Incoming N G D! 2001 Gibson Les Paul Custom - Black Beauty

[GibsonKramer]

I have 10 LPs now. I haven't posted most of them here, because its a bit hard to keep up. Funny thing is, I was always looking for a Black Beauty. That's what I wanted, kept asking for, looking for... but things never worked out, and there'd always be another LP, that kicked ass... so I'd buy it.

This week, I missed out on a 1998 Case Queen. Still had the damn stickers on it. Missed it by 4 hours.

I said, screw it... I'm going to be proactive and find my BB. I hit Reverb, and started browsing. Everyone wanted way more, than I wanted to spend. That Case Queen, went for $2499. After tax and such, it would have been over $2700... but, $2500 was my new price point.

I started throwing out lowball offers, to anyone under $3,000. One of them bit, and countered, with a price under my $2500 threshhold. I got some more pics and we did the deal.

I'd rate her above Players Grade, a firm VG.

We're waiting the weekend out, to ship... as its in KC and freezing this weekend. Neither of us, want it sitting in a UPS warehouse, or worse... a truck, over that period. So he's shipping it out Monday. I should have it next Friday, couple days after my 50th birthday. So Happy Half Century to me!

Here's most of my LPs (I never mentioned), minus my Gold Top and obviously, the incoming LPC

 

[crossroadsnyc]

Happy NGD & an early Happy Birthday!

 

[Gunner64]

Jee-zus...that is a sweet collection. That black beauty is what a l.p.c. should look like ...very nice..Dig the sooner banner too..the wifes aunt is a retired professor from OU..so I have a soft spot for okc..and l.p.s..congrats on the b.b...

 

[Vinsanitizer]

Noice!

 

[Vinsanitizer]

Wait... what year is it? When did Les Paul Customs discontinue the volute? I've not seen a LPC without the volute. he shape transition on the back from the headstock to the neck looks strange - never seen anything like that on any Gibson. Has the headstock been repaired?

 

[chiliphil1]

Wait... what year is it? When did Les Paul Customs discontinue the volute? I've not seen a LPC without the volute.

The volute was a Norlin era thing. They stopped after the company changed hands. I believe the one in the post was said to be a 1998. My 2005 doesn't have it.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

The volute was a Norlin era thing. They stopped after the company changed hands. I believe the one in the post was said to be a 1998. My 2005 doesn't have it.

Interesting. Does your 2005 transition with that flat spot into what looks like a V-shape in that pic?

BTW - I'm not sure he said this one was the 1998.

 

[GibsonKramer]

This is a 2001.

I just took some pics of my 2006 LPC, I'll add later. Watching movie with son. Taking into account lighting, reflections, etc... and the shop's rep (bought off reverb), its fine. Looks exactly as it should.

 

[Coronado]

Congrats and Happy Birthday! That is a great price for such a nice LP! I would love to get my hands on one of these!

 

[allwheelz]

Funk shoey...funk shway...whatever the hell you call it...THATS how you make a room flow!!! Great collection, congrats on the BB, and happy birthday!! And by the way, i'm coming over to help you celebrate...i'll pack the jmp stack and grab some beer on the way! Seriously though, if I had a collection like that I don't think I would ever make it to work, or leave the house for that matter. Soooo many choices, or even just to stare at them.

 

[GibsonKramer]

Happy NGD & an early Happy Birthday!

I got my birthday card from my dad today. He didn't tell me it was coming, and I assumed it was a Christmas card, opened it. He said, "Here's your birthday card, I deserve a sympathy card." I think he's taking me turning 50 harder than I am, and I'm NOT doing well with it. Haha!

Jee-zus...that is a sweet collection. That black beauty is what a l.p.c. should look like ...very nice..Dig the sooner banner too..the wifes aunt is a retired professor from OU..so I have a soft spot for okc..and l.p.s..congrats on the b.b...

I have quite a bit of Sooner gear. Sooner born, and Sooner bred... when I die, I'll be Sooner dead. My dad got his graduate and post graduate (PhD - biochemistry) degrees there, so we were there for quite a few years. Spent a couple in Tulsa, afterwards... before moving out of state. I'm looking to get back.

Wait... what year is it? When did Les Paul Customs discontinue the volute? I've not seen a LPC without the volute. he shape transition on the back from the headstock to the neck looks strange - never seen anything like that on any Gibson. Has the headstock been repaired?

Looks normal to me. Closest years I have to it, are a '04 Standard LE and a '06 Custom. Here's some comparison pics of a few angles. Lighting is different, plus the color makes a big difference. But, its the same volute. If its a repair, they went through a lot of trouble. All the pics posted, are much smaller than the original size, which can be seen quite clearly.

