Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Solid Body Electric Guitar (1973)
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Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1973), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 051390, gold lacquer top, natural back and sides finish, mahogany body with maple cap, laminated mhogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a really superb example of that perennial 1970's favorite, the gold-topped Les Paul Deluxe. It shows only very minor wear remaining much better preserved than many of these instruments 50+ years along. The visibly pot codes are from the 36th week of 1973; the serial number starting with "0" confirms a built date of that year. It is theoretically one of the 4880 Goldtop Deluxes shipped out of Kalamazoo in '73 (an all-time peak) but the "2" stamped on the back of the headstock marks it as a factory second so this guitar may not have been included in that total. Some visible glue creep at the heel under the finish is probable the reason for this, and/or possibly a visible lamination seam on the top in front of the switch; both are minor cosmetic issues at best.
This Deluxe has typical features for the era with a laminated "pancake" mahogany body and neck; the maple-capped top is finished in the traditional metallic gold with hardly any fade or "greening". The fittings include two Mini-Humbucking pickups in cream mounting rings, chrome Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece, and 3-way switch with cream Rhythm/Treble ring, "Gibson Deluxe" stamped Kluson tuners with keystone buttons and what look like older 1950's amber speed knobs. This last appears to be the only piece of changed hardware; they are definitely Gibson knobs but not the standard fitting for this model.
The guitar plays great and sounds exactly as expected, with a bright growl that can get quite nasty if cranked through the right amp. The Les Paul Deluxe was THE most popular "street" guitar here in NYC in the mid-'70's, and many young high-school rock star dreams were whetted staring at them in the windows of 48th Street when buying strings for the Univox or Ibanez Les Paul you actually owned. This one was spared the many indignities of the '70's (lookin' at you, DiMarzio Super Distawtion humbuckas) and is a really beautiful example; it's hard to believe it's been around half a century already.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This Deluxe is very clean and in fine playing condition showing only some light wear overall, not too much played over the past 50 years. The all-original finish shows some very minor dings, scrapes and dents with some shallow belt-buckling into the back but no heavy wear areas. The small cosmetic flaws on the heel and top that likely made this a second are visible but inconsequential in any functional way. The back of the neck is quite clean with a few marks and one feelable dent behind the 11th fret.
The original large frets have been crowned just a bit flatter and show very little subsequent wear, the fingerboard is unblemished. The nut has had some of the slots adjusted. The hardware remains original except for (probably) the knobs. The cream plastic jack plate has a tiny crack in one corner but is still solid. This Deluxe is a very fine player with a real ring to it, housed in the original purple-lined HSC, a cool '70s survivor ready to rock in the 2020s. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a really superb example of that perennial 1970's favorite, the gold-topped Les Paul Deluxe. It shows only very minor wear remaining much better preserved than many of these instruments 50+ years along. The visibly pot codes are from the 36th week of 1973; the serial number starting with "0" confirms a built date of that year. It is theoretically one of the 4880 Goldtop Deluxes shipped out of Kalamazoo in '73 (an all-time peak) but the "2" stamped on the back of the headstock marks it as a factory second so this guitar may not have been included in that total. Some visible glue creep at the heel under the finish is probable the reason for this, and/or possibly a visible lamination seam on the top in front of the switch; both are minor cosmetic issues at best.
This Deluxe has typical features for the era with a laminated "pancake" mahogany body and neck; the maple-capped top is finished in the traditional metallic gold with hardly any fade or "greening". The fittings include two Mini-Humbucking pickups in cream mounting rings, chrome Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece, and 3-way switch with cream Rhythm/Treble ring, "Gibson Deluxe" stamped Kluson tuners with keystone buttons and what look like older 1950's amber speed knobs. This last appears to be the only piece of changed hardware; they are definitely Gibson knobs but not the standard fitting for this model.
The guitar plays great and sounds exactly as expected, with a bright growl that can get quite nasty if cranked through the right amp. The Les Paul Deluxe was THE most popular "street" guitar here in NYC in the mid-'70's, and many young high-school rock star dreams were whetted staring at them in the windows of 48th Street when buying strings for the Univox or Ibanez Les Paul you actually owned. This one was spared the many indignities of the '70's (lookin' at you, DiMarzio Super Distawtion humbuckas) and is a really beautiful example; it's hard to believe it's been around half a century already.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This Deluxe is very clean and in fine playing condition showing only some light wear overall, not too much played over the past 50 years. The all-original finish shows some very minor dings, scrapes and dents with some shallow belt-buckling into the back but no heavy wear areas. The small cosmetic flaws on the heel and top that likely made this a second are visible but inconsequential in any functional way. The back of the neck is quite clean with a few marks and one feelable dent behind the 11th fret.
The original large frets have been crowned just a bit flatter and show very little subsequent wear, the fingerboard is unblemished. The nut has had some of the slots adjusted. The hardware remains original except for (probably) the knobs. The cream plastic jack plate has a tiny crack in one corner but is still solid. This Deluxe is a very fine player with a real ring to it, housed in the original purple-lined HSC, a cool '70s survivor ready to rock in the 2020s. Overall Excellent Condition.