# NGD....1974/55' Les Paul Special



## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Hello Lads/Ladies….
This just came in the mail this morning and I've been playing it all day.
It's officially called a 55/74 Les Paul special. It was Gibson's second foray into making reissue's of their golden era (the first was the 1972 reissue of the 54' LP Custom…which is quite a fine guitar in it's own right).
Amazing to think that by 72' and then 74' Gibson was already realizing that progress from the 50's designs was not going down very well. So they were looking back already.
Be that as it may, this 55' model was made till early 1978. The 1974 version being the only one that used a wraparound bridge…..they moved to a tunematic subsequently.
I was always interested in this model. I played one briefly way back in the late 70's while at a gig in London but did, not recall much about it. I saw this for sale on TGP and it was very modestly priced compared to what they usually go for. It's had two (repaired) small holes drilled in the body for switches at some point. They has been filled (non-professionally but I dig it). There are no breaks or disturbing routes in the body. I thought the neck might have been repaired as there is dark stain where the neck heel meets the body but, a quick search online shows that they ALL had this design appointment. 
This particular guitar has been PLAYED !!! Really worn in, it's got honest miles of music on it. While the neck set is not that of a 50's Special, it has very low and _FAST_ action. It's effortless to play. Almost like a Tele in feel with it's straight string pull across the body. 
VERY surprisingly, the neck profile/carve is a very accurate 50's style. I was not expecting that at all. Feels like it's been to Historic Makeovers ….ha !!! Almost identical to my 56' LP. 
Plugged it it has everything you want from a P-90 guitar. Turned down it's glassy cool and percussive, almost Tele tones. But when it's turned up it is a cannon with harmonics flying out all over the place. 
Here's one more surprising item about it. Weight….it's 8lbs even. BONUS !!!
I'm always surprised when 70's guitars are REALLY good. The 70's (in general) is not my favourite era of Gibson and Fender guitars (get's his flame suit on). So when a guitar from the 70's this good comes along….I'm a little floored.
Attached are some quick iPhone pix
Happy fretboard motoring
Pete


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

Oooh, that's sassy.
Congrats on another score. She looks like workhorse


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Congratulations. I love mahogany!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Holy crap that us gorgeous!


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## ghynes (Oct 12, 2009)

I've got one! Mine is a '74 wraptail as well. You are right, they are brilliant playing guitars and all you could want in a P90 guitar. Mine has been well played in like yours, as a testament to that. Congrats on a great score!


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Hmmm I'm glad mentioned about the irregularity around the neck joint. I've been beginning to wonder if maybe the neck has been off the '73 Standard I just bought. But the back and top side look unmolested, while the cutaway has something going on that just doesn't quite look right. I'll have to do some searching but do you have any links?

Congrats on the new guitar, Pete. Looks nice.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Just took these pics. One is really fuzzy, but the important one is clear enough. As I said, I looks OK from the top and back:



But _something_ has been done at some point here...the fingerprints you see are right into the finish. 


You said " there is dark stain where the neck heel meets the body" - like mine?


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Congrats on the new (to you) guitar!


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

nice score! I always considered the 74/55 would be the one of these to have due to the wraptail.


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## ElectricMojo (May 19, 2011)

Wow. A big congrats!


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Nice Pete, congrats!


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Those fingerprints could be the result of someone using Pledge or something similar to clean/polish the guitar- that can soften the finish enough to leave fingerprints. and it often never fully re-hardens again.


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## Petey D (Sep 8, 2011)

Very cool, congratultions on a fantastic aquisition! Is there much of a difference in value from a Special to an LP Jr?


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Nicely done Pete! AFAIK, that is the _only_ Gibson "LP" Special model with a pair of P-90's AND a wraptail (the Melody Maker Special has this set up but it's not an "LP" Special). Anyway, for all intents and purposes then, what you have is an LP Jr with an extra neck pickup...tres cool!


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## Strung_Out (Sep 30, 2009)

Man, you always get the coolest guitars. Congrats!


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

wow that is a great looking guitar!!

interesting it has a pup ring on the neck pickup, I've never seen that before

congrats, happy NG day!


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

That neck looks exactly like it would have from the factory, at the heel it's not a "stain" it's your typical burst on the back of the neck - looks to me like it hasn't been touched. 

BTW those finger prints could have easily been left there when the guitar was cleaned (with the wrong stuff)


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

Pete, it's time for another party - I want to A/B your cool new toy with mine. And I love the goof ring on the neck pickup. 
We'll need a Class A amp for maximum snottiness, heh. 
Lawyers, guns and money clearly required. 
I'll bring this (pillow optional):


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Congrats Pete! Again what a beaurtiful guitar!


