Need some help with a decision.

[diceman]

Its all good. I can hardly blame you for that - there was tons of douchebaggery in this thread. I apologize on behalf of all civilized members of MLP!

You can't go wrong with an early Norlin, though. Both from a mojo standpoint, and as a safe investment should you need to unload it later. The Historics are truly the best guitars coming out of Gibson today, but they will drop a good 30% in value as soon as you buy it - if you purchase new. On the used market, you can find a nice R8 for just a hair over $2k. See my post on the previous page - I love both of mine - but the old Norlin is my favorite of the two.

 

[The_Sentry]

1973 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe

Man, he wants a lot of money

BTW...did you see this R6? It's cheaper than the bloody Deluxe...

Gibson 56 Historic Les Paul, Tobacco Burst

 

[dwagar]

make sure it is a '73, check the pot codes. If it's nice and clean and original, I think you are okay at $2500.

 

[Xavier_32]

1973 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe

Man, he wants a lot of money

BTW...did you see this R6? It's cheaper than the bloody Deluxe...

Gibson 56 Historic Les Paul, Tobacco Burst

Yeah, that guy wants a lot. I'm planning on haggling him. Hopefully I can get it down to around $2,500. My cap might be somewhere around $2,700 on that one. Still waiting on a reply from him lol! As for that R6, the tobacco might kill it for me. However, that price is nice. I might get into talks with this guy if the Norlin dude doesn't reply soon, or won't budge on price.

make sure it is a '73, check the pot codes. If it's nice and clean and original, I think you are okay at $2500.

Yeah, I plan on making sure before I buy it. I'm definitely going to stop by and take a look at it personally before committing.

 

[The_Sentry]

Yeah...it seems like 1976 is the cutoff year on those....the guy is looking at blue book value. Still though....he might be waiting a while if he's asking full value...

Vintage Gibson Guitars: GIbson Les Paul Deluxe

 

[05jrock]

Auckland, New Zealand

I would have missed that if you hadn't quoted it, you're on my ignore list Checkedgoldtop.

Jeff is on my ignore list for saying auckland when someone mentions NZ

 

[Fracture]

and you dont call my Dad a fail ok

Sorry but your Dad is an epic fail, your mother probably more so.
Your spelling is atrocious, and you make no attempt to improve it.
You've posted and wasted more space on this forum than any previous
undesirable.
You should have your computer confiscated and be force fed Hooked
on Phonics.
You talk about working for $10 an hour. I was earning that in the late 70's.
Dennis has probably worked 40 of his 52 years. Some weeks more than 60 hours I bet.We don't discuss money here,it's guitars and a place to unwind.
Not tee off on someone who wrong 95% of the time, and a liar to boot
I have never encountered a more annoying person than you in my entire life.
But you bring on yourself and deserve it.
Don't leave because your just too damn amusing!

 

[Xavier_32]

Hey guys, slightly unrelated again, but it would appear that bigalthethird has the same 1938 Gretsch prototype I have. He said his was a one-off one of a kind 'only one in the world.' It looks like I have another one >.>

 

[Ride on a Pony]

Jeff is on my ignore list for saying auckland when someone mentions NZ

What else is there?

 

[dennistruckdriver]

....You've posted and wasted more space on this forum than any previous undesirable.....

I take exception to that statement! I have wasted WAY more space here than that knucklehead can EVER hope to!

 

[Fracture]

True, but you've earned the right, you old coot!

 

[dennistruckdriver]

....you old coot!

Again, I take exception....I am a middle-aged coot!

 

[Xavier_32]

Well, I've not heard back from the guy. I think I'm just going to hold out until another early years Norlin shows up. Hell, I probably won't be able to afford one when it shows up again. I hate living paycheck to paycheck.

Oh, btw, the guys at the Gretsch forums helped me discover that this thing is a 1939-1940 Gretsch Synchromatic 75 - The predecessor to the Synchromatic 100. It's really incredibly rare, and worth $800-$1,500 depending on condition, and would be worth more if archtop acoustics from the '30s and '40s retained their playability.

From scouring the internet all day, it actually does look like bigalthethird and I have the only 2 in existence that have been accounted for. People don't have any pictures of the guitar aside from his, as no others can be found and even the original catalogs from the '30s don't have pictures of the Synchromatic 75. I kind of like knowing that I own such a rarity.

