Hi. I'm new and I have a question for you guys

[HRS]

I know next to nothing about Les Paul guitars, but am interested in purchasing this Les Paul Classic 1960..........

Gibson Les Paul - get it tonight for low $$ - MAKE OFFER

I checked the serial number 064022, which the seller said is ink stamped rather than impressed into the headstock, at this website that I found on this board The Guitar Dater Project - Gibson Serial Number Decoder, and got a data report that the serial number was unrecognized.

Serial number unrecognized

So what's up with that? Is the guitar likely to be bogus? I am kind of spooked because of so many horror stories I hear about fake Les Pauls.

Sorry not to have introduced myself first, but I am working today, and haven't had much time to play on the internet.

The Guitar Dater Project - Gibson Serial Number Decoder

[JM2112]

Originally Posted by HRS

I know next to nothing about Les Paul guitars, but am interested in purchasing this Les Paul Classic 1960..........

Gibson Les Paul - get it tonight for low $$ - MAKE OFFER

I checked the serial number 064022, which the seller said is ink stamped rather than impressed into the headstock, at this website that I found on this board The Guitar Dater Project - Gibson Serial Number Decoder, and got a data report that the serial number was unrecognized.

Serial number unrecognized

So what's up with that? Is the guitar likely to be bogus? I am kind of spooked because of so many horror stories I hear about fake Les Pauls.

Sorry not to have introduced myself first, but I am working today, and haven't had much time to play on the internet.

The Guitar Dater Project - Gibson Serial Number Decoder

From my experience I've never seen an inked stamped serial number.

IMHO, stay away from it.

[tdbear1us]

The Classics had a stamped s/n the one your looking at is a 2006 model (first 2#'s) and was the 4022 instrument stamped. I had a 2005 and it too was an ink stamp and s/n was 050525 so this is standard for these and the price is about right they usually go for $1100-1250

[HRS]

Originally Posted by tdbear1us

The Classics had a stamped s/n the one your looking at is a 2006 model (first 2#'s) and was the 4022 instrument stamped. I had a 2005 and it too was an ink stamp and s/n was 050525 so this is standard for these and the price is about right they usually go for $1100-1250

well thank you very much. For the record, I have negotiated with him to $1,150.

edit: so then, the Classic isn't generally as valuable as a Standard or Deluxe, but more than a Studio. Would that be about right?

[HRS]

oh, and not to belabor the issue, but why would that website have indicated serial number not recognized?

[Findthetone]

Originally Posted by HRS

oh, and not to belabor the issue, but why would that website have indicated serial number not recognized?

It does the same thing with my LP Classic and it's from '96
Guitar Dater is a great place to start but isn't 100% accurate from my experience. For Gibsons I ALWAYS call Gibson customer support and give them the serial number. They have been more than helpful every time.

[tzd]

What kind of tone are you after? The Classic comes with 498R/500T ceramic pickups which are hotter than the more common pickups you find in a Les Paul, so more suited to higher-gain kind of music. Make sure you like how it sounds before you buy.

[Quicksilvergoat]

The guitar dater project is flawed. The best thing to do is contact Gibson with pics and serial number when you have a question. They even look into Epiphones. Turn around time is pretty quick too.

I saw that add last night too. I almost made an offer. Hard times. People need cash fast sometimes.

[Thumpalumpacus]

1) The Guitar Dater project is notoriously incomplete.

2) Classics do have ink-stamped numbers

From the pics in the ad, it looks good to me.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by HRS

oh, and not to belabor the issue, but why would that website have indicated serial number not recognized?

The Guitar Dater website is notoriously unreliable and nobody should bother using it. Gibson even warns on their website that it is unreliable.

[HRS]

Thanks a lot. You guys have been great help. I really appreciate it, as I am obviously clueless.

[Eric Smith]

Yes, I had a Classic and it was ink stamped.

[tdbear1us]

Originally Posted by HRS

well thank you very much. For the record, I have negotiated with him to $1,150.

edit: so then, the Classic isn't generally as valuable as a Standard or Deluxe, but more than a Studio. Would that be about right?

Yep that would be correct sir.

[Pinkie]

The green inlays and green tuners buttons are what most don't like about these, but if you are OK with them not a bad price.

[HRS]

Originally Posted by Pinkie

The green inlays and green tuners buttons are what most don't like about these, but if you are OK with them not a bad price.

You know, I didn't even notice that, and no I'm not wild about the green, but by now, since you guys seem to think it's ok, I'll go ahead with it since I pretty much told the guy I'd take it if it's in the shape he says it is.

I guess should have done more homework and research than I have. The situation, now that I have a little more time than when I started this thread is that I'm actually not much of a guitar player, though I've been playing around on guitar since I was 10 (I'm 55).

I have an old pre-CBS Fender that I pick around on when I play guitar. I am more proficient with bass, and have a mid 70s Fender Precision I have played in a few bands. Mostly, though, I'm one of those jerk singers. Nahhh, at my age, I'm not as obnoxious as I was when I was younger. I realize by now I'm not going to be a rock star. I build houses. Least, I do when the market is good, but right now it sucks. So I play music now mostly for the fun, and for a few bucks on the side.

