05:46 After a little internet sleuthing, I was surprised to find out that the Guitar Center logo, with a guitar graphic serving as the "G" has been around since the 60s! That, coupled with the particular font seen in the logo (the "e" is at a distinct angle), suggests that it could very well be from the 80s when this guitar was released. Very cool!
Three dowels and a vise will give you a temporary fix on a collapsed bridge. One dowel on each post hole and one on the back; tighten gently and the bridge will bend back straight. Takes just a couple of minutes and it really helps the playability.
Those are 90’s double cream DiMarzio 35th Anniversary PAF’s. Killer pickups! Kurt Cobain had one on the neck of his Jaguar. The single coils in the case are 80’s strat pickups. Usually no markings on them.
That was my first thought but I can't see the SKU stamped into the bottom of them. I have a bunch of Dimarzios dating back to the 90s and they all have the model number stamped into the bottom. I think I can maybe make out a 'P' there on the neck but I'm really not sure, so wondering if these are vintage 70s or 80s PAF models
@@dougmo2177 Went crazy recently and did a bunch of work on most of my guitars. did a bunch of shielding and rewiring so I've had them all out recently. Also, to my ear the pickups seem to be lacking a little of the mid-range of the 36th anniversary. Though that's hard to say for with RUclips compression and being guitar dependent too
@@george-wg6ug Yeah, it's got a bit more growl in the mid-range than most PAFs, great for the classic rock stuff and very "Les Paul" to my ear. Running mine into the front of my Catalinbread RAH and it's instant Since I've Been Loving You tone
Hahaha cool that has been my store since the 1980s when they were just down the street from their current location. Bought many guitars and amps there over the years.
So if the guy had it on consignment it must have been at either Guitar Showcase or Starving Musician. Probably Guitar Showcase would ask 10k for that 😂
I'm not gonna lie, from the thumb nail I thought this was going to be one of those cake videos where it looks like a guitar until they cut into it and its just a damn cake lol
Three original stratocaster pickups. Congratulations. These dimarzio's probably come from a '70's BC Rich. They are sought after. Please ask if the former owner owned or owns a BC Rich.
Triple 👍 on this one. Although the D'Marzio PU are not my personal favorite, they work on this one. Great Character guitar. Would be shame to change the quirky parts.
Congrats Austin, a really great find and a true Player's Grade (Play and Enjoy, Repeat) Love, Love, Love the original Spotlight Specials. I remember when they were new in the stores, I had a chance to play a brand new Tobacco, wish I could have checked out the natural with the brown/multi binding. The Dimarzio PAF are OK, the Tim Shaw would have maybe been a little nicer sounding (IMO).
@@joeturner7959 9:48 gives a pretty good close-up view. How Gibson applies/glues up the multi-ply binding is pretty amazing as each different color is actually an individual strip of binding. Multiple strips are all glued to each other and the guitar body in a single operation.
@@TrogYou can definitely see the broken wire in the one you're holding at 6:47 . But that's okay, it could easily be rewound to match for not much money.
you can... but isn't guaranteed they will all make it and very few people are willing to take that kind of work on and that'll typically run you 4x the price of a normal refret
Given the lack of original pickups, the state of the bridge and the general condition of the guitar, I don't see any reason not to re-fret it and getting playing properly again.
The DiMarzio's are an upgrade on Tim Shaw's. 70's & early 80's DiMarzio's kick ass. I'd put a brass nut on that beauty, new bridge & level/recrown the frets. With a little love & affection, this baby would never get left in the corner lol
Gotta say, I know you generally prefer minty examples over players grade, but I much prefer watching you inspect these well used guitars. If I were in the market for a relic-ed guitar, I would much prefer to spend my money on this one.
Salutations Austin! Nice players grade Spotlight Special! The additional pickups included in the case are Fender Stratocaster single coil pickups without the covers, the pickup covers come in a variety of colors and are fairly easy to find, I am building a Stratocaster and may be interested in those pickups for that project. Beautiful grain on that instrument! Thanks for sharing it with us and posting this video! Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🎸
What a lovely guitar. I know you like minty clean for the collection, but I love to see the wear. It tells the story of the guitar and as much as every guitar is an art peice, they are are made to MAKE art, not BE art. Sad about not having PAF's, but if it sounds good that's all that matters. Also, as much as I have always thought pick guards hide too much of the beauty that is a Les Paul, this one accentuates the natural finish. This my be my favorite Spotlight I've seen you document.
