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What would this sell for in the US? $800?


flatbaroque

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http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1960-s-Gibson-J-50-Acoustic-Guitar-/262400748613?hash=item3d184dac45:g:-ykAAOSwkEVXGpCO

 

I see this a lot on Australian Ebay..

Norlin era square shouldered J-45's. With florid descriptions of mojo and classic Gibson sound..and prices $3000 even $4000.I assume they sell for bugger all in the US.(um that means not much if you aren't up on the slang)

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It's one of those ambiguous serial numbers, but characteristics say early 1970's. Depending on condition, up to about $1500 or so USD.

 

What caught my eye was the other "1969 J-45" beneath this listing. Description is total nonsense. Are people in Oz that gullible?

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Well...on the positive side, it probably was an adj bridge that was converted to fixed. That changes the vintage value for the worse but adds to the value if you like a tone that is more directly connected to the tonewood on top. Sometimes it's an improvement, but I'm so done with adj saddle setups.

 

If I were starting out looking to buy my first old guitar I wouldn't pay more than $1500. It might not have the J45 tone, something you wouldn't find out 'til it was in-hand, but that's the gamble.

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It's one of those ambiguous serial numbers, but characteristics say early 1970's. Depending on condition, up to about $1500 or so USD.

 

What caught my eye was the other "1969 J-45" beneath this listing. Description is total nonsense. Are people in Oz that gullible?

 

haha...Nick we are Tin Men in Oz...if we only had a brain [biggrin] !

 

I doubt many of these overpriced things sell just because they are Gibson.Even a cursory search must give potential buyers an idea.I guess sellers try it on.Caveat Emptor as always.

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Looks a bit like this $1,300 J-45: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Gibson/J45-Standard-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-111236133.gc

 

Notice how it says $200 price drop in the Guitar Center ad, which I assume means it has been sitting around for awhile. I got my 1965 J-50 there and it had been in the store about 10 months. They had dropped the price by about $800 from the original asking price. I got them to shave another 20% off.

 

Not really an apples to apples comparison since Guitar Center gives you 3 days to return a vintage guitar for a full refund if you don't like it.

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Looks a bit like this $1,300 J-45: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Gibson/J45-Standard-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-111236133.gc

 

Notice how it says $200 price drop in the Guitar Center ad, which I assume means it has been sitting around for awhile. I got my 1965 J-50 there and it had been in the store about 10 months. They had dropped the price by about $800 from the original asking price. I got them to shave another 20% off.

 

Not really an apples to apples comparison since Guitar Center gives you 3 days to return a vintage guitar for a full refund if you don't like it.

 

 

Those Norlin-era square dreads don't get a lot of respect. One might argue they get exactly the respect they deserve. There are good ones out there, but there are more that aren't so good.

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I bought my 1974 J-50 new, and have plenty of respect for anything that has followed me around for 42 years. ;) I understand why some people dislike them, and they seem to be priced accordingly. Mine became unplayable after years of neglect, but I got it fixed up a few years ago and it's nice now. I don't play it much, I really prefer the 1965 J-50. But my son in law loves the 1974, it's the only one he wants to play when they visit.

 

Perhaps the younger generation has more appreciation for these 70's guitars than us grouchy old men on the forum? [biggrin]

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I bought my 1974 J-50 new, and have plenty of respect for anything that has followed me around for 42 years. ;) I understand why some people dislike them, and they seem to be priced accordingly. Mine became unplayable after years of neglect, but I got it fixed up a few years ago and it's nice now. I don't play it much, I really prefer the 1965 J-50. But my son in law loves the 1974, it's the only one he wants to play when they visit.

 

Perhaps the younger generation has more appreciation for these 70's guitars than us grouchy old men on the forum? [biggrin]

 

haha boyd...didn't mean to diss your no doubt good sounding guitar. I think Ryan Adams plays some sort of Norlin Gibson sometimes.Just the ones in Oz are generally way overpriced.

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Haha, that's fine. If I didn't have the 1974 guitar I doubt that I would go out and buy one. In my case it's mainly the sentimental value. But it is an incredibly LOUD guitar. When I got the 1965, they had several J-50's and J-45's from the period 1967-1970 in the store and I was able to A/B them. I really preferred the sound of the 1965, but I like the ADJ bridge. I would not have purchased the others, but that is partly because they sounded pretty much the same as my 1974.

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With all due respect most Aussies are clueless about Gibson acoustics. I mean, most of them opt for Matons anyway, which must be one of the worst production guitar brands on the market.

 

Then again, these days everything is massivelly overpriced in Oz.

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Those Norlin-era square dreads don't get a lot of respect. One might argue they get exactly the respect they deserve. There are good ones out there, but there are more that aren't so good.

 

 

The rumor is that a few "gems" snuck out of the factory. Thing is everybody seems to own one of those rare gems. It would appear that the 1970s produced more consistently good Gibsons than any era in the company history.

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With all due respect most Aussies are clueless about Gibson acoustics.

 

Surely the law of supply and demand has a lot to do with the price. Australia is only about 23 million people vs 320 million for the US and a Gibson is an imported guitar. So there probably just aren't a lot of vintage Gibson acoustics and therefore they are more expensive. If you purchase one in the US, would you have to pay some kind of import duties or taxes when returning to Australia?

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LOL, zomby never misses an opportunity to dis the 1970's Gibsons and their owners. [flapper]

 

 

I remember playing those guitars when they were new. I recall walking into guitar stores with some older Gibson I was thinking of trading in and walking out empty handed every time.

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http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1960-s-Gibson-J-50-Acoustic-Guitar-/262400748613?hash=item3d184dac45:g:-ykAAOSwkEVXGpCO

 

I see this a lot on Australian Ebay..

Norlin era square shouldered J-45's. With florid descriptions of mojo and classic Gibson sound..and prices $3000 even $4000.I assume they sell for bugger all in the US.(um that means not much if you aren't up on the slang)

 

 

 

 

 

Are you tempted, FB? <_<

 

 

For those interested in Aust prices new and used at a shop, have a look through the prices here:

 

http://www.acousticcentre.com.au

 

Australian Dollar exchange rate has a lot to do with prices - currently getting 77 US Dollars for 100 Aust Dollars as we write.

 

We had a massive mining boom where we sold massive amounts of iron ore and all prices rose, now we are selling all our real estate to the previous iron ore buyers.

 

The first guitars I imported direct saved me heaps of money, probably as the great unwashed were not internet buying then. Now everyone buys their toothpaste online, and the greed is too much for the accounts fiddlers to leave alone - taxes, duties, fees.

 

 

All transactions fees and duties have quadrupled, at least in the last few years...

 

So the guitar I recently bought was about $4,500 US Dollars..... add $415.07 for Fedex to bring it to my house - convert that to Aust Dollars and it is now $AU6373.69; add $AU713.50 for "Quarantine Fees" at Customs and then a week later a surprise fee from my bank of $AU194 "Overseas Transaction Fee" and a fee to move the amount of $AU0.30c from one account to my debit card.......all up a bit over $US7200!!!!!!!!! The shop above sells the same guitar currently out of stock for $AU7999 but a price rise is coming...........

 

There you go.

 

All a gamble on a sight unseen guitar, but it is a totally flawless (to me) Martin OM18 Authentic VTS model, and so far in my life, the absolute best guitar I have ever played!

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

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