Why/how does this happen to a Gibson?

[MrAnderson]

I've been looking at Les Paul Specials lately and came across this one on eBay. Now, a worn look is cool and all, but this guitar just wasn't taken care of. The guy even replaced the pickups with Epiphone ones...why?! 1998 Gibson Les Paul Special | eBay

 

[MUSTANGCAT]

I see what you mean. I would let this one go.

 

[MrAnderson]

I definitely will stay away from this one. I'm looking for a DC special with P90's anyway.

 

[kysrsoze]

Well, it is a Gibson. But the idiot beat the f*ck out of it. Looks like he wishes he had a wife to batter. What a dumbass.

 

[ARandall]

Maybe he had some great pickups, but in that guitar they wouldn't add any value to the sale....put cheapies in and sell it for however much and pickups get sold separately or not at all.

 

[mystique1]

You'd think he'd have at least cleaned it before he took the photos. Apart from that, definitely one to avoid.

 

[frankv]

Well, it is a Gibson. But the idiot beat the f*ck out of it. Looks like he wishes he had a wife to batter. What a dumbass.

If he is a working musician gigging and using this guitar on stage why is he an idiot or dumbass for having a beat guitar? Only idiot or dumbass here is you for making such a stupid comment.

You don't like the condition of the guitar.. That's fine. Leave the rest of those stupid comments out.

 

[dangerdog]

might say Gibson on it but that doesn't make it anything but a not-so special les paul.

It probably got broken, then it was gutted, then someone fixed it best they could and put in what pups they had, not sure how any of this makes the seller an idiot.

 

[rabidhamster]

How did it happen? My guess is someone toured with it for 14 years, and the headstock auto-ejected. Pretty simple. It can happen if you just drop the hardcase.

Lets not get carried away, that was a relative cheapie to begin with, sure its a Gibson but it would've been their entry level model. It doesn't look abused - just like the headstock was broken and maybe some ebay seller parted it out.
A guy gets a repaired headstock Gibson husk on the cheap from the people parting out guitars on ebay, and puts on parts he has on hand or can afford, now he has a real Gibson.

 

[02589]

I think we probably know WHY the pickups were swapped.

It looks like a tired workhorse that needs a good home. The pickups might or might not sound fine, but it's an easy swap if they don't. It wouldn't take much to make it a fresh workhorse.

 

[cowsgomoo]

direct flash photography on a black guitar is always going to produce ugly results - absolutely every blemish and smudge is revealed

to be honest, it doesn't look too bad to me, under the circumstances, and I bet in daylight it's nowhere near as horrendous

 

[Delta12]

Its a ****ing guitar. If you actually took the time to play yours, it would look beat up as well.

 

[Michael919]

I read the comments before looking at the pictures and was expecting much worse. I guess to some people guitars are tools and to others they are art pieces. The owner of this one was the former, apparently.

 

[dspelman]

I'm not sure this guitar was the tool of a gigging guitar player; it looks more like it was the toy of some dog who chewed on the cutaway point (who gets THAT part dinged up like THAT?) and knocked it over enough times to break the headstock off and even separate the neck from the body (take a good look at the neck heel on that sucker). I think those of us who hope the wear is mojo might be delusional <G>.

At a current bid of $251, I think someone is going to overpay by at least $150.

 

[Fuelish]

We've all seen much worse....but I wouldn't buy it

 

[Smooth]

Oh Cool! This must be the new DJ Ashba Signature! The upgraded model comes with cigarette burns.

 

[upl8tr]

Maybe Prince borrowed it...

 

[Michael919]

I don't know, I guess I'm looking at it through a different lens. I've been a Strat guy forever and there are so many iconic, beat to crap Strats of the stars that make this one look pretty clean, minus the break(s).

 

[JZ06]

I can go either way....while it's ok to have a few battle scars(After all, it IS a guitar) that is ok, this thing was definitely well used. The headstock break doesn't surprise me. I think it could keep on rockin', no doubt! Some guitars can be kept as "show pieces" some you use and don't care if they get a scratch or a ding. Don't do it intentionally, obviously...but if it happens, it happens.

 

[ll IrOn CiTy ll]

I would RAWK it!