Appraisal needed

[tzd]

Do you have a model name from the certificate of authenticity? Something that looks like LP5+HBNH1

[MurphyLong]

Originally Posted by tzd

Do you have a model name from the certificate of authenticity? Something that looks like LP5+HBNH1

I don't, they only sent me an email about it. I'll contact them again and see what I have to do to get the certificate.

[tzd]

They will not give you a certificate if you don't already have it with the guitar. However if they can provide the model name it will help in deciphering what the guitar is made up of.

[MurphyLong]

Originally Posted by tzd

They will not give you a certificate if you don't already have it with the guitar. However if they can provide the model name it will help in deciphering what the guitar is made up of.

It's a Studio, if that's what you're asking. They confirmed limed mahogany.

[HDS]

What I see is someone trying to church up their studio. First you ask the forums for pricing, then you say you got it appraised saying it could be a prototype. I see theses kinda seller tactics on ebay and it just makes you look like to get more blood from a stone.

As a buyer of guitars I wouldn't buy this over a $550-$900 priced Studio. Woop-te-do it had aftermarket pickups installed at the factory (Not having Shaw pickups takes away from the price), its still a studio worth $500-$900 after market.

"***Edit*** Walter just sent me another email with the appraisal of $1,750-$2,000
Kinda makes theose dot fret-markers look pretty good in my eyes. " **

Dream on with them eyes, you aren't going to see that kind of money unless someone is looking for this exact guitar. Most people would take $1,750 - $2,000 and get a Standard, Classic plus, Triad or save up the extra $300 and get a R8.

Edit** Hell, I would buy a used 70's Custom for that appraised value lol.

Attacking people and saying their input is not valid defeats logic- they buy guitars and they said they wouldn't pay XX amount for it. So your wrong, their input is valid, it just doesnt hit the dollar mark you have in your mind.

[MurphyLong]

Originally Posted by HDS

What I see is someone trying to church up their studio. First you ask the forums for pricing, then you say you got it appraised saying it could be a prototype. I see theses kinda seller tactics on ebay and it just makes you look like to get more blood from a stone.

As a buyer of guitars I wouldn't buy this over a $550-$900 priced Studio. Woop-te-do it had aftermarket pickups installed at the factory (Not having Shaw pickups takes away from the price), its still a studio worth $500-$900 after market.

"***Edit*** Walter just sent me another email with the appraisal of $1,750-$2,000
Kinda makes theose dot fret-markers look pretty good in my eyes. " **

Dream on with them eyes, you aren't going to see that kind of money unless someone is looking for this exact guitar. Most people would take $1,750 - $2,000 and get a Standard, Classic plus, Triad or save up the extra $300 and get a R8.

Edit** Hell, I would buy a used 70's Custom for that appraised value lol.

Attacking people and saying their input is not valid defeats logic- they buy guitars and they said they wouldn't pay XX amount for it. So your wrong, their input is valid, it just doesnt hit the dollar mark you have in your mind.

...and you're entitled to your opinion. I'm not trying to church up anything... I just had a reputable business tell me what it's worth, so I no longer need this thread.


Mods, feel free to lock.

[TheNoodler]

Appraisal does not equal resale value. Its what you could claim for insurAnce purposes if you were insured and something happens. Ever hear commercials for jewlers "our jewelry appraises for twice what we sell it for". Does it mean you can expect to turn around and sell it at that price? No only an idiot would believe that. Did you ask Gruhn what they would offer you for the guitar? Probably $500 $600 tops that's if they were interested. They might turn around and list it for the price they gave you because they are a world famous business with years of high end sales. You are not Gruhn. If this was in guitar centers used inventory it would be listed at $800 tops and they would probably offer you half that. On ebay you would be lucky too get over $650 for it because that's what people will pay to take a risk on a studio over eBay. Your best bet is to find a store that will take it on consignment and work with you to come up with a reasonable price. If you go that route listen to the store owner on what is reasonable price to market the guitar and don't be a jackass and insist on $1700 for that guitar. it wont happen so get that through your head now.