Love that double figuring on the top - wavy grain one way, flame the other. My recently-acquired 2005 Standard’s top has that in spades. The movement in it is phenomenal! From different angles and in recent lights, it could almost be a totally different guitar! :)
06:50 Now that's funny, I have no idea why a turntable tonearm's counterweight (what Trogly calls "some sort of a weight, compass-looking thing!") was included with this guitar! 😂
I think the single coils are Fender pickups, made in Fullerton factory USA. It's most likely 1980-1983. Those pickups there used in Fender Squier JV series and some USA strats. That's all I know
Nice guitar. I'd call it a used, but not abused guitar. I know it's disappointing that you didn't get the original pickups. However, DiMarzio pickups sound pretty good in my experience.
Hey Austin, I don't know exactly when they started doing it but all the Dimarzio pickups I own, which date back to the early 90s have the model number stamped into the baseplate. I think on the neck pickup I can maybe see a 'P' there but not the rest of it (fornmat is DP*xxx*). It looks like they've maybe also had covers on them at one point? Dunno, but if you can make out the model number then that will at least tell you what they are. I don't know if maybe early ones didn't get the SKU stamped on them but if that's the case and they're 70s-80s Dimarzio PAFS, they're getting to be quite valuable in their own right
The DiMarzio's are an upgrade on Tim Shaw's imo. Never liked TS bridge pups. I dig his neck pups but I dig these more. 70's, early 80's DiMarzio's kicked ass!
Agreed. I would totally rock this, after the nut and bridge got fixed. The pickup rings... they need sanding down in the middle to make them sit curved, and be flat on the front.
Did anyone else hate the sound of the Dimarzios? Too tinny and bright for my taste. But the looks? Gorgeous with lots of character. It's a shame the multicolor fret nibs might need to go. Such a cool microfeature. 😎 👍
That leather strap looks like a Levy’s strap I bought in 2005 at Gruhn’s in Nashville. Exactly the same except for the color, and mine has a Levy’s logo instead of GC. Was $30 in 2006 and would probably be $80 now!
Some vintage Dimarzio pickups go for good money on the used market and i would definitely rip them out and sell them and put the money towards a set of paf pickups
Great guitar, but, the attitude of not beating up the family and making light of the pickup issue, shows maturity and grace. What a friendly dragon!! Ü ♫
Great top on that baby, beautiful wood grainy grains , sounds alive !...Did Gibson ever make spotlight style LPs with F-holes ?...y'know like semi-hollow ? Like the Crest ES-335 style Gibson with the same wood construction...Thanks Trogly !
Disappointment seems a much better word than disaster, especially after you saying you wanted to keep the changes instead of restoring to original. Disaster would be that you spent the rent hoping to resell the Tim Shaws Cleaned up beautifully, love those tobacco knobs
I'm sensing Trogly is upset at what he received here, but has a sense of being a gentleman & not going back to seller... I do hope he checked out the story and did indeed get told the background story truthfully.
Nylon string I wonder if you had a Keith Richards fan who did the whole five string tuning thing but felt odd not having the E string on the guitar? Way out of left field theory for ya.
This spotlight was in horrendous shape. I sure would like to own one. I have over 30 Gibson Les Paul Standards & Customs. But I do not own a Spotlight Special. Or a 25/50 model. Is and a lot of different peculiar models. I do not own a Explorer or a SG. That is something I hope to remedy this year. If you think keeping up with you is hard. You've got another thing coming for somebody that doesn't have a youtube channel on guitars. I wish I was born in the age of youtube. I would have had so much fun. And got a lot of trouble. Try to find my way through everything. And coming out on the other side like DDE. ADAM LZ, JWW, These guys have made it and you think that there are so many of them and they're not. All of you guys worked extremely hard for content. And I bet u struggle for peace of mine. But I would really like to find me a spotlight at a decent price. Whatever that is
The white compass thing is a counter balance for a tone arm on a turntable
05:46 After a little internet sleuthing, I was surprised to find out that the Guitar Center logo, with a guitar graphic serving as the "G" has been around since the 60s! That, coupled with the particular font seen in the logo (the "e" is at a distinct angle), suggests that it could very well be from the 80s when this guitar was released. Very cool!
If the open string buzzes but the fretted notes don't, doesn't that mean the nut needs to be addressed not the bridge?
They look like American fender strat pickups, vintage cloth wires.
