4 Epi Genesis on fleaBay

[brianh]

We have a veritable smorgasbord of Genesis (Genisi?) guitars on da bay this evening:

 

First up, a Custom in decent shape. This one appears to have most of the original hardware, except the pickups which despite the seller's claims have been swapped out for something else. The original PUPs had 2 height-adjust screws on the up side and one on the down. Other than than that it's in nice shape, but no case which is a bummer. Original Geni cases are hard to come by and LP cases may work OK, but don't really fit tight. Also all the blather about made in Japan is entirely unsubstantiated, everything I've ever been able to find points to the Pearl factory in Taiwan as being the only origination point, beyond (and this is pure speculation) a few MIJ prototypes:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Epiphone-Genesis-Custom-Guitar_W0QQitemZ190368006701QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item2c52d1422d

 

Number 2 is this Custom. A couple of issues with this guitar: 1) volume and selector switch positions have been swapped. The pots appear to be original but the wiring has been altered; 2) tailpiece is not original. Not necessarily a bad thing but nonetheless it was added; 3) binding is pulling away in several locations. This is common but not easily or economically reversable; 4) crack on lower cutaway. May be nothing serious but has to be noted. 5) Nothing about a case so one has it assume it doesn't have one. Other than that, guitar is in "OK" shape, a player's guitar, certainly not a museum piece:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1979-Epiphone-Genesis-Custom-Vintage-Electric-Guitar_W0QQitemZ250570398025QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item3a5728d949

 

Item C on the docket is a Cherry Standard. This is the least fancy, but IMO, the pick of the litter. It is in better than average shape, all original everything (from what I can see), and has a an original case in good shape. If I didn't have one exactly like it already, I might consider it, although the asking price is a bit higher than the price books suggest:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1978-79-EPIPHONE-GENESIS-A-TRUE-COLLECTORS-ITEM_W0QQitemZ140376048573QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item20af1083bd

 

Lastly, the runt. This is the same poor butchered Geni that was sold by the Oregon Highway department for a couple hundred bucks last year. The buyer has tried their best to dress it up with added non-original aged gold hardware and a new LP case. (The Standard came with nickel hardware only.) It appears to have non-original gold tuners (probably scrounged from a different Geni), plus one original PUP and one replacement, and a cardboard (?) cavity cover. But the biggest problem is the horrible scalloping job on the fretboard. No way to repair this without a complete FB replacement, costing as much or more than the guitar will ever be worth. If it were offered to me for $150, I'd take it for the case and hardware and possibly strip it down for a project:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-1979-EPIPHONE-GENESIS-DOUBLE-CUT-CHERRY-GOLD-w-HSC_W0QQitemZ110487086632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item19b98b2628

 

Here's the Wikipedia entry with all the Geni info I've been able to find to date:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-1979-EPIPHONE-GENESIS-DOUBLE-CUT-CHERRY-GOLD-w-HSC_W0QQitemZ110487086632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item19b98b2628

 

And of course some entirely gratuitous Geni porn:

 

[lpfan]

Brian, I think hat you need at least 2 or 3 more of those Genesis's.