Question:
Years ago I once played a beautiful Les Paul "fretless wonder" with single coil blonde pickups. That’s about all I can remember, except that it was as fast as greased lightning. Can anyone jog my memory? Was it a Special? Custom? neither? Many thanks.
Response:
>Years ago I once played a beautiful Les Paul "fretless wonder" with >single coil blonde pickups. That’s about all I can remember, except >that it was as fast as greased lightning. Can anyone jog my memory? >Was it a Special? Custom? neither? Many thanks.
There are others who know Gibson history far better than me, but I believe the guitar you speak of is a ‘56-’57 Custom. These had a P90 in the bridge and an alnico pickup in the neck. Tim A great amp can make a lousy guitar sound great. A lousy amp will make a great guitar sound lousy.
Response:
: Years ago I once played a beautiful Les Paul "fretless wonder" with : single coil blonde pickups. That’s about all I can remember, except : that it was as fast as greased lightning. Can anyone jog my memory? : Was it a Special? Custom? neither? Many thanks. "Fretless Wonder" properly refers only to LEs Paul Customs (the black ones) which came from ‘54 to ‘56 with a black P90 in the bridge and a black alnico bar-magnet-pole-piece thing at the neck. I don’t think blonde covers were ever made for this neck pickup, as Gibson never issued one in blonde. There is a 1991 40th Aniversary model that was dark in color with blonde P90s, but this was more of a Standard, not a Custom (and hence not a "fretless wonder"). We need to know what color the guitar was to accurately id it! — Camilla shrieked in horror, he was saying it again… "I’m Chuckie… let’s PLAY!"
Response:
: Years ago I once played a beautiful Les Paul "fretless wonder" with : single coil blonde pickups. That’s about all I can remember, except : that it was as fast as greased lightning. Can anyone jog my memory? : Was it a Special? Custom? neither? Many thanks. "Fretless Wonder" properly refers only to LEs Paul Customs (the black ones) which came from ‘54 to ‘56 with a black P90 in the bridge and a black alnico bar-magnet-pole-piece thing at the neck. I don’t think blonde covers were ever made for this neck pickup, as Gibson never issued one in blonde. There is a 1991 40th Aniversary model that was dark in color with blonde P90s, but this was more of a Standard, not a Custom (and hence not a "fretless wonder"). We need to know what color the guitar was to accurately id it!>>> Not accurate. I have a friend who has a three-pickup LP, in whirte, gold hardware, with the ‘fretless wonder’ neck. It’s for sale. Mint. Steve
Response:
>>"Fretless Wonder" properly refers only to LEs Paul Customs (the black
ones) which came from ‘54 to ‘56 with a black P90 in the bridge and a black alnico bar-magnet-pole-piece thing at the neck.<< Not so. Humbucking equipped Customs from ‘57 to ‘60 are also fretless wonders, and when Gibson reintroduced these guitars in ‘69, they still had the lower frets. I had a ‘73 Custom and they were still fretless wonders at that point, but I know that at some later date, not sure when, the Customs were given the same jumbo frets that came on Standards and Deluxes. These days you would have to custom order the low frets. You can play very fast and very clean leads on these frets, but string bending is much more difficult, and chording can be more difficult as well. It’s all I played for years — now I wouln’t go near a guitar with these frets.
Response:
: Not so. Humbucking equipped Customs from ‘57 to ‘60 are also fretless : wonders, and when Gibson reintroduced these guitars in ‘69, they still had : the lower frets. Customs were reissued in ‘68, along with the P90 goldtop with tunamatic and stop tailpiece. — Camilla shrieked in horror, he was saying it again… "I’m Chuckie… let’s PLAY!"
Response:
: Not accurate. I have a friend who has a three-pickup LP, in whirte, gold : hardware, with the ‘fretless wonder’ neck. It’s for sale. Mint. My apologies… a "fretless wonder" *combined* with P90’s can only be a 54-56 or reissue… obviously any Les Paul Custom may be the small "fretless wonder" frets. Running on ahead of myself again! — Camilla shrieked in horror, he was saying it again… "I’m Chuckie… let’s PLAY!"
Response:
: >Years ago I once played a beautiful Les Paul "fretless wonder" with : >single coil blonde pickups. That’s about all I can remember, except : >that it was as fast as greased lightning. Can anyone jog my memory? : >Was it a Special? Custom? neither? Many thanks. : There are others who know Gibson history far better than me, but I believe the guitar you speak of is a ‘56-’57 Custom. These had a P90 in the bridge and an alnico pickup in the neck. : Tim : A great amp can make a lousy guitar sound great. : A lousy amp will make a great guitar sound lousy. — Yet more answers… #12 Because sacred cattle taste wholly delicious! #3 Because I want them out of order, ok? #5 What is positronic flux? (for Jeopardy) #1 "Look THAT up in your Funk & Wagnalls." #11-7 The dog ate the only extant answers for these, sorry. #2 The only person David Letterman will not allow on his show. #6 higher taxes, barbed wire, and a copy of "Mario Cuomo & Metallica." #4 I’m just that bored.
Response:
>: >Years ago I once played a beautiful Les Paul "fretless wonder" with >: >single coil blonde pickups. That’s about all I can remember, except >: >that it was as fast as greased lightning. Can anyone jog my memory? >: >Was it a Special? Custom? neither? Many thanks. >: There are others who know Gibson history far better than me, but I believe the guitar you speak of is a ‘56-’57 Custom. These had a P90 in the bridge and an alnico pickup in the neck. >: Tim
‘Fretless Wonders’ were first made in the ’50’s on Les Paul Customs….I own a 1972 Les Paul Custom that has a ‘Fretless Wonder’ neck (and Gibson stamped into the pickup covers). I bought it new in ‘72 and it was a ‘re-issue’. Basically the ‘Fretless Wonder’ neck is a regular Les Paul Custom neck but the frets are shaved. My experience with my neck it either people love it or hate it. The haters claim with the low action and shaved frets, it’s hard to grab the string to bend it…I have no problem and love it.