Valuation Query: Vintage Gibson Semi Content

HarrySeven

Someone I know has the opportunity to acquire this:

http://i.imgur.com/sX1SmTa.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Bwek0Pu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bqYUZm8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SIhdEk3.jpg

As you can see, it’s a ES-330TD, which he believes is a ‘64.

He’s not sure re. potential value and asked me to gather some intel via the auspices of this very forum.

Old Gibson semi’s aren’t really my bag, but looking online, private sales seem to be between say £1.5K - £2.5K and dealers seem to be in the £3.5K - £4K+ region.

All advice gratefully received...TIA.

Hattigol

There are much more knowledgeable people on here than me but if it checks out as genuine and has no significant issues, I'd be thinking those dealer figures are about right but the private figure would be more like £2.5k to £3k.

That's my ha'penneth anyway...

richardhomer

64 is a desirable year - the last full year of wide necks. I was talking to someone at the Huddersfield Fretboard Jam who was looking at a ‘65 on private deal which was more than your top end figure, IIRC.

guitars4you

I'd say anything below 3K is good news today based on what I can see  - that serial number stacks up okay for a 64 period - Will be a Brz board - I can't see any negative issues at this stage so if all okay then it looks a nice guitar to buy - A desirable guitar IMO and in today's vintage market, compared with many other guitars, then 330's are under priced, or certainly more affordable - Go for it

HarrySeven

Cheers, Peeps!

Hmmm...so my brief online survey is off-the-mark - more like £3K is realistic?

guitars4you

HarrySeven said:

Cheers, Peeps!

Hmmm...so my brief online survey is off-the-mark - more like £3K is realistic?

has the seller priced it, or have you got to make an offer ?

Funkfingers

Nice guitar. If it *speaks* to the would-be acquirer and the price is acceptable, go for it.

HarrySeven

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

Cheers, Peeps!

Hmmm...so my brief online survey is off-the-mark - more like £3K is realistic?

has the seller priced it, or have you got to make an offer ?

A friend has been offered it, following the death of an elderly family acquaintance. However, the seller has no idea re. guitars.

He just wants to make a fair and honest offer for it.

guitars4you

awkward in such instances - Part of me will say £2500 on a private sale, but £3000 is not out of order for what looks to be a good example - I'd rather pay more for a good example then less for a poor example - looks a guitar you can be proud of - I generally find they player better with a good re-fret, with medium/jumbo sizes frets, but not essential to many

HarrySeven

Cheers Mark.

guitars4you

A friend of mine just passed a comment to me (via e-mail) about this OP - Even the Selmer paper/tweed case has a good re-sale value on its own - he sold one recently for over £200

Gassage

I value at £1000.

Inbox me and I'll transfer via PPG.

ICBM

Gassage said:

I value at £1000.

Inbox me and I'll transfer via PPG.

lol

You'll have to get past my generous offer of £1500 first .

guitars4you

ICBM said:

Gassage said:

I value at £1000.

Inbox me and I'll transfer via PPG.

lol

You'll have to get past my generous offer of £1500 first .

I'll go £1501 - seriously though it looks a good guitar doesn't it - nice to see as it shows good finds are still out there if you are patient

mixolyd

£1505 and a box of prebiotics.   And I can’t even play right handed. 

IvisonGuitars

Looks nice @HarrySeven. ;One thing to get your pal to check (an a matter of course on vintage 330's) is that the top hasn't 'dished' in from the bigsby as there is no centre block to hold it.

ICBM

miserneil said:

Looks nice @HarrySeven. ;One thing to get your pal to check (an a matter of course on vintage 330's) is that the top hasn't 'dished' in from the bigsby as there is no centre block to hold it.

I'm almost certain it hasn't - even from that front-on shot you can see the bridge isn't overly high. The B7-type Bigsby doesn't put much additional stress on the top compared to the B5 they were often fitted with so it shouldn't be a problem - and even though it's not original it shouldn't have devalued it either. (For me it increases it .)

The other main thing to check is of course the headstock for a repair - as well as any other structural problems - although if it's survived in that case with no neck support for any length of time it's probably an inherently stronger one...

Brize

ICBM said:

miserneil said:

Looks nice @HarrySeven. ;One thing to get your pal to check (an a matter of course on vintage 330's) is that the top hasn't 'dished' in from the bigsby as there is no centre block to hold it.

I'm almost certain it hasn't - even from that front-on shot you can see the bridge isn't overly high. The B7-type Bigsby doesn't put much additional stress on the top compared to the B5 they were often fitted with

Assume you mean B3 rather than B5.

ICBM

Brize said:

Assume you mean B3 rather than B5.

Oops, yes!



The B7 actually puts less stress on the top because the tension bar at the front tends to pull the top up rather than push it down, and the reaction to the spring force is contained within the Bigsby rather than applied to the top.

Phil_aka_Pip

I'd have it, but you'd have to take the Bigsby off it first

Jimbro66

That looks a beauty. If it really is that good with no hidden issues £3k would seem a fair price. Comparing apples with pears, a '64 345 is currently up for sale here for £8k and a '64 335 (the Clapton year?) would fetch a fair bit more than that.

I wonder what its history is? Did the elderly deceased play it in a '60s beat group? Maybe even an appearance on RSG? Hopefully Harry's pal might find out more.