Izzwardo Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I was at work today and my boss knows that I collect and play guitar so he asked if I could clean and restring his old guitar that has been under the bed for 15 years or so and I was expecting a crappy Chinese guitar and when I saw the case with the Gibson logo I got excited. Its a 1985 J-30 with binding on the body of the guitar and also has the mother of pearl block inlay on the fretboard and mother of pearl Gibson logo with the crown inlay below it. Most of the J-30's I have seen do not have the nice binding and pearl inlays. The strings were dead to say the least but with a new set and some guitar polish she is back to life. Now he knows I want this guitar but I don't know the current value of it. I know discussing values is sometimes a touchy subject but could you guys help me out? Its a beautiful instrument in really nice shape and I want it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I was at work today and my boss knows that I collect and play guitar so he asked if I could clean and restring his old guitar that has been under the bed for 15 years or so and I was expecting a crappy Chinese guitar and when I saw the case with the Gibson logo I got excited. Its a 1985 J-30 with binding on the body of the guitar and also has the mother of pearl block inlay on the fretboard and mother of pearl Gibson logo with the crown inlay below it. Most of the J-30's I have seen do not have the nice binding and pearl inlays. The strings were dead to say the least but with a new set and some guitar polish she is back to life. Now he knows I want this guitar but I don't know the current value of it. I know discussing values is sometimes a touchy subject but could you guys help me out? Its a beautiful instrument in really nice shape and I want it!!! Hmmm... that's an interesting variant of the J-30! The 'typical/standard' fingerboard inlay is dots, not dual parallelgrams. Like this: The finish is typical of the mid-80s. Cool! Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchie1281734003 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Here in the U.K. a s/h J-30 goes for about £1075-1299, roughly $1650-1900. I`m sure it would be less in the U.S. However the Hummingbird neck inlays are unusual for this model. If it were mine I could be tempted to put a Hummingbird pickguard on it. Nice looking guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merseybeat1963 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Furniture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzwardo Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Wow I never thought of it that way. You know your reply makes sense and really helped me out with this deal THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Furniture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzwardo Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Nice picture! I thought it was interesting it had the parallelegrams as well. Maybe it was ordered that way? I played it last nite then switched back and forth from my Taylor 314Ce to the J-30 and the J-30 definitely had a deeper warmer tone to it. Maybe a trade is in the works. Hmmm... that's an interesting variant of the J-30! The 'typical/standard' fingerboard inlay is dots, not dual parallelgrams. Like this: The finish is typical of the mid-80s. Cool! Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzwardo Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Thanks for the reply! If I got it I would leave it the way it is. Is the price you said a newer J-30 price? Here in the U.K. a s/h J-30 goes for about £1075-1299, roughly $1650-1900. I`m sure it would be less in the U.S. However the Hummingbird neck inlays are unusual for this model. If it were mine I could be tempted to put a Hummingbird pickguard on it. Nice looking guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 It looks like the entire neck is a Hummingbird/SJ neck, right from the binding to the inlays in the fingerboard to the MoP-inlaid crown and logo (not silkscreened logo, e.g.). Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 A guy had one on the Craigslist for $1200 recently, it was J-30 (no year mentioned) and was natural top, dot inlays, sooooo, not at good looking as yours, I talked to him, saddle was pretty low, may have needed some work. I suggest you look inside the sound hole with a mirror, and check if it had the double "X" braced top with the very huge bridge plate. I think they were using this configuration at this time. Consensus IS , that this type of bracing was done to avoid warranty work, and is considered over braced and sound killing. Just check, because your guitar MAY sound fine, and great to your ears, but that type of top will affect price for most buyers. I think in 89 they went to traditional "X" braced tops, but the historians on the forum can correct that. Some folks swear by the sound of these Norlin era guitars......so if it sounds good, and you like it....why not get it? I would say $1400 would get my interest if in pristine shape.....good luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 The official price from Vintage Guitar Magazine's 2013 Price Guide for a 1985 J-30 is: $875- $1050. That's excellent condition. So that's one number to look at and negotiate from.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzwardo Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 Thanks for the information guys. I looked inside the body of the guitar and it has one X brace and a normal sized bridge plate. I am not exactly sure what a double X brace looks like but this does not appear to be a double X. I will find out tomorrow or Monday what kind of deal we will work out. I really appreciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 The J-30 that came out of Nashville was intended to be a plain jane version of the Hummingbird. I am pretty sure this guitar does not have the double X bracing. It is my impression that by tyhe mid-1980s Gibson kinda noticed that nobody was buying their acoustics and going for the older ones so they started to undo many of the dumb things they had done. I am pretty sure the double X bracing was dropped around this time. Value - One came up on eBay a while back and it went for only around $700. The later Montana-made versions tend to be more highly valued than the earlier Nashville-made guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchie1281734003 Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Thanks for the reply! If I got it I would leave it the way it is. Is the price you said a newer J-30 price? Yes a newer 90s one. http://www.frailers.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=2800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffchris Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Yes a newer 90s one. http://www.frailers.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=2800 Hey frenchie, mine was 5 ton :). Bought it last year, I think that's the price for em. I might take mine to that shop and see how much they offer me for it :). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchie1281734003 Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Hey frenchie, mine was 5 ton :). Bought it last year, I think that's the price for em. I might take mine to that shop and see how much they offer me for it :). Worth a try Gruffchris, but knowing Frank, he would proably give you a trade value against guitars in his current stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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