Woody's GIBSON LES PAUL RECORDING (LPR) Guitar Page
I believe the Gibson Les Paul Recording (LPR) is an undiscovered sleeper.
You can play what everyone else
plays -- any shiny new ho-hum Les Paul Custom off the shelf or
perhaps a custom Les Paul
stamped out by a 21st century computer-based program.
Remember, though, this
hand-made jewel is no longer in production.
We have seen the LPR collector value climb significantly over the past
few years.
Built by Gibson before they abandoned
their roots in Kalamazoo, Michigan it has true old-world Gibson craftsmanship throughout.
(By the way -
after Gibson abandoned many of its workers in the 1984 move from
Kalamazoo,
Michigan to Nashville, Tennessee, many of those original craftsmen stayed right
in the same building at 225 Parsons Street making guitars.
Those guitars, known
as Heritage, are still hand made and
some of the best in the business.)
To those who claim it's not truly
a Les Paul I would say "hogwash" and cite that, not only is the
Recording a Les Paul creation, but it is the model he personally preferred for
his own use.
In some ways it really is the "preferred" Les Paul as he
continued to play
his own Les Paul Recording model guitar at New York's "Iridium"
Jazz
Club
up to the time of his death in August, 2009 at the age of 94 (see pictures
below) .
From the web page at http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/000818.html
Les Paul guitars have been around since
1952, with countless sold --
if you could have only one, which one would you choose?
LP: The one I'm playing. It happens to be a Les Paul Recording and it's not the most popular one of the Les Paul line for many reasons. But that particular guitar is the type of guitar that gives me the sound that I want without any equalization and all the problems you have with all the other guitars -- with all the voodoo stuff on them. I don't have any of that. I just go right into the port and do my thing and we just make the album. There's no equalization at all. Nothing.
It's a 1971, a brown one. I also have a black one that was one of the first prototypes made of what they call the recording guitar due to its low impedance device. The black one's so good that I'm afraid to take it down to the club because if I leave it on that stool it would be gone in a minute. You know, when I was in Chicago they'd take a jack to the lid of the car trunk. I lost many guitars that way - stolen. They should do it more with accordions...[laughs].
And I don't know of a guitar player that has only one guitar. They're never happy with one. I'm never happy with just one of them. I woke up and ended up with six, even if you can only play one at a time!
And, of course, the competition between the wife and the guitar is pretty heavy!
And how do these guitars rate among those who
use them?
Read about it at
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Gibson/Les+Paul+Recording/10/1
As musicians are artists, there will always be disagreement about "what's
best"
but generally the LPR is pretty highly thought of by those that have one and use
it.
GENERAL THOUGHTS
Many find the extra switches
intimidating. I find them to be tools, available to enhance musical range
and creativity.
Generically, all LP Recording models are a
bit heavier than most standard Les Paul guitars due to the slightly larger size
and type of wood.
The Recording was the most expensive Les Paul model shown in the 1972 Gibson catalog ($675 plus $90 for the case) as compared to the cheaper Les Paul Custom ($615.00 plus $80 for the case) or the Les Paul Deluxe ($495 plus $80 for the case).
Notice that the peghead carries the famous Gibson split diamond traditionally reserved for Gibson's high end instruments.
SPECIAL LOW-IMPEDANCE PICKUPS
These guitars are comparatively rare - many musicians didn't understand the low-impedance pickups nor that the Recording had a built-in Hi/Lo switchable impedance transformer.
Notice that when you see Les Paul playing a "Gibson Les Paul" series guitar on You Tube (see below), most of the time it's either a Les Paul Recording or some customized project guitar also with the Low-Impedance Pickups.
The LPR pickups were designed by Les Paul as dual-purpose units:
* When recording in a studio (plugged into the sound board), the low-impedance mode gave much cleaner tracks (less noise and hum) and broader frequency bandwidth (a flat line frequency performance output that the mixing board operator could tweak as desired).
* During live performances, the custom designed "Les
Paul Low-Hi Impedance Tonal Circuitry" was switched to high impedance,
allowing the guitar to be played directly through standard guitar amplifiers.
