This 50s Les Paul Has a HIDDEN "Secret"

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This 50s Les Paul Has a BIG "Secret" - it was CHAMBERED! Not by the factory, but by a mad man haha. I've heard stories of this happening, but it isn't everyday you see these show up for sale. Maybe not as valuable as it once was, but if it plays and sounds good - that is just a great bonus for a player to pick it up at a reasonable price!
🐕 Episode Guide:
0:00 - Intro - Check Links in the Description
0:12 - 1953 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop
1:49 - What's Wrong With It?
2:41 - The Inside...
4:52 - Is It Still Worth $15K?
5:31 - 1954 Gibson Les Paul Standard Double Cut
6:46 - 1975 Gibson Les Paul Custom
8:46 - Crazy Wood Grain 2007 SG Standard
9:14 - 1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom Wine Red
10:47 - What to Watch Next!
🎞️ Videos Mentioned:
0:26 1977 Gibson TRUE 25th Anniversary Les Paul Silver
• The Rarest Anniversary...
2:54 1996 Gibson Les Paul Florentine Diamond Sparkle Series Red
• I Didn't Know About TH...
3:12 Basket Case Les Paul Special, Part 1
• What Did I Buy?!? One ...
3:53 Les' "Number 1" Comes Up For Auction Soon
• Is This Really the FIR...
5:35 1954 Gibson Les Paul Standard Red Double Cutaway Mod
• My First 1950s Les Pau...
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[@Trog]

This was intended to be Monday's 7pm EST upload... but looks like the time setting didn't hold so it was posted at midnight! Enjoy Monday's episode early and I'll see you at 7pm EST on Tuesday for Trade Tuesday 🟢My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/shop/troglys?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/

[@paulflanz4242]

You totally threw off my routine!!!! 7pm is Trogly Time!

[@michaelpacinus242]

Damn. What am I going to do!!!?

[@rondobondo6600]

Wallmart..?

[@clarkbabin9799]

That 50s LP just looks way to heavily moded to ask even over 5k in my book. And obviously quite unprofessionally .

[@DrkStar47]

Woot woot ! Two for one Sunday! What a treat! Thanks Trogly

[@WilliamHaisch]

2:42 That was shocking! 😮 I screeched out loud! 😮

[@localcrew]

That ‘53 is but a shell of its former self.

[@Noble-nw3gf]

What two trogly videos??? Heck yeah!

[@blodpudding]

I believe this is a reupload, I remember the red LP and that thumbnail is familiar

[@hkguitar1984]

@@blodpudding Agreed, possibly just a bump for the '54 Double Cut he has on consignment.

[@SophieScrolls]

are you reusing footage? could have swore you talked about that wine red LPC before, i remember you saying you thought the thunderbolt was a reflection and talking about the allen keys

[@Trog]

That is the only recycled part of the episode since this ran a bit short

[@ptittannique5621]

Is anyone else getting déjà vu about this one?

[@mikekellyjcmo1]

The SG body was outrageous!!

[@garygritter5701]

This man has made Sunday twice as good (although it’s early Monday morning for me)

[@cataclysmicconverter]

The early 50's LPs were apparently a dime a dozen on the used market after the Standards came out back then, least from what I've read from several musicians. They were just considered noisy and old, so hacking one up or modifying was no big deal.

[@RolandSpecialSauce]

Well i remember that last guitar from another Trogley video. Is this a re-upload?

[@DrkStar47]

The ‘07 SG was gorgeous, cheers Trogly

[@ICantStopMakingNoise]

I'm a huge brass fan, so that wine red LP really speaks to me. It feels like a true relic in every sense of the word.

[@estebangarcia2059]

Bring back Guitar of the stars! Mick Ronson perhaps?

[@zeusapollo8688]

The brass beast was pretty cool

[@robnamowicz8073]

Trogley, the marks beneath the bridge on the routed gold top look like the marks from a 'dog bone' saddle used on really early Les Pauls. I owned one that seemingly had the bridge in a floating position on the dog bone plate. That guitar is pictured in Gibson Electrics, the Classic Years, A. R. Duchossoir book, page 42. That guitar was fitted with a Bigsby, but I recognized it from the wear and condition of the top, and the P 90 with the corner screws in the bridge position. It played like a dog, and I sent her down the road. Of course, had I known then it was one of the earliest Les Pauls, I would have kept it and had a luthier straighten it up, but I was playing for money then, and not making enough to have clunkers hanging around,,,,,,keep up the good work, Gibson mysteries,,,

[@michaeldolin9760]

Haven’t we seen that last Lp with the thunderbolt pickguard before? I distinctly remember Trogly’s realization that the bolt is cut out of the brass

[@jmledesma88]

+1 on this!! I even came down to see the upload date just to be sure it was a new episode. Then I started thinking where else I could have seen it but pretty sure it was here.

