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The Neck and Body
Headstock
This 2003 Epiphone Les Paul Custom features a "Clipped Dove Wing" headstock with a gloss black headcap, three-a-side gold tuners, and five-ply crème/black/crème binding. The headstock face is adorned with the "Epiphone" logo and a pearloid "Split Diamond" inlay. As the truss rod on this guitar is adjusted at the headstock, we also have a black bell shaped, two-ply truss rod cover engraved with "Les Paul Custom" in white. This cover conceals the truss rod channel and 5/32" hex wrench socket.
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| Clipped Dove Wing Profile |
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| Five-Ply Binding |
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| Epiphone Logo |
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| Pearloid Split Diamond Inlay |
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| 5/32" Truss Rod Adjustment Socket |
On the back of the gloss black headstock is the "EE03045689" serial number. Years of exposure to strong sunlight have faded the letters and numerals, but they're faintly visible at the right angle. I hope you're able to make them out in the picture below. Viewing the back of the headstock, one also notices that the gold tuners lack any branding. This is rather unusual, as all the Epiphone Les Paul Customs I've seen on the web so far feature Grover tuners.
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| Three-a-Side Gold Tuners |
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| Serial Number |
Neck
The mahogany neck on this guitar features a "60s SlimTaper™ Profile" and is finished in gloss black. This "60s SlimTaper™ Profile" sure feels a lot thinner and flatter than the "50s Rounded Profile" maple neck on the
2014 Gibson LPJ I used to own. Slimness notwithstanding, this is a bona fide Les Paul glued-in set neck, mated to the body via a short tenon. The short tenon is evident when one peeks into the neck pickup cavity.
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| Gloss Black Mahogany Neck |
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| Short Tenon Joint |
Fretboard
The first thing you'll notice is a black PPS nut. We won't be discussing this though, as it's merely a retrofit, installed by the owner when the factory-fitted nut crumbled into nothingness years ago. On to the fretboard, then. It's evidently genuine rosewood, albeit grungy and scarred. This fretboard features a 24-3/4" scale length, 14" radius, single-ply crème binding, and pearloid block inlays. Unfortunately, the 22 medium-jumbo frets are in rather poor shape. They're badly scratched, and so worn that some of the fret tops are absolutely flat. But not to worry, this fretboard will be as right as rain after a thorough cleaning and fret dressing.
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| Bound Rosewood Fretboard |
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| 14" Fretboard Radius |
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| Grungy Fretboard/Worn Frets |
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| After Fretboard Cleaning/Fret Dressing |
Body
Also finished in gloss black, the mahogany body sports five-ply crème/black/crème binding on both the top and back. There used to be a pickguard, but it has been removed as it wasn't to the owner's liking. Metal hardware is gold; and non-metallic appointments, black. These include the pickups, pickup mounting rings, Sung Il BM003 bridge and stopbar tailpiece, strap buttons, switch tip, output jack plate, and speed knobs.
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| Gold Hardware |
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| Five-Ply Top Binding |
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| Pickup Cavities |
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| Black Switch/Control Cavity Covers |
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| Five-Ply Back Binding |
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| Switch Cavity |
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| Control Cavity |
Still on topic, I'd like to point out something that piques my interest. Now, body depth as measured is 45.72mm. But it's not 100% mahogany. Looking into the pickup cavities, you can clearly see a distinct top layer or "cap." This cap is around a half inch thick on average, and judging from the grain pattern; is a species other than mahogany. Could it be maple?
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| 1/2" Cap - Neck Pickup Cavity |
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| 1/2" Cap - Bridge Pickup Cavity |
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