EDIT: The appropriate name for this guitar is the Synchromatic 75. Awesome!

 

[Fracture]

Exception noted. Apology extended.

 

[Xavier_32]

Well, the craigslist guy never responded to me, and he took down the listing. I assume that means it sold already. But I did stumble across this just now: 1972 Les Paul Deluxe

That's the guitar I fell in love with that pretty much turned me onto Les Pauls to begin with. The condition looks good, a little wear and tear on the backside, but that doesn't bother me much. Looks like all original hardware, and more importantly, NO head stock repair. All the '70-'73 Deluxess I see listed have either had their bridges/tails/tuners swapped out or had headstock repair. What do you guys think?

I was planning to sell my Gretsch to fund paying for a Les Paul in full with cash, but since I found out that my 1950 Synchromatic 100 is really a super rare 1939 Synchromatic 75, I'm not selling it. That means that I don't really have $2,400 to toss at a guitar right now (especially after the recent $1,600 dentist bill,) so these guys would have to have a payment option, or I'd have to borrow money or sell my beat up car or something.

 

[The_Sentry]

Well, the craigslist guy never responded to me, and he took down the listing. I assume that means it sold already. But I did stumble across this just now: 1972 Les Paul Deluxe

That's the guitar I fell in love with that pretty much turned me onto Les Pauls to begin with. The condition looks good, a little wear and tear on the backside, but that doesn't bother me much. More importantly, NO head stock repair. All the '70-'73 Deluxess I see listed have headstock repair. What do you guys think?

I was planning to sell my Gretsch to fund paying for a Les Paul in full with cash, but since I found out that my 1950 Synchromatic 100 is really a super rare 1939 Synchromatic 75, I'm not selling it. That means that I don't really have $2,400 to toss at a guitar right now (especially after the recent $1,600 dentist bill,) so these guys would have to have a payment option, or I'd have to borrow money or sell my beat up car or something.

Oh man...that guitar is a better price anyway.

 

[Xavier_32]

Yeah, better price, and while practically meaningless aside from sentimentality, a 1972 instead of a 1973. I want to spring for it, but being this low on money right before Christmas really hurts. I just don't know how often a '72 Deluxe with all original hardware in good condition pops up, and for a decent price to boot.

 

[The_Sentry]

Yeah, better price, and while practically meaningless aside from sentimentality, a 1972 instead of a 1973. I want to spring for it, but being this low on money right before Christmas really hurts. I just don't know how often a '72 Deluxe with all original hardware in good condition pops up, and for a decent price to boot.

Well, the beauty of the internet is that you can find those on Ebay and what not...but right now we're kind of in strange times where a lot of oddities are up for sale right now. I don't know if this will continue, but the economic conditions have put some real bargains out there.

I'm a left handed player, and as far as the correlation goes: I've seen a lot more vintage and rare guitars go for steals than even 2 months ago. Maybe it'll last..maybe it won't.

Either way....Xavier, I hope you get that guitar. It looks like it's in amazing condition in light of how old it is.

 

[Xavier_32]

Well, unfortunately it looks like I'm going to continue to remain without Les Paul. After going over finances with my girlfriend, there's simply no way we can afford this purchase. Would have been able to afford it if I was still selling my Gretsch, but that thing is a relic now.

This totally blows. 10 years later, and I'm still playing my starter guitar, a piece of crap Mexi-strat that cost $150 back in 1999. I guess that's just how things go. (Should have never sold that Ibanez to help buy a used car -.-)

Thanks for all the useful information guys. I'm pretty set on getting a 71-74 Norlin 'eventually.'

 

[checkedgoldtop]

Well, unfortunately it looks like I'm going to continue to remain without Les Paul. After going over finances with my girlfriend, there's simply no way we can afford this purchase. Would have been able to afford it if I was still selling my Gretsch, but that thing is a relic now.

This totally blows. 10 years later, and I'm still playing my starter guitar, a piece of crap Mexi-strat that cost $150 back in 1999. I guess that's just how things go. (Should have never sold that Ibanez to help buy a used car -.-)

Thanks for all the useful information guys. I'm pretty set on getting a 71-74 Norlin 'eventually.'

Put that Gretsch in the classifieds on here, I think you might have some luck.