Staypuff54 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Thinking about buying a 1955 Gibson J 45. It's not in perfect condition. Here's the description he sent me. Unfortunately, It's not in perfect condition. That should be expected for a guitar of it's age, as an old guitar which has seen many years ... especially ones of non-climate controlled environments. First, it needs new tuners. They are falling apart (crystallization) and of course you'd hate to break original parts on a 1955 Gibson, right? Next, it has some bracing issues ... but I have all of the old braces. They have just unglued. So if you took this into a shop, it would be an overnight project. So basically it needs a nice trip to a trusted luthier. I am moving and although so I don't have much time or money to invest into the project. Also, the guitar is beautiful, but it's more of a hang-piece than a playing piece for me ... I am looking to sell it to someone who will restore it, maybe a collector. He's asking 2750 for the guitar and truthfully, I don't know how to price something like this so I was hoping someone here could give me some idea if this was a reasonable price for a guitar in this condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Thinking about buying a 1955 Gibson J 45. It's not in perfect condition. Here's the description he sent me. He's asking 2750 for the guitar and truthfully, I don't know how to price something like this so I was hoping someone here could give me some idea if this was a reasonable price for a guitar in this condition. We really need pictures to be able to give a rational opinion. If a bunch of braces have come out, it is possible that the geometry of the body and/or neck has been compromised as well. For anyone contemplating a vintage J-45, I would suggest buying the full-scale paper plans sold by Stewmac as a reference. These are taken from a late 50's J-45, and show just how much arch and belly there should be in the top and bottom, which you can compare to the guitar you are considering. Gluing braces is generally a by-the-hour charge. The question is whether you have all the braces, as fabricating them is more expensive and requires someone with a real knowledge of the J-45 bracing system to get it right. The price sounds high to me. Much depends of fret and fretboard wear, finish condition, neck set, etc. You can quickly get more money into a guitar needing repair than you will ever get back, and it may be difficult to evaluate the tonal quality of the guitar until the repairs are done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 . Welcome. Pictures please. . . . . If you need some help posting pics check here -> http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/11005-sticky-how-to-post-photos/ . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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