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'68 GT and '69 Custom's for sale, Is anyone buying?

cytorg

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Jan 20, 2010
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I have been considering selling off a lot of my gear and I have a '69 Custom, one piece neck, one piece body, etc but I'm not seeing any movement of these at an appropriate price unless it is a "give away" price. Hardly any movement at all unlike previous years. Is it the market that far down now, economic uncertainly or are people just not buying vintage? Probably taking my gear and having a booth at the Arlington show seems the best bet but are the shows seeing a decline in sales? Granted, my gear has been played, none are "under the bed" type pieces but good pieces nonetheless. Thoughts?
 

latestarter

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Nov 9, 2009
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If you look at Reverb, Gbase and eBay pricing it's all over the show. Most asking prices for the mid range vintage items have been climbing strongly over recent years, but selling prices less so. Have you checked the Reverb estimated price range tool? My conversations with sellers recently point to a confidence about pricing that frankly is not reflected by buyers.
 

lhric

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Aug 3, 2007
Messages
197
I have been considering selling off a lot of my gear and I have a '69 Custom, one piece neck, one piece body, etc but I'm not seeing any movement of these at an appropriate price unless it is a "give away" price. Hardly any movement at all unlike previous years. Is it the market that far down now, economic uncertainly or are people just not buying vintage? Probably taking my gear and having a booth at the Arlington show seems the best bet but are the shows seeing a decline in sales? Granted, my gear has been played, none are "under the bed" type pieces but good pieces nonetheless. Thoughts?

Yes. If you look at Reverb the website has a past selling history graph data that shows the trend in selling and buying prices from the last 6 months or so and can maybe give you a rough estimate for a starting price point. I was recently at a guitar show here in Ohio and a gentleman brought in a 1969 goldtop large headstock but unfortunately the gold was scrapped off in favor of the natural top exposed. Dealers were looking at it but were not that interested not because of the scrapped top but the larger headstock variant was swaying their decision. They all said if it were the 68 small headstock then they would really make an offer on it.
 

pjisaacs

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Mar 28, 2017
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I think the Reverb price guide is misleading - there's some pretty shocking stock on there, there's nothing that can be done about 'Excellent condition' meaning a resprayed neck break. That then sells at an appropriate price and people think that's the price for true excellent condition.

I'm in the UK, prices across Europe are firm with CITES and currency moves
 

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
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3,278
On Reverb, Gbase, and eBay, it seems most of the good 1968-69 gold tops (w/ P-90s), in very good or better, original condition, are priced into the stratosphere, i.e., > $15,000. I've seen one or two topping $25K. Clearly at those prices the seller is not interested in selling. Sure those are just the asking prices, but the effect on buyers is to keep looking elsewhere.

I would consider buying a nice 68 gold top at $10K or so, but not a penny more. Above $10K, you're getting into early-mid '60s Gibson ES-3x5 territory. I'd take a 1964 ES-345 at $13K any day, over a '68 Les Paul gold top at $13K.
 

cytorg

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Jan 20, 2010
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Thanks for the replies! Man, information on the '69 customs is really sketchy.. I went to LSLP site and what they were identifying was a bit different than what I have. I received the guitar in a trade in 1980. The body is not a pancake and definitely one piece, no volute on back and one piece neck which was verified after a head-stock break. The break was a long 0ne ( along the neck, not straight across ) and was repaired by Bill Collings of Collings Guitars in 1990. I knew Bill from his time with Michael Stevens in the early '80's and I asked him about a 3 piece neck as I couldn't see 3 piece, he confirmed it was one piece. I had him sign the receipt confirming that but in 28 years it is lost. He veneered the break up and over the head-stock so serial # is lost. Definitely a transitional tenon.
 

latestarter

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4,173
Thanks for the replies! Man, information on the '69 customs is really sketchy.. I went to LSLP site and what they were identifying was a bit different than what I have. I received the guitar in a trade in 1980. The body is not a pancake and definitely one piece, no volute on back and one piece neck which was verified after a head-stock break. The break was a long 0ne ( along the neck, not straight across ) and was repaired by Bill Collings of Collings Guitars in 1990. I knew Bill from his time with Michael Stevens in the early '80's and I asked him about a 3 piece neck as I couldn't see 3 piece, he confirmed it was one piece. I had him sign the receipt confirming that but in 28 years it is lost. He veneered the break up and over the head-stock so serial # is lost. Definitely a transitional tenon.

