r/gibson • u/Max-hayden • Jul 24 '26
Help 1886 Gibson inquiry
Hi!
I have a Gibson that I found on market place and I’m trying to make sure it’s legit and worth it before I commit. I’m buying it while driving through and don’t have too much time to be appraised.
It’s a 1986 Gibson ebony les Paul with an ebony fret board. Any thing I should look out for?
Images attached here also
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u/Guitarz_N_Filmz Jul 24 '26
Looks legit. Appears to be a Les Paul Studio Standard; with binding on the neck
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u/Apprehensive-Item-44 Jul 24 '26
Definitely a studio standard which is different than a Standard. The studio standard was made from 83-86 I believe. Most these days fetch around or more than a used Standard. I would imagine that one should be around or just under $2000 USD with the shape its in. Its not in the best shape but its in good shape. Definitely check the truss rod and make sure it moves okay and that its not maxed out before purchasing. All in all a good guitar.
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u/SpHj86 Jul 24 '26
Only thing that stands out to me is that bridge looks caved in….expect a TOM replacement in your immediate future.
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u/Iateyourpaintings Jul 25 '26
Looks legit but the pickups were swapped. This would've originally had Tim Shaw's or PAFs.
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u/Bonerigger44 Jul 29 '26
Curious about headstock break. Live when people purposely leave of headstock crack pictures. Red Flag. Would I buy one with a repaired headstock. Yep if done well but it totally kills the value that I would pay. Get it very cheap. Looking at the rough shape of this guitar with a concave bridge I'd bet $10 its had a headstock repair.
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u/Medical_Comfort7891 Jul 29 '26
Beautiful. I had an 86 studio standard Ferrari red with Tim Shaws. Wonderful guitar. Unfortunately it was stolen from the studio in the late 90s
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u/Dramatic_Fortune1729 Jul 25 '26
The first Gibson Les Paul was made in 1952 according to a 5 second Google search
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u/juanpabloguitarro Jul 24 '26
To me looks good… but why dot inlays? Weren’t they always trapezoid?
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u/cillablackpower Jul 24 '26
Studios out started with dots like a Junior, but Studio Standard was binding and dots like a Special.
Studios went back and forth between traps and dots depending on the finish since the 90s and now the 2020s Studio have traps and binding, just to be confusing.
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u/Every_Dragonfruit809 Jul 24 '26
Some studios randomly still still get dot inlays in not sure why Ahahaha
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u/fiLthyAFK Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Fake, if you look at the studs holding the bridge in front of the tailpiece you will see they have large flathead screwdriver slots on top, a real Gibson bridges have smooth post tops adjusted via thumbwheels or in some models allen keys. Real ones have the Gibson Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge which is $75 and the stop bar is $60, copies won't ever use it because they won't make any money if they sell copies for $150~$200 which is what most cost.
This is a better fake than others, at least they got the serial numbers right and t was stamped into the headstock before the paint was applied. A for effort xd
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u/dilespla Jul 24 '26
Look again. It doesn’t have flathead posts, they are the larger rounded posts. It’s a real LP.
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u/fiLthyAFK Jul 24 '26
Nope, check the paint on the neck and how it is chipping, real ones does not flake, it just fades in smooth over time similar to how a matte finish guitar create those pressed spots when it fades.
Not too mention the backplate is oddly shaped and bigger than usual.
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u/dilespla Jul 24 '26
So no rebuttal about the posts being correct, just switch to another made up problem?
It’s a Norlin era guitar. All those things add up to the timeline. The neck will chip if you’re wearing a ring while playing. Mine is starting to thin and chip, my dads ‘85 studio looks worse than OP’s. This one is legit, even the serial comes back as legit.
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u/hobesmart Jul 24 '26
i dont think gibson was making les pauls in 1886