1957 Les Paul Custom (Fretless Wonder) 3 PAFs

by pat
(nashville, tn)

Hi there.
Someone is selling this guitar and I would like to know it's value... here's some details:

overall good shape, with the following notes:

-been professionally refretted w/ correct wire
-tiny hairline crack in head
-1/2 of paint missing off back of guitar from lots of belt buckle rash
-paint missing from back of neck
-looks to have original PAFs (minus covers), truss rod cover, knobs, bridge and tailstop.
-original case included.

ANSWER

Hi, Pat--

Here is the general info from the Blue Book:

LES PAUL CUSTOM (1954-57 MFG.)
- single sharp cutaway multi-bound mahogany body with carved top, 13 in. wide, 17.25 in. long and 2 in. deep, 24.75 in. scale, raised bound black pickguard, mahogany neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlay, "Les Paul Custom" engraved on truss rod cover, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, multi-bound peghead with pearl split diamond/logo inlay, 3-per-side Deluxe Kluson tuners with plastic single ring buttons, gold hardware, 2 single coil pickups with plastic covers (neck pickup has oblong polepieces, bridge pickup has round polepieces, 2 volume/2 tone controls, with or w/o Bigsby vibrato, 3-position switch, available in Black finish, mfg. 1954-57.


This is the specific info about THIS model--3 pickups--

LES PAUL CUSTOM (1957-1961 MFG.)

- similar to 1954-57 mfg., except most have 3 humbucker pickups with metal covers, also available with two humbuckers, stop tailpiece or Bigsby, Ebony finish only, mfg. 1957-1961.


Here is the pricing info:

Mint $100,000
Exc.+ $75,000
Exc. $60,000
Avg.+$50,000
Avg. $40,000
General $32,000

Sounds like this guitar would fit the Average-General category, due to the various damages.

***Interesting note:

PAF pickups got that name from the "Patent Applied For" on the back of the pickup.

Hope this helps!

Lynne