Saying Goodbye to a piece of my early youth, a '75 SG

[John Shiflet]

This past week marked a distinct directional change in my efforts to  move forward in my life 18 months into widowhood. After a lot of soul searching, I concluded the  sole remaining relic from my youth, a pristine '75 SG,  needed a new home as I bought it at 24 in 1975 then couldn't afford to buy an amp so I let it slumber for over 30 years in a closet, never played.  I had hooked it up to an amp in recent months after putting new strings on it. (I like Cleartones) It still had that sweet Gibson sound.  But that guitar represented more to me about my distant past than where I'm at in my life now and where I want to be 20 years from now. (that latter part is a kind of gallows humor. ) In return, I acquired a phenomenal American made professional artists  acoustic-electric for less than $700  which was an acceptable trade to me.  That sad old SG needed to find a new home and absorb new energy from the next generation of  players. The old me is fading away and the reinvented me and reinvigorated me is slowly emerging.

I hate to drop any business names, so cautiously, I visited the Chicago Music Exchange on the town's north side. Driving to get there was a traumatic experience having white knuckle reactions as daredevil automotive equivalent of skateboarders, darting through multiple lanes of traffic on the Windy City's tollways. And  man, with it being Chi-town, they make you pay, and pay, and pay some more in toll charges which drains you of $40 or more. That's a noticeable disincentive to drive into Chicago proper, but to achieve my goal of trading my venerable SG for a far more practical professional grade performers guitar made sense. Over the coming weeks I look forward to exploring new melodic horizons with  the new gear. I tried to put dibs on a Cherry Gibson ES 335 to replace the traded SG  and expand my electric guitar horizons with new sound capabilities.  However, the custom shop example, was exquisite in every fine detail but very pricey, motivating me to make a Hail Mary offer on it which I did stating that guitar "spoke" to me like a seductive lady would. Ah, the joys of widowhood but that could change.... Photo is of me with Chicago Music Exchange in-store pro guitarist, Nathaniel. He does all of the Youtube videos for the store.  And Man, can that boy play! My new guitar is in hand.

[bigtim]

I am lost for words. I am terribly sorry you lost your wife. ...I hope you are happy with your new acoustic guitar as well. 

 

 

It would have been very neat to see your SG. 

 

 

 

Good luck

[Larsongs]

I’m sorry to hear your Wife passed away.. I can’t even imagine.. May that new Guitar bring you some peace & joy.. God Bless.

[Sheepdog1969]

John, my father became a widower 13 months ago. She did everything for him, save for making money, which thankfully he was very good at. She passed from Frontal Lobe Dementia, so she had been in a Palliative care facility for just under three years prior to her death. He literally had never done laundry, made a bed, run a vacuum, clean a toilet or shower,  or 99% of the other indoor household tasks required as a single adult homeowner.  Fortunately, I live just under an hour away from him , (and I am retired), so I have been able to help him out. I go to his house at least once a week and help him clean, dust, vacuum, mop floors, do maintenance, keep his PC running, and or anything else he may need.  You obviously are from the Chicago area, so you may understand better than others what I mean when I say, "He has a big house in Barrington Hills, Illinois.".  Just vacuuming the entire house takes around 2 1/2 to 3 hours. There are 5 and a half bathrooms that need to be kept clean as well, that the hard, iron laden Well water does a number on if you don't  . Without my support, and the support of his wonderful friends, I don't know  how he would have survived. At 82, he's and old dog resistant to learning new tricks, but he is doing his own laundry and learned how to make a bed!! Thank goodness for small miracles.

I write this in hopes that you have a similar type of support group. If not, I live about 35 miles up Rt. 14 (Northwest Highway), from Barrington, Il, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to me, either by Personal Message, or on this thread.  Even if you have a support group, I am available if you need a shoulder to lean on, or just someone to talk to. There are also a myriad of support groups for those who have lost their spouses. My father has benefited massively from the group he joined 2 years ago for loved ones with, (or have passed from), terminal dementia. I can connect you with one of these support groups in your area, if you haven't already joined one. Let me know what, if anything, I can do for you sir. I am sorry for your loss brother.   

