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on les paul customs is the outter trim(binding) gold or chrome, or both, it seems like sometimes the colour of the hardware just makes you think it's a certain colour

It's kinda off-white.

Keep in mind there is lacquer over the off-white so it can look like anything from gleaming white depending on the photo to almost-orange depending on where it has spent its life. My '76 is white on both sides of the neck and where my arm rests on the body from wear and creme/golden/yellow everywhere else.

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Starts off as white and the lacquer yellows over time.  The Historic versions and other re-issues tend to be 'aged' to simulate an older yellowed look.

luau wrote: Keep in mind there is lacquer over the off-white so it can look like anything from gleaming white depending on the photo to almost-orange depending on where it has spent its life. My '76 is white on both sides of the neck and where my arm rests on the body from wear and creme/golden/yellow everywhere else.

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thanks for the info, i was thinking about getting one from 78 i think it was, it has chrome hardware which i think i will change to gold, in the pictures it seems white is this just because its in good condition, also what is the weight difference between customs and standards?

I would wait before the guitar arrives before deciding to change the hardware as the lacquer may not have yellowed much if kept in case for most it's life.  I personally prefer Nickle/Chrome but each to their own.  As regards to weight, Customs and Standards can all weigh anywhere from just over 8lbs (non weight relieved models) to over 10lbs.  You need to ask the weight of the particular guitar you are looking at as it's not whether it's a custom or a standard, just whether it's a heavy or light Les Paul.  Late 70's Les Pauls tend to be on the heavier side but there will be exceptions.  They also sound brighter due to their three piece maple neck over the 50s/60s and mid 80's onward versions which had Mahogany necks (normally 1 piece although early 70's had three piece mahogany).

First off, chrome hardware won't turn to gold. Hardware and binding aren't the same thing.

It's white on the neck because I've worn almost all the lacquer, which had yellowed, away. It was pretty much all yellow when I got it in '85. My neck binding probably won't yellow again as I don't think there is any lacquer left to yellow.

On average, I would expect a new CS Custom to weigh a pound or two more than a CS Standard. In the late 70s, I think that margin is likely to decrease. I don't have a scale, but I'd guess mine is in the 10.5lbs range.

so all the yellow is just form being exposed to light

Yep. Light, smoke, etc..

Although, as alanbass1 points out, a lot of the new stuff is intentionally colored to replicate the look of an aged guitar. Of the 4 newish Gibsons I own, 3 of them have been so treated. Only one, my SG, is completely white. This doesn't pertain to your '78 as far as I know, but, in general, it's useful information that helps explain what you see in pictures.

Check out the one in this auction. Same year and finish as mine but it has lived a much more sheltered life than mine has and the binding shows it. The binding still looks a bit creamy, but it's no where near as drastically colored as mine.

Thats a 74.. yellowed by smoke/light

ya i never thought about it like that, but now that you mention it I know my guitar teachers les paul(i think it's from liek 73) has completely yellow binding from playing smokey clubs

I use mine as an ashtray...

It's multi-ply pure White ABS with black and white alternating layers.  It may appear off-white or even yellow over time when the clearcoat lacquer ages/darkens.