"Not for resale" stamp

D28 · Dec 12, 2015

I've never seen one before, I was at a party last night and met up with a friend that I had talked guitars with before. He showed me his 88 custom in white that he bought in 89, I had to take a double look.
What's the deal with that stamp, a promotional guitar?

Wilko · Dec 13, 2015

I seem o remember seeing that on a couple of endorsed artists guitars around that time.

Tom Wittrock · Dec 13, 2015

Possibly intended for give-a-ways to charities or other means of promotion.

ghammusic · Dec 14, 2015

Usually E.R. guitars got that stamp until the early 90s.

ghammusic · Dec 14, 2015

Since "2nds" were officially off the sales sheets by early 1987, most of these would be what we would consider a 2nd, just used for artists and promo stuff.

AXE752 · Dec 14, 2015

In the early '90's I got extremely lucky and won a guitar in a drawing done by a store in New Orleans--the only thing I ever won! It was really a pretty nice guitar--a white custom shop Les Paul SG Custom. It had the "Not For Resale" stamp. That's the only one I have ever seen in person. I assumed it was done on promotional guitars as Tom mentioned.:jim

Tom Wittrock · Dec 15, 2015

ghammusic said:
Usually E.R. guitars got that stamp until the early 90s.

What is an "E.R." guitar? :hmm

acewylde · Dec 18, 2015

I have a 2009 LP Premier II that I bought at the Gibson Factory sale in 2009 and they stamped used on the back of the headstock of all of the guitars that were for sale that day.

renderit · Dec 18, 2015

Man! You can never sell it! It says right there. They always stamp "Ren is a jerk, don't buy this from him" on mine. So at least I can try.

dshalfstack · Dec 23, 2015

I was fortunate enough to win a 1991 Les Paul Classic as a door prize. As you can see, it is stamped "Promotional, Not for Resale". I believe Gibson did this to guitars they were trying to promote (duh) at the time. The stamp helped prevent less than honest dealers from selling them instead of giving them away. I understand the stamp neither increases nor decreases value...I mean, the stamp makes it worth at least 10 times normal street value. :biggrin:

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renderit · Dec 23, 2015

dshalfstack said:
I was fortunate enough to win a 1991 Les Paul Classic as a door prize. As you can see, it is stamped "Promotional, Not for Resale". I believe Gibson did this to guitars they were trying to promote (duh) at the time. The stamp helped prevent less than honest dealers from selling them instead of giving them away. I understand the stamp neither increases nor decreases value...I mean, the stamp makes it worth at least 10 times normal street value. :biggrin:

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While I do not question your logic I would suspect that is a donated guitar that they took a tax write off on. Just a guess.

"Not for resale" stamp

D28

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