Jeff-7 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Anyone else enjoy going pawn store shopping? A frequent customer of mine owns one so I stopped into his shop today to have a look. Perusing the few he had out on the floor, he mentioned to me he had a lot of them sitting in the storage area in the back. Spent a couple hours digging, lots of Crate and Peavey amps, guitar-wise Jacksons, Washburns, Chicagos (oddly they were made in Korea). Finally stumbled upon a battered old case, opened it up and there was an old Gibson acoustic sitting in there. It's not a J-45 or anything special, but I wrote the serial down to check once I got home and if I'm not mistaken it's a 1964. No cracks or warps, minor string buzz/deadening, you guys think it would be worth a couple hundred if I decide to go back in and purchase it tomorrow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Let me get this straight. You found a vintage Gibson in good conditon from 64 and you didnt buy it for a few hundred? I say go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Let me get this straight. You found a vintage Gibson in good conditon from 64 and you didnt buy it for a few hundred? I say go for it. He was about to close for the day when I found it so I figure I'd go back for a better look tomorrow, it's sitting in the storage area so I figure it will be safe. Plus I wanted to make sure to arm myself with some info in the event it's fake when I go back, he wouldn't try to cheat me or anything I used to date his granddaughter back in high school. It's just that his knowledge on guitars isn't very extensive so someone could have pulled a fast one on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Since you already have him as a customer, and also additional friendship-type relationships, I'd say yeah, get the thing, but let him know you don't really know the value of that guitar, but you'd like to have it. I think you've got GAS combined with a potential of a bit of greed combined with additional relationships that puts this outside the edge of typical purchase. In fact, he might be more aware of potential value than you are and could be playing a bit with you to see what you'd do. I always figured that successful pawnshop guys are better poker players than I am by far, so I try not to play. I rather enjoy pawn shops at times, but I also think that if you know guitars you may be more likely not to buy. For example, a $269 MF version of the brown Epi Studio in apparent excellent used condition still was listed at like $400 in one place. I told the guy there I'm interested, but what it sold for at the only outlet I'm aware selling that particular color. He just smiled. I'm convinced he knew as much or more than I did about the guitar, but... probably got close to his $400. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 I hear ya M, it's just a little dinky shop in little ol' Ft. Scott Kansas, not a whole lot of things of value in there. Mainly old junky tools and the odd assortment of guns and the like. The truss rod cover did look correct so I'm pretty hopeful. Kind of tempted to buy one of the basses he has in there as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 For a few hundred bucks get it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 This may sound counterproductive, but regardless, if you value the friendship at all, and not to mention the man as a customer, my thought is to be as straight as you can with the guy. Unless you currently figure he's a crook inside, it'll likely pay you back many times in the future when it comes to curing your GAS attacks with some of that pile of stuff he has and may get in the future. Everybody needs to make a buck, but... seriously there's gotta be a bit of the poker player in every used/pawn shop operator. If you don't play, that's not all bad and at some point that'll be to your advantage; if you do wanna play, odds are you'll lose long term, IMHO. I may not be the one to listen to since I ain't rich and I've been snookered. OTOH, I don't go to sleep feeling like I've cheated folks, either. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 This may sound counterproductive, but regardless, if you value the friendship at all, and not to mention the man as a customer, my thought is to be as straight as you can with the guy. Unless you currently figure he's a crook inside, it'll likely pay you back many times in the future when it comes to curing your GAS attacks with some of that pile of stuff he has and may get in the future. Everybody needs to make a buck, but... seriously there's gotta be a bit of the poker player in every used/pawn shop operator. If you don't play, that's not all bad and at some point that'll be to your advantage; if you do wanna play, odds are you'll lose long term, IMHO. I may not be the one to listen to since I ain't rich and I've been snookered. OTOH, I don't go to sleep feeling like I've cheated folks, either. m I'm not looking to cheat the guy M, never been that type of person. I honestly don't know what model it is and for sure if it is real or not, it's not a jumbo. I guess you'd call it a parlor size. Don't know the worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Might do you well to take a picture or two, the folks in the acoustic forum could give you a good idea of what it is and what it is worth I wouldn't let the opportunity slip by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Yeah, I'd love to see it too. And yeah, I'd probably be willing to swap a good rifle for it even if technically I lost money on the trade. But... that's just me. And yeah, the guys in the acoustic area might have a good idea of what exactly you've got there. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Yeah, I'd love to see it too. And yeah, I'd probably be willing to swap a good rifle for it even if technically I lost money on the trade. But... that's just me. And yeah, the guys in the acoustic area might have a good idea of what exactly you've got there. m Yeah, I was honestly quite surprised to find it I was just looking for a new acoustic since my old Hasting's special (Abilene) has seen better days. I'll have to borrow a camera, I'm still in the dark ages cell phone wise I only have a Krazer that doesn't have a camera built in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Jeff... I hear that... I just last week got a phone with sorta a usable camera, 2 mp, but since I haul a more or less full size Nikon everywhere it hadn't been a priority. (Almost no personal photos, either, over the years since I started "shooting" for a living and having one or two permanently attached to me except on rare "time off.") Anyway I hope I didn't come off suggesting you'd be dishonorable... it's more along the lines of whether you like playing the game or not... and whether it's fun for you and the guy running the pawn shop. I just wish we had something like you describe around where I live. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Trust me this is far from the norm M. I'd always heard about people finding old guitars and classic cars with low mileage in some little old lady's barn and the like, but never around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 My only issue with pawn shops is that the internet makes it so easy now to know what you've got in your inventory, it's harder to get "deals" nowadays. Then again if you go to one of those real old timey ones with no internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 GET IT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dueling shadow Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 I would almost bet that it's a Gibson LGO, they are from that time period (I think they made them until '74 or so). They made out of mahogany (body and top), on the high side it would be worth $700 or so, low side would be a couple hundred (in pretty poor condition). They have the ladder bracing, not the X bracing. I think they sound really cool, real good for blues and country/western. Would love to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee M Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Anyone else enjoy going pawn store shopping? Finally stumbled upon a battered old case, opened it up and there was an old Gibson acoustic sitting in there. It's not a J-45 or anything special, but I wrote the serial down to check once I got home and if I'm not mistaken it's a 1964. No cracks or warps, minor string buzz/deadening, you guys think it would be worth a couple hundred if I decide to go back in and purchase it tomorrow? Once you identify it and determine it's the real deal, you can probably determine its value on Ebay. IMO, you don't need to do his job for him by telling him what it's worth. If you think it's worth $500 and he asks $200, give him $200. If you turn around and resell it for $500, you could always give him some of your profit if you feel guilty. Just my $.02. You have to do whatever your conscience will let you live with. FWIW, the main pawn shop in my town knows guitars. There are no bargains to be had at this shop. In fact, they sell Vintage Guitar magazine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Let me get this straight. You found a vintage Gibson in good conditon from 64 and you didnt buy it for a few hundred? I say go for it. There are vintage guitars out there........dem00n found his vintage Gibby by chance....... There are still many rare Gibbys out there as well....Even real '56 - '59 LPs.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 The moral test! Interesting. What does your heart tell you, and what does your wallet tell you. Is there any of that going on, and can you feel a difference? Watching this cause I'm curious what is going to happen and what will be the cause. And, I also notice that the advice and opinions are all over the place, except for the extremes. Also, I have a feeling Mr. Milod knows a little more than he is letting on, regarding human nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Stein... Naaaah. I'm just old. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 The moral test! Interesting. What does your heart tell you, and what does your wallet tell you. Is there any of that going on, and can you feel a difference? Watching this cause I'm curious what is going to happen and what will be the cause. And, I also notice that the advice and opinions are all over the place, except for the extremes. Also, I have a feeling Mr. Milod knows a little more than he is letting on, regarding human nature. I've never been one to cheat somebody, especially the grandfather of a girl who still has a soft spot in the ol' ticker. I'll pay the man what it's worth, just trying to figure out its value beforehand. I won't lie the thought excited me about getting a vintage Gibby on the cheap but this would be to keep not to flip it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 I've never been one to cheat somebody, especially the grandfather of a girl who still has a soft spot in the ol' ticker. I'll pay the man what it's worth, just trying to figure out its value beforehand. I won't lie the thought excited me about getting a vintage Gibby on the cheap but this would be to keep not to flip it. And thus, this all makes sense, as you reveal that they like you as well as demonstrate why. Perhaps you could go about determining the value together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 I would almost bet that it's a Gibson LGO, they are from that time period (I think they made them until '74 or so). They made out of mahogany (body and top), on the high side it would be worth $700 or so, low side would be a couple hundred (in pretty poor condition). They have the ladder bracing, not the X bracing. I think they sound really cool, real good for blues and country/western. Would love to see it. I think you might be correct, it looked pretty similar to the ones I saw on eBay just now and they're listed in the 5-700 dollar range. I'll inspect it more closely tomorrow and probably cut him a check if it looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Jeff, this is crazy talk. There are three possibilities here: First, the guy runs a decent ship in his store and has a good idea what is going on. If this is the case, than the guitar is marked at twice what he paid for it. Even if the guitar is worth more than he is selling it for, he is going to make money, and you are going to get a good deal. Everyone is happy. You are under no obligation to "haggle up". Second, the guy does not remember when he acquired the instrument or how much he paid for it. If this is the case and you exploit the situation, and convince him that the guitar is worthless so you can buy it for $50, than that is dishonest. Third, the guitar may just not be worth very much. A couple years ago back in Lincoln, NE, I watched a 1970 Gibson acoustic originally listed at $600 on craigslist gradually slide down over the course of a few months until it was relisted at $350 OBO. I finally went to look at it with cash in hand and was not impressed with build quality or playability. I ended up not even making an offer. He took down the ad a week later (I assumed that he sold it). In the firs ad, he stated that it was WORTH $800+, but really it only ended up to be worth $350 or less because that is all anyone would pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockman82 Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Honestly I'd say go for it man. I'm not too big on pawn shops, because our local pawn shop doesn't have many good quality guitars, and the guitars they do have are way over priced. I saw a Peavey T15(i think it was T15, man that thing was light!) in there, which was pretty cool I guess. Got to play a LTD Viper though, which I've been wanting for a while, so I might go for one of those. Pawn shops are usually hit or miss for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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