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Any thoughts or comments on this rare guitar from the 1970s?
Lots of cool features. Came mostly in a goldtop.
Low impendence pickups.
Resistance selection knob.
Two inputs.
1970s gibson les paul signature reviews - Bing video
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06-12-2019 12:34 PM
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Played one of these years ago, not fond of most Norlin Era Gibson's. But you might find it different than muy taste. If I remember correctly you have a PRS JA15 guitar. I think that would be a way better choice.
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I had one for 20 years, but it's been gone for about that long now. Here's a modified version of what I wrote about it then (from my own archives, LOL):
The Les Paul Signature was, I believe, the only thin-line hollow-body Les Paul Gibson ever made, and it had definitely not been a hot seller. They only made them for 2 or 3 years in the early ‘70s. By the time I determined I wanted one, the model had already been discontinued. However, I was able to locate a used one in a music store in 1975 and purchased it for $375. I replaced the stock Klusons with Grovers, but otherwise it remained stock.
The Signature is an odd guitar in a lot of ways. Cosmetically, the guitar is much like an old Les Paul Standard, with metallic gold top, cream-colored pickguard and control plates and a bound rosewood fingerboard with trapezoidal pearl inlays. The body shape and construction are basically patterned after the ES-335 design. However, the double cutaways are asymmetrical - the bass-side cutaway is rounded and joined the body at the 16th fret (like on the ES-330 model), while the treble-side cutaway is standard Les Paul. Also, the solid center block is square rather than rectangular; it covers the area under the wide-travel ‘tune-o-matic’ bridge and ‘stop’ tailpiece but doesn’t extend further toward the end pin and the neck heel as it does in a 335. The neck is made of 3-piece laminated maple as opposed to the more typical mahogany. The electronics are a major departure from the norm, too. The two low-impedance Super Humbucking pickups are encased in cream colored plastic covers embossed with the Gibson logo surrounded by matching 4-way adjustable mounting rings. The control layout looks like the standard Les Paul setup, but it isn’t! It consists of a 3-way toggle switch for pickup selection, a master volume control, a master tone control, a phase switch, and an unusual 3-position level control (intended to enable ‘tuning’ the guitar to any amplifier - bass rolloff @ 50, 250 & 500 Hz). And the guitar has 2 output jacks! One is high impedance via an internal passive transformer for use with normal guitar amps, while the other is low impedance for simultaneous direct feed into a console.
The Les Paul Signature was far from a commercial success. And, in spite of its relative rarity, it’s not exactly a vintage collectable either, though it does seem to have recently garnered a certain cult status. But, I was quite fond of it - it looks pleasantly peculiar, feels like a 335, sounds like a ‘Straty’ Les Paul, sustains for days, and almost plays in tune! Do I still have it? No, I sold it to buy my 1st Tele. And, no, I no longer own a Tele either!
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I've always wanted one right from the day I first saw the Gibson advertisement in GP. I got to play one many years ago in L.A., tonally very peculiar but if you've ever played the original LP recording you have some idea where its going. Other than the totally unique pickups and wiring its pretty much a Norlin era 335.
The ones on reverb hovering around $3-4K seem a little optimistic but what-do-I-know? It may hold the honor of the most unwanted vintage LP.Last edited by ugarte; 06-12-2019 at 04:00 PM.
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I've always liked the overall asymmetrical body style, but nothing else.
If Gibson ever considered introducing an updated, more modern version of the LP Signature (PAF's, P90's, T.O.M. or ABR bridge), it could be an interesting instrument.
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How about $ 2600, free shipping, very good condition?
Originally Posted by ugarte
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I've never had the opportunity of playing one, but reading the specs by Tom Carol, it looks like one I definately consider buying. The square solid block and the laminated maple neck are winning arguments in my book. The low-impedance p'ups and the harness as it is are goners, though. Call me a heretic if you so wish, I don't mind at all!
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My dad played a gold top one from 1975 to 1986 when he retired from semi pro playing...
Very versatile and superb sounding as I remember as a child and he was getting many comments from audience and fellow players about his good tone!
It is just sad it got traded at our local music store for a Kawai keyboard in 1988 as his stupid son was not interested in playing with something not heavy metal enough
An american enjoying vacation in the area at the time, bought it at the local store for 800$can!!
That is the only regret I have when being asked about missing a gone instrument...Last edited by vinlander; 06-13-2019 at 06:06 AM. Reason: typo
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You hit the "nail on the head" with the type of music being played at the time. Loud and distorted. I attribute the lack of attention or popularity with that for this guitar. Les Paul was a genius some may say. But his "play it clean" message was over looked in those days. I recall reading a letter to the editor during the 70s from Guitar Player magazine with him imploring guitarists to clean.
Originally Posted by vinlander
My dad played a gold top one from 1975 to 1986 when he retired from semi pro playing...
Very versatile and superb sounding as I remember as a child and he was getting many comments from audience and fellow players about his good tone!