 

Edited April 14 by Sheepdog1969

[John Shiflet]

7 hours ago, bigtim said:

I am lost for words. I am terribly sorry you lost your wife. ...I hope you are happy with your new acoustic guitar as well. 

 

 

It would have been very neat to see your SG. 

 

 

 

Good luck

Thanks for your kind words, Bigtim.  Like so many who seek solace in music, doing so has taken my unhealthy grieving mental state and redirected the focus towards something positive- i.e. playing guitar, and revisiting a past passion that has never wavered.  Like saying goodbye to a loved one, on the morning before departure to Chicago, I took photos of my SG which I'll happily share. No pun intended, but the middle-aged instrument had led a very sheltered life and was never given the well deserved opportunity to sonically soar, as it was made to do.  Now, hopefully, someone energetic and younger can bring that SG into a player-guitar relationship that will last his or her lifetime. That's also something Gibsons were always designed to do: become legacy instruments for generations of players. It's far better to pass down a well played Gibson than the rusty old shotgun that Grandpappy used to hunt squirrels. I'm still sending all the good Karma energy to that ES 335 that told me it wanted to go home with me just as Taylor, the Native American medicine man, in Poltergeist II told the traumatized family that their station wagon had spoken to him and told him it wanted to go home with him. That said, I'm thinking a custom shop 335 is too high class of a lady to be subjected to daily use.  I'm thinking now that it would be more practical to seek out a 335 that is a more salt of the earth type.

[John Shiflet]

7 hours ago, Larsongs said:

I’m sorry to hear your Wife passed away.. I can’t even imagine.. May that new Guitar bring you some peace & joy.. God Bless.

Larsongs, I appreciate your kindness and positive thoughts. The newly acquired  guitar is opening up new sonic possibilities. It will probably take years to explore all of the range that guitar can provide.  I look forward to that journey with great anticipation.

[John Shiflet]

7 hours ago, Sheepdog1969 said:

John, my father became a widower 13 months ago. She did everything for him, save for making money, which thankfully he was very good at. She passed from Frontal Lobe Dementia, so she had been in a Palliative care facility for just under three years prior to her death. He literally had never done laundry, made a bed, run a vacuum, clean a toilet or shower,  or 99% of the other indoor household tasks required as a single adult homeowner.  Fortunately, I live just under an hour away from him , (and I am retired), so I have been able to help him out. I go to his house at least once a week and help him clean, dust, vacuum, mop floors, do maintenance, keep his PC running, and or anything else he may need.  You obviously are from the Chicago area, so you may understand better than others what I mean when I say, "He has a big house in Barrington Hills, Illinois.".  Just vacuuming the entire house takes around 2 1/2 to 3 hours. There are 5 and a half bathrooms that need to be kept clean as well, that the hard, iron laden Well water does a number on if you don't  . Without my support, and the support of his wonderful friends, I don't know  how he would have survived. At 82, he's and old dog resistant to learning new tricks, but he is doing his own laundry and learned how to make a bed!! Thank goodness for small miracles.

I write this in hopes that you have a similar type of support group. If not, I live about 35 miles up Rt. 14 (Northwest Highway), from Barrington, Il, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to me, either by Personal Message, or on this thread.  Even if you have a support group, I am available if you need a shoulder to lean on, or just someone to talk to. There are also a myriad of support groups for those who have lost their spouses. My father has benefited massively from the group he joined 2 years ago for loved ones with, (or have passed from), terminal dementia. I can connect you with one of these support groups in your area, if you haven't already joined one. Let me know what, if anything, I can do for you sir. I am sorry for your loss brother.   

 

Sheepdog, thanks for sharing your own moving story about love and caring for our loved ones. I joined the caregiver ranks myself but I've always been independent enough to care for myself and take care of my own needs. I'm helping in any way I can right now a Vietnam Vet. neighbor who is battling an Alzheimer's diagnosis. The plucky guy is putting 100% into everything he does and he's fully engaged with the world. I'll never be able to thank him enough for traveling with me to Chicago and helping me get out of there alive.

