Gibson Les Paul Recording (1970-2, Natural Wood)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 28/07/2019
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Here we have an unusual  Gibson Les Paul Recording guitar sporting a vast array of tone options, the collectible Gibson Les Paul Recording, With the discontinuation of the Les Paul Personal in 1969, Gibson saved some of Les Paul’s innovations for the guitar that eventually became his favourite guitar model, the Les Paul Recording Model. This guitar was designed to used mainly as a tool in the recording studio, the Les Paul  Recording featured a dual set of diagonal, low impedance pickups that could send sounds directly to a recording console or as Les Paul did as he used this model for live shows, a flip of a switch activated the high end of the custom low/high impedance circuitry for use with a standard amp. The Les Paul Recording Model stayed in production until 1979, with several thousand guitars produced. Although much rarer than the mass produced Les Paul models, this has become a highly collectable guitar. Guitar lives in its purple lined hard-case.


 

Yamaha SG-90 (1974, Red)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 24/07/2019
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Prior to the famous Yamaha SG-175 and Yamaha SG-2000, Yamaha Music Corporation produced a series of early Yamaha SG double cutaway prototypes. These were the Yamaha SG-30, 35, 50, 70. In 1974 the phenomenal and relatively successful SG-90 and SG-175 were released. Here is a rare example of the SG-90, it is a more sober version of the top of the range, early SG-175 with a phenomenal playability and versatile sound. This is a truly great electric guitar with lots of mojo and a definite vintage vibe.
The guitar has a solid Honduran mahogany body with a set neck, rosewood fret board with mother of pearl dot position markers and embossed serial number, Chrome Hardware and Tuning pegs. The sound is through 2 high output Yamaha pick ups.  The guitar has aged nicely with its binding nicely faded to a clotted creamy colour.  Yamaha SG-90 guitars were made from 1974 till 1975 in translucent Black, Natural Wood, Walnut and  Red. Notable players of this axe included Barney Kessel and Andy Taylor of Duran Duran.

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Yamaha SG-3000 (1984, Wine-burst)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 24/07/2019
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Here a well kept Yamaha SG-3000, a top quality guitar made in Japan 1984. The Yamaha SG-3000 is the top of the Yamaha SG ;line up and an upgrade from the SG-2000 model and built from maple and mahogany with a mahogany thru body neck in a so-called “T-cross construction” mode. The fretboard is bound ebony  with mother of pearl/abalone split wing style inlays. Typical weight of these models was around the 4.4 kgs. Hardware was gold plated with a gold stop bar. Unlike the SG-2000, the SG-3000 does not have a brass sustain block under the bridge and the bridge is a narrower type than the SG-2000 models. The sound of this model is strong, coming  from 2 open humbuckers. The electronics are controlled with 2 Amber Speedial 2V/2T Push/Push Coil Tap on tone pots and a 3 way toggler switch.  The guitar stands out with the finish topped off with elaborate binding in abalone. It once more demonstrates the Yamaha luthiers’ craftsmanship. The Yamaha SG-3000 is considered by many to be the ultimate SG.

Yamaha SG-1500 (1983, Jade Green)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 24/07/2019
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The Yamaha SG-1500 guitar is an example of a top quality build guitar. It sports a mahogany body with thru neck, rosewood fret board, Split wing fret-board position markers. Gold plated Hardware, Twin hum-buckers, coil tapping option. The guitar is quite heavy with lots of sustain, No sustain plate fitted under bridge and no pick-guard as standard. The Yamaha SG-1500 is the in-betweenie for the renowned Yamaha SG-2000 and Yamaha SG-1000. Well set up with low action and powerful double humbuckers make for a killer guitar

Guild BHM-01, Signature Pro (Black, 1993)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 22/05/2019
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Here a rare as hens teeth, a black Brian May Signature Guild Red Special model. Fans of Queen or Brian May will know the famous Guild replicas of the red special. Here the signature model as made by the Guild Guitar Company. In the early 1990s Guild collaborated with Dr Brian May to replicate the original Red Special as designed and made by the May family. Guild Guitar Co. and Brian worked together to produce 316 close replicas of the “Red Special”, which had to match any special features of the custom-made original guitar. Of these 316, it appears that only around a 100 were issued as the “Signature Model” bearing Brian’s Signature on the back of the headstock. There were about 30 made in green, and a handful in other colours like black or white. Unconfirmed sources stipulate there were less than 5 black and white finishes. The guitar sports a Mahogany body, Ebony, 24-fret fingerboard, and wider neck (1-13/16 at the nut) allowing for string bending and use of a slide or bottleneck. This model is by far one of the better guitars made by the Guild Company and a must for any Brian May or Queen fan.

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Fender Stratocaster (1979, Cream)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 04/05/2019
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Fender Stratocaster, 1979 Hardtail in cream finish, heavy as hell. Ash body, maple fretboard. This is a great stock Fender guitar, industrially built, despite some of the late 70s quality issues with Fender guitars at the time, this is a great machine. The guitar plays very well, all the standard chrome hardware operating, as it should, the electrics work flawlessly. The colour is cream due to ageing. Great looker and a killer player, as you would expect from a classic fender guitar. The wood on the neck has also aged to a rich colour resulting in a dark satin finish. In all a very playable and guitar oozing mojo.

