jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 can someone help me identify this acoustic? i found it in a pawn shop and it is different than any i've seen. i am fairly certain the headstock logo is factory (it is silk-screened under what appears to be a factory finish) and the neck volute and serial number on headstock and made in usa stamp definitely look gibson from that era (serial number dates it to 1980), but the headstock shape and logo are very different than i've seen. there is no writing or lable inside the body. any help would be greatly appreciated. i can buy the guitar for $425 and it plays great. this is my first post ever on any forum so i apologize in advance if i am going about any of this in the wrong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I'm not much help, other than the headstock and TRC look like Epiphone to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 i agree Karen....but it says "made in usa" and has gibson serial number as well as gibson logo....looks like an epi....says gibson. what is TRC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack6849 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 wow. Just when you think you've seen everything...... I'll be interested to see what others know about this piece. Is the top solid wood? Jack6849 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 TRC = truss rod cover. Looks like an Epi to me too. The logo looks like what was used on the Sonex Challenger Invader series of solid bodies. Maybe someone did some dumpster diving. The stamped serial number looks smaller than correct. Pass. Nice alignment of the back seam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 the top did not appear to be laminated, so i assume it is solid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 TRC= Truss Rod Cover. I'd stay away from it for $425. The tuners look like the cheap ones, not anything Gibson would use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Strange. Welp, the serial number is 1980, Kalamazoo, but not sure if it's a reused "fake" number. Actually in the late 70s Gibson used a couple of weird headstocks - like the MK. Avoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 i think the back seam is better than the pic shows....camera angle can do strange things and i was pretty off center. dumpster diving? at the factory you mean piecing together a guitar? i just figured it was a norlin guitar or something made from leftover parts. i own about 30 guitars and it really plays as nice as my yairis and my takamine. never owned a gibson acoustic but i have 5 pauls and an sg and have always loved gibsons. the only epi i own in a korina v and it is way different than my gibsons. this seems gibson build to me. 2 of my pauls are norlin years and despite the bad rap they sometimes get, i play one every gig and choose it over about 30 other guitars. it is magical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 i agree Karen....but it says "made in usa" and has gibson serial number as well as gibson logo....looks like an epi....says gibson. what is TRC? Hmmm, you can buy Gibson logos (and labels) on eBay. Of course they're fake. And the Made in U.S.A. stamp on the back looks sideways? On a Gibson it's upright. Maybe take the info you have back to the seller and say it's not a Gibson for these reasons. If you like how it sounds you should get it, but not under the guise that it's a Gibson if it's not. Maybe he'll drop the price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 i know you can buy logos but this is silk screened like on my lp studio and sg and it really doesn't appear to be a refinish (to me). dofinitely not a sticker like on some fenders. i offered him $350....he was asking $500 and came down to $425. i'm still waiting for him to come down but i thought i would check with some gibson experts and see what they thought. so do you not think it's a gibson at all? pretty good fake if it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Hmmm' date=' you can buy Gibson logos (and labels) on eBay. Of course they're fake. And the Made in U.S.A. stamp on the back looks sideways? On a Gibson it's upright. Maybe take the info you have back to the seller and say it's not a Gibson for these reasons. If you like how it sounds you should get it, but not under the guise that it's a Gibson if it's not. Maybe he'll drop the price? [/quote'] To me....NOTHING about this guitar says "Gibson". Epi...maybe...... Gibson...no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 ok....the verdict seems to be in on this one. thanks guys. i'll offer $350 again for it just for what it is and how it plays. i know my electrics fairly well and my amps too but wasn't sure what this thing was....still not but i will now assume it isn't a gibson. thanks again everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Yeah, I don't think it's a Gibson either, but I'm not one of the resident experts. This might be one of those situations where you have to be prepared to walk away if you don't get the price you want. How much are you willing to pay for a fake Gibson? The pawn shop guy is probably confidant that he can sell this as a Gibson to some unsuspecting innocent. Gibson does not sell 'seconds' and would not pull parts out of the dumpster to make a Frankenstein Gibson. I think Ksdaddy meant any dumpster in Anycity U.S.A. Are you going to buy it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Oh, I see I posted at the same time you posted, so never mind my last question! Let us know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 will do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 ok....the verdict seems to be in on this one. thanks guys. i'll offer $350 again for it just for what it is and how it plays. i know my electrics fairly well and my amps too but wasn't sure what this thing was....still not but i will now assume it isn't a gibson. thanks again everyone :) $350 are you crazy man ? That pos is maybe worth $100 at best. Why would you even waste money on a guitar like that ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 1979/80 is when Gibson stopped manufacturing Epiphone in the US, repositioned it as a budget brand, and outsourced manufacturing to Japan. I wonder if this is not some leftover US-made stock that was originally meant to be sold as Epiphone, so was finished and badged as Gibson so they could get back some of the cost of US manufacturing (as the then current Japanese Epiphones would have sold for less). Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 $350 are you crazy man ? That pos is maybe worth $100 at best. Why would you even waste money on a guitar like that ? i guess because i'm a player and i loved the way it played and sounded. like i said earlier, my stage guitar is a norlin sandwich les paul but it is truly magic. this acoustic plays and sounds like my yairi and takamine that i play at my acoustic shows. i have never found a gibson or martin acoustic that i enjoyed playing enough to warrant the price. my yairi was $2000 and my tak was $1300 in 1990 and they (in my opinion) play better and sound WAY BETTER plugged in than most martins i've played/heard. i love my les pauls though :) when i play unplugged, i have an alvarez j200 copy that has a beautiful flame maple back and sides and sounds/plays like a dream. it is old and is a perfect copy except for the name on the headstock and flame maple. you would probably think i paid too much for it too ($350) but if it was a gibson and all things equal, it would be worth 10 time that. not to me. i play them. the les paul i play has 3 toggle switches added and i've broken the headstock off twice. didn't hurt it or bother me. it isn't for sale. maybe i am crazy, but mainly crazy for tone and playability. it played/sounded $350 worth. i guess i think crazy is buying a guitar you never heard or played off the internet or from musician's friend because of a name, but people do it all the time. to resale maybe....but what a risk! all guitars are different....especially if you are talented and serious about tone. just my opinion. thanks for your opinion. i appreciate the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Jeffrey is what we call...a true player! Buy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 i guess because i'm a player and i loved the way it played and sounded. like i said earlier' date=' my stage guitar is a norlin sandwich les paul but it is truly magic. this acoustic plays and sounds like my yairi and takamine that i play at my acoustic shows. i have never found a gibson or martin acoustic that i enjoyed playing enough to warrant the price. my yairi was $2000 and my tak was $1300 in 1990 and they (in my opinion) play better and sound WAY BETTER plugged in than most martins i've played/heard. i love my les pauls though :) when i play unplugged, i have an alvarez j200 copy that has a beautiful flame maple back and sides and sounds/plays like a dream. it is old and is a perfect copy except for the name on the headstock and flame maple. you would probably think i paid too much for it too ($350) but if it was a gibson and all things equal, it would be worth 10 time that. not to me. i play them. the les paul i play has 3 toggle switches added and i've broken the headstock off twice. didn't hurt it or bother me. it isn't for sale. maybe i am crazy, but mainly crazy for tone and playability. it played/sounded $350 worth. i guess i think crazy is buying a guitar you never heard or played off the internet or from musician's friend because of a name, but people do it all the time. to resale maybe....but what a risk! all guitars are different....especially if you are talented and serious about tone. just my opinion. thanks for your opinion. i appreciate the post.[/quote'] I apologize, after going back and rereading your post, I then noticed that you had already played the guitar and that you know what you will be getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffreylucky1 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 I apologize' date=' after going back and rereading your post, I then noticed that you had already played the guitar and that you know what you will be getting.[/quote']no apology needed.....that's what forums are for....to voice an opinion and i respect yours. i am a little intrigued with this guitar for some reason. love the finish cracks and "love marks" on it. it has been played by someone quite a bit. seems to inspire me a little and we all need that sometimes. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 to cover 2 things mentioned earlier: Gibson doesn't sell seconds... but they DID at the time this guitar claims itself to have been made (for the record, i still think it's a fake) also, the serial being listed in the guitar dater means nothing. it's not a database of old serial numbers. it is simply a basic mathematical formula that breaks down the serial number scheme. ANY serial number made by someone who understands the modern Gibson method will check out on that website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 has anyone ever seen that headstock logo before? its nice to find a guitar that speaks to you but i still would say $350 is too much. go in low on your offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 has anyone ever seen that headstock logo before? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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