We needed a good video on a "Stage 4" guitar - Ol' Smokey was perfect for it! 🟢Available on My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com 🔴Check it out on Reverb: tidd.ly/4aFiyhC 🐕 Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
it's solely because of the look, and it's far more cheaper to get your guitar relic-ed or get a relic one from the factory than spend hundreds of dollars on a natural aged guitar. And just like trogly said "If a guitar gets to this stage, it means it's been played a lot, and if it's been played this much, it's gotta be awesome." People just want that look.
@hatred9427 it's also the feel. Relic guitars are still cheaper than buying a real vintage guitar that's got all the mojo and natural relicing, and alot of players love the "broken in" feeling that the necks on the Reliced series have. They're mostly collector pieces, but serious players buy them for feel too
@@hatred9427 No its not just because of the look. guitars are made of wood, and an aged wood example that has been played has molecular differences from a new reliced wood guitar. Wood is something that is changed by the vibrations it experiences in its lifetime. or, afterlifetime. So a lifetime of great players playing great music is something you can't relic.
This isn't a reliced guitar it's a naturally aged guitar. I can spot even the best relic job a mile away. this can't be duplicated, there's simply no short cut to achieve this. this is why I will never own a relic guitar. all my guitars have to earn their battle scars naturally. and this guitar is a perfect example of that.
Agreed. It's either the guitar or Austin tweaked his EQ to perfection. It's the guitar. Also i wanted to note: 18:42 I don't think I've ever seen a guitarist change their toggle switch position with their fret hand before like that.
@@Tsilsby There's one just like it for $4,300.00 that's been sitting there on Reverb for two years. '81 LP Custom tobacco burst. Not sure how he came to the 10K valuation. Seems extreme considering what's available on that site as far as Norlin era Gibsons go. For 10 grand you could get a lot of very exceptional 70's Les Paul. The examples are there. This ain't one of 'em.
@EarthAltar I saw that one too. He is at 10,500 on reverb. Guess they charge 500$ worth of fees now? There is a silver burst and its only at 7k But the price on those have dropped a lot.
@@Tsilsby Yep, saw the silverburst as well. Like i was sayin', for that much coin you could be real picky. There's no shortage of Norlins. A few are rare from that era, but condition is what's driving the price in the nicer listings. Not scarcity. The same thing happens with the '75 to '79 Flying Vs. There's some beat up ones at ridiculous prices and some choice ones at even more ridiculous prices. They get listed and sit for years waiting for a chump to come along with the scratch. Don't even get me started on the Medallion Vs.
Yeah and the guy who had it spent 20-30 years of their life smokin it up to get that finish XDD I love it. Always leave mine out when I smoke for it hahaha
I cannot comprehend why, if you were going to Fender Custom Shop or similar, you'd pay them to make it look worn. What, are you gonna tell people "Yeah, nah, true, bro, this is totally a '62 Strat that totally spent the last 60 years in all the really cool bars and clubs and stuff"?
@@hoilst265They're collector pieces. And for serious players that like the look and feel of a worn guitar, they're cheaper than buying an actual vintage piece in most cases. People out here acting like beat up worn vintage guitars are cheap and easy to find I swear to god. Let people like what they like.
Finally, a guitar worth talking about that has character, sounds has a decent story behind it More content like this would be greatly appreciated if possible!
I agree 100%. Very nice sounding Les Paul, just needs a new bridge and maybe new frets. It's perfect for playing 70's and 80's rock and metal stuff, and even some My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy tunes.
It's actually amazing it sounds as good as it does? because that cigarette tar permiats everything. it gets inside the pick-ups, the pots, and everywhere else. and can effect how it plays.
not just muscle cars, I've heard that term applied to any beat up old car that no one would really want to save, but soldiers on anyway, i.e. econobox models that are practically extinct.
Does that still apply with the replaced brass nut? The but is a pretty important part of the guitar. I thought survivor cars were all original (obviously minus tires/battery).
I bought a 1975 Fender Mustang, it was black but it was covered in years of cigarette smoke residue just like this guitar. I had to take it apart and put a ton of cleaner and elbow grease into it. I used "virtuoso" guitar cleaner and it did a great job melting it away. Once i was done a shiny finish appeared but it took a lot of work lol
I owned Pat Travers original DC Les Paul for awhile. It was naturally just like this with the years of playing in smoke filled bars and venues. Same yellowish haze, and the smoke smell never went away.
