Rare gibson, any info???

[Forbes]

http://www.aroundaboutsound.co.uk/shop/view_more_pics.asp?p_id=1067

Looking into buying this..this is what the shop says about it


Not sure of this model, we think it was produced for a short time in the 80's, it has a fluorescent yellow finish with a few black marks which we dont seem to be able to remove, rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot markers, black Grover machine heads and hardware, it has a Steinberger trem' system which is not much good at staying in tune so we advise lockingit and using like a fixed bridge, single EMG pick up, ithas a paint chip between the pick up and trem system which has been glued back in place...an unusual instrument in fairly good condition for its age, but well worth the price.

£649.00


Any ideas? is it worth the price? When was it made and why did they stop making them, apparently it was just an unpopular model is this true?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[kaknight]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

I don't trust any guitar made in the 80's by gibson or fender. I doubt it's a bad guitar, but I really doubt it will ever be a collectors dream.

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

I know why it was unpopular - its ugly!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

...Not sure of this model, we think it was produced for a short time in the 80's, it has a fluorescent yellow finish with a few black marks which we dont seem to be able to remove, rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot markers, black Grover machine heads and hardware, it has a Steinberger trem' system which is not much good at staying in tune,so we advise lockingit and using like a fixed bridge, ....

Early 80s (Late Norlin-Era) is likely, as the Logo fits into that design and a lot of Gibsons in that era were available in "funky" colors. But the Trem part is BS, Steinberger Trans Trems stay in tune beautifully when set up properly. This may or may not be reason for concern, depending on where the axe is coming from and how good the tech is...

single EMG pick up, it has a paint chip between the pick up and trem system which has been glued back in place

I seriously doubt that that Pickup is a production EMG (the formfactor is REALLY strange, and there´s no Logo), but I won´t say no until I have better pics. Furthermore, I can´t see the paint chips (regluing a PAINT chip sounds REEAL strange to me anyway...), and I can´t make out any trace of a stamped serial Number even with Photoshop

an unusual instrument in fairly good condition for its age, but well worth the price.

£649.00

Definitely unusual, but IMO nowhere near worth 800$+ US. My copy of Gruhn´s guide is currently buried in me "being rearranged" apartment, but i´ll see if I can fish it out today or tomorrow... The model may very well exist, the ´80s were a rollercoaster of "strange releases", but I´m far from convinced on this one.....

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

Looks like a LP Junior of some sort. Definitely check the Gruhn guide as Zerberus said. That was a funky (sucky) era for Gibson, until 1986 when the new guys bought them and started putting out quality stuff.

If you do buy it, it would be a great one to have a custom paint job done on it. Not a bad looking guitar. Good luck

Jeff

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

I like it!

 

[Forbes]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

thanks for your help guys, im gonna have a good close look and play, but unless i really like it and can get alot off, i doubt ill purchase from what ive heard, id rather have something i know i can 100% rely on and not risk if it may be substandard.

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

hey man, thats my local music store!!! the guys in there are awesome. you can easily knock them down on price if your interested. i played that guitar just last week, it played sweet. slim neck for a gibson. no ibanez by any means, but pretty speedy. the pickup has some poke as well.

you from cheltenham then?

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

Early 80s (Late Norlin-Era) is likely, as the Logo fits into that design and a lot of Gibsons in that era were available in "funky" colors. But the Trem part is BS, Steinberger Trans Trems stay in tune beautifully when set up properly. This may or may not be reason for concern, depending on where the axe is coming from and how good the tech is...

thier tech is awesome, its a really reputable shop in the area. i go there every week. it rules.

 

[Forbes]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

yer man! that is my main shop too! And yes you are rite about the tech aswell, had him install a duncan in my ibanez and he did it very quickly on short notice for me to get my guitar ready.

Quite a conincidence to meet someone of my age from the same small town of cheltenham on this message board.....

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

I like it!

Me too

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

The art of technology and this forum - bringing people together from the same town, same age, visiting the same guitar shop and playing the same guitar :cool3:

BTW welcome to the forum guys and stay tooned to this place!!

 

[Hellion]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

Looks sort of like an 80's version of Gibson's Les Paul Recording model. They're probably not abundant but I'm not sure they're considered "rare". I've never seen any that had a trem unit, though. They may be telling you it's a Steinberger, but those aren't normally known for not holding a tuning. Gibson, however, had a bastardized Kahler/something blend that they put on some of their instruments about the same time, and those won't hold a tune to save their lives. Some of the Recording models (they all had low output pickups in them) had an XLR out as opposed to the normal 1/4" jack.

 

[McLaughysSN]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

i hate the 80's... but im lovein' that guitar dont know if i would pay that much as i would feel bad when i mod the thing, cause i would definitly mod it (probably some routing included) extremely to make it actually cool

 

[xerxes]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

i think it looks pretty cool.


i know know where the variax pickguand came from. lol.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

....
Gibson has produced many 'mavericks/'as Gibson calls them-that they ignore,(anyone remember the Moderne or the GK-55?).....

Actually, the Moderne (I say "Gumby") shape was originally developed and patented along with the Flying V and Explorer in the late ´50s, but it is VEEEEEERY questionable as to whether there was actually ever one produced in that time frame. One "´58 Moderne" went over the counter for just under 200,000 $US a few years back, and turned out to be a beautiful fake on inspection by George Gruhn IIRC

 

[Forbes]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

Ok thanks again guys, im going to have a closer look at the thing and play around with it, how worried should i be about the apparent lack of a serial number and how much would you guess the thing is actually worth? (i dont wanna end up paying over its price if i did fall in love)

i understand it may not be the most beautiful guitar, and it appears that it was a very unpopular model, but i have always liked guitars that are a little different and think this would fit me well if it sounds how i want, but i dont wanna end up paying £500+ if it is essentially a cheap and below-par guitar.

Thanks guys,
Forbes

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

yer man! that is my main shop too! And yes you are rite about the tech aswell, had him install a duncan in my ibanez and he did it very quickly on short notice for me to get my guitar ready.

Quite a conincidence to meet someone of my age from the same small town of cheltenham on this message board.....

yeah, mental!

what music and stuff you into? we should hook up sometime.

 

[xerxes]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

good point zerb about the moderne. however, didnt they reissue them?

 

[Forbes]

Re: Rare gibson, any info???

i mostly play punk, and some metal like metallica and iron maiden, trying to get a punk band together for months but finding a drummer with commitment i very hard, dont supose u know any local drummers willing to play crappy punk with us?

BTW im L6th at St Edwards School.