[@UTubeHandlesSuck]

Add me to the roster of those who clearly remember Trogly realizing that was a cut-out and not just a reflection in a previous video. Hooray for recycling? 😁

[@davidreed3246]

In for another treat.

[@corporalrich]

Awesome to see two in one day! Nice video. Might need to look around at garage sales.

[@Djarra]

According to the PRS book I have the Les Paul's that were hollowed for Mary Ford were constructed by hollowing out the mahogany back before putting on the maple cap (although it might have been a mahogany cap). Ted McCarty was talking about these guitars with Paul, and that is what inspired the McCarty Hollowbody guitars which have that construction.

[@kkzooi]

if i had the money and proper tools i would get that routed out goldtop. I would route out the body a bit more cleanly so i could fit some new slabs of mahogany in it to fill it back up again, make the back all flush and give it a spray of clearcoat. it has lived a long rough life, i wouldnt be bothered by the battle scars it has endured but i would like to make it more like when it was new.

[@readrepairs]

I think it is just representative of the make-do-and-mend 20th century approach. It seems 'authentic' in its way. Totally agree, no further so-called restorations. Pity the neck block isnt a bit longer. It is what it is. As you say, maybe the price could be 8 which would be great.

[@miserychannel666]

2 in ONE day.. sweeeet.

[@larslevinberget9558]

I love the red double-cut! :)

[@paulschauerman2052]

I imagine that thing must have a bit of neck dive.

[@ericbgordon1575]

That model would have been a neat purchase, a silver top Les Paul with early chambering on the part of Gibson.

[@cheebsgod]

I'm so confused getting a trogly video at 12:15 EST

[@russellzauner]

I'd made it bakelite instead of lacquered chipboard but then by now it probably would have crumbled.

[@mertmunson1417]

We were blessed with 2 videos today???!!!! What?!!! Love it!!!

[@waskerbasket9601]

No. 10large tops

[@ronsheehan]

That LP Custom looked like it had a heel break, possibly?

[@cataclysmicconverter]

Exactly what I was thinking. Very much looks like it.

[@hkguitar1984]

It might have been just the finish worn off the area of the higher frets access/playing area. I've an older Les Paul that also has heavy wear in the same area, a close-up photo would have really helped.

[@ecdubytecdubyt]

Would be cool if there was a clear back cover for the 53 Les Paul - definitely a conversation starter!

[@Jazzmaster-pb2yt]

Poor Vintage Les Paul 😢😢😢

[@JokersWild70]

That route job looks like typical Gibson QC 🤣🤮 Personally, I'd take the DC over that '53 monstrosity

[@sixstringer3783]

Thanks Austin 👏

[@ohmtronseedling]

fun episode. i do like that double cutaway. the chambered model was actually pretty cool. i can't see why someone couldn't just put a new back on it. that would probably work out fine.

[@kkmmtt]

Hey... I have got the feeling that I`ve seen the France Custom before at your show... Pretty nice one.

[@cataclysmicconverter]

Well, the SG isn't expensive firewood at least. 😆

[@CitizenKang]

Haven't you gone over that 1976 with the thunderbolt pick guard before?

[@davidrosenzweig1380]

The double cut is for real really cool

[@scarcam]

Brian Robertson (Robbo) has a '53 ex Mary Ford which is semi hollow

[@strat0871]

That '53 gold/silver top is maybe the first Les Paul "lite"...😄

[@Madakalim]

I love it! I used a Epiphone for my frankenSG but wish I had a real Gibson hack job!

[@WagnerWarner]

Can be a fun restoration project. You'd just have to fill back the void with mahogany pieces, re-drill and then glue a slab of mahogany on the back so it kinda fix the look. Then refinish the back and front of the body to make it look not so bad.

[@tallpaul1020]

It makes me want to cry😢. Don't get me wrong I'd take it but what a shame. Thx Trog keep up the great work 🎸

[@Halfaloaf599]

How about an episode on “current suggestions on finding player’s grade” Gibsons?

[@Gene_Cali]

wow...wow..wow

[@adamd.6698]

Whoa late upload! I dig it!

[@virgilgiordano4582]

These are the episodes I wait for ! Man I love the 53 .I'd take the neck and the top off and make a new back out of an old piece of mohogany to match .the job would be worth it but I don't think at that price

[@adrianr2312]

Double upload?? Here for it

[@csykoe]

This is an older episode right?

