Gibson refinishing

[gnappi]

I have a Les Paul XLP that needs the top refinished. If Gibson refinishes it I have two questions:

 

1. Does it appear to be original afterward or are there generally tell tale signs that it's beed re-done

2. Will it hurt the value?

[stein]

I have a Les Paul XLP that needs the top refinished. If Gibson refinishes it I have two questions:

 

1. Does it appear to be original afterward or are there generally tell tale signs that it's beed re-done

2. Will it hurt the value?

1) It depends on what the rest of the guitar looks like now. If the rest of the finish has any age or yellowing, the new finish that doesn't might look different.

2) It depends on the value and age it is now. If it has no "collector" value because of it's age or sought after as origonal, then there is no value to worry about loosing. That is, if it is valued as a "player" guitar, the value will be the same.

 

Perhaps a better question is, will you get the price of the work done out of it, and does the current finish diminish the value as it is. Having Gibson do it would be costly. It MIGHT mean something down the road if and when the guitar becomes valueable as a "collecter" if there is an issue that it has been refinished, but paying any extra to have Gibson do it as opposed to another shop might not be justified. You will likely not see an increase in value for the money spent.

[gnappi]

1) It depends on what the rest of the guitar looks like now. If the rest of the finish has any age or yellowing, the new finish that doesn't might look different.

2) It depends on the value and age it is now. If it has no "collector" value because of it's age or sought after as origonal, then there is no value to worry about loosing. That is, if it is valued as a "player" guitar, the value will be the same.

 

Perhaps a better question is, will you get the price of the work done out of it, and does the current finish diminish the value as it is. Having Gibson do it would be costly. It MIGHT mean something down the road if and when the guitar becomes valueable as a "collecter" if there is an issue that it has been refinished, but paying any extra to have Gibson do it as opposed to another shop might not be justified. You will likely not see an increase in value for the money spent.

 

I got into the guitar at a very good price, so getting what I put into it isn't an issue. The top was written on in sharpie. The rest of the guitar is very well kept. I guess it really couldn't hurt it, Gibson quoted me $900 to finish it. No too bad.

[jimmyl51]

And what year will you get it back from Gibson ;>)?

[stein]

I got into the guitar at a very good price, so getting what I put into it isn't an issue. The top was written on in sharpie. The rest of the guitar is very well kept. I guess it really couldn't hurt it, Gibson quoted me $900 to finish it. No too bad.

900 for just the top? I think you can get it done much cheaper.

 

Depending on what you have into it, that might exceed the value right there. The whole guitar might be worth 900 actually. (Hard to judge with something like this).

 

Couple ways to look at it: the value is not likely to increase by 900 bucks from what it is now. Any difference in "value" that would be effected by this would be far off in the future. And even then, the difference in value between a refin'ed guitar done by Gibson or another party might not matter at all.

 

That's monetary value. As far as what YOU want to do, it is more a matter of if you want to spend the money, right? In a sense, regardless of what you have into it or what you will get out of it if you sell might not matter a bit. So, ADDING 900 bucks to the total investment doesn't really have to matter in the end. In that way, niether should it matter how much it takes away from the value. If the guitar is worth, say, 1200 bucks, it isn't likely to go down all that much to worry about what you have "lost" in value, so to speak.

 

IF you can find a local guy and can have confidence in his work, I would think you can get a lot better price than 900 bucks.

[stein]

And what year will you get it back from Gibson ;>)?

There's an interesting thought.

 

When it does come back, it might actually be "vintage" and worth a lot more.