James Taylor certainly personally knew the grief of losing someone he loved. His song, Fire & Rain captured the emotional finality of coming to terms after losing someone they were close to. This is the Gibson forum, so I'll try to steer this back towards a musical direction. At the Chicago Music Exchange store they had a factory warehouse full of Gibsons of every model, including rarities as well as working guitarists' models.  They also had many sound check demo rooms so as you strolled around, you would catch some Rock chords, snazzy Jazz riffs, and squirrel-like rapid runs by accomplished young shredders who were  trying to pull all the notes out of the guitars that they were stress testing. The prices at CME are urban store prices but still reasonable. Their staff  is friendly and helpful but on that day was quite busy. Parking even a block away from the store is an accomplishment and we came within a hair's breath of getting ticketed as my navigator went out to park the car closer to the store and then found that none of the 3 credit cards he swiped was recognized by the surly Chicago meter machine.  A store sales manager came out to argue and was able to get the meter official to back down but she still had to type in a reason why the ticket was rescinded. That was quite a day for all of us.

[RBSinTo]

John, 

Sorry to hear about the passing of your wife.

May her memory be a blessing.

RBSinTo

[Californiaman]

John, I wish you multiple music horizons as you charge headlong into a phase of your life.

Sorry for the loss of your wife.  I'm 60 now and can't imagine if I were to lose mine as she is my everything.

That SG was absolutely beautiful man.  A lot of people will be happy to own such an iconic axe.

🙂

[Sheepdog1969]

8 hours ago, John Shiflet said:

James Taylor certainly personally knew the grief of losing someone he loved. His song, Fire & Rain captured the emotional finality of coming to terms after losing someone they were close to.

When I was copying the link from YouTube for "You've got a friend", I let the track play as I typed. Auto play must have been enabled and "Fire and Rain" played next. I had been doing my best to restrain my emotions when I was typing my reply to you, but I had to step outside and wipe away a tear or two after the first verse of "Fire and Rain".  Glad to hear you are powering through this trying time. If your veteran neighbor does not currently have a patient advocate to represent his medical interests, I highly recommend you help him acquire one sooner than later. Let me know if you need more info about that crucial service.

Edited April 14 by Sheepdog1969

[bigtim]

15 hours ago, John Shiflet said:

Thanks for your kind words, Bigtim.  Like so many who seek solace in music, doing so has taken my unhealthy grieving mental state and redirected the focus towards something positive- i.e. playing guitar, and revisiting a past passion that has never wavered.  Like saying goodbye to a loved one, on the morning before departure to Chicago, I took photos of my SG which I'll happily share. No pun intended, but the middle-aged instrument had led a very sheltered life and was never given the well deserved opportunity to sonically soar, as it was made to do.  Now, hopefully, someone energetic and younger can bring that SG into a player-guitar relationship that will last his or her lifetime. That's also something Gibsons were always designed to do: become legacy instruments for generations of players. It's far better to pass down a well played Gibson than the rusty old shotgun that Grandpappy used to hunt squirrels. I'm still sending all the good Karma energy to that ES 335 that told me it wanted to go home with me just as Taylor, the Native American medicine man, in Poltergeist II told the traumatized family that their station wagon had spoken to him and told him it wanted to go home with him. That said, I'm thinking a custom shop 335 is too high class of a lady to be subjected to daily use.  I'm thinking now that it would be more practical to seek out a 335 that is a more salt of the earth type.

Thanks for sharing the picture of that SG!!

 

She was a beauty and someone will love it very much. 

 

 

I got my first guitar for Christmas when I was 6 years old. I had an older brother who played. He would show me chords and such but I just held it and made a bunch of noise with it for the most part until I got a little older and more interested in guitars with the desire to play and learn. 

 

My mom died of cancer related treatment when I was 13. 

 

That's when I poured all of my emotions of her loss into the instrument and devoted a life time of trying to get better to this day. 

 

 

As far as the custom shop es335 goes....well let me tell you something sir....go for it if you can swing it. 

