'69 LP "Deluxe" goldtop with mini-HBs???

[The Golden Boy]

A volute is the "bump" on the back of the neck behind the nut to add thickness to that area- thinnest area of the neck- most amount of tension.

The greening is from copper in the finish.

[Lewguitar]

Thanks again!!

The body is one piece. Whats "volute"???

It's a build up of wood that's carved as part of the neck and makes the thin weak area behind the nut a little thicker and stronger.

Helps keep the peghead from snapping off...but vintage LP's from the 50's did not have one.

Lew

[1ManGarageBand]

You guys are responding faster than I can type!

Some of the plastic bridge saddles in the bridge are broken so I ordered a nickel ABR-1 bridge from StewMac (when I saw the $15 price tag); I assumed that metal saddles would transmit vibration better, right? I thought it odd that the metal saddles in the replacement bridge aren't notched?

I'm looking at the latest issue of Vintage Guitar and about half of the LPs pictured in it have the bridge intonation screws facing the neck and half facing the other way; what the ... ??? Is there a correct direction

[The Golden Boy]

You guys are responding faster than I can type!

Some of the plastic bridge saddles in the bridge are broken so I ordered a nickel ABR-1 bridge from StewMac (when I saw the $15 price tag); I assumed that metal saddles would transmit vibration better, right? I thought it odd that the metal saddles in the replacement bridge aren't notched?

I'm looking at the latest issue of Vintage Guitar and about half of the LPs pictured in it have the bridge intonation screws facing the neck and half facing the other way; what the ... ??? Is there a correct direction

Regarding the saddles- you would have to imagine so... I've had 2 old Gibsons with nylon saddles, one I replaced the ABR bridge- it was on an ES 345 and I didn't notice an appreciable difference at all- but then again it was on an ES-345. The other was an EB-0 bass, and I replaced the whole bridge.

For whatever it's worth, Clapton's 335 has the nylon saddles, and that's a badass sounding guitar.

Regarding the direction of the saddles... for the most part- it only matters for looks, the only time it will matter is if you run out of traverse and depending on which way your saddle is facing you can get the equivalence of the turn of a few threads.

[Skarekrough]

That's what I was thinking.

I paid around $1600 for mine and it was in less than mint shape. A buddy of mine has a near mint '73 Goldtop with a nice patina forming on the finish and he was offered $5000 about a month ago. He seems to think that a bunch of people are trying to buy up the late 60s/early 70s stock while it's still relatively cheap and lock up the market to force up prices.

Damn the collectability of guitars.....

Meh....there's WAY too many of these things out there to think that someone has the money to follow through on a conspiracy theory like that.

Mostly I tend to think it's the oldest most affordable Les Paul you can get. The 50's are unapproachable, the 60's...well....for obvious reason, don't exist, but the 70's are out there and are the next logical place to look for a good older instrument.

The market will get interesting when the Boomers start unloading them for their retirement years.

[some_dude]

Meh....there's WAY too many of these things out there to think that someone has the money to follow through on a conspiracy theory like that.

I agree.

But at the same time, it wouldn't surprise me if people who follow vintage trends were hoarding a couple in hopes of a big price jump over the next few years. The formerly non-collectable late 60s/early 70s guitars are starting to become the only ones that an average joe can afford.....



P.S. - And this isn't wishfull thinking on my part. I'm pretty sure that mine is so heavily modified that ALL collectors value is gone....

....unless I become famous....in which case it'll be worth a fortune.