I've added a couple more pics, as well... from a different listing, of the same BB.

Angle of pic is a bit off, but you can see the routing of the volute area, similar angles, in the same places. Les Pauls, as noted below... haven't had a traditional "volume," since the Norton years.

You can clearly see it in this one.

Congrats and Happy Birthday! That is a great price for such a nice LP! I would love to get my hands on one of these!

Yeah, I really wasn't expecting anyone to come back with a reasonable offer. The lowest counter offer I got, was from another Guitar Center, and offered $2799. I probably could have contacted corporate and pushed the issue. I'm already on their radar, and they've got both the local Store Manager and Ops Manager, kissing my rear-end promising "to make it right." We'll see...

But, this guy was quick to respond, and no haggling. He came back with the reasonable counter. The guitar was on consignment, and I guess the owner was tired of it sitting, after 3 months. I found some older pics of the guitar that had me questioning the belt rash, and worming... and the dude was real nice, in offering a full refund, quickly... so I could find something else, for my birthday. No way, I would have found anything close, though. I've been looking, for a year.

Funk shoey...funk shway...whatever the hell you call it...THATS how you make a room flow!!! Great collection, congrats on the BB, and happy birthday!! And by the way, i'm coming over to help you celebrate...i'll pack the jmp stack and grab some beer on the way! Seriously though, if I had a collection like that I don't think I would ever make it to work, or leave the house for that matter. Soooo many choices, or even just to stare at them.

Haha... that's cool. But, I do have a JMP1H, plays well with my Mesa Recto 1x12 (though, I'm using it with my JCM1H, right now).

I rarely leave the house. I was medically retired at 42, started collecting LPs (and Marshalls) a couple years ago.

But, if you really want to have fun, we can use this (plus a pic of my Gold Top, not in the group pic). 2553 25/50 watt Jubilee "short box," with my 1960AV (V30s)

 

[kinleyd]

Happy birthday dude - That's an awesome collection!

 

[chiliphil1]

Interesting. Does your 2005 transition with that flat spot into what looks like a V-shape in that pic?

BTW - I'm not sure he said this one was the 1998.

Yep

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[Vinsanitizer]

Nice - I like it much more without the volute. I have a couple of guitars with volutes and had a LP Custom years ago with it. Feels uncomfy to me. I love those chrome tuners too. I'd put 'em on my black LP if I didn't have to hack the screw holes in the back. A new Les Paul Custom is about the only uncharted territory left for anything else I'd care to add to my collection. They just look so classy.

 

[AlvisX]

NICE !!! Congrats
I love Customs ...better than Standards .
BTW, volutes disappeared before Norlin disappeared .
My '83 has no volute

 

[paul-e-mann]

LP Custom Black Beauty nice! That will be my next LP if there ever is a next.

Enjoy it!

 

[chiliphil1]

Nice - I like it much more without the volute. I have a couple of guitars with volutes and had a LP Custom years ago with it. Feels uncomfy to me. I love those chrome tuners too. I'd put 'em on my black LP if I didn't have to hack the screw holes in the back. A new Les Paul Custom is about the only uncharted territory left for anything else I'd care to add to my collection. They just look so classy.

Yeah, I did the chrome conversion myself. When it got it she was typical black beauty. I pulled all the gold and replaced with chrome hardware and removed the pickup covers. Much more to my liking that way.

If you can get a custom go for it. It's a superb instrument. Mine is '05, so custom shop (all are after 2003) so fit and finish is perfection. Also has a 50's neck which is awesome.

 

[John BNY]

Congrats and happy birthday! I love that BB. A Black Beauty is the one guitar that may need to be added to my collection.

 

[GibsonKramer]

1982, visiting relatives over the holidays, I kicked something under the couch, at my uncle's place. I reached down, to see what it was, and my aunt explained, when her dad passed, they found a guitar under his bed.

I pull out a Gibson case, open it up, and a mint 1971 LP Black Beauty is right there. Only thing wrong with it, the strings were rusty.

I asked if I could buy it, and they said I could have it for $300 (I was quoted $750, by a dealer). I begged them to hold onto it, I'd sell my guitar, be back in 6 months to get it.

6 months later, I come back, $300 in my hands, where's my guitar!?

They had sold it to a f'ing Pawn Shop, for $150.

I'm still sore about that. This helps.

 

[GIBSON67]

^^^Ouch, that blows!

Your other custom is a stunner! I will one day have a Gibson LPC...or maybe a Burny!