I just came across this video and knew it was my guitar before even watching it. I’m super happy with the work done although I did notice the solder drip burn. Not a big deal. More battle wounds. Lol. It had a Nashville bridge that I changed for an original ABR1. I got adapter studs to make it work. I’m much happier with the older pots as well. I also knew that the switch wires were shielded but in my quest to get it more period correct the wires it had bugged me. I changed the knobs back too. I got an extra volume knob for the middle pickup. That’s why there was an tone knob in the bag. I wish it wasn’t routed for the middle pickup but it saved me a bunch of money compared to one without it. I do like having that pickup though. Big thank you to the Music Mill in Manchester NH for selling me it and doing the work for me. If you’re from the area I highly recommend them.
for once the customers not wrong or delusional, changing capacitors to period correct is more important then pickups to me these days.. but pickups are alot of the battle solved, capacitors change sooooo much, and treble bleeds are a must have on everyone of my guitars.
Before seeing I'm saying middle pickup not original. Rare for 68 and wiring is never stock on a three pick up indicating it had the two pickup switch originally.
after some 40yrs of fixing stringed instruments my policy has always been, "as long as the customer is willing to pay, then even the most nonsensical repair is a good one"
The 1968 I believe has the original deeper neck angle as the 1950’s had. Gibson’s sweat return is the 68, really think these are my favorite. Unobtainium in my world status.
The knobs in the nylon saddles that's totally original man. This guitar looks as original as it can possibly get. Looks like it's never really been fucked with it's just been maintained
It had a Nashville bridge on it when I got it but it bugged me so much I found an original and used adapter posts to get it to work. Originally the posts threaded into the wood. Has a much better vibe for me now.😊
Old man story: in 1978 I almost bought a 68 Custom that was special ordered in Alpine White for $780 (which I thought was overpriced at the time...with inflation, it's about on par with today's prices). I passed and bought an Ibanez for $300 that I had in cash. Sometimes I do kick myself for not doing payments on the LP, but it was starting to be uncool to own a Gibson and it seemed to just be an overpriced USED guitar at that time...who knew?...bla bla. Mr. Gorilla, glad I caught up with you again...
Indeed. In 1990, I bought a USA custom shop Jackson Pro Fusion, 80's hair metal machine. One month later, I found out my company was going out of business. Instead of taking the Jackson back, I took a 68 Tobacco Sunburst Les Paul I had bought from a coworker for $300 in 1986, and put it on consignment. A couple of weeks later, I had a job interview and got hired, so I went to pull the guitar off the consignment list, but it had sold that afternoon! I still have the Jackson, which lives in my closet in Mint condition, but doubt it's worth anywhere near as much as the LP would have been had I held on to it. That was the very last guitar I ever sold! I learned my lesson!🤣😜🤣
2024 price in original condition up to $18K 2025 price $8K.. predictions are guitar prices will crash. Actually all musical instruments are predicted to drop in future value.
Daaaaang! That guitar is a vibe! A maple top! I'm with you on pots, old pots are wildly inconsistent you could have a set of 4 500k and they could in reality be 400k/425k/412k and as low as 325k and people think "older is better" in actuality it's not and very inconsistent.. Personally I'd chuck a set of matched 500k CTS in and call it a day.. But for originality he's definitely right to have a matching year harness because that's what people look for when dealing with vintage.. Cool video, and the guitar is amazing!
I got luck with the vintage pots. Way better taper than the ones it had. Plus I broke the tone pot trying to get the vintage knob to fit on the newer ones. Took a gamble on period correct ones. Glad I did. I like them much better.
I have a 68 Goldtop that I inherted from my dad, its in very good condition although I doubt I will get another fret dressing from it and so I don't play it as often these days, it is mostly original apart from the switch tip which cracked and had to be replaced although I still have the cracked one, also the bridge pot went and had to be replaced, it only has a little checking around the horn and pots. I also have his spare guitar, a 1963 Burns Vista Sonic that is also in very good condition, and one of his amps which is a 1973 WEM Dominator MKII, I don't use the amp anymore as I don't gig anymore and it is far too loud for home use. This Black Beauty looks as though its had a hard life, a very nice guitar, I had a chance to buy one in the early '90s but passed on it, that was a '70s model though.
It was in mesquite Texas. I was set to go but had a job run long so didn't make it. Keep telling myself that food and mortgage is more important, but is it really. Damn I really wanted to go.
