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Gibson prices?

- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 9:59 a.m. KCeddieB:

I am not a vintage Gibson guy. Nothing against them really, but by the time I was under the influence of this whole vintage guitar thing, the Gibson's were already way out of my price range.

That said, this price for a mid-70's Les Paul custom looks good. Not that I'm buying... I'm just wondering.

I am aware that the 70's might not have been the Gibson's line finest hour (or anybody's)... and that guitars from the '70s aren't really considered "vintage" by some folks (who might be in denial about their own age). But this Les Paul looks pretty darn cool, even to an uninitiated guy like me. I guess I was just surprised to see it available for under $2k.

This is the same dealer as I just won an Anniversary from for a good price. My hope is that they are straight shooters who have come to grips with the current "value" of vintage guitars... but I won't feel comfortable about that until I receive mine. Anyway... what's you Gibson guys say about this Les Paul?

'76 Gibson Custom auction
- Rated: 13 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 10:22 a.m. Catdaddy1967:

I would NEVER buy a 70s Les Paul unplayed. Just as Gretsch seemes to suffer from QC issues under Baldwin, Gibson suffered exactly the same. If it's a good guitar, then it's obviously a bargain. If it's near you, see if you can play it.

Don't get me wrong - not all 70s Pauls are dogs - I had a peachy 1976 LP Deluxe...
- Rated: 32 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 12:31 p.m. cyclopssam:

what catdaddy said,way too risky! ,QC just swings all over the map in that era best of luck..... i own one gibson.the olny one i've ever owned,i hit pay dirt every thing i've ever wanted in a gibson....a keeper!
- Rated: 16 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 12:42 p.m. Gigatron:

I owned several Gibsons. A 1968 EB3, a mid 1970s SG, and an early 1990s Les Paul Studio (all bought new). I also played many others owned by friends. Nice guitars, but there was nothing magic about them. I wouldn't pay the prices people are asking for old guitars these days.
- Rated: 13 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 12:47 p.m. Catdaddy1967:

From a UK prices perspective (which always seem over-inflated anyway) $2k for a 30 yr old Gibbo is a good price, which makes me think that it could be a bit of a moose...
- Rated: 6 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 12:59 p.m. PapaDave:

I too agree with CatDaddy. I have a '74 Deluxe that I bought new and although it has become a fantastic player over the years, it didn't start out that way. Early on it developed bridge and bridge post issues, fret issues, tuner problems.

Its a wonder I even kept that guitar, but I was really fond of it and learned to become a pretty good repair guy working with it. When I was traveling and playing 100+ shows a year from '75 thru '89 this was my main guitar. Now, I use it for recording occasionally.

Anyway, I don't think I would pay any amount for a 70-something model Les Paul without holding it in my hands first. It might be a gem but it might be a dawg. And, looking at those pics, I've got a feeling there might be a little more wrong with it than the guy is letting on.
- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 2:39 p.m. KCeddieB:

Good advice! Like I said, I'm in no position to buy this LP, just curious. Maybe it's the Ace Frehley flashbacks or something about those three pu that caught my eye. Aesthetically I've always prefered the Duo Jet contours over the LP, who's waist always seemed small. Maybe they are exactly the same, but the Jet just turned my crank I suppose. I also prefer the chambered body of the Jet. The only Gibson I ever owned was a '85 ES-335 I got when I first learned guitar. I never liked the frets on that thing, and it was traded for my very first vintage Gretsch (6119!). Thanks for the perspective guys!
- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 3:03 p.m. audiodrome:

I had a '74 Les Paul Custom that was a great player but it was WAY too heavy to play standing up for any extended period of time, so after ten years or so, I had no use for it and sold it to one of my students for $600. However, I did get a lot of great recordings out of it (played sitting down of course).
- Rated: 22 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 4:16 p.m. jazzbo:

I had a 75 Les Paul custom and while it was a beautiful guitar, I didn't like the fretless wonder frets. It was also very heavy. Like other guitars from the 70s, Les Pauls from that era are hit or miss.
- Rated: 6 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 4:44 p.m. Brandon02:

I've got a '78 Les Paul Custom and it plays pretty good. Like others have said it is really heavy. I haven't played it much since I got my 6120.
- Rated: 4 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 6:58 p.m. singlecutaway:

70's Gibsons and even the 80's stuff is heavy, to many pieces of wood pretty much junk not collectable unless you get caught up in some dealers hype cause it's of age to be so called vintage. The market is down, you can buy the historic and VOS stuff at very real world prices right now, stay away from that Norlin crap
- Rated: 13 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 7:02 p.m. Catdaddy1967:

True enough - I can't get on with the real heavy Les Pauls. A friend has about the lightest Paul I've ever played, with a hint of flame on the cap. Acoustic tone is outstanding, amplified it's as sweet as a nut. He hates the damn thing cos it's too light! But will he sell it to me? Will he hell as like!
- Rated: 5 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 7:32 p.m. gusto:

i just sold my 74 custom lp and wanted to warn you about the frets. they were called fretless wonders back then and for me at least were very hard to play. so ya play efore you buy.
- Rated: 6 ↑
Oct 25, 2008 8:39 p.m. Brandon02:

My '78 was refretted by the original owner, so I haven't gotten to experiance the "fretless wonder".
- Rated: 12 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 12:36 a.m. Chonny:

Ooooh a pancake body.
- Rated: 22 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 1:01 a.m. MrAstroJet:

The classic "fretless wonders" were supposed to be played with heavy gauge flatwounds, I think. You'd have to ask Les himself, but I knew a guy who had a 55 custom that was a fretless wonder and he loved it. He ended up taking it to a shop to have it refretted. They planed the fingerboard and put jumbos on it, and it was ruined for him.
- Rated: 16 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 3:06 a.m. treblebooster:

Hi! KCeddieB,

on these 3 pickup LP, I always knock the center pup with my pick.

The problem with 70's LP, is that they're heavyweight.

So I would ask first the seller about the weight of the guitar. A few guitars were light and well finished, but it's a minority. Besides they're pancake and have a maple neck(instead of mahogany). Seriously, all these 70's guitars(Gibson/Fender/Gretsch) don't deserve the vintage terminology.

Too expensive for what they(really) are.

I friend of mine bought 20 years ago a 74 "Strat" for $500 and he still thinks it's not worth more than that(not the $2000 some shops would ask for it these days, anyway).
- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 10:02 a.m. audiodrome:

I fell prey to the dreaded '80s upgrade syndrome. I sold my stock 490R and 498T pickups and replaced them with a two SDs: a Seymourizer Super Distortion and a JB. I was in "Eruption heaven."
- Rated: 13 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 10:08 a.m. Catdaddy1967:

I can go one better, audio... I got rid of my LP Deluxe and got a Kramer in its place.

'Victim' and 'dumbass' are two words that spring to mind...
- Rated: 41 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 10:19 a.m. JC:

I had a 71/72 Les paul Deluxe Gold top. I bought it for £450 back in the early 90's Was looking for that 70's Thin Lizzy tone at the time.

But it did have a great tone when i was doing Scotty Moore stuff ,which i was very suprised at. Sold it when i bought my 78 Super Chet.

I bought a 93 std soon after which was nice but i sold that too,for another Gretsch.
- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 10:25 a.m. audiodrome:

Here's the modified guitar and the "modified" guitar player!
- Rated: 25 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 10:35 a.m. billydlight:

Well of course you could not play it standing up for long....... Especially in heels

BTW you are a DIRTY DIRTY girl!
- Rated: 5 ↑
Oct 26, 2008 10:50 a.m. gusto:

LP Deluxe, now there is a nice underrated sounding guitar. My next LP for sure.
- Rated: 27 ↑
Oct 29, 2008 8:49 a.m. audiodrome:

billydlight said: Well of course you could not play it standing up for long....... Especially in heels BTW you are a DIRTY DIRTY girl!
Well, it was 1981!
- Rated: 52 ↑
Oct 29, 2008 9:00 a.m. bigalthethird:

Take the $2k and buy a vintage Gretsch. Now especially is the time (since the market is quite low at the moment).

It's worth it!

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