 

I too recently bought a brand new custom shop 57 Reissue Les Paul custom shop Gibson.  I didn't need it as I already had what I thought were good guitars....but there was something special in this 57 that I had never felt before.....it kind of spoke to me...it played better than any guitar I ever played....maybe it was the big neck profile.....and it sounded better that the other Les Paul's I have owned.........it is my all time favorite guitar now....I do not play it everyday....but I do play it often and it inspires me to play better. 

 

It is a fabulous guitar for sure. 

 

 

So with that said........treat yourself and get the custom shop es335.....you may be surprised at how much you would play it!!! 

[John Shiflet]

22 hours ago, Californiaman said:

John, I wish you multiple music horizons as you charge headlong into a phase of your life.

Sorry for the loss of your wife.  I'm 60 now and can't imagine if I were to lose mine as she is my everything.

That SG was absolutely beautiful man.  A lot of people will be happy to own such an iconic axe.

🙂

Thanks Californiaman.  Yes, that SG had traveled with me to multiple places and had journeyed with me through life from age 24 to my 70's. As odd as this may sound, it was not that difficult for me to let it go. I suppose if things had been different and I had played that SG daily for all of those years, I might have emotionally bonded to it but I never did. That guitar represented who I was in the past and I'm ready to transition to a new phase. With the present assembled gear configuration, I think I'm set up to play for as many years as I'm able to. Seeing Willie Nelson and the Stones still in the saddle gives me hope of a hobby/passion that I'll never get too old for.

[John Shiflet]

17 hours ago, Sheepdog1969 said:

When I was copying the link from YouTube for "You've got a friend", I let the track play as I typed. Auto play must have been enabled and "Fire and Rain" played next. I had been doing my best to restrain my emotions when I was typing my reply to you, but I had to step outside and wipe away a tear or two after the first verse of "Fire and Rain".  Glad to hear you are powering through this trying time. If your veteran neighbor does not currently have a patient advocate to represent his medical interests, I highly recommend you help him acquire one sooner than later. Let me know if you need more info about that crucial service.

Jim, my good neighbor and friend goes regularly to the VA Hospital for checkups and  evaluations. My late spouse had a final phase in her liver disease that mimicked Dementia. Some days all she spoke was a couple of words. Jim is far far more cogent and active. I've advised him to improve his diet and consider homeopathic/herbal remedies as an add on to his regular medical routines. He does have children but like mine, they all live quite some distance away.

[John Shiflet]

Thank you Big Tim. Guys who play guitars have different kinds of reactions and relationships towards them.  My absolute favorite guitar is a less expensive model by the F company that initially, I felt would be seldom played but over time I've found I can get sounds out of that guitar that I can't with any other.

Again, I compare the exquisite Custom Shop red  ES 335 with a high class lady for being too nice for routine road playing but still fine for occasional musical forays at home. 335's have long held a fascination with me. Jorma Kaukonen, lead guitarist for the Jefferson Airplane, had a red 335 (TD) that he played over his entire career with the Airplane.  Justin Hayward guitarist for the Moody Blues, used his ES 335 to record most of his songs,  There's an interesting online piece about how he acquired the 335 used. Of course, most Rock music fans remember Alvin Lee of 10 Years After showing off  his guitar Pyrotechnics  on the stage at Woodstock. The Gallagher Bros.,  Liam and Noel, have chosen the 335 for many of their songs. That pristine custom shop  red 335 at the Chicago Music Exchange spoke to me as I lovingly turned it around looking at  all of  it's finer details. If it's meant to be, I expect I'll be seeing it again soon. If not, then maybe another one with a less impressive pedigree will show up. Patience is the one thing I still have an abundant supply of.  Sorry to hear about your losing your mother at 13. Both of my parents were cancer survivors.

[John Shiflet]

Big Tim wrote: I got my first guitar for Christmas when I was 6 years old. I had an older brother who played. He would show me chords and such but I just held it and made a bunch of noise with it for the most part until I got a little older and more interested in guitars with the desire to play and learn. 

