brentrocks
Well-known member
I got a call from an old friend today, we have know each other since we were in kindergarten together. He is hired by banks to go into repossessed homes and clean them out after the people have left. He gets to keep whatever is left behind! The last house he did, there were a bunch of goodies, an old Gibson acoustic and some old KISS albums!!! He didn't know anything about the guitar so he asked me to come over and check it out.
The first thing I noticed that it was a Norlin era, by the style of decal inside the sound hole...and that it had a volute. Then I noticed 2 big cracks in the top. It has a BGN stamped on the back of the headstock, meaning that it was a factory reject, sold for cost or below cost for a major blem.
The serial # dates it to a 1973-74. Its a J 45 Deluxe.
I told my friend that because of the cracks and the BGN stamp, that it really wasn't worth much. He told me that he has no desire to keep it and that I might as well take it. He also knew I was a big KISS fan and this house also had a large stack of old KISS albums he wanted to give me. I couldn't just take them for free gratis...so I gave him a little $$$ for thinking of me.
So, I took the guitar home and started to see how I could get this thing setup and playing better. First off the truss rod needed to be tightened, there was way too much relief. The neck pitch is not great and there is almost no saddle left. Its playable. The frets are REALLY LOW and small. I put a new set of lights on it and it sounds pretty ok. The neck is kinda chunky, for the era. Its got tons of dings, dents...it does have the original Gibson chipboard case though. Its a pretty guitar and has nice wood...I could prob put $500 into it and make it just right, but I will prob just play it and see what the cracks do over time.
The first thing I noticed that it was a Norlin era, by the style of decal inside the sound hole...and that it had a volute. Then I noticed 2 big cracks in the top. It has a BGN stamped on the back of the headstock, meaning that it was a factory reject, sold for cost or below cost for a major blem.
The serial # dates it to a 1973-74. Its a J 45 Deluxe.
I told my friend that because of the cracks and the BGN stamp, that it really wasn't worth much. He told me that he has no desire to keep it and that I might as well take it. He also knew I was a big KISS fan and this house also had a large stack of old KISS albums he wanted to give me. I couldn't just take them for free gratis...so I gave him a little $$$ for thinking of me.
So, I took the guitar home and started to see how I could get this thing setup and playing better. First off the truss rod needed to be tightened, there was way too much relief. The neck pitch is not great and there is almost no saddle left. Its playable. The frets are REALLY LOW and small. I put a new set of lights on it and it sounds pretty ok. The neck is kinda chunky, for the era. Its got tons of dings, dents...it does have the original Gibson chipboard case though. Its a pretty guitar and has nice wood...I could prob put $500 into it and make it just right, but I will prob just play it and see what the cracks do over time.
