The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    I'm with the folks who say leave it as is and replace the tuners with Klusons.

    If you're selling it, sell it as is and let the new owner replace parts as he/she sees fit.\

    Nice git though. That was a pretty good deal back in the day. Apparently they went new for $500-600 at the time. (My 175 cost about $800 with the case.)

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    Wow, I never knew those came with such wide rings. I wonder why?
    those are the extra large surrounds..not standard...made specifically for covering route or screw holes from pickups larger than the paf style replacement humbuckers...or sloppy installs!! haha

    cheers

  4. #28

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    Maybe upon removing those rings, there's no damage other than the 8 little holes, maybe easily touched up, at least cosmetically. And then putting in standard humbucker sized rings. Who knows?

  5. #29

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    I'd keep the hideous plastic pickup rings for old times sake, but swap in:
    -Gotoh brand vintage-style tuners (way better than any other vintage reissues) - available in gold or nickel plate;
    -aluminum vintage-style tailpiece - available in gold, nickel, or chrome plate;
    -plastic Gibson speed knobs or bonnet knobs - gold or black coloured.

    You'll make the guitar at least a pound or pound and a half lighter.
    Last edited by Hammertone; 03-26-2021 at 12:13 AM.

  6. #30
    thanks everyone may go shopping over the week end.Would Stews have all those thing Hammertone mentioned?

  7. #31
    restore or not to restore a Les Paul-img_3326-jpg how bout a couple of these off white or cream color of course.

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by EarlBrother
    thanks everyone may go shopping over the week end.Would Stews have all those thing Hammertone mentioned?

    Well, that's not so hard, eh?

    -Gotoh brand vintage-style tuners (way better than any other vintage reissues) - available in gold, nickel or relic nickelplate. They're even on sale right now;

    https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/tuning-machines/solid-peghead-guitar-tuning-machines/gotoh-vintage-keystone-style-3and3-tuning-machines.html


    -aluminum vintage-style tailpiece - available in nickel plate, metric or imperial threads;
    https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/bridges-and-tailpieces/bridges-and-tailpieces-for-electric-guitar/gotoh-aluminum-stop-tailpiece.html


    -plastic Gibson speed knobs or bonnet knobs - gold or black coloured. Take your pick of Gibson styles:
    https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/knobs/top-hat-bell-reflector-knob.html
    Speed Knob | stewmac.com
    Top Hat Bell Knob | stewmac.com

  9. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by EarlBrother
    restore or not to restore a Les Paul-img_3326-jpg how bout a couple of these off white or cream color of course.
    Well, it's your guitar, so if you like it, go ahead. But I find those pretty hideous...... sorry!

    Personally I would see if normal pickup rings will fit and if not I would replace the cream ones for tortoise, or even better: celluloid ones.

  10. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by EarlBrother
    thanks everyone may go shopping over the week end.Would Stews have all those thing Hammertone mentioned?
    Yes, they would!

    Gotoh Vintage Keystone-style 3+3 Tuning Machines | stewmac.com

    Gotoh Aluminum Stop Tailpiece | stewmac.com

    Speed Knob | stewmac.com

  11. #35
    If i sold as is what would be a reasonable/fair price to ask where both sides benefit.

  12. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by EarlBrother
    If i sold as is what would be a reasonable/fair price to ask where both sides benefit.
    It depends on how chewed up the face of the guitar is under those gigantic pickup rings. Reasonable range for a similar '76 Les Paul (according to the serial number you provided) is @$1,500 - $2,500, based on Reverb price guides. Yours is probably worth less given its condition.

    You paid $400 in 1981. That's @$1,157 in today's dollars. So if you sell it for $1,200, as is, you essentially get all your money back. If there's no damage under the rings, and it's cleaned up and set up properly, you'll fetch more, based on the above-mentioned guides. Seems like plenty of room to price it "where both sides benefit."
    Last edited by Hammertone; 03-31-2021 at 11:55 AM.

  13. #37

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    i'd think more than that..the lawrence pups are bringing in 500$ by themselves!...even the bill lawrence surrounds are worth...so many 70's deluxes have been modded! not at all unusual!

    cheers

    ps- im seeing much higher on reverb..."$2,299.99 to $4,199.99 · In stock" ....and for modded to full humbuckers

    Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 1969 - 1984 | Reverb

  14. #38

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    Clean Deluxes and pro conversions are definitely worth $$$.
    This isn't one of them until we can see what's under those oversized pickup rings. If it's a hack job it's well below that range.

    If it's a clean job that could be made to look reasonably decent (which would require some finish touchup on the face to obscure the eight small screw holes that would otherwise be rather visible), with more accurate hardware, then I agree that we're getting into that value range. Sell the Lawrence pickups (for $500, news to me, go for it!) and replace them with something totally conventional and comparatively inexpensive, that works and looks right, from Gibson, Duncan or Dimarzio. More work, more investment, greater reward.

