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thoughts on 1974 custom??

frenchphil

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hi there!! i need some advice from you knowledgeable people!!

i m considering a 1974 custom , not a 20th ann, in black and gold hardware, all original except for pots and capacitors, pups covers are gone, original case, only one owner,

the main thing is that a roland synth pickup was placed and removed, leaving 2 small holes on the top near on each side of the bridge

the guy is asking 4000 dollars (3200 euros), what do you think? price wise and quality wise, as well as resale value for the future, when i m done with it in a few years?

thank you!
 

AA00475Bassman

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Sounds like a nice guitar price wise is really your comfort zone , Although I never consider value tomorrow going forward with a purchase .

You would be wise to buy the guitar choosing on its particular merits , I never think guitars as a investment & I have spent plenty !
 

frenchphil

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thanks bassman! i dont think as in investement per say. but as i said i just hope it doenst devalue too much, because i know i will sell it in a few years time, the merits of the guitar i know, its downside also
 

jrgtr42

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Not a bad price, I think. Obviously there's a lot "wrong" with it, but if you like how it sounds and plays, that's the important thing.
The holes could even be filled with a small dowel and a drop of tinted lacquer - Stewart Macdonald here in the States sells lacquer pens for touch up fills. |I don;t know about Europe.
 

frenchphil

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Not a bad price, I think. Obviously there's a lot "wrong" with it, but if you like how it sounds and plays, that's the important thing.
The holes could even be filled with a small dowel and a drop of tinted lacquer - Stewart Macdonald here in the States sells lacquer pens for touch up fills. |I don;t know about Europe.
thanks!! i have an ecellent luthier here , he will do the repair and set up
 

Big Al

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All good advice. The missing parts are more concerning, value or price wise, and should be reflected in price. I do not really know the overseas market. Seems fair, there is a lot of interest in Kalamazoo Customs over here. You may need to factor in a fret job as most find the low, low skinny flat frets unusable. MAKE SURE IT HAS A MAHOGANY NECK.
 

frenchphil

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All good advice. The missing parts are more concerning, value or price wise, and should be reflected in price. I do not really know the overseas market. Seems fair, there is a lot of interest in Kalamazoo Customs over here. You may need to factor in a fret job as most find the low, low skinny flat frets unusable. MAKE SURE IT HAS A MAHOGANY NECK.
thanks big Al!
 

frenchphil

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All good advice. The missing parts are more concerning, value or price wise, and should be reflected in price. I do not really know the overseas market. Seems fair, there is a lot of interest in Kalamazoo Customs over here. You may need to factor in a fret job as most find the low, low skinny flat frets unusable. MAKE SURE IT HAS A MAHOGANY NECK.
the custom is finally home....you were right it needs a refret those low frets are reeally hard to play it will be done next week by my luthier
 

metropolis

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I was just coming in to say that for European pricing that's pretty good, even considering what is missing or has been done. I'm pleased you bought it and got it home! I spent a little bit less for a '72 that had a lot more 'wrong' with it; a headstock break and refin although it did have a refret already.

Now you need to share some pictures!
 

El Gringo

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Sounds like a nice guitar price wise is really your comfort zone , Although I never consider value tomorrow going forward with a purchase .

You would be wise to buy the guitar choosing on its particular merits , I never think guitars as a investment & I have spent plenty !
You must be talking about me . As I never ever think about value , if I did it would take the fun out of it for me . The only thing I ever think about is having the funds to cover the cost . We should make a new rule on our Forum , that we should not talk about values and price estimates as that detracts from the joy of making music with our favorite instruments ( Gibson Les Paul's )
 

Big Al

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You must be talking about me . As I never ever think about value , if I did it would take the fun out of it for me . The only thing I ever think about is having the funds to cover the cost . We should make a new rule on our Forum , that we should not talk about values and price estimates as that detracts from the joy of making music with our favorite instruments ( Gibson Les Paul's )
+100,000%!!!!!!! I swear I am so flippin sick and tired of the investment, Franklin Mint, what's it worth bullshit. Especially as a first post. That dumbass Wall St mentality IS ruining everthing about what are supposed to be musical instruments.

Where the focus was once audio it is now visual, where the gains expected to be musical now it is monetary, "How's it play?", with "How's it pay?",. There's a reason I never give monetary values or answer about which guitar is the better investment.

I do not believe that the focus at Gibson is on manufacturing musical instruments as much as catering to the collector wall art gang. All you need do is compare to a Collings to see and feel and hear that difference.
 

AA00475Bassman

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You must be talking about me . As I never ever think about value , if I did it would take the fun out of it for me . The only thing I ever think about is having the funds to cover the cost . We should make a new rule on our Forum , that we should not talk about values and price estimates as that detracts from the joy of making music with our favorite instruments ( Gibson Les Paul's )
El Toro You know the drill !!!!!!
 

