| Blues Vintage Guitars, Inc. of Nashville presents … A RARE & Vintage
1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
w/ Original 'Wraparound' TailpieceOwned by legendary Guitarist Ed King ...
Original Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist and
Co-writer of "Sweet Home Alabama"
The Finest 1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
On The Market Today!Plays and Sounds As Good As It LOOKS!!!
Call (888) 407-2717 or (615) 613-1389 for more info Please scroll down to see all 244 HD photos!Nashville’s Blues Vintage Guitars, Inc., one of the world’s premier buyers and sellers of vintage and newer high-quality guitars, is proud to offer this incredible vintage 1953 Gibson Les Paul “Wraparound Tailpiece” model in pristine condition! This particular guitar has been owned by the legendary Mr. Ed King since the early 1990s. Mr. King is one of the original guitarists (and bassist) for legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an original member of the band in 2006. Mr. King co-wrote several Lynyrd Skynyrd hits, including Southern rock anthem “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Saturday Night Special,” “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller,” “Workin’ For MCA,” “Poison Whiskey,” “I Need You,” “Mr. Banker,” and “Swamp Music.” Prior to joining Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mr. King was one of the founding members of the Los Angeles-based 1960s’ band Strawberry Alarm Clock, co-writing that band’s biggest hit, “Incense and Peppermints” – a song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1967. As stated above, Mr. King purchased this original 1953 Gibson Les Paul “Wraparound” model (nicknamed for its tailpiece) sometime in the early 1990s, and used it sparingly both live and in the studio. The guitar is in its original condition, as it was when he purchased it, with only two exceptions:
First, Mr. King had the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, TN, replace the original stud anchors for the wraparound tailpiece with the longer, more stable stud anchors used in today’s Les Pauls. This change is considered – and widely accepted – as a very common improvement over the original stud anchors used in the earliest Les Paul models. The original anchors were much too short and unstable, and over time the tension from the strings would cause both the anchors and tailpiece to lean forward, thus making it hard to properly tune and intonate the guitars. Once the original anchors were replaced by Gibson, the guitar’s original studs and wraparound tailpiece were reinstalled, and are still with the guitar today. The original stud anchors were thrown away by the Gibson Custom Shop, and are not included with the guitar. Second, in order to optimize the distance between the strings and the pole pieces of the guitar’s original bridge P-90 pickup, Mr. King also had the Gibson Custom Shop raise the bridge pickup using basic – and removable – wood shims. Because of this, the original cover for the bridge pickup was replaced with a newer, taller version used in today’s Les Paul model guitars equipped with P-90s. The pickup’s original cover, however, was retained by Mr. King and is included with the sale of the guitar. The original P-90 pickup in the neck position is completely intact, untouched, and growls just as you'd expect from any great, vintage Gibson P-90! Other than the two small improvements noted above, everything else on this stunning 1953 Gibson Les Paul is original. Below are 244 hi-resolution pictures of what is very likely the absolute finest example of a 1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop on the market today! We strongly believe there simply is not another one that looks, sounds, or plays anything like this one. And because of its previous owner – the legendary Mr. Ed King – the provenance of this fine instrument is unquestionable. This is BY FAR one of the most incredible, investment-grade Gibson Les Pauls to hit the open market in some time, and its value will undoubtedly only increase over time. If you've been looking to buy an investment-grade Gibson Les Paul model guitar that is both a GREAT player and comes with unquestionable provenance, then this is your lucky day! Overall, we grade this Les Paul at NEAR MINT to MINT ... and we don't take this grade lightly. When we first received the guitar from Mr. King, we had the guitar inspected completely by world-class luthier Joe Glaser and his crew at Glaser Instruments. Mr. Glaser and his experts found absolutely nothing that would lead them to believe that anything had ever been done to this guitar (other than what Mr. King told us). Mr. Glaser also suggested we have the guitar inspected by none other than Mr. Tom Murphy, known as the “Godfather” of aging and duplicating rare and famous guitars! His work is known around the world, and he’s been aging guitars for the Gibson Custom Shop for nearly 30 years. His long list of clients include Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Billy Gibbons, Gary Rossington, Joe Walsh, Dickey Betts, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, and many, many others.We called Mr. Murphy the day we acquired this guitar, and he inspected it personally for us a few hours later. He spent nearly two hours at our store both inspecting and marveling at this incredible Les Paul. He was absolutely both taken aback and amazed at the condition of this Les Paul, and in his own words had “never seen a cleaner example.” He actually took pictures of the guitar – and we have shared all of our pictures of the guitar with him – just so he could use them for his own future personal reference. In his opinion, and in the opinion of Joe Glaser – two of the most respected names in the vintage guitar industry – this 1953 Gibson Les Paul is completely original, and BY FAR one of the finest known examples in the world today. The guitar was originally purchased in 1953 with a chipboard case ... dealers had the option of a cheap chipboard case or the more expensive brown hardshell case. Because these Les Pauls were considered expensive guitars for this era, many dealers opted for the cheaper cases. Unfortunately, the cheaper chipboard cases didn't last long at all, and are few and far between. Mr. King did receive the original chipboard case with this guitar, but it was in such poor shape that he eventually threw it away and purchased a newer Gibson case. The newer Gibson Custom Shop case will accompany this guitar. The new owner will also receive a signed photograph of Mr. Ed King with the guitar (he'd be happy to personalize it for you, if needed) along with a signed letter of authenticity from Mr. King.Again, please take a good, close look at all 244 hi-resolution pictures below and don't hesitate to contact us directly (phone call is preferred) with any questions, concerns or corrections. Also, if you’d prefer to purchase it directly through our store please use one of the phone numbers located at the top of this description. We accept all forms of payment, including all major credit cards and bank wire transfers. Also, if you'd like to learn more about us, please Google “Blues Vintage Guitars” and visit our company’s web site and Facebook page. Please “LIKE” our Facebook page to receive all of our acquisition updates, as well as relevant guitar news from around the world.
