bbbacres Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I have a chance to buy this 1974 gibson J200 at a great price. I fear it might be a fake. I have tried to do my reading, but nothing is really clear. This one has 3 truss rod cover screws, but apparently (contrary to popular myth) Gibson DID use 3 screws in the 70s. There are words on the truss rod cover, but that too happened in the 70s. The guitar in some ways looks too good to be that old, unless its in excellent condition. I don't see much pattern to the back maple. That is a bad sign. But when I looked at a site of chinese fakes, they did have good pattern to the maple. Can you all take a look and help me with your thoughts? PS the guitar does have a label and it looks good. I see no number on the back of the head, but the pic is not great. If it is not a fake, what kind of value does this model have in general and as compared to earlier and later ones. I have heard 70s are less popular. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hype Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I'm leaning towards a fake namely because within the last pic, the body of the 200 doesn't look right, in terms of the dimensions. I tried to analyze the pickguard in most cases that is a dead giveaway, but based on the pic it looks alright. The headstock looks fake, but as you said with older Gibson's some go against the grain. How much is the person selling it for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 looks real. Gibson did use a 3 screw TRC sometimes in those days. i think the funny shapes are just from bad camera angles. try taking these pics yourself and you will see how hard it is. These aren't particularly cool guitars. If you get it for a steal, then it's ok. if not, then you can find a much better guitar for the same money probably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Its a Gibson J200... volute and all.. including a double X braced top... a tone killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Looks real to me. Bernard Butler has played one of those 70s J200s with the three screw trussrod cover since the early 90s and he gets a great sound out of it so I've always had a soft spot for them, although not at the prices dealers ask for them. As someone already said, it should have the double X brace - a second X behind the bridge where the tone bars usually go - and no Chinese fake is going to have that feature, so you could always take a mirror and check under the bonnet as it were. It's not exactly the best era for a J200 but if the price is low and it looks and sounds reasonable could be a good buy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 . Genuine Gibson. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 It looks real (74-ish) to me. The odd thing is, there is no pic of the bridge, which could 'seal the deal'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I've been on fleabay and various others lately looking for something. The saddle is the least photographed item on the ads. Usually down to the fact that the guitar is for sale because it needs work , I am guessing. Should really be the most important picture given. Makes me immediately suspicious when its not there to be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbacres Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Thanks for your comments guys, and I would appreciate hearing more to feel more sure. I am buying the guitar remotely. My brother will go to the home and take more pics if I want, but its an hour drive for him, so he must decide at the moment to buy or not. He can even 'facetime' and send me movies. But I have to decide as much as I can before. Someone asked the price. $1100. A great price if it is real, 5x too much if it is a fake. These sell for 2k and up, sometimes 3k, very often. The X bracing idea is a good one, but when I'm not there its hard to check. My brother knows zero about it, and mirrors may be impossible. I noted most of the chinese fake pictures I have seen weren't this era. They faked the classic mustash bridge, not this slightly less desireable bridge. Is there anything that is easy to check that might assure me via my brother when he is there in person? As to the comments about quality, I'm well aware a 70s J200 is not the best guitar in the world. But it is pysically beautiful and I want one to join the small number of guitars I own. My first guitar teacher played one. At any rate, please look hard and I appreciate your help. Any other observations, or confirmations? I will be deciding this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbbacres Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 PHOTOS AVAILABLE OF GUITAR IN QUESTION. I figured out a way to share MORE photos with you all so that you might help me more. Here is a complete set of pics. Not great, some are shakey, but if you do not mind, please look through them. There is a lot of expertise here on this forum. It might save me a lot of pain. Thanks. https://1974gibsonj200realorfake.shutterfly.com/pictures#n_5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I mean 'seriously'.....who would want to 'fake' a 70's Gibson acoustic. That would be like counterfeiting a one dollar bill....not worth the time and effort It is 'straight-up'! I have a book that pictures one just like it! Play before you buy if possible and get the 'right price'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I mean 'seriously'.....who would want to 'fake' a 70's Gibson acoustic. That would be like counterfeiting a one dollar bill....not worth the time and effort It is 'straight-up'! I have a book that pictures one just like it! Play before you buy if possible and get the 'right price'.... I would walk away from one of those.. and Not look back.. thats the type that should of had a pickup installed.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 As with most guitars there are some decent ones out there and some not so good. Looks to be in good shape, and that's a good price. If I wanted it I'd buy it, figuring I could always move it and maybe even make a few bucks on it if I decided later to send it down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie123 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 can you not give a serial number to gibson .they will comfirm your suspions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 As I have said, it at times seems that everybody who owns a 1971-1984 Gibson has one of the fabled rare gems that snuck out of the factory. Problem for me is in 50+ years I have yet to run across one of them. Every one I have played seemed like the sound was trapped inside. The bottom line is Gibsons of this period are just plain overbuilt - oversized bridge plates, heavy top bracing and such. Great for avoiding warranty issues but it sucks for sound. I cannot imagine finding a Gibson J-200 of any vintage for that little scratch. So you will get a J-200 for a price you may never see again. As someone already said, it is cheap enough that you could sell it off and possibly make a bit of profit. But will you be getting a guitar that sounds like the best J-200s out there? If you have a Magic 8 Ball it would say "Outlook not so good." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 My father bought a new-old-stock J200 around '78 or '79. It was a six digit number with a prefix of "A", which puts it '73-'75. He never really cared for it and sold it a few years later. I bought a '73 on ebay and the neck was twisted. I would never tar them all with the same brush but I'd have to get a 70s Gibson cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 the action on that looks terrible and the bridge is sanded all of they way down. looks like too far to really play. this probably means it needs a neck reset. that's extra money... and a lot of extra money on this guitar. steer clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 PHOTOS AVAILABLE OF GUITAR IN QUESTION. I figured out a way to share MORE photos with you all so that you might help me more. Here is a complete set of pics. Not great, some are shakey, but if you do not mind, please look through them. There is a lot of expertise here on this forum. It might save me a lot of pain. Thanks. https://1974gibsonj2...om/pictures#n_5 The pictures are not the greatest, as you say........ but of note in pic#10 showing what looks like a top-crack off the soundhole running parallel with the fingerboard/pickguard. As mentioned by others, I would not want to have a lot of money tied-up in this guitar. What is the price, by the way.... ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSchooner Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Someone asked the price. $1100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 The saddle is BELOW the bridge at both ends, as seen in the pics……surely needs a neck reset……….how much are neck resets in your neighborhood??? Is this guitar of the era of the "paddle" on the neck heel ??? If it is, that means removing the fretboard to cut the paddle before removing the neck….seems like a lot of work for someone???!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 The saddle is BELOW the bridge at both ends, as seen in the pics……surely needs a neck reset……….how much are neck resets in your neighborhood??? Is this guitar of the era of the "paddle" on the neck heel ??? If it is, that means removing the fretboard to cut the paddle before removing the neck….seems like a lot of work for someone???!!! Those paddle like joint extensions are supposedly a nightmare to steam free. Gibson started building guitars like this some time in the mid 1970s but I am not sure exactly when. Bozeman actually continued to build them this way in the early years. This kind of stuff though is a great lesson as to why why you should avoid buying older guitars unless you know what the heck to look for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.