Trading vintage for vintage

[aladdinsane]

I'm hoping to get some advice on trading in a few vintage guitars toward one very expensive one. I have the chance to get a nice 54 goldtop (with only one changed pot, otherwise original). To get it, I would have to trade in my 52 goldtop (in good shape but has a repaired crack around the volume/tone knobs, 70s case), my 56 LP Special (some changed parts, refret), and a refin 68 LP custom. I could possibly trade in the goldtop and ONE of the others and add some cash. Crazy, but the value of these three guitars really do add up to one 54 goldtop!

What would you do? I don't see myself being about to buy a 54 goldtop outright any time soon, so trading would be my route. Trade all three? Two? None?

 

[dwagar]

Well, that's a hard decision.

I think if I really, really wanted the '54, I would do the trade.

I'd probably opt to keep the Special and do cash if you can swing it.

 

[mikeslub]

Are. you fond of your guitars? I did a trade once of five really beautiful vintage Gibsons for one really expensive Gibson with an issue (that I knew about), plus cash, and have regretted it ever since. Ended up selling the expensive one. Think it through carefully.

 

[S. Weiger]

I'd try a compensation bridge (Mojoaxe ?) on my '52 and forget about the '54, unless it's really, really so much better than your 3 guitars that you have to have it.

 

[aladdinsane]

Are. you fond of your guitars? I did a trade once of five really beautiful vintage Gibsons for one really expensive Gibson with an issue (that I knew about), plus cash, and have regretted it ever since. Ended up selling the expensive one. Think it through carefully.

Thanks @MikeSlub! Yeah, that's a concern. I've slowly been trying to build my collection to the best of what I can get, but now I'm getting close to everything being pretty good. It's a tough decision.

 

[aladdinsane]

I'd try a compensation bridge (Mojoaxe ?) on my '52 and forget about the '54, unless it's really, really so much better than your 3 guitars that you have to have it.

Yes @S. Weiger! I have a Mojoaxe on the 52 now. So, it's pretty great as is.

The thing is that the 54 would be the most expensive guitar I've ever bought and it would be impossible to get any other way.

 

[S. Weiger]

Yes @S. Weiger! I have a Mojoaxe on the 52 now. So, it's pretty great as is.

The thing is that the 54 would be the most expensive guitar I've ever bought and it would be impossible to get any other way.

Now that's a lovely '52 right there
Like I said, for me to consider a trade, it would have to be a totally magical '54 I just couldn't live without.

 

[seafood]

that 52 looks great !!!!!! i would keep it , and i like that bridge too !!!! what about neck shape and weight ? also important factors to consider !

 

[Wilko]

trade rarely gets you the value you could realize through selling for cash to use for the '54 purchase.

 

[aladdinsane]

that 52 looks great !!!!!! i would keep it , and i like that bridge too !!!! what about neck shape and weight ? also important factors to consider !

It's pretty great. 8 lbs. 4 oz. Full C shape neck. I only had it for about two weeks before I took it in to Norio Imai for a tune up, so I get it back next week. The 54 just popped up from the same dealer, so I was considering the step up.

 

[aladdinsane]

trade rarely gets you the value you could realize through selling for cash to use for the '54 purchase.

Very true! I would be able to trade the 52 for the same price that I bought it for because it's a recent purchase from the same dealer. The other two would be around 75-80% of my original purchase prices.

 

[asapmaz]

Trade in the 52 (if they're giving you what you paid) and the refin 68 Custom. Make up the difference with cash.
After getting the 54, slow sell the 56 Special (it'll fetch the most money since it's pretty straight and you'd marginally lose the most money if you traded it in).

 

[Standard Magic]

I'd trade and get the 54 ASAP!

 

[aladdinsane]

I'd trade and get the 54 ASAP!

Would you trade all three for the 54?

 

[gmann]

The ‘54 and don’t look back!

 

[Steve Craw]

I think asapmaz has a great point, if you can pull it off financially. I'm partial to goldtops, I'd rather have a vintage goldtop than a vintage burst. My "one that got away" was a 1954 goldtop that I owned and sold in 1992. I've kicked myself every day since. That said, unless you really are attached to the three you have, I'd make a trade like that, in a heartbeat.

 

[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

I'm hoping to get some advice on trading in a few vintage guitars toward one very expensive one. I have the chance to get a nice 54 goldtop (with only one changed pot, otherwise original). To get it, I would have to trade in my 52 goldtop (in good shape but has a repaired crack around the volume/tone knobs, 70s case), my 56 LP Special (some changed parts, refret), and a refin 68 LP custom. I could possibly trade in the goldtop and ONE of the others and add some cash. Crazy, but the value of these three guitars really do add up to one 54 goldtop!

What would you do? I don't see myself being about to buy a 54 goldtop outright any time soon, so trading would be my route. Trade all three? Two? None?

I would do some serious research online to the value of your three guitars just to see what it adds up to if you were to sell them. If the value works out similar or even slightly higher than the 54 and you prefer the 54 to any of your 3 guitars for play and sound I would go for it. You really only need one nice guitar with P-90's unless you are rich. The Custom is a little different as it has humbuckers, but if you have another humbucker guitar you like why not.

Thought I would be a bit more helpful. Can't use Reverbs price guide as it is an absolute mess. They list the last nice 54 Les Paul as being sold for 9K. There is no control over what goes into their sold history. Incorrect guitars, misrepresented guitars and I think they even mess things up themselves. I attribute a lot of the problems with gear value today to their price guide.

Best I can do is to use an old Vintage Guitar Price Guide from 2010. Not very recent, but we can hope it is still relative. I am going to assume the same condition for all guitars and use 50 percent for the refin. I am also going to use the low excellent condition value. 52 Les Paul 12k. 56 Special 11K. 68 Refin Custom at 50% 5k. That adds up to 28K. 1954 Les Paul is listed as 20K. That works out to 8K difference against you. It would probably be less if all guitars were in lower same condition as high excellent condition difference works out to 10K.

I hope this is somewhat helpful. If you know someone with a very recent Price guide or there is a store near you that has one it would be your best bet for figuring out the difference.

 

[RSVG&A]

ALWAYS a thumbs up to trade multiple "Issue" guitars , even if vintage , for a blue chip vintage guitar without issues.
...but , thats just my opinion

 

[Standard Magic]

Would you trade all three for the 54?

I would do it in a hearbeat. Always better to upgrade. If the 54 is in better condition that your three, even more so.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

I ALWAYS get the RSJ = Royal Screw Job when I trade - I might be inclined to accept a good old fashioned RSJ for a 54 !!!!!!