[venijake]

Originally Posted by MurphyLong

So here's the verdict from Walter @ Gruhn guitars:

Unsure of the wood, I sent everything I had to him.

"[The wood] Looks like some sort of limed mahogany, like the early Les Paul Specials (1955-56). There is also a light mahogany called primavera wood, which was used by some makers in the 1940s, but to my knowledge never by Gibson. It does not look the "korina" (African limba) wood that Gibson used on the Heritage Flying V, Moderne and Explorer reissues in 1982, although the korina look could have inspired this guitar.

The carved mahogany top is highly unusual. It was the original spec on the Les Paul Custom, but from 1970 on, they used a maple top cap.

The dot inlays appeared on a carved-top Les Paul in the early 1980s, on early versions of the Les Paul Studio.

This [guitar] could have been some sort of prototype...I don't know of anyone who was involved in Gibson production at that time to direct you to."

Walter - Gruhn Guitars



So, my next stop is the radiology department in the hospital I work in. Time for an X-ray, methinks.


***Edit*** Walter just sent me another email with the appraisal of $1,750-$2,000

Kinda makes theose dot fret-markers look pretty good in my eyes.

The thing about appraisals is that he's not offering you that. He's saying what he things somebody else should pay. I'm not saying it's not worth that, but that having somebody buy it at that price is going to be extremely difficult. And almost all appraisals are like this. If it was such a good deal and so rare he would offer you that and not just tell you it was worth that. It's easy to give something a large monetary value when you're not the one spending money. Once again, I'm not saying that it's not worth that, but that you might have some difficulty getting that price. If you can, more power to you. Just my 2 cents.

[Adambomb]

Originally Posted by MurphyLong

So here's the verdict from Walter @ Gruhn guitars:

Unsure of the wood, I sent everything I had to him.

"[The wood] Looks like some sort of limed mahogany, like the early Les Paul Specials (1955-56). There is also a light mahogany called primavera wood, which was used by some makers in the 1940s, but to my knowledge never by Gibson. It does not look the "korina" (African limba) wood that Gibson used on the Heritage Flying V, Moderne and Explorer reissues in 1982, although the korina look could have inspired this guitar.

The carved mahogany top is highly unusual. It was the original spec on the Les Paul Custom, but from 1970 on, they used a maple top cap.

The dot inlays appeared on a carved-top Les Paul in the early 1980s, on early versions of the Les Paul Studio.

This [guitar] could have been some sort of prototype...I don't know of anyone who was involved in Gibson production at that time to direct you to."

Walter - Gruhn Guitars



So, my next stop is the radiology department in the hospital I work in. Time for an X-ray, methinks.


***Edit*** Walter just sent me another email with the appraisal of $1,750-$2,000

Kinda makes theose dot fret-markers look pretty good in my eyes.

(EDIT: Now going on this isnt some sellers tactic and you did get a true appraisal from my buddy Gruhn) Alright man good for you. Gruhn is a straight up guy. You wont find a better guy to appraise or tell you about vintage instruments that Gruhn. I dont live very far from Nashville and been to his shop downtown many times. This guy always as a couple 58's and 59 Les Pauls for sale.

You just can't trust other people's opinions on here. Even if they seem to know what thier talking about... their no Gruhn appraiser. I had a feeling that guitar was worth more than your average Studio. If I played it and liked it, I would be interested in buying it if I had the scratch. I would keep it if I were you. Good luck. PS: Love natural looking Les Pauls. guitar looks killer.

[tzd]

Originally Posted by MurphyLong

I have an all-original '83 LP Studio that I'm looking for a ballpark selling price on.

How do you know it is all-original when you only bought it 2 years ago? Gibson Les Paul Studio

[MurphyLong]

Originally Posted by tzd

How do you know it is all-original when you only bought it 2 years ago? Gibson Les Paul Studio

Because I bought it from the original owner.

For the record, sold the guitar 15 minutes ago.

[stock_hippie]

cool guitar

[venijake]

Originally Posted by MurphyLong

Because I bought it from the original owner.

For the record, sold the guitar 15 minutes ago.

Nice.

Just wondering, how much did it bring?

