What's a fair price for a Voodoo?

About an hour's drive south from here there's a shop with a 'previously owned' 2003 Les Paul Voodoo model, the mainly black version with the skull at the 5th fret. It's already had the Gibson neck/headstock accident but it seems to have been repaired pretty well, maybe even stronger than the original if it's been done right. They're asking £729 ($950) and that just seems like maybe a hundred dollars more than it should be for what's basically a previously broken and repaired Les Paul Studio.

Does the Voodoo name really make it worth more? It is really nice looking, black but with red following the swirls of the swamp ash, and it is US made, but still...

JJMMWG DuPree said:

About an hour's drive south from here there's a shop with a 'previously owned' 2003 Les Paul Voodoo model, the mainly black version with the skull at the 5th fret. It's already had the Gibson neck/headstock accident but it seems to have been repaired pretty well, maybe even stronger than the original if it's been done right. They're asking £729 ($950) and that just seems like maybe a hundred dollars more than it should be for what's basically a previously broken and repaired Les Paul Studio.

Does the Voodoo name really make it worth more? It is really nice looking, black but with red following the swirls of the swamp ash, and it is US made, but still...

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Ebay search is pulling up a few in Europe that are mint in the 1000-1200 Euro range. In general from what I see, headstock break = divide value by half. At that point the guitar is purely a player, has no collectible value, doesn't matter how well it was repaired. People shy away from them, probably undeservedly. They can still make excellent player guitars but the question becomes what is it worth to you. Keeping in mind you will likely have trouble selling it down the road... so think about what your plans are.

Hmm, that's the big question, what's it worth to me? I've only seen a picture so my desire is purely that aside from the skull I like the look of it. I was contemplating offering £650 for it, but if the neck-break knocks so much off the value...

I reckon I'm going to have to get in the car and go and see the thing live, and maybe get to play it. As is often pointed out on here, being a Gibson means there's a good chance that I will like it, but it's definitely not a guarantee.

Thanks for the advice.

The swamp ash LPs are really a different animal. I own one and it's pretty f'n far from a studio or standard as far as what one normally expects from an LP. More Tele like with a snappy note attack that one usually doesn't correlate to a LP. I like mine but I also have correct LPs that give up the classic LP tones.

I'd definitely try it before hand. I think 1/2 off for a well repaired head stock break a little optimistic. I think 65% of what like condition models sell for would be a more realistic price range from a sellers perspective. As a buyer I'd shoot for 50% off but I'd go up to the 65% number if'n I liked the guitar but that's me.

Good luck! eace2

At last! Someone who's actually got one. I managed to start quite a discussion at the local jam-night by asking about swamp ash. There were people there who were certain that because it's lighter it wouldn't need weight relief and therefore it would have more of the Les Paul welly. Others guessed right judging from your experience, more of a Fender twang. Then someone else turned the whole debate sideways by pointing out that Voodoos have more powerful than usual pickups...

Let's just say I'm glad to have the word of someone who's played one.

I think I'll drive over there at the end of the month when I'm struggling to find the cash for food, let alone the important stuff like new guitars, that way I can't buy it right away even if if I'm jonesing on it. 65% of the asking price would be just under £500, so maybe I'll offer them the full five hundred. The trouble is with the pound collapsing against the dollar some damn Yankee might snap it up while I'm pontificatin' 'bout it!

As far as I know they have the Swiss cheese (9 hole) weight reduction. Of the ones I've had my hands on they tend to be heavy, not light. I don't think Gibson spec'd the more expensive light Swamp Ash on these. High 8 pound guitars are light for this model. Usually they fall in the 9-10 pound range.

You may be able to find one made in the 2007-2009 range and see if they got the chambering treatment that other LPs had in that era. Those would be lighter.

Happy hunting! eace2