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Gibson Es335 mid eighties


fretplay

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Hi Guys, do you think that an ES335 mid 80s is an investment or is it too young.

 

I can get a good condition one around $2500. what do you think?

Right now, ANY guitar bought as an "investment" is a bad one.

 

When guitars were being bought as investments, 80's guitars were not included in that category. The jury is still out on whether or not guitars will ever be considered "investments" again.

 

Buy a guitar based on the usual-value determined on playability, condition, quality, etc., based on what it cost to build and buy one new.

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Right now, ANY guitar bought as an "investment" is a bad one.

 

When guitars were being bought as investments, 80's guitars were not included in that category. The jury is still out on whether or not guitars will ever be considered "investments" again.

 

Buy a guitar based on the usual-value determined on playability, condition, quality, etc., based on what it cost to build and buy one new.

 

+1

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Right now, ANY guitar bought as an "investment" is a bad one.

 

When guitars were being bought as investments, 80's guitars were not included in that category. The jury is still out on whether or not guitars will ever be considered "investments" again.

 

Buy a guitar based on the usual-value determined on playability, condition, quality, etc., based on what it cost to build and buy one new.

 

Good advice. It's clearly a buyer's market right now, but no one knows when a sellers market will return, if ever. Much of what happened to drive skyrocketing guitar & amp values in the 80s - 2000s was driven by easy credit, foolish buyers using home equity lines, etc. speculating. All that's gone "poof" and unlikely that capital will be available any time soon.

 

JMHO of course, but you should only buy that guitar if you find it a good player. Unlikely it will ever appreciate much at all. You can get a new one in that price range and vs a late Norlin guitar like that a new one may be a better instrument.

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Good advice. It's clearly a buyer's market right now, but no one knows when a sellers market will return, if ever. Much of what happened to drive skyrocketing guitar & amp values in the 80s - 2000s was driven by easy credit, foolish buyers using home equity lines, etc. speculating. All that's gone "poof" and unlikely that capital will be available any time soon.

 

JMHO of course, but you should only buy that guitar if you find it a good player. Unlikely it will ever appreciate much at all. You can get a new one in that price range and vs a late Norlin guitar like that a new one may be a better instrument.

Thats is a VERY good point. But I think some are missing the OBVIOUS, and some who get it are learning a hard reality.

 

There are 2 things (I see) that separate instruments from other "commodities". 1) they do NOT generate any kind of income or support it. With something like real estate, even if the cash value tanks, you still have SOMETHING that has some kind of value that people NEED.

2) guitars are TOYS. They are not a necessity.

 

So, when the market or the economy tanks, the FIRST thing to tank is going to be the stuff people do not need. For many, luxury items like guitars (that are THOUGHT to be of great monetary value) are the FIRST to be sold off before individuals sell off other things that contribute to their well being.

 

We also learn, while the market is flooded with all these guitars from people that need money, that purchasing guitars in no way will get us ahead or give us any leverage in a real world economy. Putting your cash into guitars does not guarantee it will be available when you want it, or NEED it.

 

So, the market HAS to revert back to reality. The reality being, people will WANT guitars for the use they provide, and the cash value will be based on what it cost to build them new, and the availability. They will build guitars to make money and the cost will be determined by competition, and the used market will be determined by what is available and how good it actually is to make people want it more or less than something else.

 

In short, there is a big difference between what people HAVE to spend to get something they want vs what people MIGHT spend over and beyond based on resale.

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Thanks for your advice guys. Guitars are just commodities and like shares the value rises and falls. It is a buyers market now for just about everything the question is when will the market stop going down and go up.

 

If you have money in your pocket commodities are better than shares. So what is the price of a mid eighties Es 335? guitar? at $2500 OK! at $2000 better, at $1500 you getting your cheque book out yet? what you think?

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Thanks for your advice guys. Guitars are just commodities and like shares the value rises and falls. It is a buyers market now for just about everything the question is when will the market stop going down and go up.

 

If you have money in your pocket commodities are better than shares. So what is the price of a mid eighties Es 335? guitar? at $2500 OK! at $2000 better, at $1500 you getting your cheque book out yet? what you think?

 

You have to take them on a case by case basis. Need for a neck re-set knocks off $500. Worn frets or fretboard a similar amount. Scratches? Depends completely on what you are willing to live with.

 

Then compare that to the cost of a post-Norlin ES 335, say 1990 onward, which might be in better condition.

 

The only 80's ES 335s that might have any obvious collector value might be an early '81 first-year dot re-issue, especially a blonde. ES 335 guru Charlie Gelber likes early 80's ES 335s as players, but doesn't place a significant premium on them. They just have typically (with some exceptions) been priced cheaper than newer guitars until recently.

 

Unlike an acoustic guitar made from solid tonewoods, the sound of a laminated maple guitar like the ES 335 depends more on the pickups than anything else, so there's no reason to expect better tone out of an 80's guitar than a new one based on "aged" wood, all other things being equal.

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Thanks for your help guys. From what you say perhaps I am looking in the wrong direction.

 

At present I am using a Gibson ES330 made in 1966 which I like a lot.

 

However the general consensus seems to be that a 330 is a 335s poor relation. I'm not sure about that, the 330 is a fantastic guitar but has it's limitations.

 

So I thought along the lines of adding a 335 to my stable. so if I do that what do I buy?

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  • 3 years later...

I would recommend getting a Custom Shop 335 from the years 2005 - 2008. Used, but with no 'vintage mojo' yet, so should be reasonably priced.

Gibson were using Madagascan Rosewood for the fretboards during this period,(which is generally harder and tighter grained) and I've played quite a few lovely, lightweight examples.

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I recently bought one of the current issue '59 ES-330's being made in the Memphis factory. This guitar is sweeeeet! I got it off of eBay, and it is the nicest guitar I've ever owned.

 

I couldn't really care less about "investment" value, because of the fluctuations of such over the years. I never bought a single musical piece as an "investment". I've bought them to use, to play, to love, to enjoy, perhaps to pass down when my time comes, and I've taken good care of all my things. My 64 Vibrolux in still new condition. My 66 Ricky 12 still in new condition. Blah blah.

 

Consider a Gibson Memphis (even better when you find them used). Love it, play it, enjoy it. Take good care of it and maybe, just maybe it will still have good value 50 years on.

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