That definitely has its own Vibe, looks great with the cream humbuckers
Three dowels and a vise will give you a temporary fix on a collapsed bridge. One dowel on each post hole and one on the back; tighten gently and the bridge will bend back straight. Takes just a couple of minutes and it really helps the playability.
Gently... but a definite good fix.
Those are 90’s double cream DiMarzio 35th Anniversary PAF’s. Killer pickups! Kurt Cobain had one on the neck of his Jaguar.
The single coils in the case are 80’s strat pickups. Usually no markings on them.
That was my first thought but I can't see the SKU stamped into the bottom of them. I have a bunch of Dimarzios dating back to the 90s and they all have the model number stamped into the bottom.
I think I can maybe make out a 'P' there on the neck but I'm really not sure, so wondering if these are vintage 70s or 80s PAF models
You may be right. I haven’t looked at the back of my 90’s Dimarzio pickups since the 90’s lol
@@dougmo2177 Went crazy recently and did a bunch of work on most of my guitars. did a bunch of shielding and rewiring so I've had them all out recently.
Also, to my ear the pickups seem to be lacking a little of the mid-range of the 36th anniversary. Though that's hard to say for with RUclips compression and being guitar dependent too
Dimazio 35th anniversary. Best neck pickup out there imo...
@@george-wg6ug Yeah, it's got a bit more growl in the mid-range than most PAFs, great for the classic rock stuff and very "Les Paul" to my ear.
Running mine into the front of my Catalinbread RAH and it's instant Since I've Been Loving You tone
The weight compass thing looks like it belongs to a tone arm on a turntable
So the 408 on the Guitar Center Pick is San Jose Ca. There are a few in that area. Circa 83 probably the Steven’s Creek store…
Hahaha cool that has been my store since the 1980s when they were just down the street from their current location. Bought many guitars and amps there over the years.
So if the guy had it on consignment it must have been at either Guitar Showcase or Starving Musician. Probably Guitar Showcase would ask 10k for that 😂
@@garycastronova7939 I bought my first guitar at that shop. Years ago.
I'm not gonna lie, from the thumb nail I thought this was going to be one of those cake videos where it looks like a guitar until they cut into it and its just a damn cake lol
Three original stratocaster pickups. Congratulations. These dimarzio's probably come from a '70's BC Rich. They are sought after. Please ask if the former owner owned or owns a BC Rich.
Dream guitar. I can't even afford a Chibson these days...
Triple 👍 on this one. Although the D'Marzio PU are not my personal favorite, they work on this one. Great Character guitar. Would be shame to change the quirky parts.
Congrats Austin, a really great find and a true Player's Grade (Play and Enjoy, Repeat)
Love, Love, Love the original Spotlight Specials.
I remember when they were new in the stores, I had a chance to play a brand new Tobacco, wish I could have checked out the natural with the brown/multi binding.
The Dimarzio PAF are OK, the Tim Shaw would have maybe been a little nicer sounding (IMO).
G'day HK
@@andye3684 Greetings Andy 👍😉
I just wish there was a better shot of the neck pocket, and how the quad binding looked.
@@joeturner7959 9:48 gives a pretty good close-up view.
How Gibson applies/glues up the multi-ply binding is pretty amazing as each different color is actually an individual strip of binding.
Multiple strips are all glued to each other and the guitar body in a single operation.
I think that the Spotlight Specials are one of the most beautiful guitars. Really love the wood and the color...just looks elegant. Thank you.
Those are old Dimarzzios. The same ones came in the Hondo 2 LP Customs.
The single coils look like they might be fender pickups. I have several sets that are cloth wire like that with the white markings on the bobbin.
They certainly feel quality! Read about 5.66k ohms on two of them, the third doesn't give a reading
Ya they look like fender pickups for sure
@@TrogYou can definitely see the broken wire in the one you're holding at 6:47 . But that's okay, it could easily be rewound to match for not much money.
I saw a luthier on RUclips that said you can save the fret nibs.
you can... but isn't guaranteed they will all make it and very few people are willing to take that kind of work on and that'll typically run you 4x the price of a normal refret
Given the lack of original pickups, the state of the bridge and the general condition of the guitar, I don't see any reason not to re-fret it and getting playing properly again.
What a beautiful guitar, despite the wear. still beautifully worn
im sorry about that scratch …. otherwise perfect
The DiMarzio's are an upgrade on Tim Shaw's. 70's & early 80's DiMarzio's kick ass. I'd put a brass nut on that beauty, new bridge & level/recrown the frets. With a little love & affection, this baby would never get left in the corner lol
Yay. They've grown on me a bit, and that looks like a nice example of a player's grade guitar. I'd def rock it
exactly what i thought watching this
Even though it has been played hard, I love the look of those Spotlight guitars! Nice job on getting this one.