El Gringo

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+100,000%!!!!!!! I swear I am so flippin sick and tired of the investment, Franklin Mint, what's it worth bullshit. Especially as a first post. That dumbass Wall St mentality IS ruining everthing about what are supposed to be musical instruments.

Where the focus was once audio it is now visual, where the gains expected to be musical now it is monetary, "How's it play?", with "How's it pay?",. There's a reason I never give monetary values or answer about which guitar is the better investment.

I do not believe that the focus at Gibson is on manufacturing musical instruments as much as catering to the collector wall art gang. All you need do is compare to a Collings to see and feel and hear that difference.
So true , as once upon a time it was about the "tone" . You know me that I am the most guilty of being first and foremost a "top" whore . I can't help it and I blame Gibson Custom ( ha ha ) . Back on topic as they way I view Gibson Custom's and Gibson USA offerings is that they are trying to cater across the board to all of the different types of customers and I feel with the new group in place of JC Curleigh and Cesar Gueikian good things are happening in Nashville . Selections are great across the board and that is such a win win for the consumer . Quality and consistency is sky high , along with the return to tried and true models . It's funny to me about how people buy and flip guitars as fast as they get them and always looking for the next thing or feature or whatever . For me it takes time for me to get to know all of the nuances and the personality of the instrument and it's tone . Once I get them home that's it they are there for the duration . Sometimes I might bond with them right away or it might happen down the line a bit . I always say that today I am not crazy about her , but tomorrow it could be a different story .That's why it is good to have a little variety , where it's nice for me to switch it up with a Telecaster or even a Stratocaster . This way today I might grab a different guitar at home that I don't normally play and be knocked out and have my socks rolling . For the life of me I just don't get all of the flipping trading and dumping of guitars . Once I asked the owner of one of the shops why someone would get rid of a high end Les Paul ? He replied maybe they needed the money . Which is the last darn thing I ever think about . I am just a working class stiff like everybody else that happens to like playing guitar .
 

frenchphil

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easy guys...though i understand your valid point of view, my point of view is buying a fine instrument, a piece of the gibson legend from the 70 s (i m 52 i grew up on kiss aerosmith zztop etc etc) but that is a lot of money for me (single with a daughter student) , so i m playing these for a few months or years and sell them to buy another one , another model like a firebird from the 70 s, i cant collect many, so that is why i was asking about the resale value.
and also because it is my first vintage guitar. my other one is a 93 standard which is the one i ll keep because it sounds better than all the others i ve had so far.....which is annoying me because i would love to like a vintage one better than her, but no....
 

frenchphil

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this way i can keep triyng different models from different era (had a 87 es 335 that i sold to fund the 74 custom) , and so i can compare different tones, different constructions of les paul (pancake , chambered , shaw pups, t top pups ) all this is my hobby , to get to know the difference in tone
 

Big Al

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No, the thrust of your post was investment guarantee. You got answers about spec and build and a fair market purchase value. Everything could change tomorrow, or a few months or years. Used gear and especially anything not a pristine unmodded original is subject to market whims, up or down. The investment and payoff is in having an instrument you enjoy and suits your needs. Playing is the dividend paid. Even if trade in or sell value is less than you eventually invest, in the short term, (it may also increase, you can't tell.), my experience is long term has almost always shown an increased value.

Any ire detected in my previous post was not directed at you. I was aiming at those who only think in investment mode and the expected windfall they seem owed. A culture of commodity trading and market day trading. Just read the posts. I meant every word and clearly see it's greedy effect.
 
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frenchphil

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ok i got you point Al no problem but i m not talking about investment. i mean on 3400 euros what can you expect? not a 1000 euros. if i was investing something like 40000 euros then i might consider making profit when i sale it . but not on this one.

you also have to take into account the i m french and english is not my native tongue.. so i might not use the right words . i probably meant can i sale it one day when i m done with and i want another model like a firebird.

and i m asking this also because it being a norlin era les paul, for a long time they were considered less desirable. maybe this is changing i dont know so i aks the dudes here
 

frenchphil

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maybe resale value was not the right word.. more like ...easy to resale... are people asking for these
 

frenchphil

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and also i have a 93 standard that kills them all. it s kind of annoying because every other les paul i buy is usually compared to my 93 standard.....and they usually , in fact every time, they fail....

that standard is that good ....build quality pickups neck shape and feel etc etc so to answer your post i m not even looking for an instrument i enjoy and suits my needs because i already have all that with the standard.

so i try different woods different models different era just for fun just because gibson guitars are legends to me and maybe one day one les paul will kill my standard big surprise
 
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