Orville by Gibson Les Paul Custom

[captaincanada]

I have a 93' ObG Black LP Custom that has a cool combination of features. The Serial # is 3 1246, the pickups are 57 Classics (factory),
the fingerboard is ebony and it appears to have a mahogany body with a mahogany top. Also, it has fret edge binding. Overall it's a killer guitar with a fairly fat neck and medium weight. Any idea on which model this is? Would it have a nitro finish?

 

[omboy]

AFAIK, all Orville by Gibsons are nitro-finished. I don't know the model # or anything, but the combination of 57 Classics, ebony board and fret edge binding should mean that it's one of the top-of-the-line models.

Orvilleowner has compiled some info from catalogs, etc. Maybe he'll be by to help you out.

Do you have any other pics? It looks like it should be pretty sweet!

 

[orvilleowner]

I wish I could help you out with the exact model number, but I only have catalogs from 1992 and 1997. That model was not available in 1992.

In 1992, the ObG LPC model had a retail price of Y110000, but was only available in rosewood fingerboard, no fret edge binding, maple top, and Gibson "patent number" pickups (the catalog lists them as TM490).

In 1993 there may have been 2 high-end ObG LPC models: yours, which appears to be a "1957 LPC Reissue", and one that I have, which has ebony, fret edge binding, maple top, Gibson 57 Classic pickups (with "Patent Applied For" decal), and the 7 character serial number (a "G" and 6 numbers). Unfortunately, I don't know the model numbers or original retail prices, but I would guess they are close to Y200000.

Here's a link to catalog information I posted on the web
http://forums.univox.org/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1063
and the posting I first linked it
http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=4602

Cheers.

 

[villager]

thats an Orville by Gibson REISSUE so called because they have fret binding and ebony boards..they were only made 93/94 and very few in early 95.

thats the top ObG custom that was made ...they also generally have slightly fatter necks than the non fret bound Orville by Gibsons, which were made from 88-94...

there is no real difference in the overall build quality of the reissues and the non fret bound ones ...in fact they are actually all 59 reissues, from 88-94, whether fret bound or not, but I started calling the fret bound ones ''Reissues'' to differentiate them from the non fret bound ones...now it seems to be the accepted nomenclature..

The fret bound reissues in the LP standard differ only in that they have fret binding, and a blank truss rod cover ...the custom reissues also have an ebony board in some cases, which I think makes a larger difference to the overall ''custom type'' sound. the custom reissues came with a rosewood board and fret binding also...but the ebony board is more ''true'' to the original LPC..and therefore slightly more desirable generally...if one cares about that kind of thig..lol...

 

[captaincanada]

Thanks for the replies!
Does anyone recall seeing another ObG LP Custom with a Mahogany body/top?
The top is glued on like a maple top would be, but it's mahogany.

Villager, do any of the LPC's you have share this feature?
Thanks,
Chris

 

[villager]

to be honest i dont know ..i assume all the OBG's are mahogony / maple top..but its hard to tell cos of the paint....

 

[orvilleowner]

They did make some all mahogany Les Paul Custom models. In the 1997 catalogue, the Orville LPC-85 is described (translated) this way:

"On the strong demand from the musicians, this 1957 re-issue model was reproduced with cream binding, all mahogany. Body: all mahogany. Fingerboard: Ebony."

 

[Franatic25]

Would the serial # hold a clue as to the model? I have seen other ObG
LPC's that have the maple top. And they all seem to have a different serial than Canada's. Most others start with a G or other letter. Whereas this mohagany top simply has a 5 digit code like so (X XXXX).
Would any maple tops have a # like that?

 

[villager]

the numbers style and the top are not related..midway through 93 I think they started using ''historic'' type numbering rather than the previous letter + numbers..