Thanks for looking, and good luck! Click on any photo for a large, high-resolution picture
Payment & Shipping … Blues Vintage Guitars, Inc. of Nashville, Tennessee, prides itself on offering the world’s most desired and sought after musical instruments and gear. Every instrument, amp or piece of gear is sold on a “first come, first served” basis. Unfortunately, we cannot “hold” anything for anyone. However, we do offer short-term layaway plans, but only on a case-by-case basis. Please call us directly for more details. Also note that this item is offered for sale through our Nashville office/showroom. Therefore, we reserve the right to cancel the auction at any time without notice if the item should become unavailable for sale. Shipping Charges NOTE: The shipping charges listed below are approximate
and always subject to change depending on your exact location. PLEASE CONTACT US DIRECTLY FOR AN ACCURATE SHIPPING QUOTE! Also, the cost of insurance affects the overall cost of shipping. USA (State exceptions below): $100
Hawaii, Alaska, California,
Oregon & Washington: $125
Canada: $175
Worldwide: $250
(except South America, New Zealand, Australia, and some South Pacific destinations)
Australia, South America, New Zealand, and some South Pacific destinations: $375+ WE DO NOT SHIP TO: Africa, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan Republic, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, South, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of, Cyprus, Estonia, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Vatican City State, Middle East, Bermuda, Mexico, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and Western Samoa. Please note that our shipping charges also include a small fee for shipping materials (boxes, peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) as well as our time to carefully pack the items to minimize any chance of damage while enroute to their final destinations. Again, please read our feedback … WE DO NOT SKIMP ON THE SHIPPING! INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS are responsible for all Customs & Duty taxes, and we cannot mark the item as a “Gift.” Also, shipping charges are not the same to every WORLDWIDE destination. For example, shipping to some parts of Europe, and many parts of Central and South America from the USA are very expensive. Same goes for Australia, New Zealand, Asia and other destinations in the South Pacific. Therefore, if you live in Europe, Central or South America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or some other far reaching destination in the South Pacific PLEASE CONTACT US PRIOR TO PLACING A BID TO CONFIRM SHIPPING COSTS. If you do not contact us before placing a bid we reserve the right to cancel your bid without any warning. Details … Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-615-613-1389 or 1-888-407-2717, or email us with any questions. We would be happy to answer any and all questions, and we can also provide additional pictures … all you have to do is ask! Also, PLEASE ask any and all questions BEFORE placing a bid, as your bid is considered a binding contract and will be treated as such should you change your mind for no apparent or worthwhile reason. That said, we’re pretty reasonable people so don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns, etc. Please take the time and check out our feedback to see what other people who’ve purchased musical instruments from us think about their purchase and our service. YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED IN THIS INSTRUMENT OR TRANSACTION! You are dealing with a very honest company that likes to make friends, not enemies. What we describe is what you get! And please check out our other auctions … We’ve always got some great, rare musical instruments up for auction, including RARE Gibson, Fender, PRS, Guild, Gretsch, Epiphone and Martin model guitars, along with tons of other very cool musical gear and memorabilia. Refund Policy … Any item or merchandise you may wish to return must be returned to us in its original packaging within seven (7) days of your receipt of it. That said, please note that we try to be very fair and accurate with all of our auctions and descriptions. Therefore we ask that you please take the time and read each auction and bid with very careful consideration. If any of the information we provide is incorrect, or the item or merchandise itself is grossly misrepresented, you will receive a refund, but only for the actual cost of the item or merchandise. Shipping and handling charges are non-refundable, and there are no exceptions, under any circumstances. On any refund there is also a 15% restocking fee on each item. The 15% fee is based on the actual selling price, not including shipping. Again, there are no exceptions, under any circumstances. PLEASE NOTE that no money will be refunded unless we are contacted by a credit card company (in cases involving lost or stolen credit cards) or the item or merchandise is returned to us intact and in the condition it left us. And please remember, we ask that you kindly email us BEFORE leaving negative feedback. If there is a problem, we promise to work with you to resolve the problem. We have – and always will be – extremely fair, and will always try to work out any problems with our reasonable customers. Negative feedback does not go away and should only be left as a last resort! We ALWAYS work hard to strive for positive feedback, and our aim as people and a business is to make friends, not enemies. We sincerely promise that we will make every attempt possible to resolve any issue if we have made a mistake. (It happens). But please do not assume that a mistake is intentional, because we can assure you that it is not. And please let us know how our service can be better! BID WITH CONFIDENCE. Thank you and good luck! |
