Money Matters

Condition and specs have more bearing on value than year or serial number. Here’s why…

No matter which year it was built, pricing factors for late 60s Les Paul Customs include the following: single-piece vs ‘pancake’ Bodies The earlier 60s Customs used a single piece of mahogany, which is more sought-after than later versions and included a four-ply pancake body alternating between mahogany and maple

MapleTops Some early single-piece Custom bodies carried a maple top, like that of an original LP Standard. Some players claim these maple-topped Customs have a mellower tone and are therefore the best of the bunch

neckvoluTes The presence of a volute where the headstock meets the neck will lower the value of any vintage Custom. The volute seems to have crept into the Custom design as early as late ’69, though it’s typically considered a very 70s appointment

neckconsTRucTion There’s some neck variation within this era based around either a short or longer tenon where the neck meets the body, as well as whether the neck is made from a single piece or three combined pieces of wood. Single-piece necks with the longer tenon are the most collectible

Of course, case-by-case assessment of originality, condition and playability can impact an individual guitar’s value.