[garweft]

I would have thought that was an alder body and maple neck like all the other early studios.

So how much did you get for that refinished '83 studio with the Shaws removed?

[MurphyLong]

Not as much as I hoped for post-appraisal, but more than I expected when I decided to sell it. $1,600 cash.

[jmp2204]

Originally Posted by lespaul01

An 83 listed on the bay recently for $1500 did not sell/// Twice///

An 89 sold for just under a grand..

Thats about all I can do..

and an 86 for 1495

[scottyk]

Originally Posted by MurphyLong

I'll pull the pickups tonight when I slap some new strings on it. How do I know if the pickups are Shaw or not?

Ink stamped.
Here's the ones I pulled out of the 83 I bought.
Awesome pups by the way, I plugged them in my 68 RI and wow.

[jmp2204]

This may be kicking a dead horse but reading his original post in classifieds and then following him over here .It's really kind of funny too read what not only some here have to say , but some who inquired about mine from local classifieds.
I had mine for many years and when i bought it all I knew is I bought a Gibson les Paul that was very nice to play,looked cool and sounded great !! So years later I have 5 children (between 1 and 12) three in sports and a very busy life .I don't get to play much at all any more, but i am persuing sports photography .So I figure i may as well sell the lester to expand my photography gear(I am a hobbiest) .First thing I do is go to a Local shop guy who is a luthier owns it , deals in high end and vintage gear (the shop to go to in my area). he tells me i have a limited built (84-87) studio standard, it has Shaw pick ups (desired) ebony fretboard (not that common on these ) and the original chainsaw case. he told me this is a standard with dots slightly thinner body than a standard but is way closer to a standard than a common studio .however the uniqueness,quality of these and rarity gives it some value . he said $1995 is not out line for my particular example , but takes the right buyer as well.(someone into LP's and /or collects them). So he listed it on his site on consignment. After a bit i told him I'm good with 14-1500 hun as i am not necc looking for top dollar out of it so he dropped it to 1695. Anyway at the same time I threw it up on here and had some interest (most involving trades) one particular guy was prepared to give me 1450 usd .At time i had some other issue happening and left it hanging. So few months pass(things get better) i throw it back up there and notified the 1450 guy who since bought one (has 2 of these now in Sun burst ,mine is Tabbacco) had a few more involving trades and a bit lower offer (1200pp and shipping in).Locally i advertised it on Kijiji for a 200 miles radius .I had tremendous interest ,but all involving trades ! so from there i put it out there that i would accept an acoustic on partial trade. well i did have a guy about 100 miles from me offer me 750 pick it up today. I told him to actually research the guitar and come back he did and apologised , he actauly has 3 LP's and assumed it was "just a studio" after speaking to his local expert he said" ya man you should get 1500 hun, but he wants a beater studio" and doesn't have the coin for mine. Fast foward- Member here put me onto a shop an hour and a half from me , A guy who is an Acoustic expert (had a 1940"s martin on his bench when i was there 22,000 value) emailed him pix of mine looking to pick up a cheaper acoustic +cash for mine .He allowed me 1350 for mine (he has it on his site for 1800 ) he did his homework on the guitar and was quite excited to have it in his shop. Point is i had numerous people say it's" just a studio" "It's only a Studio" and lots of offers based on what a late model studio is worth.It's not insulting neccesarily , but this guy spoke to someone who does this for a living , i don't think he is churching anything I got all the same info from all the professionals i turned to. ask your self what would you buy an 06 studio with plastic inlays? or an SS with shaws binding all mahogany body/neck with a maple top ? how much more would you pay? I felt and heard the difference when i played a standard , then mine SS and then the regular studio, I would not trade my ESP ltd EC-1000 for the reg studio . they are only really worth what the propective buyer is willing to pay, in the case of the 80's line , many are willing to pay just under same the same are standard. The truth be known the 1450 guy (obviously collects them ) i really wished i could of got it to him as i know he would appreciated it for what it is !! yes it broke my heart to let it go , but hey If/and when i get another it will be a white custom (big RR fan here) sorry for the rant