[@Trog]

No, brand new - except the very last one

[@martin-1965]

Loved that SG - the wood grain just said "Take me home baby, I'm yours" lol (my bank balance said - not today idiot). The final Les Paul was fun and like you said, a total child of the 70s. A wine red Les Paul - ideally with the mini-buckers or P90s - is in my top 5 bucket list of guitars to get. However, back to the wood grain on that SG - simply gorgeous ❤❤❤

[@shaunw9270]

Fifteen grand for a destroyed gold top . The world has gone mental.

[@russellzauner]

Kinda want to see the cherry double cut made in a factory model...it's trippy looking.

[@csykoe]

Midnight episode?!

[@LP23D6]

Wow that 53 is messed up. I wonder what the guy is smokin' wanting a price like that.

[@mattrogers1946]

I know, right? Someone needs to step away from the Tide pods...

[@integritytattoolimited]

Allen wrench on the 76 Custom could be for a locking tailpiece or bridge??? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@martianmurray]

Do Gibsons use an Allen wrench for the truss rod?

[@Kahuna54]

The tool sticking out of the headstock might be an old nut driver for the truss rod adjuster.

[@Roberto_Garcia_]

PAF pickups sound extremely well. Had an Ephiphone 335, that I did not like putting in the pawn shop. That was a bad mistake on my part, as far as tone goes in a Gibson, Epiphone, or any other brand of instrument uses. PAFs are a great pickup but any good wound pickup tone is fine.

[@JWG421]

The Allen wrench is for the steel rod neck adjustment under the bell cover on the head stock dude 😎

[@Trog]

Gibson truss rods don't use those

[@matthewf1979]

That guitar would need a “re-body” imo. Keep the top, neck and hardware with old growth/reclaimed mahogany.

[@Glicksman1]

Personally, it's worth 0 thousand dollars to me except as a parts source. The chance that this monstrosity would ever sound much like the real thing is likely 0. My best advice, parts it, sell them and get a real, un-F'ed with one, or find a basket case real one and use these parts to make a good one out of it. It's amazing what people do to these guitars. The worst rip-off is converting one of these to a 'Burst, with fake PAFs, of course, and trying to pass it off as a real one. I've seen these, and they usually look right at first blush, that is, until you do some closer looking and some some detective work.

[@mattrogers1946]

Exactly

[@ereimul1444]

double upload from Austin?

[@renegade44040]

I think I just seen this . What?! Two in one day. 6:35 Its a smugglers guitar. Stuff it full of goods, put the back on it and place it back into its case. Who would look at the back of a solid body electric guitar?

[@michaelknight4041]

A buddy of mine showed me a 66 Jaguar that had screw holes all the way around the perimeter of the back of the guitar. He said they had a leather pad screwed to the back with what looked like pickgaurd screws when he got it. 🤦 I immediately thought of those grestch's that did that. Maybe whoever did it seen one and copied the idea?, idk. But man they killed the value of an otherwise better that mint vintage Jag. It was really nice other than that.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

Two shows today !!

[@cataclysmicconverter]

It's nice, actually. Showing the Demo/Mod shops offerings are a tad redundant after seeing them when they were listed the week before.

[@jameshughes6049]

What's going on???

[@thundermind5572]

The old gold top is a horror show. Its barley worth a dallor. Its stupid to hollow out a nice solid top and leave no body wave exhaust ports then screw on a back to top off the maddness. Like that it makes a soul crushing muffled sound with half the sustain. Its the kind of thing Chet Atkins wanted to get around. The guy had to be seen on T.V. and his axe always looked and sounded great. When people pay as much for an ugly hacked up antique guitar we are living in a truley sick and twisted world but maybe that's what makes it fun. I bet God loves Casino's. Dude, your show kicks gludious maximus.

[@stop736]

I’m not complaining, but this is pretty weird for Trogly to post a video right now!!! I’ll definitely take it though. Thanks Trogly!

[@hkguitar1984]

Agreed He might have just used this as an opportunity to give the '54 Double Cut a bump since he's had it on consignment for a long while now. Either way, a Win-Win for Trogly Fans.

[@Trog]

This was intended to be Monday's episode. I thought I scheduled the time for 7pm EST, but it must've never changed from 12am...

[@hkguitar1984]

@@Trog It happens Always great to watch your uploads

[@hkguitar1984]

@@mohamedtlass3842 Indeed it would.

[@snapfinger1]

Basket cases. Recycle the parts. Find the documented weight relieved Mary Ford.

[@rockhead69]

These guitars have been irreversibly butchered...I wouldn't come close to either of them even if they were giving them away...

[@acdclexu6296]

actually one piece body sg in normal us production are pretty rare the 07 was killee

[@OliverAmberg]

It hurts to see this.

[@thesnapperkeeper]

Huh??

[@Gravitysnap101]

Double upload🎉

[@sailinbob11]

Why would you not just fill an glue on a mahogany back, route out the normal access points, and eliminate the screws ? Wouldn't be original but that's not an issue. $15,000 ? Nah...