Gotta say, I know you generally prefer minty examples over players grade, but I much prefer watching you inspect these well used guitars. If I were in the market for a relic-ed guitar, I would much prefer to spend my money on this one.
Oh snap! that guitar pick was from the guitar center in either San Jose California (most likely) or Gilroy California
That weight looks like a weight for a turntable tonearm
Salutations Austin!
Nice players grade Spotlight Special!
The additional pickups included in the case are Fender Stratocaster single coil pickups without the covers, the pickup covers come in a variety of colors and are fairly easy to find, I am building a Stratocaster and may be interested in those pickups for that project.
Beautiful grain on that instrument!
Thanks for sharing it with us and posting this video!
Please have an excellent and awesome day!
☀️✨🎸
Pickups sound better than a few of the brand new LPs/SGs you've demoed recently.
why do people act like dimarzios are a downgrade
What a lovely guitar. I know you like minty clean for the collection, but I love to see the wear. It tells the story of the guitar and as much as every guitar is an art peice, they are are made to MAKE art, not BE art. Sad about not having PAF's, but if it sounds good that's all that matters. Also, as much as I have always thought pick guards hide too much of the beauty that is a Les Paul, this one accentuates the natural finish.
This my be my favorite Spotlight I've seen you document.
Thank You
Your knowledge is superb on the Les Paul
Your reporting makes my day
Love that double figuring on the top - wavy grain one way, flame the other. My recently-acquired 2005 Standard’s top has that in spades. The movement in it is phenomenal! From different angles and in recent lights, it could almost be a totally different guitar! :)
Compass thing is the weight for a record player. Those are old Fender pickups.
WOW... BEAUTIFUL AWESOME !!!! SOUNDS GREAT TOO !!!
By your description, it's not the bridge, it's the nut. Only the open string is buzzing.
06:50 Now that's funny, I have no idea why a turntable tonearm's counterweight (what Trogly calls "some sort of a weight, compass-looking thing!") was included with this guitar! 😂
That guitar wass made 21 days after my challenger 2 which was june 6 83 nashville or memphis.
Looks good with the Dimarzio pickups id let it roll 👍🤘
I think the single coils are Fender pickups, made in Fullerton factory USA. It's most likely 1980-1983. Those pickups there used in Fender Squier JV series and some USA strats. That's all I know
Neck pickup is sweet on this one.
All true Tim Shaw's have a circle within a square on one of the bobbins...as soon as I saw those I instantly knew they were not Shaw's
Nice guitar. I'd call it a used, but not abused guitar. I know it's disappointing that you didn't get the original pickups. However, DiMarzio pickups sound pretty good in my experience.
That thing has some great finish checking!❤
I like the way it sounds
The walnut started to make me think Neck Thru LP should've known it wasn't .
But Definitely Striking , love the Contrast.
Vintage or period mods are cool, sometimes.
Cool guitar. I love the natural body and neck
Hey Austin, I don't know exactly when they started doing it but all the Dimarzio pickups I own, which date back to the early 90s have the model number stamped into the baseplate. I think on the neck pickup I can maybe see a 'P' there but not the rest of it (fornmat is DP*xxx*). It looks like they've maybe also had covers on them at one point? Dunno, but if you can make out the model number then that will at least tell you what they are.
I don't know if maybe early ones didn't get the SKU stamped on them but if that's the case and they're 70s-80s Dimarzio PAFS, they're getting to be quite valuable in their own right
The DiMarzio's are an upgrade on Tim Shaw's imo. Never liked TS bridge pups. I dig his neck pups but I dig these more. 70's, early 80's DiMarzio's kicked ass!
Are you getting the 1959 PAF Collector's edition?🎸
168 is for sale locally. $8500
Let’s ROCK!
Agreed. I would totally rock this, after the nut and bridge got fixed. The pickup rings... they need sanding down in the middle to make them sit curved, and be flat on the front.
Hey Trogly, the scratch/indent on the back is from sliding the guitar into a chainsaw case!!!!!!
i love this one it aged really cool love it
The guitar strap is 90's, I have exactly same one in black.
My goodness that is gorgeous! It’s very tempting to buy but I gotta get a specific Les Paul first
I LOVE that checking!!!
