pack7599 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I am looking at buying a LP Standard that is stamped used for a decent price. Was wondering if this is a bad move or what I should look for....any help would be greatly appriciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Hey, Pack ... Epiphones that have been stamped "USED" or "2nd", are units that did not pass final inspection for one reason or another. Usually it's a cosmetic flaw of some sort. If you are buying it from an Epiphone dealer, you should be fine and can end up with a good guitar at a bargain price. Ebay sellers are much more of a crap-shoot, I'm afraid. The other thing to be aware of is that this guitars have no warranty from Epiphone. The serial numbers are usually filed off to ensure that Epi will never have to deal with this guitar on a warranty basis again. Also, some forum members have said that their "USED" guitars have had certain parts replaced with inferior ones ... Gorver tuners replaced with cheap Asian ones, for example. So ... look at the price and the seller and try to determine if the difference in between this piece and a "first-line" Epiphone is large enough to make any potential hassels worth it. In a cases like this, it's all about the bucks! Hope this helps! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 What Midi said. The problem with 2nd/used guitars is that they're not that much cheaper than 1st run Les Paul Epis (which are already Asian "copies" of Gibsons), and there's no recourse if you discover something objectionable about it down the road. And, if you ever want to sell it, it'll always be worth less than a regular Epi LP. The only way I'd buy one is if I could play/inspect it first, and it was a really smokin' deal. Like practically free... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyGibson Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Here's where most if no all the "used" guitars come from: http://mircweb.com/restoration-gallery.php They generally sell them for 25% of list to the web sellers. They then mark them up to make a profit - of course. The problem with the math on this is, the price the ebay sellers pay is about all they are worth. Personally, I wouldn't buy one. I would be patient and wait for a sale at Musicians Friend or GC. The sale prices for a new one are generally better and it's not stamped "used". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesman345 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Also' date=' some forum members have said that their "USED" guitars have had certain parts replaced with inferior ones ... Gorver tuners replaced with cheap Asian ones, for example.Jim[/quote'] If I were you, I'd steer clear of those "Gorver" tuners... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 Here's where most if no all the "used" guitars come from: http://mircweb.com/restoration-gallery.php They generally sell them for 25% of list to the web sellers. They then mark them up to make a profit - of course. The problem with the math on this is' date=' the price the ebay sellers pay is about all they are worth. Personally, I wouldn't buy one. I would be patient and wait for a sale at Musicians Friend or GC. The sale prices for a new one are generally better and it's not stamped "used".[/quote'] Thanks for posting the link to that company, Bill. I had seen their website before, but you set me thinking: their website shows examples of extensive repairs to instruments that are not terribly expensive, even when bought brand-new as A-stock (Epi Firebird Studios for example). If they are selling repaired instruments to the middle men for 25% of list, they must be getting the broken guitars from Epiphone for literally next to nothing. I know that list prices are always inflated over the realistic retail price, but still...25%? They must buy those broken instruments by the container load, priced per hundredweight..! To the original poster: I agree with others here that it's wise to be cautious. However, if you have the chance to inspect the instrument in person, like the way it plays, and have no interest in resale value, this could be a good way to pick up a "player" at a good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 I bought a 2nd cherry Dot a few years ago for MF. I got a great deal on it - $249. It has a few small cosmetic flaws and came with the Epiphone warrantee. I knew I was planning on modding the guitar, so that didn't really matter so much and I knew the warrantee wasn't going to be any good after I started working on it. But by getting it from MF I had 45 days to look it over to make sure there wasn't anything majorly wrong with it. There wasn't. If you are serious about getting a 2nd or Used, I would only buy from a reputable dealer, not Ebay. And like was said earlier, the price on a lot of 2nds or Used items isn't saving you that much. You gotta shop around. If you are thinking of selling it in the future the stamp will end up costing you. That being said, I am totally happy with my 2nd Dot. I figured that I saved enough on mine that it didn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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