My grandson turns 6 in a little over a week. He seems to be musically inclined, but in his 5's, his "banging" on the guitar literally meant that. He and my son visited last summer and when I tried to show the kid some notes and chords, he would have none of it. I've told his parents I'll leave my guitars and gear to him if he has a genuine appreciation for music and guitar playing.  I'm dismayed when animals are neglected but I believe holding quality guitars and never playing them is a form of neglect of a fine instrument.  Imagine if the handful of extant Stradivarius violins were all locked away in museum cases and never played? That said, I can only imagine the worry I'd have holding a bow against the strings of a 300 year old Stradivarius original worth close to ten million dollars.  I certainly would not try to play one aggressively, even if I could. I've witnessed some rare Gibsons soar past the hundred thousand dollar mark so in another hundred years they may be in Stradivarius price territory. Isolated guitar examples by famous artists have already passed the million dollar range. All fine guitars should be treated with care, in my opinion.  All of those beat up "relic" guitars  say to me is that their uncaring players didn't give them the respect and care they deserved.

[IanHenry]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your wife John, I hope you find whatever you need to make you happy.

[sparquelito]

Praying for you, John. 
For peace and healing. 

A story for you.

Not precisely the same thing, but I understand catharsis, and how divesting sentimental things can help with moving forward:

A few years ago, I advised a lady out west on the potential sale of her 30+ year old Stratocaster. 
I provided a valuation, and gave her lots of good advice on how to sell it via Craigslist, Reverb, or local Classified adverts. 
(She lived near a major metropolitan city in the western United States.)
The lady was a really nice person, and I liked her a lot. 

I checked on her months later, to see how she was doing, and to see if she had sold the guitar. 
She was frustrated, and fearful of meeting strangers, and haggling over the cost of the Strat. 
Finally she blurted, "Well, why don't you buy the guitar?  I trust you, after all!"

I replied that the shipping costs would be wicked high, and make the entire venture not very satisfying for either of us. 
But I did check with FedEx, and it turned out that shipping from there to northern Alabama would be less than $100. 
And the guitar would be in its original hard shell case. 

So, I called her and chatted about it, and mailed her a check for $1,300. 
$1,200 for the 1991 Strat Plus, and $100 for the shipping. 

She shipped the guitar to me within the week. 

When I opened the guitar case, in the presence of my wife and my bass playing buddy, we were stunned. 
The guitar was pristine. Brand new. 
31 years old, and it was untouched. 
Still had the original strings on it. 
All the original case candy, strap, spare strings, Fender picks, Fender strap locks. 
The original sales receipt from 1991.
It had never been played. 

So, the back story. 

The lady who shipped the guitar had been a struggling young waitress in California, decades before. 
She was in love with a local guitar player. 
The moon rose and set on this guy. 
She was mad about him. 

He had only a crappy Strat-copy, and he had a birthday coming up. 
So she went to a reputable guitar store, and put a down payment on a brand new 1991 Strat Plus. 
She didn't make much money, but she paid on the guitar in installments, while the guitar store guy held it for her. 

At some point, she got off early from work, and drove by the bar or club where her beloved was loading in for a gig that evening. 
She walked into the darkened club, and headed for the stage area. 
Back in the dark corner behind the stage, she saw her fellow, leaned up against the wall, and smooching on a little bar girl. 
He was kissing on her, rubbing her tender bits, and whispering passionate sweet things into her ear. 

My friend turned and walked out, and never, ever called him or saw him ever again. 

Months later, the guitar was paid off, and she slipped the case under her bed. 
It stayed there. 
Life moved on, and so did our lady. 
She moved to another State, kept getting better jobs, and eventually married a wonderful, faithful man. 
The guitar moved wherever she moved, and it stayed in the case, untouched, under her bed. 

After many years, she decided that the old memories, and the guitar, needed to be put out of her life. 
The guitar playing lothario had died a few seasons earlier, and the guitar was just taking up space under her bed, and in her heart. 

She posted to a guitar valuation website where I worked as an Admin and Moderator, and requested the info on how to sell the guitar.
A year of communication between us later, and much soul-searching on her part,  it was in my hands, and everybody turned that corner. 

My friend is happy now. 
Life is good for her. 

And that (now 33 year old) Strat is my one and only. 
I can never sell it. 
I promised the lady that much. 
It's actually in my Last Will & Testament, going to my granddaughter whenever I pass on some day. 

Anyway, long rambling story. 

Peace to you, my brother. 
Life it going to be good. 
Not as good as when your wife was here with you, but surely a different form of goodness. 

I pray it is so. 

❤️
 

[John Shiflet]

7 hours ago, sparquelito said:

Praying for you, John. 
For peace and healing. 

A story for you.

Not precisely the same thing, but I understand catharsis, and how divesting sentimental things can help with moving forward:

A few years ago, I advised a lady out west on the potential sale of her 30+ year old Stratocaster. 
I provided a valuation, and gave her lots of good advice on how to sell it via Craigslist, Reverb, or local Classified adverts. 
(She lived near a major metropolitan city in the western United States.)
The lady was a really nice person, and I liked her a lot. 

I checked on her months later, to see how she was doing, and to see if she had sold the guitar. 
She was frustrated, and fearful of meeting strangers, and haggling over the cost of the Strat. 
Finally she blurted, "Well, why don't you buy the guitar?  I trust you, after all!"

I replied that the shipping costs would be wicked high, and make the entire venture not very satisfying for either of us. 
But I did check with FedEx, and it turned out that shipping from there to northern Alabama would be less than $100. 
And the guitar would be in its original hard shell case. 

So, I called her and chatted about it, and mailed her a check for $1,300. 
$1,200 for the 1991 Strat Plus, and $100 for the shipping. 

She shipped the guitar to me within the week. 

When I opened the guitar case, in the presence of my wife and my bass playing buddy, we were stunned. 
The guitar was pristine. Brand new. 
31 years old, and it was untouched. 
Still had the original strings on it. 
All the original case candy, strap, spare strings, Fender picks, Fender strap locks. 
The original sales receipt from 1991.
It had never been played. 

So, the back story. 

The lady who shipped the guitar had been a struggling young waitress in California, decades before. 
She was in love with a local guitar player. 
The moon rose and set on this guy. 
She was mad about him. 

He had only a crappy Strat-copy, and he had a birthday coming up. 
So she went to a reputable guitar store, and put a down payment on a brand new 1991 Strat Plus. 
She didn't make much money, but she paid on the guitar in installments, while the guitar store guy held it for her. 

At some point, she got off early from work, and drove by the bar or club where her beloved was loading in for a gig that evening. 
She walked into the darkened club, and headed for the stage area. 
Back in the dark corner behind the stage, she saw her fellow, leaned up against the wall, and smooching on a little bar girl. 
He was kissing on her, rubbing her tender bits, and whispering passionate sweet things into her ear. 

My friend turned and walked out, and never, ever called him or saw him ever again. 

Months later, the guitar was paid off, and she slipped the case under her bed. 
It stayed there. 
Life moved on, and so did our lady. 
She moved to another State, kept getting better jobs, and eventually married a wonderful, faithful man. 
The guitar moved wherever she moved, and it stayed in the case, untouched, under her bed. 

After many years, she decided that the old memories, and the guitar, needed to be put out of her life. 
The guitar playing lothario had died a few seasons earlier, and the guitar was just taking up space under her bed, and in her heart. 

She posted to a guitar valuation website where I worked as an Admin and Moderator, and requested the info on how to sell the guitar.
A year of communication between us later, and much soul-searching on her part,  it was in my hands, and everybody turned that corner. 

My friend is happy now. 
Life is good for her. 

And that (now 33 year old) Strat is my one and only. 
I can never sell it. 
I promised the lady that much. 
It's actually in my Last Will & Testament, going to my granddaughter whenever I pass on some day. 

Anyway, long rambling story. 

Peace to you, my brother. 
Life it going to be good. 
Not as good as when your wife was here with you, but surely a different form of goodness. 

I pray it is so. 

❤️
 

Sparquelito,

Thank you for sharing your moving story which is undoubtedly all true. People do get emotionally attached to musical instruments as they are added voices of expression for the player. I recently bought a long sleeve T-Shirt that reads: if I look quiet it's because you haven't seen me with my guitar. That pretty much summarizes me-I speak softly and play loud chords. I hope even as I'm typing this some younger player is looking at my old SG, plugging it into an amp, and seeing how he or she is getting along together.  I hope everything resonates between them and it's the beginning of a long musical relationship.  You spoke of everything being original with the Strat. I had changed the strings on my SG a time or two, but I still had the original case key, owner's manual, and yellowed sales reciept. Because I was young and broke most of the time, I had to set it up on a payment plan which I faithfully drove the 80 miles after every payday to pay down the balance. Because of that the sale's document still had my social security number on it. Back in those days, I vividly remember folks would have social security numbers, driver's license numbers, and of course telephone numbers all printed on their checks. My how times have changed. I anxiously tracked down the sales manager at CME in Chicago and told him about the ID problem but he happily made a copy of the receipt with the soc sec number taped over and gave me back the original.  Since you did mention the make by name. I have two Strats, one I bought off a guy selling it on e-Bay back in 2005. Ironically, he wanted to replace it with an SG. But I wasn't in the mood to trade mine at that time. I had finally gotten a decent amp, a Rocktron Replitone 100W x 2 x 12's. I still use it daily and yes, I've kept the big amp in like new condition. The darn thing is HEAVY and taking it up and down stairs gets old pretty fast. The solution was to buy a well used Rocktron "Rampage" 20 W x10"  speaker for under $100. Seller said it was loud but I've yet to verify that. The power cord on the back had slipped through the grommet so that it was hanging by the wires. I completely disassembled the amp because the grill looked like it had been dropped in a grease pit. The chassis was covered with dust, dirt and yard waste. The power supply was stamped Aug 8 1999 so that dated it. I took car upholstery foam cleaner and got almost every trace of dirt off of the grill. I went after the control knobs with simple green cleaner and a tooth brush. Some of the vinyl fake leather had come loose inside the cabinet so I reglued that. Stiil have a couple of items to touch up and I've armor-all'ed the vinyl around and throughout. Instead of looking like a garden shed find, It will now look like it was well taken care of  but well used and will make a good practice amp alongside the much bigger and heavier example

[sparquelito]

You are speaking my language, John. 
I love taking pawn shop prize guitar amplifiers and cleaning them up nicely to make them like new. 

The last one I got my hands on was so dusty and crusty, you felt like you needed to update your tetanus shot before  even picking it up. 

[John Shiflet]

You are speaking my language, John.  I love taking pawn shop prize guitar amplifiers and cleaning them up nicely to make them like new. 
The last one I got my hands on was so dusty and crusty, you felt like you needed to update your tetanus shot before  even picking it up. 

 

And you Sir, are (humorously) speaking mine. My passion for restoring old things is more than superficial. I had an antiques and furniture restoration business in Fort Worth, Texas, for many years and was known for my patient, sometimes not profitable work because of my perfectionism. More recently, I've been involved in historic preservation and old house restoration. (I live in one, my second work in progress) I'll post the "before" image of the e-Bay find, take a photo of the disassembled Rocktron Rampage 20W amp, now almost ready for re-assembly and a final photo with it in working condition. But I take that same caring approach to cars. and basically everything I own. I still have two pairs of jeans from 20+ years ago, and although washed many times and faded, they are not ripped or falling apart. That's why it pierces me through the heart to see a brand new, custom built instrument and then see it artificially trashed and proudly displayed by it's maker which maybe doesn't understand that it is tacitly endorsing careless instrument abuse of it's products.  I must stop here, therefore,  and single out Gibson for taking a more enlightened approach. Their "re-issued" classics don't display the half century or more of road torture like their competition does. They faithfully pay tribute to the originals by replicating these rare classics, line by line. Tom Murphy is doing a great service by trying to recapture those details that make the originals so desirable but leaving out the fake wear and tear. He and Gibson wisely realize these new classics will develop their own patina and appeal over time and it's not beyond the pale to envision in 50 years some of these re-issues will have gained classic status in their own right.  I remember reading the owner's manual in my '75 SG advising owners to take care of their instruments. Glad I followed that advice to the letter and now my 50 year old classic is passing on to someone else to carry it forward.  I still await my opportunity to acquire a nice ES 335 and hope it will happen soon.