You are correct. 68’s never had 3 pickups. I got a player grade price based in this. I was glad I was able to get it at a discount. I wouldn’t have been able to afford it otherwise. I’ve had quite a few aged/relic Customshop guitars over the years and having a vintage one has been totally worth it.
I had the two-pickup version of this. The only difference that I can see is that mine came with Grover tuners from the factory. I bought it used in 1972 for $359.00.
@@ToddHavel It was my first real guitar, and with all the money I had, I paid what he was asking. I didn't know anything about guitars, and I was lucky the person was honest and sold me a good guitar.
@hkguitar1984 it looks as tho they maybe newer. maybe the original holes were stripped & this may have been a repair. i think the nashville bridge uses a different thread than the abr-1. maybe it came w nashville & to use abr-1 the inserts were changed to facilitate these studs?.. what year was the nashville implemented, do you know?
It had a Nashville bridge when I got it. I got the correct ABR-1 and used adapters to make it work with the Nashville inserts. I like the look much better.
I just came across this video and knew it was my guitar before even watching it. I’m super happy with the work done although I did notice the solder drip burn. Not a big deal. More battle wounds. Lol. It had a Nashville bridge that I changed for an original ABR1. I got adapter studs to make it work. I’m much happier with the older pots as well. I also knew that the switch wires were shielded but in my quest to get it more period correct the wires it had bugged me. I changed the knobs back too. I got an extra volume knob for the middle pickup. That’s why there was an tone knob in the bag. I wish it wasn’t routed for the middle pickup but it saved me a bunch of money compared to one without it. I do like having that pickup though. Big thank you to the Music Mill in Manchester NH for selling me it and doing the work for me. If you’re from the area I highly recommend them.
That's awesome! It's great to hear from the previous and current owners of these cool guitars!
Thanks for watching!! 🤘🤘🤘
@ Thank you for the work. I appreciate it. I didn’t see the previous owners comment in here. Maybe I’m just blind. Lol.
Without 'Dad Rock' there would be nothing worth listening to these days! : ) Old Guys Rule - Dark side of the Shed - Plank Floored! 🤟😀
The neck adjustment screw is perfect, and not all the way screwed in, it almost looks like it has never been adjusted. Nice
Killer Guitar, And that’s some clean solder work!!!
for once the customers not wrong or delusional, changing capacitors to period correct is more important then pickups to me these days..
but pickups are alot of the battle solved, capacitors change sooooo much, and treble bleeds are a must have on everyone of my guitars.
Before seeing I'm saying middle pickup not original. Rare for 68 and wiring is never stock on a three pick up indicating it had the two pickup switch originally.
The center pickup is period correct but has most likely chrome pole pieces and a newer gold cover.
Love this bad boy god bless dad rock
after some 40yrs of fixing stringed instruments my policy has always been, "as long as the customer is willing to pay, then even the most nonsensical repair is a good one"
The 1968 I believe has the original deeper neck angle as the 1950’s had. Gibson’s sweat return is the 68, really think these are my favorite. Unobtainium in my world status.
The knobs in the nylon saddles that's totally original man. This guitar looks as original as it can possibly get. Looks like it's never really been fucked with it's just been maintained
Hi, Nashville bridge did start in 1975. Has someone replaced the ABR-1??? Crazy guys out there.
@@ReignoftheSoul nashville style has its advantages..
Perhaps there were intonation issues that were out of range for the ABR-1 to correct?
in fact it's not a Nashville, it's a modern ABR-1 which screws into bushings like the Nashville
It had a Nashville bridge on it when I got it but it bugged me so much I found an original and used adapter posts to get it to work. Originally the posts threaded into the wood. Has a much better vibe for me now.😊
Are the pots deep enough ? I had a '68 and seem to remember the pot bushings were pretty long ?
Don't ever drop hot tin on a nitro lacquer.
Or on any finish for that matter. That is a beginner's mistake.
shouldn't you have a brass plate under those pots? originally ..
Old man story: in 1978 I almost bought a 68 Custom that was special ordered in Alpine White for $780 (which I thought was overpriced at the time...with inflation, it's about on par with today's prices). I passed and bought an Ibanez for $300 that I had in cash. Sometimes I do kick myself for not doing payments on the LP, but it was starting to be uncool to own a Gibson and it seemed to just be an overpriced USED guitar at that time...who knew?...bla bla. Mr. Gorilla, glad I caught up with you again...
