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These guitars also had '59 style serial numbers, real silk screened "Les Paul Model" logo which was placed very low on the headstock (almost touching the truss rod cover), correct rhythm pickup placement, "old style" electronics and wire, correct output jack position, proper truss rod cover, exact size pickup rings, the original neck angle, and square wiring channels. The pigheaded, neck and heel were made to templates and specifications of the era, and there was also a special shape and contour to the body. Dark amber pickup selector switch tips were specified, along with the large, dark red side dot markers (Nashville-made LP's of the time had very small black side dot markers). Lightweight mahogany was to be used, so that the average Guitar Trader LP would not weigh more than 8-9 lbs.
At some point in the production process it seems that Guitar Trader was getting a bit frustrated with Gibson on the manufacture of these guitars to their specifications. An article in a Guitar Trader Bulletin that responds to a customer letter regarding delay in delivery of his guitar says "although Gibson seems able to produce the guitar itself with some degree of accuracy, they have thus far been unable or unwilling to reproduce many of the fittings and parts to our high standard. Therefore, among other more minor items, we replace the tailpiece, tune-o-matic bridge, truss rod cover, tuners and bushings, and knobs with very accurate parts that we either have made for us or produce ourselves. In addition, we check out and set up each instrument to our playing standards." In discussion with Kummer, he remembers clipping off the second ring on the double ring Kluson tuner reproductions that were put on several of these Les Paul reissues in order to emulate the single ring Klusons on the original 1959 Les Paul.
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