Replicas...what do they cost?

[Oldskoolrob]

Howdy o-learn'd ones. Just curious what a good quality replica is worth? Not finding much to my taste these days so thinking about getting something made for my next axe - sometime next year. I'd like it to be a good '56 replica, but with no logo on the headstock. Just curious!

 

[Pete M]

$0 to $10,000+. Does that narrow it down?

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Ha ha ha - yes, greatly, thanks! I mean something of Golden-era-gibson quality. Doesn't have to be relic'd or minute detail - just real nice.

 

[Luthi3rz]

like this ?
https://www.zzounds.com/item--GIBLPR56VO?siid=239035

 

[Oldskoolrob]

That's nice!

 

[Duane_the_tub]

Five grand

 

[Skyjerk]

That's like asking "How long is a piece of string?"

Depends on the builder, and the level of vintage detail and accuracy you are looking for.

The price can vary greatly from one builder to another

 

[Oldskoolrob]

True that- but ballpark was what I was aiming for

 

[WhiteEpiLP]

Duane_the_tub has giving a number ($5000) that will have most builders make you a fantastic replica lp, like best guitar you've ever had. But if you want dead nuts vintage accuracy, like molecular levels of closeness the number will be more of the $10,000.

 

[Pete M]

See the thing is, find a guy first. So you want the best of everything? He has to buy wood and stuff - that's about $1K+ in supplies. You could easily spend $2k in parts and pickups. Easily. Then factor in the cost of labour in him actually building a guitar. I don't even know. Finishing it too. I'd say $5k should do it at a minimum. But then how long is the waiting list to even get started? 4 years? I would be tempted just to buy a Historic honestly. If I want a replica, I build it myself. That's one way to keep the costs low. Mine average in about $2K in wood/parts, supplies and shipping, but I don't charge myself for my own labour costs.

 

[Oldskoolrob]

I'd love to build myself one, but I'm not that good :S

 

[Pete M]

I'd love to build myself one, but I'm not that good :S

Neither am I. The workers at the Gibson factory had one job each to do over and over again, and they did it amazingly. It was a team effort though. Put the guy who made necks into the spray booth and it would all go tits up. It's a tall order to say "Right - I'm going to do every job that a factory full of people would do". I'm good and some aspects and not others. I know I downright suck at some stuff. It's all a learning curve. Anyone can saw some wood glue it together and use sandpaper, so that'll get you some of the way. As long as the basics are there you can always get someone else to do things like finishing if you wanted.

 

[Oldskoolrob]

Hmm....maybe a good quality kit might be the way to go....

 

[Pete M]

Well I'd start small and work up. If you get some cheap wood and try and make a junior style guitar or something, what have you got to lose but money, time, and your sanity? Even if you just get a cheap fretboard blank, some frets, and a fret saw and start marking it out. Break it down into small processes rather than getting daunted by the picture as a whole. An electric guitar body can be looked at no more than a slab with some holes in it. For example

 

[charisjapan]

Hey @Oldskoolrob!

Before I started to think about building (about three years ago) I had just bought a used '13 R6. Mine is on the heavy-handed end of VOS, darkish back, heavily-yellowed binding, tarnished parts and some rust. I love it! It's a replica of my birth year, so it's staying ... until it goes to my daughter. Then the "G" rumors of price jumps, bad-business, etc. made me look elsewhere ... and then building my own. As has been said, you can get a nice R6 for $5K or thereabouts. You could probably get someone (who has the expertise and experience) to do a goldtop for $3K to $10K, depending on your parts choices, wood preferences, and builder rep.

or ...

you could find out if you are capable of building your own ... or even designing your own. I choses the latter, as my location limits me about wood/parts/space for tools/money, and enjoying it immensely. Even though I started out on this site in the Historic forum, I no longer have that lust/desire for a replica. As has been mentioned, I also started out with a kit (Precision guitars low-end 59) and soon found that it was fun and satisfying, but tweaking this-and-that was even more fun and satisfying. If I were to do it again, I would build a DC Junior (https://precisionguitarkits.com/product/make-your-own-double-cut-jr-guitar-1) instead of the LP. Relatively easy - just enough to get your feet wet - but still a completely satisfying guitar for about $1K total.

Hope you get your question answered!

 

[Rotorhead]

Well...

A few months ago I saw an LP at a pawn shop hanging on the wall. The price tag said $1,500 on it. I asked to see it for a minute and within seconds I could tell it was a chibson.

After pointing out the many things wrong with it the lady said "it is a replica, after all" lol.

Yeah.

You can see prices ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand.

 

[marijnsloth]

The workers at the Gibson factory had one job each to do over and over again, and they did it amazingly.

Did they though? Not trying to kick up dust here at all... but I regularly go to vintage guitar shows where I see a lot of 50s Gibsons where the assembly quality was literally all over the place. Crooked tuners, top seams pretty obviously off centre, pickup ring position, wobbly binding thickness, etc.

Sure some of that is age and wear, and I'm not dogging them or anything. I actually LOVE that degree of rawness (not sure if that's a good word for it). But somehow 'we' hold the 50s quality to such holy grail standards, while it's just not as perfect as we think in real life. To me they look very much like something a random worker in a factory put together while thinking what he'll have for lunch. Not by a master luthier.

So a home build with flaws and all... is IMO much closer to vintage correctness. Again, not hating... just saying that the bar might not be as high as you think it is and encourage you to give it a try. After I go home from a vintage guitar show I alway feel A LOT less disappointed in the small mistakes I made on my own builds

 

[Pete M]

Did they though? Not trying to kick up dust here at all... but I regularly go to vintage guitar shows where I see a lot of 50s Gibsons where the assembly quality was literally all over the place. Crooked tuners, top seams pretty obviously off centre, pickup ring position, wobbly binding thickness, etc.

Sure some of that is age and wear, and I'm not dogging them or anything. I actually LOVE that degree of rawness (not sure if that's a good word for it). But somehow 'we' hold the 50s quality to such holy grail standards, while it's just not as perfect as we think in real life. To me they look very much like something a random worker in a factory put together while thinking what he'll have for lunch. Not by a master luthier.

So a home build with flaws and all... is IMO much closer to vintage correctness. Again, not hating... just saying that the bar might not be as high as you think it is and encourage you to give it a try. After I go home from a vintage guitar show I alway feel A LOT less disappointed in the small mistakes I made on my own builds

I agree. Maybe I was overstating it to make my point. I guess I meant they probably did one thing all day everyday and knew how to do it backwards, forwards, and at great speed.

 

[WezV]

If it’s a really accurate replica, where everything is exactly as it was in 1959, then it will cost about $300 including case.


Anything else is just “in the style of” and can’t claim to be an accurate replica

 

[Skyjerk]

If it’s a really accurate replica, where everything is exactly as it was in 1959, then it will cost about $300 including case.


Anything else is just “in the style of” and can’t claim to be an accurate replica

$300? thats a pretty good price