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Steinberger GM-1T


GeorgeNoPlay

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I inherited a Steinberger GM-1T, well, I think it is. I don't play and no little about guitars, less about this other than some research. Here is what Gibson said based on immages I sent:

 

"Hi,

 

This appears to be a GM-1T model. Unfortunately, this serial number is not listed in the Steinberger Ledger Archives. However, the serial numbers N10083 and N10085 were both shipped from the factory in January of 1990, so it is likely this went out around the same time. "

 

 

 

Gibson Customer Service

 

I have the guitar on ebay . I did get this message from someone who saw it on ebay:

 

A heads up, I believe this is a self build from parts. My judgement on this is based on the fact the body has a wood effect, which was never available from Steinberger. Your best way of checking to see if it was an original that was sanded down is to open up the cavities for the electronics and the pickup and see if there is a steinberger serial number on the body (if so take a photo). Without that this guitar is worth half the price, you may actually get more money by splitting it into parts. You'll get close to $1000 for the TT, 500-600 for the neck, and the rest you could possibly get about 300 for, so 2k total. (Worth noting I'm not interested in buying, just a steinberger fanatic giving some advice :P)

 

I don't want to mislead anyone...what do you all think?

 

George

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I don't want to mislead anyone...what do you all think?

 

Hi George,

 

wondering whom you mean by "all"… this is an almost empty room here ;)

 

I personally do not think it's a Partsberger, built from parts, and it's also most likely not a 3rd party body. I don't think anybody would build a GM body INCLUDING the binding.

 

I'd say it's an original GM-1T, which has been modified. The modifications in detail:

 

- body has been sanded down

- the battery box on the back has been installed afterwards.

 

It is correct that you might be able to find more details by opening the electronics compartment or remove the neck to have a look into the neck pocket. However, Steinberger wrote a lot of things into this neck pocket, rarely a serial number, in most cases the things written there did not give any clue about their meanings. Just internal numbers, batch numbers, dates, sometimes serials that didn't match the neck serial, etc. What you might be able to find is remnants of the original finish, though.

 

So whoever wrote that comment on your auction is (imho) correct in a lot of points, I just don't share his opinion about the body, and the chance to find another serial on it. He's also correct that you might be able to get a little bit more when selling the guitar in parts (if you successfully sell them all). However, I HATE seeing people doing that to (more or less) original instruments :)

 

Bernd

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Thanks Bernd.

 

I hate parting out original items too...I have a vintage woodworking machine woodshop, and the parts often could bring more than the whole, but preservation of original, and allowing use od original, is important. I'll await others responses, but until I'm convince otherwise, I'm keeping it as is. I mean Gibson asked for a lot of info and photo proof, and as you can see they thought it was as described.

 

George

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I hate parting out original items too...I have a vintage woodworking machine woodshop, and the parts often could bring more than the whole, but preservation of original, and allowing use od original, is important.

 

Good :)

 

I'll await others responses, but until I'm convince otherwise, I'm keeping it as is.

 

I dare to predict there won't be too many other responses… if you want to find the Steinberger enthusiasts, you better look here. And if you visit the links in my signature, you might notice that I've spent the last couple of years doing a lot of research work on Steinberger instruments, so I'm pretty sure of the things I said.

 

Bernd

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