'54 GT

[gary buff]

Are these really bringing this much these days even with P90s and no tom? I owned 3 of these "back in the day" (one was all-gold) and the most I paid was $800

https://api.guitars.com/files/gibson-les-paul-1954-eb7388--367052?style=large

 

[jimmi]

Are these really bringing this much these days even with P90s and no tom? I owned 3 of these "back in the day" (one was all-gold) and the most I paid was $800

https://api.guitars.com/files/gibson-les-paul-1954-eb7388--367052?style=large

I hope so because I paid way less than that for mine.

Honestly I think they are probably more in the 40s but maybe they have gone up since the last time I checked

 

[S. Weiger]

I hope so because I paid way less than that for mine.

Honestly I think they are probably more in the 40s but maybe they have gone up since the last time I checked

The wraparound GT's I can find for sale are in the 60K -ish range, so Gruhn's '54 looks "right" re. price, -if it really is as clean as stated.
But I'm not comfortable with a shop that hangs their guitars from thin steel wire...

 

[gary buff]

The wraparound GT's I can find for sale are in the 60K -ish range, so Gruhn's '54 looks "right" re. price, -if it really is as clean as stated.
But I'm not comfortable with a shop that hangs their guitars from thin steel wire...

View attachment 27950

I think it's fishing line....

 

[S. Weiger]

I think it's fishing line....

Ah ok, what a relief..

But seriously I think it's asking for trouble to hang instruments like that.

 

[jimmi]

The wraparound GT's I can find for sale are in the 60K -ish range, so Gruhn's '54 looks "right" re. price, -if it really is as clean as stated.
But I'm not comfortable with a shop that hangs their guitars from thin steel wire...

View attachment 27950

Mine is all original except for the bridge….and I think I have one I could put with it. But has a lot of arm wear greening …not that I want to sell. Great sound, good neck. Makes me wonder why I play PAFs guitars. Very clean ones might fetch more but seems like many prefer the ones with the wear that gives them mojo and distinctive look. Several dealers have told me the clean top ones sell slower (but I guess if cheaper that could make sense too).

 

[jimmi]

Ah ok, what a relief..

But seriously I think it's asking for trouble to hang instruments like that.

It is so you can see manly the guitar. I have no issue with it. They have every reason to be careful

 

[S. Weiger]

It is so you can see manly the guitar. I have no issue with it. They have every reason to be careful

I know, but even if the wire don't snap (Heaven forbid!) I'd suspect it might leave a dent in the headstock.

 

[McCarthy]

There was a very clean ‘56 GT at Carter’s last week listed at an astonishing $100k and it only lasted on the website about a week. They have a very clean ‘53 with early trapeze listed at $58k.

 

[S. Weiger]

There was a very clean ‘56 GT at Carter’s last week listed at an astonishing $100k and it only lasted on the website about a week. They have a very clean ‘53 with early trapeze listed at $58k.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but a worn & played '56 GT can be really cool too I think:



Refretted, otherwise original. Got it recently so it was not cheap.

 

[brandtkronholm]

Are these really bringing this much these days even with P90s and no tom? I owned 3 of these "back in the day" (one was all-gold) and the most I paid was $800

https://api.guitars.com/files/gibson-les-paul-1954-eb7388--367052?style=large

I had a few P90 gold tops too back on the early ‘90s.
They weren’t perfect, but for about $1000, they were fun.
I could never get a sound I liked from the P90s so they didn’t last long, maybe a few weeks at the most. I sold and traded them for other guitars and amps.
Adding two zeros to the price is mind boggling.

 

[gary buff]

I had a few P90 gold tops too back on the early ‘90s.
They weren’t perfect, but for about $1000, they were fun.
I could never get a sound I liked from the P90s so they didn’t last long, maybe a few weeks at the most. I sold and traded them for other guitars and amps.
Adding two zeros to the price is mind boggling.

Likewise, I really didn't like the sound of the P90s, too "loose" compared with the HBs. I also sold/traded and finally ended up with a (real) '59 burst that was "only" $5k.

Amps have changed a lot since then though so I'd like to possibly revisit them but not at that price. Maybe a Historic but that's a different forum...

 

[jimmi]

Likewise, I really didn't like the sound of the P90s, too "loose" compared with the HBs. I also sold/traded and finally ended up with a (real) '59 burst that was "only" $5k.

Amps have changed a lot since then though so I'd like to possibly revisit them but not at that price. Maybe a Historic but that's a different forum...

Back to back? I like P90s against PAFs. Better for some things, not as good at others but a really sweet sound. Could be amps but I play a lot through a slightly hot-rodded late 50s GA20 or Fender tweed quite a bit so I don’t think it is just about the break up.

Agree, 100k seems way out of Wack. They were hanging around in Reverb for 30s40s this year (depending on issues).

 

[brandtkronholm]

Back to back? I like P90s against PAFs. Better for some things, not as good at others but a really sweet sound. Could be amps but I play a lot through a slightly hot-rodded late 50s GA20 or Fender tweed quite a bit so I don’t think it is just about the break up.

Agree, 100k seems way out of Wack. They were hanging around in Reverb for 30s40s this year (depending on issues).

It's my inadequate musicianship. I just could never get a sound out of P90s - or any single coil for that matter - that really spoke to me. I like other musicians' (read: better musicians) tone with single coils!

I remember the first time I encountered a gold top (wrap around stop tail, 1954?) that was priced $5K I was flabbergasted and angry! I pestered the shop owner about it to no avail. Maybe it was the mid/late '90s?
However, I'm not completely surprised that at very nice P90 gold top might be listed for $100K in 2024. Whether it sold for that price is another question.

 

[McCarthy]

I don’t know that it actually sold for that much, but it wasn’t up long so it probably sold for somewhere close to that I would guess.

I don’t know what the price difference tends to be between a wrap tail and an abr-1 but a nice ‘56 is not cheap these days, and are a bit hard to find in nice original shape IME. I do see ones with issues around so maybe those are selling in the 30s or 40s.

I like P90s vs humbuckers in a Les Paul but I’m a single coil guy. I feel like I can get a PAF sound using them with the right knob adjustments and amp, but can’t really get a P90 sound out of a PAF.

 

[S. Weiger]

I don’t know that it actually sold for that much, but it wasn’t up long so it probably sold for somewhere close to that I would guess.

I don’t know what the price difference tends to be between a wrap tail and an abr-1 but a nice ‘56 is not cheap these days, and are a bit hard to find in nice original shape IME. I do see ones with issues around so maybe those are selling in the 30s or 40s.

I like P90s vs humbuckers in a Les Paul but I’m a single coil guy. I feel like I can get a PAF sound using them with the right knob adjustments and amp, but can’t really get a P90 sound out of a PAF.

AFAIK, in my country (and Ebay/Reverb), for the last 20+ years the price difference has narrowed over the years, as more ppl began recognize the wrap tail models' great tone and vibe. I think the average price diff. some 15-20 years ago was like 40% -ish (given same condition)
But these days it seems the ABR Goldtops are taking big lead again?

 

[aladdinsane]

I think this has been the going rate for the past few years (since Covid):

52-53 trapeze: 30K
54 wraptail: low 40s
55-56: 50-60K

I bought a 52 earlier this year and the same dealer got a 54 in right after that, so I traded the 52 back toward the 54. Both sounded amazing, but the 54 was more of a holy grail for me. I really love the wraptail.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

I'm not comfortable with a shop that hangs their guitars from thin steel wire...

They just do that for photos.

 

[S. Weiger]

They just do that for photos.

I know. I still don't like it. (see post #8)