Most of the deep brown yellowing of the lacquer is from age and particularly from ultraviolet exposure, not smoke. Smoking tars clean straight off with alcohol. They can cause some light staining, but not like that. Being in the window of the cigar store it was probably exposed to direct sunlight and got a lot of UV. I work with plastics and ha've seen many plastic and lacquer finished go dark brown from UV, even when nowhere near smoke.
Rock and Roll band, smoking, More than a feeling, all of the first album. I was a brand new baby guitarist when I discovered this album. This one and Rush 2112 were my two. What about you?
The other two albums that formed my outlook on music as a guitarist were Pink Floyd Dark Side and Alan Parsons I Robot. King Crimson Discipline was big as was Abbey Road. Animals and CCR. Ritchie Havens and Sly and the Family. Ten Years After and Green Day. RHCP and STP. Us old fert guitarists can claim them all as influences. EVH and Uncle Nuge. Billy Gibbons and Jimmi Hendrix. We lived it.
You know your stuff when it comes to dating & authenticating Gibson guitars. I'll be tuning in to your channel more often. Thanks for the video, great job.
Can someone share a link to some info on the Gibson LP custom richlite era? I'm looking to get a LP custom soon but I can't seem to find any useful info on this subject. I'm sure trogly has some info on one of the vids I'm just not sure which one
i have a 81 custom cherry burst, i still have all the black plastics, but i converted it to cream plastics that i bought from george gruhn, and nice 90s brown case. i still have the chain saw case though. i hate them. i put cream dimarzios on it paf neck super distortion bridge. it has a great sound
That is absolutely beautiful! The real thing and I love it. Plus, riffs from both Sabbath AND the Sword! Brilliant Trogly. Probably my favorite episode so far. Thank you!
my classical guitare is on stage 4 ^^ Litterraly marqued by long life of respect and good play it's a classical but it's my favorite i play 2 o 3 hours every day she have 12 years old and i love her little scratch all on the fretboard
Polish, smooth it out not clean it, the grime then hit it with a thin coat of clear UV resistant to freeze it in place (unless you start wearing through the clear coat)...
Then again, remember that you don't eat the pellicle off aged meats, the tar coating has been staining it for years by gently cleaning it you're not ruining the relic you're just maintaining it - it would have turned those colors underneath anyhow, being played for decades in a cigar shop by assumedly the owner/proprietor, but in that environment it probably seemed clean enough at any time to someone actually in the shop. But a gentle clean up would really bring out the depth of the relic instead of leaving it like it's been drug through La Brea and left there. Wouldn't be surprised if it came out of some place like Cascade Cigar and Tobacco Lounge or similar...
My '76 Custom looks a lot like that. It has the "wine" finish" but it's really yellowed out like this one. Mine exhibits considerable checking. All 100% original, even the 300K ohm pots and the T-Top pups with gold plated nickel covers. Barely any gold left. It's hard to believe it may be worth more in such rough shape. It plays great and sounds great, I wonder what it's worth?
I know where there is a cigar shop/jam room in SC. These guys hang around smoking - watching old ROCK videos with guitars, amps and drums set up around the shop for impromptu jam sessions.
The cleans on this guitar immediately made me think of Midnight Rider by The Allman Brothers band. Which very much fits the look of this guitar. Sadly, I looked the song up and found that the last of the artists passed away in April of this year (2024).
I’m sure a previous owner of my 70s Les Paul (modded before I bought it) gigged in smoky bars due to the yellowing of the binding and headstock Definitely some was normal yellowing, but likely there was some help. But this one is way beyond mine.
As a guy who's done his share of bar gigs, I do not miss playing in smokey bars. Completely aside from the stale smoke smell in my clothes, I'd more often than not wake up the next morning with a horrendous headache.
I used to work in a place that had a smoking room with orange walls. I was tempted to leave my white custom in there for a few weeks/months to yellow it a little.
The G string issue. The way to fix that is simple. You just need to wind the string going UP the tuning peg. So, you do the opposite of what you normally do with every other string, winding it going down the peg. By winding the string going up the tuning peg, the string doesn’t have that steep break angle that’s making the string go out of tune. It really works.
The first one I ever saw Ace Frehley waa using one. But this truly is a tobacco burst. The bindings are yellow from the nicotine from the cigar shop. I'm surprised the case doesn't smell like an ashtray. Beautiful guitar.
Would truly watch an episode of you doing a total cleaning and polishing of this ole girl. Would be very interesting, before and after…Great episode, Trogs! ⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️
2:16 that's right. To make that kind of effect, that guitar need to live in humid country and living with smoking musician 😂 we have plenty of this in Indonesia. 80s and 90s gibson les paul looks like this 😂 the weather and smoke abuse can make guitar like this.
We needed a good video on a "Stage 4" guitar - Ol' Smokey was perfect for it!
🟢Available on My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com
🔴Check it out on Reverb: tidd.ly/4aFiyhC
🐕 Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
Could you imagine what Gibson or any guitar company would charge for relicing a guitar to that degree.
I would fear Stage 4 cancer just handling it.
Would you sell it to me? How much?
I refuse to believe the Murphy Lab doesn't have a big Texas BBQ smoker at the shop where they just smoke guitars over hickory or manzanita.
They use a Traeger because they're already set up for automation and compact fuel storage.
You just gave the idea for how to relic a guitar in the backyard.
Propane baby!
The former owners' lungs are probably stage 4, too.
Epic
that's gonna leave a mark
🤣 sick burn!
Criminal 💀
Hahahahahah
ill never understand "pre-reliced" brand new guitars, but ACTUAL relics like this one get me going like nothing else. this is so cool man
it's solely because of the look, and it's far more cheaper to get your guitar relic-ed or get a relic one from the factory than spend hundreds of dollars on a natural aged guitar.
And just like trogly said "If a guitar gets to this stage, it means it's been played a lot, and if it's been played this much, it's gotta be awesome." People just want that look.
@hatred9427 it's also the feel. Relic guitars are still cheaper than buying a real vintage guitar that's got all the mojo and natural relicing, and alot of players love the "broken in" feeling that the necks on the Reliced series have. They're mostly collector pieces, but serious players buy them for feel too
@@hatred9427 No its not just because of the look. guitars are made of wood, and an aged wood example that has been played has molecular differences from a new reliced wood guitar. Wood is something that is changed by the vibrations it experiences in its lifetime. or, afterlifetime. So a lifetime of great players playing great music is something you can't relic.
I agree.
This isn't a reliced guitar it's a naturally aged guitar. I can spot even the best relic job a mile away. this can't be duplicated, there's simply no short cut to achieve this. this is why I will never own a relic guitar. all my guitars have to earn their battle scars naturally. and this guitar is a perfect example of that.
I still smoke, so if you want your Les Paul at stage 4, you can send them ALL to me and I'll sit in a room and puff like a smoke stack.
Brett Labs Relicing LLC
now that's a service!
Not roasted maple....smoked maple
According to this, tobacco smoke prevents finish checking! So, there's a benefit.
Me, too!
One of the best sounding Les Paul's I've heard on here and cool looking too
I agree! that had some amazing sounds and dynamic. Can see why it was played so much. That stick has some serious character!
Agreed. It's either the guitar or Austin tweaked his EQ to perfection. It's the guitar. Also i wanted to note: 18:42 I don't think I've ever seen a guitarist change their toggle switch position with their fret hand before like that.
You better hang on to that, Austin. To find a stage 4 in that good of condition, and sounding as good as it does. You'll never be able to replace it!!
At 10k it's priced at I really don't want to sell it.. but for enough $$$ it's avail.
@@Tsilsby There's one just like it for $4,300.00 that's been sitting there on Reverb for two years. '81 LP Custom tobacco burst. Not sure how he came to the 10K valuation. Seems extreme considering what's available on that site as far as Norlin era Gibsons go. For 10 grand you could get a lot of very exceptional 70's Les Paul. The examples are there. This ain't one of 'em.
@EarthAltar I saw that one too.
He is at 10,500 on reverb. Guess they charge 500$ worth of fees now?
There is a silver burst and its only at 7k
But the price on those have dropped a lot.
