Vintage SG with a refin. No idea of value?

[2manyGuitars]

I've wanted a vintage, wraptail SG since forever but didn't really have the expendable cash to justify it. Bonus points for Pelham Blue or White.

One just popped up locally for what seems like "too good too be true" money. The ad says it's rebuilt from a refinished '68 SG body. The new parts are the pickguard, truss rod cover, pots, nut, gibson hard case. The "vintage period correct parts" are the rear cover, pickup, tuners, bridge, strap pins and knobs.

I'm not sure what a rebuilt/refinished husk would be worth. Should I be worried about what might be hiding under that blue paint?

Thoughts?

 

[KSG_Standard]

Dig the Pelham blue! That's an SG Jr. isn't it?

 

[redjunior]

Beautiful Jr., me likey! Bet the neck is sweet.......

 

[DavGrape]

Me want-ee.

 

[staffy]

Who cares what's under the paint, hit that thing!

 

[Sharky]

well, a well preserved one is offered here around 2.4 k, so yes, when the price is well around 1 k and I like the way it suits me, I'd hit it

https://www.gbase.com/gear/gibson-sg-special-1968-cherry-3

 

[2manyGuitars]

I just don't know enough to tell if the vintage parts are actually vintage. What shlould a late '60s P90 look like? The bridge, knobs, tuners, etc.?

What if there's a neck repair under the paint? Do these have a problem with the bridge posts leaning (like old LP Jrs?

 

[2manyGuitars]

Also, the serial number appears to be 982389. That would put the guitar as 1970-72 but then it should have "Made in USA" on the headstock.

If it's '70s, that changes things as far as desirability and value. I'm just seeing tiny little red flags, but I don't want to pass up a good deal on a bucket-list guitar.

 

[scott1970]

You could always buy it, play it for a while, and then sell it claiming it's the best vintage SG of all time but you just want something else.

 

[2manyGuitars]

You could always buy it, play it for a while, and then sell it claiming it's the best vintage SG of all time but you just want something else.

Sounds like there's a story behind that...

 

[scott1970]

Nothing specific, but I'm always impressed by the number of "best guitar I've ever played/owned" ads that pop up.

 

[Brians Evil Twin]

$1400 for a refinished '68 Junior seems a little high, but they did a nice job and Pelham is a great finish choice.

There are a lot of choices out there for guitars in that price range, but if it really has the original P90 and they didn't cover up any major breaks, you'd probably enjoy owning it.

Might be worth blacklighting it before you buy. If it were mine, I'd probably replace the tuners with period-correct Klusons and put the old ones in the case. Kind surprised they didn't do that already.

 

[2manyGuitars]

That's one thing I love about this site...
Never mentioned the price or where it's from but someone seems to have figured it out already.

I went to check it out this morning. It's the shop repairman selling it. He wasn't there but the sales guy said he bought a '68 husk, refinished it, then assembled it with new and vintage parts. I asked about any damage and repairs and he said since he used the words "rebuilt and refinished", he thinks there might have been something. I'll have to give him a call on Monday.

Overall, it looked pretty good for a fixer upper. Finish is semi-glossy and there's the odd blemish here and there. If you look at the pics, it looks like the front of the headstock was refinished and they masked around the logo. I don't think it's a decal. There were a couple marks near the base of the neck. Evidence of a repair? Also, the neck behind the nut looked like there might be something going on. Not sure what the "contour" is supposed to look like.

A closer inspection of the serial number looks like it might start with 96 or maybe 90.

The bridge seemed to have quite a bit of lean to it. Should be addressed? Other than a couple of dead notes on the high E in the upper frets and that the tone control worked more like a "cocked wah", it felt and sounded great. And the neck was a fatty.

 

[Donal]

I like it

Looks like it starts with 90.
And the price seems fair.

I`d buy it
(Alone just to have a guitar from 68 - a special year )

 

[Brians Evil Twin]

The bridge lean looks to be because the posts are not original - too much space.

But the post themselves are not leaning which is good, they are not pulling out of the wood.

 

[2manyGuitars]

Managed to track down the luthier/owner and sent him an email. Here's the reply...

"Hi Scott, Yeah I'm the rebuilder and the consignor.
When I got it it had the neck poorly set with epoxy, I managed to get it apart and reset it and it has held for +5 years now, It chipped a bit of wood from the back of the neck, but it all glued back together well (no bondo fills or anything, if you hold it in the right light you can see that glueline), there was also a fill near the pick guard point nearest the controls ( mahogany). I think it has sported both styles of vibrola tailpiece at some point (again visible in the right light). The pickup cavity was enlarged with a screwdriver when I got it, I cleaned up the edges a bit but did not fill it up. I don't recall any damage at the jack. The fingerboard gouges were filled, and it was refretted.
Parts wise.... the pickup and rear cover are off a 1968 SG special (new poles), tuners are old double line klusons of unknown origin but I think the bushing are new, bridge has all the right stamps and casting marks for the period-origin unknown, strap posts are off a late 60's/early 70's LP, pots are new cts (500K I think), pickguard is new and aged a bit, truss cover is new, most of the screws are new and aged, not sure about the studs but one of them is pretty shot as I recall, frankly if I were keeping it I'd update the studs to lock, (or maybe add some o-rings if I was feeling a little more punk about it , and I'd probably update the bridge altogether for use with an unwound G.
I'm selling it primarily because of my Rickenbacker addiction issues, an Ampeg B-15n that landed in my lap in need of repairs, and kitten bills.

I'll have a look Monday if I have time and see about that fret buzz. Feel free if you have any other questions... I hope it goes to a good home, It was a really fun guitar to spend some time with, and will be missed."

So, with that knowledge, what's it worth?

 

[James R]

Honestly?
It looks pretty good and all, but after reading his response I'd want to be into it for $1,000 CDN at best.
It may well be worth more than that, but unless it was the best sounding and playing SG that I ever experienced, I wouldn't buy it for more.

 

[Bluesky]

Need to refin it again natural. It's not the re fin that will kill the value, that color will. Not that it's not pretty........but it's like a hot chick with dyed blonde hair and big cans...you know it's not original.

 

[2manyGuitars]

Looks like I may have...

From the "luthier's" website...

"1968 Gibson Melodymaker / Junior conversion

This guitar was sold to me as a 64' junior husk, after some further investigation it appeared to be a either a wide stock melody maker, or a melody maker with another gibson neck grafted on... unfortunately, at the wrong angle and with epoxy...Reset the neck, stripped off the terrible black spray paint job, filled some chunks with mahogany and opted to restore it pretty much as a '68 SG Junior, I couldn't resist a little extra chrome and went with a long style tailpiece."

 

[Kris Ford]

THAT IS A 1970 FYI....

I don't care what anyone says either..that neck heel simply DID NOT exist before then....