Mikey Funk Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Hello everyone, I'm brand new at this, and hope I'm in the right place. I have a black with gold hardware Gibson SG custom (3 humbuckers)that has everyone I have brought it to confused, or at least not able to give a final answer as to what year it is so I can find a value. The serial # stamped on the back of the headstock is 137910. It has a volute, and the pots date code to the 36th week of 1973. That's where is gets sketchy. I haven't seen any black SG customs from 1973 anywhere on the internet. I have seen one online that claims it is a 1974, and the most trusted vintage guitar dealer in the Dallas Ft Worth area looked it over and pulled out a Gibson book with production numbers. It stated that Gibson didn't produce any black SG customs in 1973 or 1974, and only 7 in 1975. Also he believed that the finish was original to the guitar, and not a refin of another colored guitar. This leads me to believe that its a 1975, but how can I be sure of that? I know it's not uncommon to have 73 pots in a 74 or 75, but I would really like to know what year it actually is and is this color as rare as the Gibson production # books say it is? Also is it possible that Gibson made a couple of black ones in 73 or 74 and they didn't make it into the production numbers? If the color is that rare, how does it affect the value? Since I have been unable to find any like this for sale online, how do you determine the value? I know that the 3 way switch has been changed, the truss rod cover and the harmonica bridge. I apologize for the pics. I have better ones including the original Gibson case, but they were too big to load. Thank you to any and all that respond, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Nice looking SG! Welcome. The 70's were strange years for Gibson models and dating. My 2012 Vintage Guitar Price Guide lists this model as 74-76 in 'various colors' in Exc Cond $2400-2900 ....Of course "your mileage may vary" Record keeping was not at its best by Gibson during this time. Hard to say how 'rare' it is ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam in alberta Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 You have narrowed it down as close as you're going to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Funk Posted December 24, 2012 Author Share Posted December 24, 2012 Sorry for the delay. Thank you so much for your responses Cam and Retrorod. Have been looking on Ebay for the past four months, and have seen only two for sale. One white asking $4995.00 (will see if it sells) and a black that sold for $3995.00 I believe. In any case, it's a very cool guitar, and not many of them around. My vintage appraiser said somewhere between $2500 and $4K, but said it's hard to say because book values are usually way off, and since there's hardly ever one up for sale, looking up current auction values of guitars that have recently sold is hard. Merry Christmas everyone! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.