No serial, repaired break...not going to help. I purchased an early '65 SG years ago with a heel repair and a head stock break that needed re-gluing. Everything else was there - even a lucky pre T Top Patent Number in the bridge reading 8k. I paid 35-40% of the then market rate. Even an unbroken but original guitar, but refin'd, sits at half the normal asking IME.

It's not wrong to want the most from the sale price of your instrument, but the buyer market rules and originality and condition are critical for the vintage segment.
 

moonweasel

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Jan 20, 2004
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Thanks for the replies! Man, information on the '69 customs is really sketchy.. I went to LSLP site and what they were identifying was a bit different than what I have. I received the guitar in a trade in 1980. The body is not a pancake and definitely one piece, no volute on back and one piece neck which was verified after a head-stock break. The break was a long 0ne ( along the neck, not straight across ) and was repaired by Bill Collings of Collings Guitars in 1990. I knew Bill from his time with Michael Stevens in the early '80's and I asked him about a 3 piece neck as I couldn't see 3 piece, he confirmed it was one piece. I had him sign the receipt confirming that but in 28 years it is lost. He veneered the break up and over the head-stock so serial # is lost. Definitely a transitional tenon.

I am always interested in unusual variants. I do not recall a confirmed one piece neck with a transitional tenon. I wish you had pictures from during your repair. That would be awesome. Sounds like a really cool guitar. Do you recall the first three digits of the serial?

If you look at the top edge of the headstock (where the "mustache" is cut) under a very bright lamps, sometimes one can make out the three piece or 1 piece neck a little easier. Im not sure if that helps post refin.

Unfortunately, a headstock repair with no serial is really going to be a 50% off proposition unless you find the right person.
 

Reno_1ted

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Sep 21, 2014
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Unfortunately, a headstock repair with no serial is really going to be a 50% off proposition unless you find the right person.

If not more. 50% might cover a standard break but the missing serial number I think knocks the value even more. The only reason anyone would go for such a guitar would be a) they were really confident in knowing what it was and b) it was really, really cheap.
 

cytorg

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Jan 20, 2010
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I am always interested in unusual variants. I do not recall a confirmed one piece neck with a transitional tenon. I wish you had pictures from during your repair. That would be awesome. Sounds like a really cool guitar. Do you recall the first three digits of the serial?

If you look at the top edge of the headstock (where the "mustache" is cut) under a very bright lamps, sometimes one can make out the three piece or 1 piece neck a little easier. Im not sure if that helps post refin.

Unfortunately, a headstock repair with no serial is really going to be a 50% off proposition unless you find the right person.


No, cannot see it because of refin. Does the heel show the 3 piece?
 
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moonweasel

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Maybe. a really bright flashlight or lamp, and just slowly hunt around on the neck looking for seams.
 

mdubya

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Mar 31, 2010
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If not more. 50% might cover a standard break but the missing serial number I think knocks the value even more. The only reason anyone would go for such a guitar would be a) they were really confident in knowing what it was and b) it was really, really cheap.


Totally agree.



No, cannot see it because of refin. Does the heel show the 3 piece?


Do you have photos of the neck pickup pocket/cavity?
 

cytorg

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Jan 20, 2010
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5
Totally agree.






Do you have photos of the neck pickup pocket/cavity?


I'll have pics tomorrow. It is completely apart now as I'm polishing and buffing it. I have a bright light on my work-bench and cannot see any seams coming through the finish that is the original finish.
 

DEVILBAT

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May 17, 2002
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I'm in the market for a 1969 Custom w/'68 specs....one piece neck and body.....

please e-mail me at rrybinski@aol.com if ytou decide tosell.
Thanks
Richie
 

Tom Wittrock

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'68 GT and '69 Custom's for sale, Is anyone buying?

A good friend of mine bought one of each at last weekends Fort Worth show. :ganz
 
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