Indeed. In 1990, I bought a USA custom shop Jackson Pro Fusion, 80's hair metal machine. One month later, I found out my company was going out of business. Instead of taking the Jackson back, I took a 68 Tobacco Sunburst Les Paul I had bought from a coworker for $300 in 1986, and put it on consignment. A couple of weeks later, I had a job interview and got hired, so I went to pull the guitar off the consignment list, but it had sold that afternoon! I still have the Jackson, which lives in my closet in Mint condition, but doubt it's worth anywhere near as much as the LP would have been had I held on to it. That was the very last guitar I ever sold! I learned my lesson!🤣😜🤣
2024 price in original condition up to $18K 2025 price $8K.. predictions are guitar prices will crash. Actually all musical instruments are predicted to drop in future value.
Daaaaang! That guitar is a vibe!
A maple top!
I'm with you on pots, old pots are wildly inconsistent you could have a set of 4 500k and they could in reality be 400k/425k/412k and as low as 325k and people think "older is better" in actuality it's not and very inconsistent..
Personally I'd chuck a set of matched 500k CTS in and call it a day..
But for originality he's definitely right to have a matching year harness because that's what people look for when dealing with vintage..
Cool video, and the guitar is amazing!
I got luck with the vintage pots. Way better taper than the ones it had. Plus I broke the tone pot trying to get the vintage knob to fit on the newer ones. Took a gamble on period correct ones. Glad I did. I like them much better.
damn, somebody went animal taking the knobs off & cracking the areas around the pot holes. that sucks!
I have a 68 Goldtop that I inherted from my dad, its in very good condition although I doubt I will get another fret dressing from it and so I don't play it as often these days, it is mostly original apart from the switch tip which cracked and had to be replaced although I still have the cracked one, also the bridge pot went and had to be replaced, it only has a little checking around the horn and pots.
I also have his spare guitar, a 1963 Burns Vista Sonic that is also in very good condition, and one of his amps which is a 1973 WEM Dominator MKII, I don't use the amp anymore as I don't gig anymore and it is far too loud for home use.
This Black Beauty looks as though its had a hard life, a very nice guitar, I had a chance to buy one in the early '90s but passed on it, that was a '70s model though.
I think it originally had two P-90's what a sweet guitar.
It was in mesquite Texas. I was set to go but had a job run long so didn't make it. Keep telling myself that food and mortgage is more important, but is it really. Damn I really wanted to go.
Were Les Paul's not made by Gibson in 1964 through 1968 ?
Stay tuned! Nice Guitar pun
Also the bridge.... Shouldn't it be an original abr1 not with studs in the body? Presumably that was a mod at some point.
dude hates 68 les paul customs..
should use a 9 way superswitch on 3 hummers... freeway ultra switch . . only way
'68, the year of the return.
With 2 pickups….that middle rout is wrong, judt look at the corners.
That middle pick up might be a time match but It still looks like an addition.
You are correct. 68’s never had 3 pickups. I got a player grade price based in this. I was glad I was able to get it at a discount. I wouldn’t have been able to afford it otherwise. I’ve had quite a few aged/relic Customshop guitars over the years and having a vintage one has been totally worth it.
It's all about period correct.
I had the two-pickup version of this. The only difference that I can see is that mine came with Grover tuners from the factory. I bought it used in 1972 for $359.00.
That was a months house note back then!
@@ToddHavel It was my first real guitar, and with all the money I had, I paid what he was asking. I didn't know anything about guitars, and I was lucky the person was honest and sold me a good guitar.
Sounds like that was a shout out to Dave from DWOFS ...lol
Gooched!
You say that is a 1968, why does the bridge use the modern inserts for the bridge posts?
A beautiful instrument for sure.
@hkguitar1984 it looks as tho they maybe newer. maybe the original holes were stripped & this may have been a repair. i think the nashville bridge uses a different thread than the abr-1. maybe it came w nashville & to use abr-1 the inserts were changed to facilitate these studs?.. what year was the nashville implemented, do you know?
It had a Nashville bridge when I got it. I got the correct ABR-1 and used adapters to make it work with the Nashville inserts. I like the look much better.
ClownWorld!!!
That baby looks like she was rode hard and put away wet. Nice honest playwear.
Yes, the new pots are real 1967 pots from the 37th week.
Real but not original. Those were the closest I could find. I’m glad I had them switched. I like them much better.