Today's turd - '62 345 with Kahler

Details? :hmm

Look up PlayerGradeVintage on Instagram. He does excellent work.

GuitarMikey said:

Look up PlayerGradeVintage on Instagram. He does excellent work.

Click to expand...

Ah, of course! Jumping@Shadows

So very awesome...

https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?212314-1955-Les-Paul-Jnr-%91Resto-Mod%92

I'd say with that carved up bridge pocket, failing refinish, and non-original peghead (great graft though), collector value is nil. Are the electronics original? Original examples in good condition are around 4k+. I'd say 1/3 of that is about right. I might try to put the nut back original, try a gentle re-refinish, and live with the bridge. Having a working 345 looking good enough to gig, but with low enough investment to relax, is desirable, and would always sell.

Don't usually choose to engage in these discussions, especially when points of view seem very strongly divided in almost polar opposites. So, not trying to change anyone's mind....this is just one man's opinion; not interested in debating anyone else's merits/point of view. The bottom line is what someone else does with their own property is no one else's business. If you choose to polish your guitar every day and keep it in a glass display case without even once actually playing it, or drag it down the street behind your car, it is YOUR property, and no one else has any say about it. While I personally feel both of those extremes (just used for dramatic effect) would be a terrible shame, I don't own/control the instrument. A good example would be fully restored collector cars finished to a better than original standard VS rat rods, where wear and patina is not only encouraged, but actually artificially enhanced. But neither of those type autos is worth as much as a completely factory original example that has been kept and maintained in pristine condition. And who said a "player" has to mean reliced or beat up? I know plenty of working guitarists who maintain their instruments to a very high degree, both cosmetically and functionally. I find if I put the hours into a guitar, it is going to develop its own patina and character from my use. Then the guitar shows its honest history. If someone else wants to artificially do that because they like the cosmetic look, or "mojo" factor, it's their decision and right to do so, whether it is to my personal taste or not. In the example of this particular ES 345, my taste would be to repair the structural damage and try to return it as close to factory configuration as possible, then refinish it as best to hide the repairs as possible. Then play the snot out of it, and relic it by my own hours of playing it. Thanks for considering my personal opinion, yours may vary and I'm not trying to change it.

I would not pay $1500 for that guitar, BUT I would also say that a guitar like that has a certain amount of Mojo in it....I'd play it. eace2

OMG ! Poor ES-345

:laugh2: