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What finish is this Les Paul..?!


bullet22

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Hi guys

 

This is at my local guitar shop (apologies for the cameraphone pic).

 

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The dealer is selling it on commission and reckons it's a Honeyburst, but I think the colour is too dark at the binding. I've seen Desertbursts on ebay look exactly the same, as do some flame tops.

 

It's a 2003 Std in immaculate condition with all the case-candy. She plays fine. He will take my 2005 Classic (Cherry/Nickel - pristine) + my 1993 Alpine LP Studio (many a dent on her) for a straight exchange (meaning he'll pass on the cash to the seller of the Std and keep my guitars for resale...)

 

I know it doesn't 'matter' what the finish is called (it only matters whether I like it...), but just wondered if you guys could nail it down for me to help me make my decision. I didn't make a note of the serial number when I played her so Gibbo probably can't help.

 

I know you get worse value with trade-ins than on say, ebay etc.... But listing/collecting etc is a pain.

 

Thanks in the thousands

 

Ryan

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desertburst

 

what is it selling for? if he wants more than 1800, pass. desertbursts seem to go for less on ebay than other finishes (or at least thats what it seems like whenever i'm looking).

 

and i bet you can get more than 1800 for both of your guitars if you post 'em on ebay.

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Go to musician'sfriend.com. Mind you the prices are American, but the price between between a new Classic and a Standard as little as $100, depending on the finish. UK prices may be different, I don't know.

 

I wouldn't take that deal, personally...but before I call it a rip off, post some pics of your guitars. If your Studio looks like a train hit it, then maybe it's not that bad of a deal. Obviously, sound/feel are the most important, but if you Studio looks really bad, it probably won't sell easily...or for much money.

 

Would you actually trade two Les Pauls for one?

 

Looks familiar...yeah, I'd say desertburst.

 

Picture026.jpg

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As for the trade' date=' I think you're getting shafted there my friend.

[/quote']

 

At first glance, probably.

 

But..... The Std is on at £1,125 - which is pretty good for the condition it's in. Trade-in on my Classic is circa £825. I reckon I'd happily part with my battered Studio for £300, that's a little under half what I paid for it 15 yrs ago.

 

Going the ebay route, I'd maybe get £850/£900 for the Classic (no case candy, case not in great shape either), and by the time I'd described/photo'd all the dinks on the Studio I'd be lucky to see £300 I reckon.

 

Then there's listing it, packing it, or having some random bloke come to your house to audition/collect.

 

So a la ebay, I could go shopping with £1,200 - after all that fuss. It ain't a great deal of difference.

 

Then the logistics.... Weekends are no-go for me to endulge in guitar shopping. Too busy with family. This one's in my home town, I can deal there on my lunch-hour. To take my 2 guitars to the next large town with a couple of dealers hoping to strike gold would mean taking a day off work, which are precious. There's no guarantee they'd have something in stock I'd want, either.

 

For the ball-ache involved, surely it's better to go for the trade..?

 

This is all in UK sterling by the way.

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Bullet22, your time is certainly has a value. If you are happy with the deal to get what you want, when you want it, you should go for it. I have personally spent more money than I should have on occasion, but when you factor in the value of my time (either family or work), I felt it was worth it every time.

 

Good luck, let us know how it works out. Cheers mate. :-k

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Desert Burst has seen some pretty wide variations. This is a Studio of mine in desert burst:

 

 

100_0816.jpg

 

 

 

The guitar in question looks more like tobacco burst.

 

 

I guess it's all in the mood of the painters at the time..............................

 

Wow thats dark, almost looks like a Rootbeer.

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Bullet22' date=' your time is certainly has a value. If you are happy with the deal to get what you want, when you want it, you should go for it. I have personally spent more money than I should have on occasion, but when you factor in the value of my time (either family or work), I felt it was worth it every time.

 

Good luck, let us know how it works out. Cheers mate. :) [/quote']

 

That's a refreshingly realistic attitude, thanks!

 

I read posts saying "go to a few dealers, get a feel for what's around, spend a few days playing different models, find one you like and then see if you can find a second identical one at another dealer and play that one too......" when in all honesty, there just isn't time....! I'd love to cruise around dealers 'til dusk, but I can't - I'm a busy guy, not quite the CEO of Ford, but yes my time in some way shape or form equates to money - so I include that in the equation.

 

Anyhoot, the guitar has sold, which I think may have been a lucky escape. Not convinved about the top.

