70's seconds

Rick Doeschler · May 12, 2014

What are your thoughts on Gibson's stamped "second" during the 70's era?

1). Why did they do that and sell them?
2). The ones I've seen don't appear to have noticeable flaws.
3). Given today's market, should "seconds" be valued less, if there are no visible
flaws?

Thanks for your input.

TBurst Std · May 12, 2014

My 79 Std is stamped a Second. The issue was one of the screw holes for the control cover had a slight split.

reswot · May 12, 2014

My understanding is that they had cosmetic flaws, but no structural problems (those were stamped "BGN" -- for bargain?).

I think they'll always be valued less than a comparable guitar without the stamp.

Kris Ford · May 12, 2014

Nowadays, they just send 'em through like that...:dang

Mitchell · May 12, 2014

"George Gruhn" himself, say's don't sweat it and it don't matter...

riefil · May 12, 2014

My 67 ES 335 had a "2" stamp. Couldn't find a flaw, and I had it about 20years.

ant_riv · May 13, 2014

I worked at a Gibson dealer back when that was done.

There were guitars stamped "Second" that we COULD NOT find the flaw. We were told it was always just a finish flaw, on every 2nd we received.

40 years later? No worries ....

As to value? Not up to me to decide.

DanD · May 13, 2014

Kris Ford said:
Nowadays, they just send 'em through like that...:dang

+1

I looked over plenty of 2d Gibsons in the late 70s-early 80s and never did find any significant flaw. But there were definitely a lot of new 2ds around back then. I think the Kalamazoo boys were pretty picky... :hmm

zombiwoof · May 13, 2014

A long time ago I went to a guitar store that sold a lot of seconds. What I noticed on the seconds were maybe one tuner that was installed a little crooked, or a finish drip, or something very minor like that. They had one Marshall amp that was a second, the chassis was mounted a bit off center, so the printing on the front panel went off under the cutout in the wood of the cab just a little (old style smaller cutout at that time). But they had many Gibson seconds, and you had to look really hard at some to see the flaw.

Al

access · May 13, 2014

I'll go ahead and say it, Those 'seconds' back then were discounted, so likewise if you're looking at a comparable guitar side by side that is NOT a second it will demand a higher price.

I'm not saying one is a "Better" guitar, etc. I'm just stating the obvious.

reswot · May 13, 2014

I said it, too, but people don't want to hear it.

It's kind of same thing as a missing CoA with a Historic: the seller thinks it doesn't matter, but the buyer thinks it does.

Progrocker111 · May 13, 2014

There are some rumors, that these are better pieces, selected by the Gibson employees to sell it cheaper to bandmates, friends etc.

But it doesnt seem very real to me though :hmm

tuberide · May 14, 2014

Had an ES Artist and L5 with second and 2 stamped in the back of the headstock. The only apparent flaw was the stamped headstock.

70's seconds

Rick Doeschler

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TBurst Std

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reswot

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Kris Ford

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Mitchell

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riefil

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ant_riv

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DanD

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zombiwoof

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access

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reswot

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Progrocker111

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tuberide

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