archiestone Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Newbie here - hoping someone can help me out. Local ad for a 1968 Gibson describes it as: My parents bought this Gibson For me in 1968.... this Gibson was made especially for Sherman Clay for their 100 anniversary. The design is based on a LG-1 (the guitar expert said the body is a little larger). The top is of solid spruce, solid mahogany neck and sides and the bottom is mahogany veneer with a Brazilian rosewood finger board and bridge, not plastic. The label reads: Gibson Guitar Co. Made Expressly for Sherman Clay Centennial Model Small fuzzy pic can be seen here: http://www.fenderforum.com/userphotos/index.html?recid=56928 Can anyone tell me anything about this model and what it might possibly be? Any idea of value? Price is right and I like mahogany & it's size. Wanted to try to get some education before seeing it. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Sherman Clay was a large west coast music dealer - I have run into a few Gretsches that have similar presentation labels. Not sure of the guitar - looks like it has an adjustable bridge and a silk screen logo. Maybe a B-15 or B-25N although I am not sure what years the pastic as opposed to the wood bridge were used. Hopefully some of the more knowledegable folks will have an answer for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 looks like a fake to me. a real guitar would have better pics. also: headstock is wrong shape. logo too small bridge is wrong body is no shape gibson ever made (it would have to be similar to something. they used molds to bend the sides to shape) large black square label in the soundhole looks more like a modern cheap martin... never seen one like that on any gibson. the headstock and TRC says it's not a martin, but it's not a gibson either. truss rod cover is HUGE! (and looks to be wrong shape) unless you can get it in hand before buying run as fast as possible from this one. if you can check it out in person and it is real, then i would be VERY surprised. whenever people are trying to pass off something fake as being real they always try to say it was a special order for someone to explain away all of the problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Gibson Sherman Clay Ain't got a clue. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 with the extra pics, the headstock looks more like a correct shape...but i'm still not convinced. i would never buy something like that without holding it first to verify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patemuseart Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I am the owner of this guitar and it is not a fake. Photo shop made the guitar look wider then it really is and the photos are fuzzy because I can't take a good photo. I went to a local guitar shop, Guitar Showcase to find out the value of this guitar, and the expert said that it is a Gibson. He said the design is very similar to the LG-1, which has a blue book between $800.00 and $1200.00, but the body was a little bigger. He also told me that Gibson back then was often contracted by other music companies to design and make their guitars. I even had a Gibson collector come by and he said it is worth at least $600.00. Review my Craigs list ad for the full details on the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 The few Sherman Clay Centennial Guitars I have run across were no different from the standard production guitars with the exception of the label. Ya might measure the upper and lower bouts of your guitar and compare to the LG-1 to see if it truly has a different body. Is the guitar ladder braced or X braced? The LG-1 had ladder bracing and the B25N had X bracing. While I am not saying your "expert" is wrong, if I had a dollar for every piece of incorrect information I have been given by a guitar store "expert" I...let's just say I have received worong information more than a few times from folks working for very reputable dealers. Anyway, good luck with the sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patemuseart Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 It is ladder brace and the body measures 19" long, 14 1/4" wide at the hip and 4 1/4" deep. The guitar expert offered me $ 500.00 on the spot. What do you think he wanted to resale it for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 This looks an awful lot like a guitar a buddy of mine had in the early '60s. I believe it was an LG-0. I'd check with him, but when we went back to college after our military sabbatical, he was over-served in a local watering hole and put his fist through the back of it. I didn't even remember that it was a Gibson until he saw a picture of one and said, "Hey, that's just like the one I put my fist through. I should have saved it!" He then tried to blame me just becaus I held it up for him. I fee like a quasi-Pete Townshend and am ashamed these 37 years later! His parents bought it for him in high school and I do believe we had a Sherman Clay store in our town so they could have purchased it there. Just a hunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Looks like a Spruce top B15 with a non-Melody Maker headstock. These can be good but are inconsistent. I have a Mahogany top one and it's brilliant, I'd recommend getting hold of it before you pull the trigger, but if you can get a good one, they are great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHK Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 It's a very neatly built instrument, as far as I can see. Looks like a J45, in somewhat simpler wood and without the black headstock veneer. I don't understand why a big firm like Gibson would save costs on a fine instrument by leaving out a ten dollar item. Without the veneer the guitar looks a little like a guitar from a Sears Roebuck catalog from the fifties. But nevertheless, it's a vintage Gibson, so you will find buyers if you want to sell it. If I were you: if it plays right I'd not sell it. You'll be sorry later. At least, better wait till the world economy is back on its feet, and rich Japanese come back to pay anything to acquire vintage US guitars, like they did 15 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 It is ladder brace and the body measures 19" long' date=' 14 1/4" wide at the hip and 4 1/4" deep. The guitar expert offered me $ 500.00 on the spot. What do you think he wanted to resale it for?[/quote'] You've had two people offer you $500.00 or more for it. Sell it already! If you want more for it, figure out how to take better pictures or find someone who can. Detail pics are in order as well. You can't sell a $1200.00 item with a $25.00 pic. Parting with that much coin for an item, sight, barely seen is a fool's errand. I see the Craigs List ad seems to have been pulled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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