@@Tsilsby Yep, saw the silverburst as well. Like i was sayin', for that much coin you could be real picky. There's no shortage of Norlins. A few are rare from that era, but condition is what's driving the price in the nicer listings. Not scarcity. The same thing happens with the '75 to '79 Flying Vs. There's some beat up ones at ridiculous prices and some choice ones at even more ridiculous prices. They get listed and sit for years waiting for a chump to come along with the scratch. Don't even get me started on the Medallion Vs.
This is when I can appreciate the antique look because it earned it!
Yeah and the guy who had it spent 20-30 years of their life smokin it up to get that finish XDD I love it. Always leave mine out when I smoke for it hahaha
I cannot comprehend why, if you were going to Fender Custom Shop or similar, you'd pay them to make it look worn. What, are you gonna tell people "Yeah, nah, true, bro, this is totally a '62 Strat that totally spent the last 60 years in all the really cool bars and clubs and stuff"?
@@hoilst265They're collector pieces. And for serious players that like the look and feel of a worn guitar, they're cheaper than buying an actual vintage piece in most cases. People out here acting like beat up worn vintage guitars are cheap and easy to find I swear to god. Let people like what they like.
Finally, a guitar worth talking about that has character, sounds has a decent story behind it
More content like this would be greatly appreciated if possible!
This is by far one of the best tone Les Paul's you've had on your show or your channel, what is everybody else think? Keep up the good work
I agree 100%.
Very nice sounding Les Paul, just needs a new bridge and maybe new frets. It's perfect for playing 70's and 80's rock and metal stuff, and even some My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy tunes.
It's actually amazing it sounds as good as it does? because that cigarette tar permiats everything. it gets inside the pick-ups, the pots, and everywhere else. and can effect how it plays.
You can tell when he really likes how a guitar sounds when he shouts during the playing demos
Thanks for the Sabbath
This sounds like a Gibson in my head sounds like
And if you want to refret it, this is the type of guitar that would not lose monetary value if you did it.
For the looks of that axe, I did NOT expect it to sound so beautifully PERFECT!!
That's tone tar right there !
2 volumes, 2 tar knobs…
@@michaelpacinus242well that escalated quickly…
@@michaelpacinus242say what now?
When it comes to old muscle cars they call that a survivor.
not just muscle cars, I've heard that term applied to any beat up old car that no one would really want to save, but soldiers on anyway, i.e. econobox models that are practically extinct.
Does that still apply with the replaced brass nut? The but is a pretty important part of the guitar. I thought survivor cars were all original (obviously minus tires/battery).
I bought a 1975 Fender Mustang, it was black but it was covered in years of cigarette smoke residue just like this guitar. I had to take it apart and put a ton of cleaner and elbow grease into it. I used "virtuoso" guitar cleaner and it did a great job melting it away. Once i was done a shiny finish appeared but it took a lot of work lol
Im curious how there is a pancake layer that doesn't show on the sides?
That layer is only visible on thin-binding in the cutaway guitars outside of the pickup cavities
I owned Pat Travers original DC Les Paul for awhile. It was naturally just like this with the years of playing in smoke filled bars and venues. Same yellowish haze, and the smoke smell never went away.
Sounds surprisingly good.
Actually, one of the best sounding guitars I've seen you play here, despite minor intonation issues.
Yeah... I dig it. Nice tone...
17:25 that tone is so good, Trogly has come a long way in sound quality.
A total gem. So glad you did not clean. Hope this helps turn a corner in approaches to 'dirt...'
Cuban Burst! Picturing strong coffee and a cigar
Literally smokehouse burst! 😅
Cuban burst! I like that!! 👌Rum, cigars and coffee
by far my fav episode
Most of the deep brown yellowing of the lacquer is from age and particularly from ultraviolet exposure, not smoke.
Smoking tars clean straight off with alcohol. They can cause some light staining, but not like that.
Being in the window of the cigar store it was probably exposed to direct sunlight and got a lot of UV.
I work with plastics and ha've seen many plastic and lacquer finished go dark brown from UV, even when nowhere near smoke.
It’s a Tobacco Widow.
Guess Murphy labs needs a cigar room.
From the headstock thumb nail, I thought it was a Black widow at first.