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Gibson Les Paul Signature Bass (1973, Tobacco Sunburst)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 15/04/2019
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Here a rare bass, a Gibson Les Paul Signature Bass in Tobacco Sunburst, made 1973. The Signature model was designed by Les Paul himself and only put forward for production in the early 1970s. Prototypes of guitar and bass started in 1972 and full production not until 1973 and finished in the late 1970s. Researching the various sources and literature shows the guitars were made in 3 finishes, Most common were the Goldtop, then the Cherry Sunburst, and rarest the Tobacco Sunburst version. Apparently the bass was only issued in Goldtop or Tobacco Sunburst. This bass model only had one pick up. These were low impedance Pickups, and were often removed as they were considered ineffective and only suitable for clear sound with no distortion. This bass still has the original Low Impedance pick up, and it also still has a 50KOhm, 250 and 500 kOhm selector rendering the sound from clear to a bit growly. Like the guitar equivalent, the Tobacco Sunburst bass version is quite rare too.

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Gibson Les Paul Standard (Goldtop, 1953)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 15/04/2019
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The Gibson Les Paul Standard stands as one of the most widely played and recognisable guitars ever. First marketed as the Les Paul model in 1952, the Les Paul evolved in the ’50s until the design was replaced by the SG in late 1960/1. Up until 1958, the Les Paul models sported a gold metallic finish, and guitars from this era are collectively referred to as Goldtops. Goldtop Les Pauls are becoming sought after and prized by collectors, and each production year showcases the innovations made by Gibson throughout the decade. This model is quite basic, and has the wraparound stud tail piece that proved more sturdy than the trapeze tailpiece that came with the early 1952 models. This wrap job is called a combination stud bridge/tailpiece, and was commonly used by end of 1953. Not long after this, the separate bridge/tailpiece was introduced that overtook the use of the wraparound. The LPs with a trapeze tailpiece are considered less desirable to collectors. The guitar sports a Single cutaway solid-body, Mahogany, Maple top, Mahogany neck, Rosewood fingerboard. Two single-coil P90 pickups, trapezoid inlays, Kluson tuners, four control knobs, three-way pickup selector, white pickguard, bound fingerboard, stud bridge/tailpiece.

Gibson Les Paul Signature (1972/3, Tobacco Sunburst)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 03/04/2019
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Here a rare guitar, a Gibson Les Paul Signature in Tobacco Sunburst prototype? This model was designed by Les Paul himself and only put forward for production in the early 1970s. Prototypes started in 1972 and full production not until 1973 and finished in the late 1970s. Researching the various sources and literature shows these were made in 3 finishes, Most common the Goldtop, then the Cherry Sunburst, and rarest the Tobacco Sunburst version. Apparently the 1972/3 issue was 3 in Tobacco Sunburst. The original low impedance Pickups were considered ineffective, and hence replaced with PAFs in order to get the more rocky and responsive ES-335 sound.

Gibson Les Paul Classic, DC (White/Walnut, 2007)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 23/03/2019
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Here a rare Cream White Gibson Les Paul DC Classic 2007. A classic of the 2000s DC line up in Gibson Les Paul DC series, Made in USA. Great looking gloss Cream finish on a maple top, capping off a double-cut Mahogany body. Slim profile set Mahogany neck, topped with a bound 22-fret Rosewood board (Black). Tone supplied by a pair of hum-buckers with 3-way switch and master volume and tone. Chrome hardware, including Gibson Kluson tuners. All original with no mods, breaks, or repairs. Guitar is in near mint condition with some minor marks. Guitar lives in plush lined hard case.


 

 

Gibson SG (1974, Natural Wood)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 13/03/2019
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Here we have a rare 1974 model Gibson SG in natural wood, a well known Gibson SG model that has stood the test of time. This model with the Nashville bridge was produced during 1970s. It sports the usual SG shape made out of mahogany, with a set neck and rosewood fretboard. The fret-markers are block and made out of real mother of pearl making this an attractive guitar. It plays superb. The guitar is a great player as well as a looker and lives in its hard case.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1968, Black)

Posted by Elite Vintage Guitars - Gearpage on 11/03/2019
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This 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty is a fine solid body guitar with the jet black body. The last owner had fitted ’72 embossed pick ups covers in tarnished gold.  Pots date the guitar to 1969, the serial gives it 1968. Admittedly, Gibson’s pots were post dated by anything up to 6months to allow them to be used in previous year models. The pot soldering is original and it looks like no aftermarket mods have been applied. Therefore we have here a gorgeous Gibson Les Paul Custom, a heavy solid body guitar harking back to the LPs of the early 1950s era with a great bit of rock mojo. This guitar is an old school design of beauty with a cool feel and killer look to it, sound wise it is awesome too as it is kitted out with great stock pickups. The fret board is proper quality ebony and plays light and fluid. Guitar is a great player and lives in its original hard-case stamped with the name Ronn McFarlane. We contacted him and he indeed confirmed he’d had the guitar from new and sold it in 1980.