Forever I thought this was a '72, but date codes on pots are '73 so I guess thats its actual age.
Custom paint - metallic gray / dark silver
gibson microtune tail from 80's
New frets & nut
New 500K pots & knobs
Original PAF's
plays fine
minuses : cavity routed in body for preamp back in the 80's that was never built or installed, serial number was sanded off during painting, top of peg board is pretty dinged up, peg board had been snapped off back in the 80's but repaired with epoxy ( not wood glue !!! ) and 2 steel pins across the break, its been 100% fine and probably stronger than original now.
I got this at around age 8 and was my first and only electric. However I was never thrilled with playing it, nor did I care for its sound except for a few classic rock sounds. The question is what to do with it. I have no clue what this is worth because of its pluses and minuses. I"m ok selling it but how much ? as a vintage instrument it should fetch $1600-$2K, but with custom paint ?
I will say it sounds better with the microtune tail over the original one by a margin.
The other option I'm considering selling the original PAF's off an putting in benedettos which I really like in a A75 I just upgraded. I could get an easy $500+ for each original pup and its the way I'm leaning right now. in fact I could part out the rest of it and replace with new parts. I"d be pretty far ahead $$$ that way I think vs just selling it as is.... or just leave it as a wall decoration with some old Ibanez Pups to fill the holes.
collective thoughts here ? sell it whole ? upgrade it and pay for those parts by at least selling off the original PAF's with change left over ?
FWIW I sold off the original knobs for $25 and was about to toss out the old pots when I saw then might fetch about $75.
S

View attachment 87791
Custom paint - metallic gray / dark silver
gibson microtune tail from 80's
New frets & nut
New 500K pots & knobs
Original PAF's
plays fine
minuses : cavity routed in body for preamp back in the 80's that was never built or installed, serial number was sanded off during painting, top of peg board is pretty dinged up, peg board had been snapped off back in the 80's but repaired with epoxy ( not wood glue !!! ) and 2 steel pins across the break, its been 100% fine and probably stronger than original now.
I got this at around age 8 and was my first and only electric. However I was never thrilled with playing it, nor did I care for its sound except for a few classic rock sounds. The question is what to do with it. I have no clue what this is worth because of its pluses and minuses. I"m ok selling it but how much ? as a vintage instrument it should fetch $1600-$2K, but with custom paint ?
I will say it sounds better with the microtune tail over the original one by a margin.
The other option I'm considering selling the original PAF's off an putting in benedettos which I really like in a A75 I just upgraded. I could get an easy $500+ for each original pup and its the way I'm leaning right now. in fact I could part out the rest of it and replace with new parts. I"d be pretty far ahead $$$ that way I think vs just selling it as is.... or just leave it as a wall decoration with some old Ibanez Pups to fill the holes.
collective thoughts here ? sell it whole ? upgrade it and pay for those parts by at least selling off the original PAF's with change left over ?
FWIW I sold off the original knobs for $25 and was about to toss out the old pots when I saw then might fetch about $75.
S

View attachment 87791