Bacc Widow. Also yeah, it would be interesting if they got a smoke room like a food smoker on steroids and just try some cool shit
My favorite LP so far. Such VIBE. TOTAL SMOKESHOW
I love the simple way that you show how the guitar sounds, amazing job
GREAT guitar! Absolutely love the tone & the way it looks! Awesome 😮
It'd be cool to find an oversized ' Surgeon's General Warning' sticker for the back of that baby ! Thanks Trogness !
I heard some Boston there, Trogly. Boston songs have been my practice songs for more than 40 years.
“Smokin’”?
Rock and Roll band, smoking, More than a feeling, all of the first album. I was a brand new baby guitarist when I discovered this album. This one and Rush 2112 were my two. What about you?
The other two albums that formed my outlook on music as a guitarist were Pink Floyd Dark Side and Alan Parsons I Robot. King Crimson Discipline was big as was Abbey Road. Animals and CCR. Ritchie Havens and Sly and the Family. Ten Years After and Green Day. RHCP and STP. Us old fert guitarists can claim them all as influences. EVH and Uncle Nuge. Billy Gibbons and Jimmi Hendrix. We lived it.
@@robbysguitars8223 2112 and Rush in general got me into guitar.
@@robbysguitars8223 Discipline and Beat are desert island must haves.
That’s the vibeyest guitar ever. So flipping cool.
Sounds great to my ear!
I bought a brand new 81 LP custom cherry sunburst for one thousand dollars in 81 , still have it 😊
You know your stuff when it comes to dating & authenticating Gibson guitars. I'll be tuning in to your channel more often. Thanks for the video, great job.
Hands down definitely one of the coolest Les Paul's I ever seen!
Absolutely stunning
Nicotine burst! It sounds great, one of the best I heard for awhile.
Can someone share a link to some info on the Gibson LP custom richlite era? I'm looking to get a LP custom soon but I can't seem to find any useful info on this subject. I'm sure trogly has some info on one of the vids I'm just not sure which one
@cataclysmicconverter thank so much! That's exactly what I was looking for
Smokeshop burst. How do the strings wear the pickup ring if they can't touch them?
Love the look of this thing. If only I could feel it through the video.
I love guitars like this, definitely has some stories to tell
Beautiful! Keep the patina! Sounds great.
Great tone for a rock guitar!!! It has a nice clarity through the growl.
i have a 81 custom cherry burst, i still have all the black plastics, but i converted it to cream plastics that i bought from george gruhn, and nice 90s brown case. i still have the chain saw case though. i hate them. i put cream dimarzios on it paf neck super distortion bridge. it has a great sound
I love my 81 cherry sunburst. It even has a 2 piece top. Sounds great.
I wonder how does it smell. Such a beautiful guitar with great story to tell
Stage 4. Grungy still clean mostly original guitar just missing pickup covers. One of the coolest custom I have seen.
That is absolutely beautiful! The real thing and I love it. Plus, riffs from both Sabbath AND the Sword! Brilliant Trogly. Probably my favorite episode so far. Thank you!
my classical guitare is on stage 4 ^^
Litterraly marqued by long life of respect and good play
it's a classical but it's my favorite i play 2 o 3 hours every day
she have 12 years old and i love her little scratch all on the fretboard
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CLEAN THIS GUITAR! It is truly beautiful as is and the unique aging could never be replaced.
Polish, smooth it out not clean it, the grime then hit it with a thin coat of clear UV resistant to freeze it in place (unless you start wearing through the clear coat)...
Then again, remember that you don't eat the pellicle off aged meats, the tar coating has been staining it for years by gently cleaning it you're not ruining the relic you're just maintaining it - it would have turned those colors underneath anyhow, being played for decades in a cigar shop by assumedly the owner/proprietor, but in that environment it probably seemed clean enough at any time to someone actually in the shop. But a gentle clean up would really bring out the depth of the relic instead of leaving it like it's been drug through La Brea and left there.
Wouldn't be surprised if it came out of some place like Cascade Cigar and Tobacco Lounge or similar...
My '76 Custom looks a lot like that. It has the "wine" finish" but it's really yellowed out like this one. Mine exhibits considerable checking. All 100% original, even the 300K ohm pots and the T-Top pups with gold plated nickel covers. Barely any gold left. It's hard to believe it may be worth more in such rough shape. It plays great and sounds great, I wonder what it's worth?