[@jukeboxjohnny2112]

Isn't this a repost? I totally remember that wine red custom

[@Trog]

that is the only recycled portion of the episode

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Great

[@Coco240z]

Sheesh 2 uploads

[@andycasiello7177]

I would rather have the red LP that was converted to DC than to have that poor routed out Goldtop. I was around when these things were not worth much, so I understand how this happens, but it still makes me sad to see them. I'm glad Austin like his little chopped up creatures. :-)

[@DavidHBurkart]

The chambered chipboard LP is basically trashed, perhaps worth about new Standard retail diven its age, natural wear and playability. The concept was good, but the execution was pedestrian at best. Unless you could authenticate this to a famous artist or sessions player, it is difficult to warm up to a value of even $6000, let alone the $15,000 asking price Given its cool frontal appearance and wear, if purchased for the right price, I would clean out the interior to a more professional appearance and counter-balanced weights added if there is any appreciable neck-dive in its current form. Rather than the chipboard back, crafting a piece of similarly-reliced nitro-finished mahogony for the back would be an awesome touch. You could have a genuine, unique vintage player that is tastefully one-of-kind.

[@Arthagnou]

odd that this one was dropped only 4 hours after the last one was dropped.

[@Kahuna54]

I don’t get why anyone would do things like this to what was a beautiful guitar originally!

[@miahconnell23]

I know, right ?!?! I think there exist a couple websites out there dedicated to upsetting alterations and “repairs.” I lack the ability to laugh-along or chuckle at ‘em though. Parts of my nervous system &/or limbic system get triggered into “horror” mode. 😢

[@mattrogers1946]

A travesty.

[@highlands]

If you went to buy a car and they removed the engine and the interior right in front of you but then offered you it for half price, would you take it? Of course not. This is the problem with the vintage guitar market. You have people willing to pay crazy prices for complete junk on the belief that somehow there is hoodoo trapped in the wood. Well if you cut away most of the body, even if you believe that nonsense, they must have cut away what made it special. In truth that goldtop is no more valuable than anything you can buy on the market brand new.

[@joshuabraasch9174]

That guitar belonged to my guitar teacher. He told me he had a 53 les paul and it was routed n on the back. I remember he showed it to me during a guitar lesson

[@GrahamTichy]

Correct!

[@joshuabraasch9174]

@@GrahamTichy hey graham btw sorry if this is a bit intrusive but how come you sold the 53 les paul?

[@ChrisShortyAllen]

Rubbish

[@baronrogers806]

NICE

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Well done you earned a Silver Medal

[@thejakefromstatefarm6768]

Somebody did alot of work to ruin a guitar. I would still play it and love it if i could get it in the $500 to $600 range.

[@thejakefromstatefarm6768]

$8,000! No the work is too amateurishly done.

[@thejakefromstatefarm6768]

I’d rather be in that sunburst custom at around $1,800.

[@thejakefromstatefarm6768]

The red custom is too easy to pick up in real good shape for that price. Id pass on that one.

[@mattrogers1946]

Yeah, there's no way anyone in their right mind would drop 15K.

[@larryburwell8550]

That's just a trashed 53 lp. Id pay a no thousand for it

[@justingallion4902]

Surprised that guy didn’t tape a 10mm socket to the back of that headstock!!! Seems to be the one everyone loses

[@AnonymousBosch3158]

Second video?

[@Xaltar_]

15k, yeah, asking way too much for an utterly butchered example. Not sure how much it should be in the current market but I would say value of original parts + value of a (used) neck for someone looking to repair another '52 would be worth considering. Just too destroyed.

[@thedavediamondtrio3100]

Spade Bit.

[@jasonmyers3847]

I think I'd rather have the '53. Unless you pointed it out being routed out, nobody would know.

[@wrenchhead6840]

2 vids tonight?

[@cataclysmicconverter]

The pad on the back of the Gretsch also covers the crude cavity access panel.

[@mikes9759]

15 G's for a garbage trashed guitar!!!! Man! How could someone do that!!!!

[@Rat-Salad]

15k? No mate.

[@jonnyhafer7376]

thats a hard one both lp are bad but your double cut has more wood it would be easier to fix, the routed out one really isnt a horible idea its like a rickenbacker how they route out the top and put a back on, yeah ill take the hollowed 53 i could clean it up and glue a back on. sorry your stuck with that double cut still haha

[@clintbrown9622]

double cutaway is def WAY BETTER than this hollowed out/ruined guitar. I dont see how anyone could do those mods. just buy a gretsch! the DC makes more sense. I would never do it tho.

[@djmtndew]

Double cut away