    I just assumed the worst-case scenario: sold as is, EarlBrother will get bottom dollar. It all depends on how much work he wants to put into it, if any at all.
    Last edited by Hammertone; 03-31-2021 at 11:31 AM.

  15. #39

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    ht, you know i value your opinions always...but i think where we diverge on this one, is that you are thinking of restoring close to original...and i think the authentic 70's-80's era mods will be a selling point to some!! original bill lawrence pups with authentic rings! that expresses complete mod vibe of that era!!

    i remember seeing all sorts of what would now be considered completely insane mods being done back then...rickenbacker 12 strings with removed toasters routed for dimarzio humbuckers!

    but i'm sure there's somebody out there that still wants one like that!! strictly for the era it represents..or the fact that they don't even know better...

    it's not the sellers job to educate

    cheers

    ps- just like some here think those ill fitting tuning pegs preferable to og style klusons!
    Last edited by neatomic; 03-30-2021 at 10:51 PM. Reason: ps-

  16. #40

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    Fair enough. I'm thinking more in terms of the cosmetics, and, to your point, there are folks for whom the looks of the guitar might evoke warm and fuzzy memories, despite its no doubt considerable weight. I'd still want to see what havoc might have been wrought under those hyooge pickup rings.

    I remember visiting a local guy to check out a black, 1980 Les Paul Pro, a model that appealed to me greatly in the warm and fuzzy category, until I picked it up (13 pounds. Yes, there are some lighter ones - lightest I have seen was 10 1/2 pounds). I moved on and embraced the Hysterical LPs. My heaviest Les Paul weighs 9 pounds [ed: I weighed it with the right kind of scale and it's 8 3/4 pounds] - as heavy as I ever wish to go - but came with a special Papal dispensation due to its gigantic neck and extreme coolness. It's one of the original "Tonequest" guitars. All I did was remove some extraneous plastic and swap in a Mojoaxe bridge.
    Attached Images Attached Images restore or not to restore a Les Paul-gib-r4-tq_2530-jpg 
    Last edited by Hammertone; 08-27-2021 at 07:27 PM.

  17. #41

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hammertone
    Fair enough. I'm thinking more in terms of the cosmetics, and, to your point, there are folks for whom the looks of the guitar might evoke warm and fuzzy memories, despite its no doubt considerable weight. I'd still want to see what havoc might have been wrought under those hyooge pickup rings.

    I remember visiting a local guy to check out a black, 1980 Les Paul Pro, a model that appealed to me greatly in the warm and fuzzy category, until I picked it up (13 pounds. Yes, there are some lighter ones - lightest I have seen was 10 1/2 pounds). I moved on and embraced the Hysterical LPs. My heaviest Les Paul weighs 9 pounds - as heavy as I ever wish to go - but came with a special Papal dispensation due to its gigantic neck and extreme coolness. It's one of the original "Tonequest" guitars. All I did was remove some extraneous plastic and swap in a Mojoaxe bridge.
    O.M.G! That is gorg-eous!! I've got to go lie down...

  18. #42

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    That is one ugly guitar. If it plays well and makes sounds you like, then do some proper maintenance on it and keep it. But don't bother restoring it. It is so ugly it is almost charming in a weird way.

  19. #43
    wow just home and saw all the responses.Thanks uh the electrical switch plat was my attempt at humor.But it would contribute to its ugliness.haha i get to reading these a bit later.Thanks again

  20. #44
    here it is.I'm guessin this is good?or maybe not.sorrry about the giant photosrestore or not to restore a Les Paul-img_3356-jpgrestore or not to restore a Les Paul-img_3357-jpgrestore or not to restore a Les Paul-img_3358-jpg

  21. #45

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    ok good...decently done routing..not a hack job!!...good for you...just gingerly put those surrounds back...with the springs placed correctly...and you are good to go...

    somebody will love that guitar!!


    cheers

  22. #46
    ok gotoh or kluson tuners or gibson. ?

  23. #47

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    Gibson doesn't make tuners.
    They have them made for them by
    -Ping (China). Not great.
    -Kluson (Korea). More better, to quote graphic designer Toshihiro Katayama.

    Gotoh (Japan) are better than Kluson.

  24. #48
    Just reconnected with the guy i bought this guitar from in 1981.He bought at a guitar shop im Mt.Juliet Tenn. Charley Daniels home town.It Belonged to Bill Lawrence himself who designed the PUs that are in it as you already know.I thought that was pretty cool.No have not started work on it yet.

  25. #49

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    I restored a 70s Les Paul. It was more like this and well worth it.

    restore or not to restore a Les Paul-1976-les-paul-custom-restoration-png