I know where there is a cigar shop/jam room in SC. These guys hang around smoking - watching old ROCK videos with guitars, amps and drums set up around the shop for impromptu jam sessions.
Do new guitars really age to stage 4 though? Since the finish is better/harder?
Man if that guitar could talk…well it would probably need a voicebox but it’s freaking cool.
The cleans on this guitar immediately made me think of Midnight Rider by The Allman Brothers band. Which very much fits the look of this guitar. Sadly, I looked the song up and found that the last of the artists passed away in April of this year (2024).
There's nothing clean on this guitar!
@@asw7696 XD That's funny. I was talking about the sound though.
One of my favourite reviews so far. From the looks, to the sound, amazing guitar.
Cheers
I love the look of that guitar.
Wow. Smokey sounds outstanding
I’m sure a previous owner of my 70s Les Paul (modded before I bought it) gigged in smoky bars due to the yellowing of the binding and headstock
Definitely some was normal yellowing, but likely there was some help.
But this one is way beyond mine.
Best sounding Classic ever. Allman Brothers sound awesome. Great Sustain!
That guitar is a definite player!! Sounds really good!!
What is the difference between a sheen and a shine?
This is my favourite looking custom EVER ! Still upset i didnt buy it when it was for sale
Sounds awesome.
love it neck wear is wicked close to my 80 standard sounds great too this ax has some stories to tell I would guess.
With that visceral tone, she still got a lot to live and tell.
@@thaedleinad 🤘🏻💯
As a guy who's done his share of bar gigs, I do not miss playing in smokey bars. Completely aside from the stale smoke smell in my clothes, I'd more often than not wake up the next morning with a horrendous headache.
Good to be back buddy
The pickups sound fantastic!
As far as I am concerned, this is the most beautiful les paul I have ever seen.
I used to work in a place that had a smoking room with orange walls. I was tempted to leave my white custom in there for a few weeks/months to yellow it a little.
Lovely guitar.
That guitar sounds awesome trogly.
Keep it!
Are you selling it?
One of best sounding LPs you've reviewed.
Very nice mojo one, and sounds terrific !
I absolutely love the look of it
Thinking about dropping off my white custom at my local cigar den for a couple of months.
Somebody help me out. How do you play that much of the finish off the neck and yet have almost no buckle rash on the back?
Sitting on a stool in a cigar shop?
Smoked a stogie for this one!!
The binding is aged beautifully
Wasn't expecting to hear The Sword riffs
best looking LP i have seen on your chan in a LONG time !!!!!!
alien snot knobs need to show up in the mod shop
The G string issue. The way to fix that is simple. You just need to wind the string going UP the tuning peg. So, you do the opposite of what you normally do with every other string, winding it going down the peg. By winding the string going up the tuning peg, the string doesn’t have that steep break angle that’s making the string go out of tune. It really works.
SCORE! Great find… a real beauty and sounds like an awesome Les Paul should…
The first one I ever saw Ace Frehley waa using one. But this truly is a tobacco burst. The bindings are yellow from the nicotine from the cigar shop. I'm surprised the case doesn't smell like an ashtray. Beautiful guitar.
Has some good sound
Sounds killer. Love the Mastodon ❤
How is it possible the headstock inlays are completely brown yet, the fretboard inlays look brand new still?
I want this guitar.
This would have looked amazing with the aged covers on it! 🤩
Would truly watch an episode of you doing a total cleaning and polishing of this ole girl. Would be very interesting, before and after…Great episode, Trogs!
⭐️⭐️👍👍⭐️⭐️
Can you explain the name inside the pickup cavities? Don't know if this just went over my head.
That's definitely a keeper. Looks and sounds great!
😎🎸🔊 awesome so close to my birthday too 81s always have a special meaning to me
2:16 that's right. To make that kind of effect, that guitar need to live in humid country and living with smoking musician 😂 we have plenty of this in Indonesia. 80s and 90s gibson les paul looks like this 😂 the weather and smoke abuse can make guitar like this.
That beautiful guitar and sound.
One of your best sounding guitars. Nope I'm changing that. After listening to the whole demo. This IS your best guitar.!!!! It will do anything.