 

Taking the afternoon off work tomorrow to visit a dealer in a nearby city - he's got something very special in, but I don't want to jinx myself by posting pictures......

 

..... I'll update you all tomorrow night.

 

;-)

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Good luck bullet22! I hope it is THE one!

 

For what it's worth, I shopped for my LP for over a year... at Guitar Center... Sam Ashe... The Gibson Showcase in Opry Mills (It is Gibson heaven and an absolute MUST see when you are in Nashville!).. pretty much anywhere I could find them new or used. I am busy too... couldn't go down there every weekend or anything near that often. I went about every 2 or three months and played what they had. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and when I did find THE LP I was looking for it made the purchase an easy decision.

 

 

Chanman's basic rule #3

 

Buyer's Remorse is best overcome by Buyer Beware.

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So....................

 

Here's what the dealer had for me.... 2007 LP Std in Vintage Sunburst. Brand new, all case candy etc present and correct. Nearly plays itself - real smooth. I love the Burstbuckers too - nice PUPs, real nice.

 

I've had 3 Les Pauls in as many weeks now - lost money on trade ins - that's life I guess. This is my "guitar for life" though, she's the one I'll be giving to my grandkids one day.........

 

I went dizzy staring at the finish in the shop - she was sat amongst hundreds of axes - colour everywhere, real confusing to the eye. Got her home now and couldn't be happier.

 

This is my first non-solid finish - still kinda getting used to it..! I had an Alpine Studio and a Cherry Classic previously.

 

This is also the first time I've been near enough physically ill from obsessing about my choice - my guitar is a deeply personal thing to me - it's hard to explain, but from the second that I doubted that the one I had was for me, I couldn't relax until I'd found the one I loved.

 

So here she is...... Got in quite late last night so haven't had time to bond at home - it's one thing playing a guitar in the dealers shop, but you need to have some time alone, without some pushy salesman saying "what do you think..... nice, isn't she...? She likes you too...... You're not going to let this one go, are you...?"

 

Quick phone pics on my settee:

6a00e398cde5cd000100f48ced85810003-500pi

 

6a00e398cde5cd000100e398ef189f0005-500pi

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Congratulations man... it is a beautiful guitar indeed' date=' i like her much better than the previous one you posted.[/quote']

 

I can't stop staring at it.....

 

Is that wrong?

 

Heh-heh! Again, a lucky escape from the original mystery-burst.

 

Thanks TG

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So....................

 

Here's what the dealer had for me.... 2007 LP Std in Vintage Sunburst. Brand new' date=' all case candy etc present and correct. Nearly plays itself - real smooth. I love the Burstbuckers too - nice PUPs, [i']real[/i] nice.

 

I've had 3 Les Pauls in as many weeks now - lost money on trade ins - that's life I guess. This is my "guitar for life" though, she's the one I'll be giving to my grandkids one day.........

 

I went dizzy staring at the finish in the shop - she was sat amongst hundreds of axes - colour everywhere, real confusing to the eye. Got her home now and couldn't be happier.

 

This is my first non-solid finish - still kinda getting used to it..! I had an Alpine Studio and a Cherry Classic previously.

 

This is also the first time I've been near enough physically ill from obsessing about my choice - my guitar is a deeply personal thing to me - it's hard to explain, but from the second that I doubted that the one I had was for me, I couldn't relax until I'd found the one I loved.

 

So here she is...... Got in quite late last night so haven't had time to bond at home - it's one thing playing a guitar in the dealers shop, but you need to have some time alone, without some pushy salesman saying "what do you think..... nice, isn't she...? She likes you too...... You're not going to let this one go, are you...?"

 

Quick phone pics on my settee:

6a00e398cde5cd000100f48ced85810003-500pi

 

6a00e398cde5cd000100e398ef189f0005-500pi

 

i dont remember Gibson selling a vintage sunburst LP in 2007.but that is beautiful.im not jealous,im JEALOUS.your a lucky guy.

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dealers will always screw you' date=' i had a dealer tell me just that....[/quote']

 

I don't doubt it. But how many guitars do you see re-listed on ebay "due to timewaster.." etc..?

 

Like I said before, it's cash vs. convienience. Also, the dealer takes on the risk of having to shift whatever you traded in.

 

You'll see better money on ebay, but if you're looking at a 10 year ownership (which I was) then a couple o' hundred quid ain't so bad when you're getting what you want, when you want it.

 

I didn't walk away with a 'good' deal, but I did walk away with a great guitar.

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