but thats it. So I'm guessing a refin or it is Baltic Blue, just a little darker...

But with the routing out for the humbuckers, maybe they did refin the top at the same time...

Maybe it's me but I get a little sad when I see a Deluxe that was altered to be a Standard. I mean, if you wanted a Standard, why not just buy a Standard...

[circle of the tyrants]

They definitely offered that color from the factory. I think they began production around late '74 or early '75. One guy at the LP forum says 241 were made and that production of those colors ended sometime in the early '80's. I know of a local shop that had one that was dated around '81 or '82 and he was asking 2K, and that was about 10 years ago.

[Archtop]

Thanks for the compliments guys!

And the finish is original.

They definitely offered that color from the factory. I think they began production around late '74 or early '75. One guy at the LP forum says 241 were made and that production of those colors ended sometime in the early '80's. I know of a local shop that had one that was dated around '81 or '82 and he was asking 2K, and that was about 10 years ago.

Any idea what the factory name of the color is? Or is it just a darker shade of 'Baltic Blue'?

[circle of the tyrants]

Thanks for the compliments guys!

And the finish is original.





Any idea what the factory name of the color is? Or is it just a darker shade of 'Baltic Blue'?

To be honest, I've never heard of it being called anything other than "blue sparkle". I've seen LP's that were blue being referred to as "frost blue", but I think that may be another name for the "baltic blue" you mentioned.

[straycat]

Blue sparkle is all I've heard it called.