The Les Paul is really more for my son than for me. He's mid 20s and in this rough economy, he's having enough trouble making ends meet, like so many folks these days. I figured I would buy a Les Paul while it's kind of a buyer's market. (Coincidentally, it's also a great time to buy a house if you can swing the tougher loan qualifications) He's also a better guitar player than I am (not hard to so be), and so he'll be better able to appreciate it. I just figured every real guitar player needs a Les Paul at least once in their life.

Well, thanks again. You guys are great help. You have a nice board here.

Rob

[Bobby Mahogany]

Wow! Great! Your son will be thrilled! It's a very nice guitar you can keep for life. The pickups are easily replacable if found too hot. Keep the original ones for resale value. This guitar will always be worth what you're paying for it so it will never be a problem.
Nice "meeting" you!

[acstorfer]

Every real guitarist should have at least 20+ Les Pauls!!!! Just kidding, your son will no doubt love it! Still, any way to have him with you to see if he'll like it? Les Pauls' have many different sized necks, this one will have a thin profile.

[DanL]

Very fair price judging by the pictures and it is certainly a legitimate Les Paul Classic in my opinion. I had one, wasn't crazy about the pickups so I swapped them for BB Pros, which I liked, but I still didn't like the green inlays (mine were really green!) so I ended up trading it up to a '91 Standard. Play it, if you like it, take it home.

[HRS]

Originally Posted by acstorfer

Still, any way to have him with you to see if he'll like it? Les Pauls' have many different sized necks, this one will have a thin profile.

yeah. My son was with me. We just got back from Guitar Center in Marietta, Ga. where my son and I met the seller, and yes, we did bring it home. Turns out that the guitar was bought new from that very store. The guys at Guitar Center were very nice in checking out everything on the guitar, allowing us to plug in, just being helpful in general, even though they didn't make a dime on the sale (which we had to do outside). I did shop for a few things at GC and I always get good prices there, so it worked out for everybody.

Thanks again for the info and help. I really do appreciate it.

You all have a good evening.

[Falconbill]

Originally Posted by HRS

yeah. My son was with me. We just got back from Guitar Center in Marietta, Ga. where my son and I met the seller, and yes, we did bring it home. Turns out that the guitar was bought new from that very store. The guys at Guitar Center were very nice in checking out everything on the guitar, allowing us to plug in, just being helpful in general, even though they didn't make a dime on the sale (which we had to do outside). I did shop for a few things at GC and I always get good prices there, so it worked out for everybody.

Thanks again for the info and help. I really do appreciate it.

You all have a good evening.

Well, I bought my used LP Standard from the same Marietta GC, after checking around at the other 2 GCs in ATL, Craigslist and Ebay. The guys there were actually pretty nice in they let me trade in a LP Junior for what I paid for it. I changed out the P/Us and installed 50s wiring, but the guitar played really nice, which is really what you want and why you need to try it first (or get a return clause). Glad you got something you liked.

[HRS]

Originally Posted by Falconbill

Well, I bought my used LP Standard from the same Marietta GC, after checking around at the other 2 GCs in ATL, Craigslist and Ebay. The guys there were actually pretty nice in they let me trade in a LP Junior for what I paid for it. I changed out the P/Us and installed 50s wiring, but the guitar played really nice, which is really what you want and why you need to try it first (or get a return clause). Glad you got something you liked.

good deal. I've dealt with that store, and the GC in Atlanta off and on for a good long time, and generally have good luck with them.

I don't know how old you are or how long you've been in the Atlanta area, but do you remember Rhythm City in Buckhead? George, the guy with the limp, owned the place, and was a character. He also owned American Music in Smyrna, back behind Dirt Cheep Music, but I didn't know it.

Back in the mid 80s, the drummer in a band I was playing with wanted to buy a complete new PA, even though I had a pretty nice system we were using. I told him I could get him a good price, so we load up one day and first stopped in at American Music. I knew those guys too, and I got a very good deal worked up on a pretty nice system. Being a wise guy, though, I figured we'd go to Rhythm City, and get them bidding against each other for the sale, so we go up to Buckhead, and I commenced to dealing with George on a system. He finally gave me a good price, and when I knew I wasn't going to get him any lower, I informed him I could get the same system about $300 cheaper. "Just where are you going to do that" George asked, to which I replied "American Music, in Smyrna". "I be damn", he said. "I own that place". Oh oh. I knew I'd screwed up.

I sheepishly drug my rear back down to Smyrna. I walked in the door, and they said "damn boy. That wasn't smart. George has called, and we can't sell you that PA for that price now. It's going to be what he priced it for up at Rhythm City."

Natually, my buddy that was buying the PA wasn't any too happy, but it was still a good price. That damn George. He just won't do. I wonder if he's still around.

Oh well. Just rambling again. I'm bad about that.