It is just sad it got traded at our local music store for a Kawai keyboard in 1988 as his stupid son was not interested in playing with something not heavy metal enough
An american enjoying vacation in the area at the time, bought it at the local store for 800$can!!
That is the only regret I have when being asked about missing a gone instrument...
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I found it! Here's the ad I recall seeing in Guitar Player Magazine c1972:
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Geez what an ad. What were they thinking with the face expression on that guitarist? The leisure suit I get. Either he sees his drug dealer or some supper hot groupie in the crowd, or both! Lol
Originally Posted by Tom Karol
I found it! Here's the ad I recall seeing in Guitar Player Magazine c1972:
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"The new Les Paul signature is NOT intended for the beginner or occasional player."
Originally Posted by Tom Karol
I found it! Here's the ad I recall seeing in Guitar Player Magazine c1972:
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The prototype came out in 1972. Between 1972 and 1979 the made around 4000 of them. They came in the gold top and vintage burst finish. It's been reported that only 80-90 of vintage burst were made.
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That entire advertising campaign seems (today) to be about ridiculously dressed models with blissed-out expressions: Originally Posted by Tom Karol
I found it! Here's the ad I recall seeing in Guitar Player Magazine c1972:
I guess its cheaper than endorsements, but that's the one thing that might have possibly boosted the LP signature, I mean they probably sold a pile of L6S's just on Santana's endorsement.
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I hate to nitpick, but that’s *not* a leisure suit. Trust me, I had to live through that painful period as a youth. Do a google image search for 70’s Leisure Suit to be taken back to that short-lived sorry-ass fashion. Originally Posted by Wildcat
And no, I did not own one - I refused.
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This is a very informative video about the Les Paul Signature guitar, from an enthusiast of this model.
His playing is very basic and painful to listen to, but he claims the guitar would be perfect for clean jazz.
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I owned this guitar some years ago. I fell in love with the low impedance pickups. Also the resistor knob and the tones it could create. But It was in rough shape. I had the fretboard leveled with new frets.
However, regardless of that investment I sold it.
I had totally forgotten why I had did that. But people mentioning about changing out the electronics jogged my memory. Hey cut me a break I'm 61 years old. I barely remember what I had for breakfast. But any how why I sold it. The electronics. T
Not knowing much about electronics, I assumed those associated with this guitar were very unique. So if owning one, and the electronics went bad I would be screwed.
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Can anyone think of an artist (besides Lester himself) who got on the low-impedance thing? Is any of that technology used by any other manufacturers now?
Maybe I'm mistaken (likely) but I always thought the main advantage would be going direct into a console.
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Here ya go. Note the squared-off lines, large squared pockets, and short lapels. Ugly, ugly, ugly. If you can catch some mid/late 70's shows like "Charlie's Angels," etc, you'll see lots of them. Thanks God the fad only lasted a few years. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
I hate to nitpick, but that’s *not* a leisure suit. Trust me, I had to live through that painful period as a youth. Do a google image search for 70’s Leisure Suit to be taken back to that short-lived sorry-ass fashion.
And no, I did not own one - I refused.
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The "biggest name" is Michael Ward, formerly of Jakob Dylan & The Wallflowers and now of Gogol Bordello. Also, the Jack Casady bass is an LPSig with one pickup and a 34" scale. Originally Posted by ugarte
I've never played 'em but my understanding is that Lace Alumitones are a low-impedance 'wind' with a built-in transformer. Originally Posted by ugarte
IMO the main advantage is that they sound different. The LPSig delivers multiple unique, actually-useful clean sounds. That is a true achievement. Originally Posted by ugarte
[Don Pardo Voice] "In a world where his youthful invention birthed millions of clones, one man had the courage to strike out in a new direction . . . [/Pardo]
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Haven't tried a Les Paul Signature, but if it sounds like my Les Paul Recording (also has low impedance pickups), it would be a fine guitar for jazz. The Gibson low impedance pickups in my guitar sound more like like single coils, but the trebles are smoother than a strat or tele pickup for example, they're less 'peaky' sounding for want of a better word.
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Frank Zappa, 'Bobby Brown Goes Down'...."..so i went out and bought me a leisure suit, i jingle my change but i'm still kinda cute. Got a job doing radio promos and none of the the jocks can even tell i'm a homo. Eventually me and a friend sorta drifted along into S&M..."
haha
Seriously though, my brother had a genuine original Les Paul Signature guitar which he paid a lot of money for and which my sister sold for a shedload more after he died. His had a Les Paul signed paper sticker glued inside the body which one could easily read thru the upper F-slot (RH set-up). I've searched and i have never seen anyone else talk about this 'signature' where the origin of the name came from.Anyone got any further clues??
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I think they also made a bass version, not sure.
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Yup. Jack Casady (Hot Tuna) played one (? don't know what he actually plays nowadays), and there's an Epi Jack Casady bass based on it. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
John
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Gibson made a (prototype) es 355 for Tony Mottola with LPR low impedance pickups which he used to record his album "All The Way". Originally Posted by ugarte
Billy Butler played a low impedance L5S for a while.
DG
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