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Approximate ballpark value for 1969 SG Custom


codyyy

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I recently got my 1969 Gibson SG Custom back from a local luthier. The refinish took 1.5 years to complete. It isn't perfect but it is a lot better than it was before I dropped it off. I'm trying to find a second opinion on what it is worth. A local guitar shop here told me it was only worth $850. Sites like Reverb and eBay have a lot of different prices. Recently an original 1969 SG Custom was sold for close to $5000 on eBay. I know mine is no where near that but I would still like to know if this is a guitar I should play or if a collector could use it more.

The story:

The guitar has had lots of work done to it. Someone reamed out the back cavity larger. I had the luthier fill it back in with mahogany. He did a great job but it is not the correct shape. It should be a kidney-bowl shape, this guitar has the earlier 60's shape.

The toggle switch was moved and filled in. We tried to figure out exactly where it was placed, I have seen quite a few SGs with the "poker chip" tucked behind the pickguard, so that's what he did.

The pickups to the best of my knowledge are original. I don't know exactly what the term for them is, whether PAF, T-Top, Patent No., etc. I'm leaning toward Patent No. pickups, I didn't realize there was a technical difference.

The pickup covers are being changed out to more original looking gold ones. I have no idea why the luthier put those mismatched ones on, we talked about covers for quite a while because the guitar did not have any correct ones with it.

I hope I'm not opening a can of worms with this thread, that is not my intention. Anyway, here are the pictures.

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IMG_1634b_zpswanjqnu7.jpg

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Typically, a "hacked up" or non-original "vintage" guitar that has been restored will be closer in price to a newer/used one that is a comparable model. Maybe a little more, depending.

 

Unfortunately, modified or "restored" from modified have no collector value. So basically, it's priced the same as any used guitar. But the value can be a bit higher due to the fact is is more "real"....for example, a used '69 with no collector value might be more desirable than a "reissue" '69 (if there was such a thing).

 

Kind of unfortunate the cavity and switch weren't put back to original spec, bet then again, it isn't original anymore anyway. So maybe that's at least as good? I mean, might as well "show off" a little that work was done rather than hide the fact.

 

The pups...that could be the deal maker. Those pups would often be referred to as "decal'd" or "Patent Decal'd" or the like. Not quite the same as "Patent #". The difference is these have a decal, while typically "Patent #" refers to the stamped ones.

 

WHAT these decal'd pups are, that's gonna be the game changer. Since the covers were already off, it might be work checking. Decal'd Patent pups can range in era and construction ranging from exactly the same as a PAF (Again, with decals) to the same as a stamped patent# T-top. And I think that's going to have a big effect on the value, price of the guitar.

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Typically, a "hacked up" or non-original "vintage" guitar that has been restored will be closer in price to a newer/used one that is a comparable model. Maybe a little more, depending.

 

Unfortunately, modified or "restored" from modified have no collector value. So basically, it's priced the same as any used guitar. But the value can be a bit higher due to the fact is is more "real"....for example, a used '69 with no collector value might be more desirable than a "reissue" '69 (if there was such a thing).

 

Kind of unfortunate the cavity and switch weren't put back to original spec, bet then again, it isn't original anymore anyway. So maybe that's at least as good? I mean, might as well "show off" a little that work was done rather than hide the fact.

 

The pups...that could be the deal maker. Those pups would often be referred to as "decal'd" or "Patent Decal'd" or the like. Not quite the same as "Patent #". The difference is these have a decal, while typically "Patent #" refers to the stamped ones.

 

WHAT these decal'd pups are, that's gonna be the game changer. Since the covers were already off, it might be work checking. Decal'd Patent pups can range in era and construction ranging from exactly the same as a PAF (Again, with decals) to the same as a stamped patent# T-top. And I think that's going to have a big effect on the value, price of the guitar.

Thanks. I'd rather not sell just the pickups but then again I don't think I will need to. I will take more pictures of the pickups after I put more correct covers on.

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Thanks. I'd rather not sell just the pickups but then again I don't think I will need to. I will take more pictures of the pickups after I put more correct covers on.

Wasn't suggesting you sell the pups, but rather making a point that what the pups are will have an effect on the value of the guitar.

 

Maybe you might be interested in doing some research on the subject of the pups.

 

What you want to do, is take pics of the pups WITHOUT the covers on them. It's what is inside the covers that people will want to see. Basically, the construction, the materiels of the pups has gone through changes around the time. The LAST "PAF" pups made are identical to the first "Decal'd" pups made, and the last of the decal's pups are different. It has to do with the type of wire, the magnets, so on. Stuff like that.

 

I ain't here to try and appraise the guitar, but you could be seeing a difference between the $850 the guy quoted you (which sounds reasonable to me), and maybe $1500-2000 as a result of having highly desirable early Decal'd pups that are original to the guitar, as well as having original hardware to go with them.

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Wasn't suggesting you sell the pups, but rather making a point that what the pups are will have an effect on the value of the guitar.

 

Maybe you might be interested in doing some research on the subject of the pups.

 

What you want to do, is take pics of the pups WITHOUT the covers on them. It's what is inside the covers that people will want to see. Basically, the construction, the materiels of the pups has gone through changes around the time. The LAST "PAF" pups made are identical to the first "Decal'd" pups made, and the last of the decal's pups are different. It has to do with the type of wire, the magnets, so on. Stuff like that.

 

I ain't here to try and appraise the guitar, but you could be seeing a difference between the $850 the guy quoted you (which sounds reasonable to me), and maybe $1500-2000 as a result of having highly desirable early Decal'd pups that are original to the guitar, as well as having original hardware to go with them.

I'm still on the fence with this subject. I had a feeling early on in the restoration the pickups were just about the only thing worth it on this guitar. As it sits it is almost like putting PAFs in a Faded SG Special- nothing wrong with that but that is pretty much the only valuable part of the guitar, and I don't know if that really makes it more "desirable / marketable".

Originally I had no plans to sell this guitar, but after a year I got a bit impatient and decided to buy another Gibson.

Since the guitar itself is not really of value, and I have more money in restoration than I will probably get back, I could probably sell the pickups and buy some decent Burstbuckers or Fralin pickups. I still have another original Maestro tailpiece and cover as well. I'll take it apart and take more detailed pictures. If the pickups prove to be worth some decent money I could go that route.

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I'm still on the fence with this subject. I had a feeling early on in the restoration the pickups were just about the only thing worth it on this guitar. As it sits it is almost like putting PAFs in a Faded SG Special- nothing wrong with that but that is pretty much the only valuable part of the guitar, and I don't know if that really makes it more "desirable / marketable".

Originally I had no plans to sell this guitar, but after a year I got a bit impatient and decided to buy another Gibson.

Since the guitar itself is not really of value, and I have more money in restoration than I will probably get back, I could probably sell the pickups and buy some decent Burstbuckers or Fralin pickups. I still have another original Maestro tailpiece and cover as well. I'll take it apart and take more detailed pictures. If the pickups prove to be worth some decent money I could go that route.

Seems worth looking into.

 

I could be wrong, but maybe the pups, WITH the hardware and WITH the guitar as a package might help the value of all of it. In a sense, they kinda authenticate each other.

 

Of corse, we still don't know what the pups are exactly.

 

Then also, even if you present the whole together, but just keep the guitar.

 

Now, if the pups and the hardware are not original to the guitar, what I said above doesn't apply.

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