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The Value of, or Lack Thereof, of "Seconds"?


WScott

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Hi All,

 

I have a 1978 ES-175 that sounds great but is a little worn. I am 78 and I just passed it on to my son. It is a "Second" and has that stamped on the back of the head stock along with the serial number. I paid almost $2,500 for it.

 

Being a 1978, I assume it was most likely made in Kalamazoo. I have heard they had great quality control with very high standards and that "seconds" were so good they were usually offered first to employees but I do not know if that is true.

 

I am wondering generally about the value of "seconds" produced by Gibson. Particularly whether or not they may appreciate over time in a way similar to other Gibson's of the same age and model.

 

Any ideas or insights? [confused]

 

Thanks, Scott

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Gibson "2" guitars sometimes had minor finish flaws and were legitimately stamped as seconds because it was more cost effective than tweaking the finish. At other times, if an employee could slip a few $ to a line inspector, an especially good-sounding (unflawed) guitar might be marked as a "2" and sold to the employee who initiated the arrangement. The instruments with severe problems were marked BGN. Most of us who play older Gibsons don't consider a "2" to be detremental in terms of price or utility. Purist 'collectors' might have other views, and there's always someone who buys into the Gibson published material that asserts the ideal as opposed to the real in terms of what left the factory and the circumstances thereof.

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The 2 stamp on a vintage Gibson is far less important than the condition of the guitar. As the cowpoke says, the 2 stamp generally means only a cosmetic flaw, which is pretty irrelevant in most cases after a few years of use.

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