
This won’t be a full-blown review, but simply a post to show some photos of my 1981 Les Paul Custom I was lucky enough to find on Reverb.com a few years ago. Bracing myself for Patty’s sweet little “You bought another WHAT?!?!?!?” comment, I waited as best I could for the FedEx guy so I could slide that packing box into the garage unseen. Didn’t work, never has! Wives can smell a new guitar.

Anyway, this lovely unit is darn near mint and so lovely. For the folks who know about such niceties, it has Tim Shaw pickups, and the seldom-seen speed-wind tuners and the diamond-shaped strap knobs. It’s so clean and unmodified; the “gold-plating” on the hardware is still pretty-much intact and that stuff goes away if you just look too hard at it.

It has the low and wide frets, not unlike my old Mosrite, and they don’t bother me a bit.

According to a 1981 Gibson price list I found online, this baby cost $1,049 and another $99.50 for the chainsaw case. Thanks to whomever bought this baby, played it for a month or so, and then slid it under their bed!

Only problem is that it weighs 10-1/2 pounds. Well, I play sitting down, anyhow. ENJOY THE PHOTOS!!!



Feb 10, 2023 @ 22:12:00
Nice Lester! My latest is a 2011 American Standard Strat. That makes three. Olympic white mint guard. Alnico 5 pickups. Love it. Still looking for another. It never ends.
Feb 10, 2023 @ 22:18:52
Only difference between you and me, Bruce, other than everything else, is that you can PLAY THE LIVING CRAP out of a guitar. I just admire them and whisper nice things to them.
Feb 11, 2023 @ 14:19:24
Very Kool!
Feb 11, 2023 @ 15:44:11
Thanks, Tim! Hope you’re doing great!!!
Feb 12, 2023 @ 15:59:14
Doing fine. Playing in a jazz trio. Did not know you had moved. Hope Florida agrees with you.
Feb 12, 2023 @ 16:03:29
Patty and I are native Floridians, so we’ve just come home after 33 years in Maryland. We have friends and family down here and it’s been wonderful to be back. Have fun!