Some people state that the pickups were originally produced by a company
called "Dirty Works" that was later known as "EMG".
In
December 2004 I personally
spoke with a technical representative of that company
who did confirm their historical involvement in this project.
In early 2010 there were again some doubts cast as to the validity of what I had
been told by two different sources.
According to David Schwab:
However, you mention that Dirty Works (aka Overlend, aka EMG Inc) made the LP
lo-Z pickups.
This is incorrect, and seems to be a common myth.. The LP Recording
guitars came out in 1969/70.
Dirty Works first made pickups in 1976. Also EMG pickups do not have low
impedance coils.
They are normal high impedance pickups with an active preamp which then renders
a low impedance output.
Dirty Works/Overlend/EMG pickups use 42 or 43 gauge wire, and have about 5,000
turns per coil.
The LP lo-Z pickups were made by Gibson based on Les’ original design on the
log, which used coils from an electric clock.
The LP Lo-Z pickups use 28 gauge wire, and have only about 600 turns on each
coil (it’s a stacked humbucker).
David also refers to a web page that reads:
“EMG, Inc. is the current legal name of the company with seat in Santa Rosa,
California, started in 1976
manufacturing guitar pickups, which have always been called EMG pickups.
"EMG" stands for "Electro-Magnetic Generator".
The company was originally called "Dirtywork Studios"; this name was
changed to "Overlend" in 1978,
and then to the current name in 1983.”
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONFIRMATION OR
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS?
Besides the Recording model, Gibson offered the Les Paul Personal (available 1969-1972), the Les Paul Professional (available 1969 through 1971) and the Les Paul Signature (available 1973 through 1978) that were also equipped with the low-impedance pickups.
The "Personal" and "Professional" guitars did not have internal impedance matching circuits and did not work well when directly plugged into most standard high-impedance guitar amplifiers. A special inline impedance-conversion transformer was sold to make the adjustment (they were designed to plug directly into a studio sound board). The Hi/Lo conversion circuitry was added into the Recording model allowing studio or live stage use.
MY GUITAR
My unit had a professional finish modification (on the front only) by the custom shop years ago.
The Paul Bigsby tremolo bar was a vintage addition long ago.
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The necks were three piece
laminated Mahogany - quarter sawn with
bound ebony
rosewood fingerboards offering a classic LP feel.
They had mother-of-pearl block
inlays.
THE PEG HEAD AND VOLUTE
Guitars between 1968 and 1973 apparently did not have a dotted "i" in the Gibson logo.
With the peghead as large as it is (standard LP), the guitar maintains a long sustain when required (the larger the headstock the longer the sustain).
The Gibson ads (see below) said that the original tuners were Schaller with sealed gears and winged grips (although there is now some indication that sometimes other brand tuners were used).
According
to a now defunct webpage that used to be at http://www.guitarmag.com/issues/gs9711/questions.html
- The
VOLUTE is that little "hump" or "heel" found behind the
headstock on many Gibson guitars manufactured after 1969 and up to 1981. The
volute was added to certain Gibson models, beginning in early '70, in order to
strengthen the pitch point of the headstock. That particular spot on the neck
had always been a structural weak point, especially if the guitar were to fall
or take a shot to the headstock. By 1974, all Gibson models sported the new
"heel," but aesthetically, that feature was unpopular, so by '81 it
was removed entirely from the guitar's design. Although most of Gibson's
standard production models made during that time included a volute, many of
Gibson's vintage reissues and custom shop guitars released during those years
did not.
Gibson claims that all guitars built after 1970 had the words "Made in USA" stamped on the back of the peg head. In my case, this unit does not bear that mark. Apparently it did occur that the factory workers missed this step from time-to-time.
LPR ELECTRONICS
The Les Paul Recording (LPR), apparently manufactured between 1971 and 1980, came in two versions (1971 through 1977) and the even rarer second edition (1977 through 1980).
ABOVE:
1971 through 1977 LPR First Edition
BELOW: 1978-1980 LPR
Second Edition
In the Recording, Gibson built-in the required transformer and added the Hi/Lo impedance switch making it a good all around musical tool.