A side note is that conventional wisdom says big industrial size amps are in low demand these days because smaller. lower wattage amps that provide adequate sound can be patched into house sound systems at performance venues. That's why you see artists like Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeshi playing large performance shows with smaller amps patched into the in-house sound systems. Some bands will continue to haul and lug around huge walls of amplifiers because that's part of their act but the smarter ones will downsize, add more graphics and light effects and no one will care if they don't have a million watts of amps stacked behind them on stage. Woodstock was over 50 years ago. In summary, I think there will be a steady demand for the better brand lower wattage used amps. I noticed Magnatone,  an American made, hand-wired brand mainly sells amps in the 15w to 30w range and they can still cost four grand. They did recently come out with a 100 W stack endorsed by "Slash" for the dyed in the wool power hungry.  My suggestion is to keep looking for those modest powered but quality amps as they will retain their value a lot longer than their megawatt cousins. Thanks for sharing yours; that's a real beaut and I bet it sounds good too. 

OK, I just encountered a problem...the system says my remaining file size limit is a tiny 47KB, What's the solution-delete all of my existing posts? Would the forum folks allow me to buy extra storage space or is there a more elegant solution? I was dying to post my dirty looking e-Bay amp find but now I can't. Please take my word for it, it was pretty grimey.

 

[Sheepdog1969]

4 hours ago, John Shiflet said:

OK, I just encountered a problem...the system says my remaining file size limit is a tiny 47KB, What's the solution-delete all of my existing posts?

John, you need not ever delete a post here. The system space remaining note only applies to the difference in the size of your avatar image and the maximum allowed for said. Your all good, buddy.

[PrairieDog]

Use Imgur or other photo sharing site to post your pictures.  You load the pic there, then there is a place grab the direct link and paste it here in your post.  And when you post the link it will connect with the photo site.  Good luck, and hope every day keeps getting a little better for you.  

[John Shiflet]

17 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

Use Imgur or other photo sharing site to post your pictures.  You load the pic there, then there is a place grab the direct link and paste it here in your post.  And when you post the link it will connect with the photo site.  Good luck, and hope every day keeps getting a little better for you.  

Thanks Prairie Dog. I have a Flickr account that has had almost four million views...not of guitars but of old houses, my other passion. The technology behind the forum messaging must be older because most newer fora have more reasonable limits for image postings.  I post regularly on the Urban Ohio forum and there has never been any issues with the number of attachments allowed, Maybe Gibson, assuming they host this forum, could refresh the format and post more Gibson guitars around the sides and background. Doubtful there's any more loyal Gibson brand base than right here.  I'll see if I can set something up this weekend, The image I wanted to share was just of a nasty looking amp grill so not exactly eye candy.

[PrairieDog]

33 minutes ago, John Shiflet said:

Thanks Prairie Dog. I have a Flickr account that has had almost four million views...not of guitars but of old houses, my other passion. The technology behind the forum messaging must be older because most newer fora have more reasonable limits for image postings.  I post regularly on the Urban Ohio forum and there has never been any issues with the number of attachments allowed, Maybe Gibson, assuming they host this forum, could refresh the format and post more Gibson guitars around the sides and background. Doubtful there's any more loyal Gibson brand base than right here.  I'll see if I can set something up this weekend, The image I wanted to share was just of a nasty looking amp grill so not exactly eye candy.

I think you can just link to images in your flickr account? I only use imgur.  The important thing is Gibson just doesn’t let us paste images directly here.  Too much band width and storage.  

[John Shiflet]

"I think you can just link to images in your flickr account? I only use imgur.  The important thing is Gibson just doesn’t let us paste images directly here.  Too much band width and storage. "

Well, again, I post regularly in the Urban Ohio forum and it is certainly a small non-profit forum yet members can post images and links freely without limits. I think this forum program is probably older when bandwith limits were more critical. Most email accounts now allow up to 25 MB file attachments.  Not my decision to make or complain about, so I will set up a special album to link to and conform to my storage allowance.