Sounds pretty good for a guitar with inferior pickups. Get rid of the buzz and it would be ok.
The Dimarzio PAFs look like my early 80s examples I have so I think changed early in its life
Loving that Les Paul❤👍
Sounds better with those pickups. Leave a sting buzzzing! WTF?
Great looking guitar
I also seen an add that Gibson will be selling PAF pickups
Did anyone else hate the sound of the Dimarzios? Too tinny and bright for my taste. But the looks? Gorgeous with lots of character. It's a shame the multicolor fret nibs might need to go. Such a cool microfeature. 😎 👍
Good grab Trogly! Save it, later restore it better, and it will be a great survivor in your collection!
This is a gorgeous guitar. I love that top.
The back pickup ring is bending becuase it's not curved on the bottom for the carved top of the LP>
That leather strap looks like a Levy’s strap I bought in 2005 at Gruhn’s in Nashville. Exactly the same except for the color, and mine has a Levy’s logo instead of GC.
Was $30 in 2006 and would probably be $80 now!
Some vintage Dimarzio pickups go for good money on the used market and i would definitely rip them out and sell them and put the money towards a set of paf pickups
Great guitar, but, the attitude of not beating up the family and making light of the pickup issue, shows maturity and grace. What a friendly dragon!! Ü ♫
Who else thought the thumbnail pic was a slice of a guitar shaped cake 🎂??
Great top on that baby, beautiful wood grainy grains , sounds alive !...Did Gibson ever make spotlight style LPs with F-holes ?...y'know like semi-hollow ? Like the Crest ES-335 style Gibson with the same wood construction...Thanks Trogly !
Disappointment seems a much better word than disaster, especially after you saying you wanted to keep the changes instead of restoring to original. Disaster would be that you spent the rent hoping to resell the Tim Shaws Cleaned up beautifully, love those tobacco knobs
I definitely paid to have Shaws in this thing so it was quite the burn, but I'm hopeful they might be in a parts drawer the family might find
Man I want this one
You don't need a luthier you just need a new bridge
That pick has the phone number of the GC in Gilroy, California. Not far from me.
Can we see some love for gold tops?
As Always, Nice Work! WooF!
Evening Troglodytes!! I love double cream uncovered pickups. Too bad about not being Tim Shaw PAF's though.
"you don't find tan lines" 😅😅 "cowboy chords" 😂😂
Please don't replace collapsed bridges. You can bend it back no problem.
Stunning
3.83 in the middle position? I’d call that one a stroker!
✌️
I'm sensing Trogly is upset at what he received here, but has a sense of being a gentleman & not going back to seller... I do hope he checked out the story and did indeed get told the background story truthfully.
Is finish checking just essentially when the finish starts to crack from age?
not necessarily from age - from sudden shocks in temperature. For example, cold car driving to gig going into a hot bar
@@Trog so I gotta be careful in these Canadian winters I have to live through haha
I WANT, to know why Gibson has a set of pafs in a case for $999.99. Why, why , why $999.99 for a set of $300 pickups?
Dimarzio 👍
Nice looking top
Nylon string I wonder if you had a Keith Richards fan who did the whole five string tuning thing but felt odd not having the E string on the guitar? Way out of left field theory for ya.
Z is for late
G'day Sgt
With all it’s flaws it seems like a nice player... is it for sale? And if so what price?
I love it!!! Great top
I see that Gibson has cut back on new guitar pleking
Is that a long tenon neck?
Position of fingers cause the cowboy chord area to wear prematurely like that...
Definitely Fender single coils
It’s a great guitar. It belongs on stage doin what they do.
Exciting!
Seems strange that in some instances people wanna pay extra for this kinda wear. Sadly the bridge and fret buzz really devalue this one.
This spotlight was in horrendous shape. I sure would like to own one. I have over 30 Gibson Les Paul Standards & Customs. But I do not own a Spotlight Special. Or a 25/50 model. Is and a lot of different peculiar models. I do not own a Explorer or a SG. That is something I hope to remedy this year. If you think keeping up with you is hard. You've got another thing coming for somebody that doesn't have a youtube channel on guitars. I wish I was born in the age of youtube. I would have had so much fun. And got a lot of trouble. Try to find my way through everything. And coming out on the other side like DDE. ADAM LZ, JWW, These guys have made it and you think that there are so many of them and they're not. All of you guys worked extremely hard for content. And I bet u struggle for peace of mine. But I would really like to find me a spotlight at a decent price. Whatever that is