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

Wow! Congrats! I really miss mine. I had one that I bought in '76 but unfortunately sold around '83 - wish I still had it as it played beautifully. The original owner put a DiMarzio PAF in the bridge - it was the 70's..
Apologies for the lousy scan of a bad pic...the spots are on the pic, not the guitar.
http://


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Good on you Pete - nice snag!

Frankly, I like Norlin-era Gibsons in spite of them being generally dissed by collectors and cork-sniffers. If you can pick a good playing one without issues, they often represent terrific bang-for-buck value. We tend to forget that some very fine music tracks were recorded using Norlin-era Gibsons and CBS-era Fenders...


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Strung_Out said:


> Man, you always get the coolest guitars. Congrats!


I'll second that..... and add amps to it !!

Congratulations Pete!

Cheers

Dave


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

The finger prints are from humidify and dirt that moisten the finish. It's like what happens to a shelacked farmhouse kit he. Chair, it gets tacky and never returns to its former glossy self. It's cool nevertheless. Great find. I'm jealous. 




keto said:


> Just took these pics. One is really fuzzy, but the important one is clear enough. As I said, I looks OK from the top and back:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

I believe that is the Gibson 75 Les Paul reissue, often confused with the 77/55. The neck PU ring is not original. I owned one from '75 to '82 when I stupidly sold it.


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

washburned said:


> I believe that is the Gibson 75 Les Paul reissue, often confused with the 77/55. The neck PU ring is not original. I owned one from '75 to '82 when I stupidly sold it.


Actually it was only the 74 that had the wrap around tail piece. Later years had the usual bridge tailpiece. Love the P90s on these!


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

washburned said:


> I believe that is the Gibson 75 Les Paul reissue, often confused with the 77/55. The neck PU ring is not original. I owned one from '75 to '82 when I stupidly sold it.



It's a 74' for sure according to serial number and design appointments. 
You did get me thinking about the ring surround however. It does appear that was also an original feature. It was also used on LP Deluxe's of that time period.
Have a look at these I found on line....




















These rings flimsy to say the least. they are not even screwed on. They have mini, short finishing nails to hold them in place. There are also examples on line of one's without the rings but....I think that's due to their untimely departure from the mother guitar. Hard to tell with the online shots on the one's with out the rings to see the evidence. I had to look hard to see the mini-nail holes around my own's bridge pickup.










Whatever the case, it seems that 74's are the only one's with these rings.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

interesting, so they are only cosmetic? the P90's are screwed into the gtr as normal?

maybe in the '70's the soapbar look was considered "dated" 

in any case, it is a cool guitar!!

I would probably remove the pup ring, I love soapbar P90's myself


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## Jive (Sep 11, 2013)

Its a beauty, I'd love to hear it!


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

That's a beauty, Faracaster - congrats!!!


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## Socrates (Dec 6, 2014)

*Custom 74*



























I believe that this is a 74/55 that's been modified quite a bit. It's my personal guitar and plays excellently.


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## finboy (Jun 13, 2006)

*Re: Custom 74*

Congrats! I saved a 55-77 on reverb, jarin at guitar OR managed to make it into a beautiful guitar, which was no easy task given the condition it arrived in.

before:









after:









Full progress thread:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1380440


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

*Re: Custom 74*



Socrates said:


> I believe that this is a 74/55 that's been modified quite a bit. It's my personal guitar and plays excellently.


Wow - wonder if that's my old Special that I sold in Edmonton in the mid 80s. When I sold it, it had the original P90 in the neck and a Dimarzio SD in the bridge. The Dimarzio had the coil switch exactly where the switch is on yours! I'll see if I can dig up some pictures. I've always regretted selling it and it would be very cool is this was it!


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

*Re: Custom 74*



db62 said:


> Wow - wonder if that's my old Special that I sold in Edmonton in the mid 80s. When I sold it, it had the original P90 in the neck and a Dimarzio SD in the bridge. The Dimarzio had the coil switch exactly where the switch is on yours! I'll see if I can dig up some pictures. I've always regretted selling it and it would be very cool is this was it!


Ok, I take that back...looks like my coil tap switch was not in the same spot. Apologies for this mid-80s scanned photo.

http://


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## Socrates (Dec 6, 2014)

*Re: Custom 74*



db62 said:


> Ok, I take that back...looks like my coil tap switch was not in the same spot. Apologies for this mid-80s scanned photo.
> 
> http://



That's bizarre because my father originally bought the guitar in Edmonton in the mid-90's. The guitar had the three P-90's back then, and I believe it had been re-stained. Maybe they are the same guitar!


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

*Re: Custom 74*



Socrates said:


> That's bizarre because my father originally bought the guitar in Edmonton in the mid-90's. The guitar had the three P-90's back then, and I believe it had been re-stained. Maybe they are the same guitar!


Great story! To this day I miss that guitar - the neck fit my hand perfectly. If you ever decide to part with yours....


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