It may be possible to further estimate the year of your guitar by looking at the bottom of the controls (volume, tone, etc.). In the one pictured here, the numbers read: 70-982 and 1377314. Using the longer number (1377314), the inference is that this part was made during the 14th week on 1973. The "137" indicates the manufacturer of the potentiometer (aka: "pot"). This, along with the guitar's serial number, infer it is indeed a 1973 Gibson Les Paul Recording. CLICK HERE to read more about this issue.
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LES PAUL PREFERRED AND PLAYED HIS RECORDING RIGHT TO THE END
Below are pictures Woody took showing Les Paul (onstage with his "Trio" and guest musician John Sebastian) playing a Monday evening show (December 8, 2003) using his Les Paul Recording. Plugged directly into the sound board, the low-impedance pickups give a broader tonal response. Les Paul died in August, 2009 at the age of 94 and continued to prefer his LPR for live performances right up to the end.
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Guitarist
JOHN SEBASTIAN |
So for you non-believer's... what model of Gibson Les Paul guitar was Les Paul himself playing live on stage (above) and for his 2008 AARP Magazine press shoot (below)?
On most every Monday night for many years Les Paul had played at a New York jazz club called the Iridium where he signed the back of my guitar some time ago between sets (only the front of my guitar was refinished... the back, sides, and neck are all original walnut).
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Below: Les Paul signing (what else?) a Les Paul Recording guitar.
(Above: Picture by MIKE at Celebrity Gems of NJ)
General
The LPR series guitars had a body slightly larger and heavier than a conventional Les Paul meaning that a standard LP case is too small for it.
Woods used in the construction of these guitars were some of the best available during production. Gibson built the Les Paul Recording using fine-grained clear British Honduras Mahogany wood with a center cross band. Models were also available in a Walnut finish between 1970 and 1973, also in 1979.
In the second LPR version, the guitar could also be ordered in sunburst, brown, and black. In 1979 the LPR could be ordered with a white finish.
The switches allow for built-in special effects. This guitar can emulate various guitars from a standard LP to even a Fender Strat.
The following was found at: http://www.gibson.com/downloads/bluebook/GibsonElectrics.pdf
LES PAUL Personal - single cutaway multi-bound mahogany body, carved top, raised bound pickguard, mahogany neck, 22 fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, multi-bound blackface peghead with pearl diamond/logo inlay, 3 per side tuners with plastic buttons, gold hardware, 2 low impedance pickups, mic volume control on upper bass bout, volume/decade/treble/bass controls, two 3 position switches, phase slide switch. Available in Walnut finish. Mfd. 1969 to 1971.
LES PAUL Professional - single cutaway bound mahogany body, raised black pickguard, mahogany neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl trapezoid inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, blackface peghead with pearl logo inlay, 3 per side tuners, nickel hardware, 2 low impedance pickups, volume/decade/treble/bass controls, two 3 position switches, phase slide switch. Available in Walnut finish. Mfd. 1969 to 1971.
LES PAUL Recording - single cutaway bound mahogany body, carved top, raised multi-layer pickguard, mahogany neck, 22 fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, multi-bound peghead with pearl split diamond/logo inlay, 2 covered low impedance pickups, "Gibson" formed on pickup covers, volume/decade/treble/bass controls, two 3 position switches, impedance/phase slide switches, built-in transformer. Available in Walnut finish. Mfd. 1971 to 1980.
LES PAUL SIGNATURE - offset double cutaway, arched maple top, raised cream pickguard, f-holes, maple back/sides, mahogany neck, 22 fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl trapezoid inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, blackface peghead with pearl logo inlay, 3 per side tuners with plastic buttons, chrome hardware, 2 low impedance humbucker pickups, plastic pickup covers with stamped logo, volume/tone control, 3 position/phase/level switches. Available in Gold Top and Sunburst finishes. Mfd. 1973 to 1978.
According
to:
Also
this web page author says:
Serial
Numbers, early to mid 1970's.
All
models, stamped in back top of headstock. "MADE
IN U.S.A." stamped below the serial number in back top of peghead,
in the same size type, and on two lines with "U.S.A." below the
"MADE IN":
Number Year
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