Advice needed: 1972 Gibson SG pro ii

Teyeplayer

A mate of mine (genuinely, not a weird euphemism for myself) has been offered a 1972 Gibson SG pro ii. I’m struggling to find much detail on them and he’s asked for help regarding its value. 

From what I understand it’s got a new scratch plate but the original (as shown in the picture with same screw holes) is available. The p90s have been swapped for these Gibson embossed jobs. Real Gibson but not original. Not 100% sure the original p90s will be included. Also, the bridge has been swapped out but the original will be included. 

Appreciate the photos arent aren’t great but any thoughts and advice appreciated. Thanks guys.

https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157709160808286

Teyeplayer

Should add: whilst googling about I found an old thread on another forum that in short said ‘same value  as a modern Sg classic, but the classic is better made’. Can any of you shed any light on the accuracy of this?

ICBM

It's actually quite a decent period-correct conversion by the look of it, unless there's any rough routing that isn't visible in the pics. Including the original pickups is irrelevant really unless you want to sell them or use them in something else, since they can't be refitted even if the routing is clean. They will have some value, but not to that guitar!

They are a bit lumpy and unrefined, as guitars - they're heavy, the neck is set parallel to the body and raised, the chamfering is minimal and they just don't have the elegance or 'sleekness' of a proper SG. The controls are clunky - an on/off switch for each pickup - and the control plate looks like a DIY job. They can sound OK, but again not like a classic SG.

I hesitate to say what I've seen people pay for guitars of this series recently... suffice to say that I remember them being worth about half what a proper SG is, and in my opinion forty years have not changed that regardless of them now being old.

Teyeplayer

Thank ICBM, as always a detailed break down -very much appreciated and I’ll pass your thoughts on. 

Funkfingers

ICBM said:
not like a classic SG ... half what a proper SG is

Harsh but fair. 

Teyeplayer

Thanks both. I gather it has been offered for around the £500 mark, which certainly seems a bit more reasonable -was expecting something eye-watering and a bit ‘ebay’.

ICBM

So was I. As long as there are no structural problems or playability issues like it having a bad headstock repair or needing a refret, that’s a sensible price.

Teyeplayer

ICBM said:

So was I. As long as there are no structural problems or playability issues like it having a bad headstock repair or needing a refret, that’s a sensible price.

Sound advice as always. Many thanks.

guitars4you

Teyeplayer said:

Thanks both. I gather it has been offered for around the £500 mark, which certainly seems a bit more reasonable -was expecting something eye-watering and a bit ‘ebay’.

ICBM said:

So was I. As long as there are no structural problems or playability issues like it having a bad headstock repair or needing a refret, that’s a sensible price.

I endorse that - unusual to find sensible prices today

impmann

I agree with all that has been said - I had the single pickup version of this guitar (original single coil pickup). I paid £400 for mine in about 1998 and genuinely, I probably paid £200 too much.

They are clunky things, the neck wasn't the finest feeling thing and they suffer from looking like they have been hewn from a 1950s sideboard.

In today's market - genuinely - I wouldn't bother. A modern Gibson SG Special (gloss finish) from around 2004 will be a better guitar and you'd probably find one cheaper than the £500 asking price. Its not a collectors guitar, (definitely not in this condition) and its not a great 'players' guitar. Sorry to sound negative, chap.

Teyeplayer

Not negative at all @impmann, as I say, it’s not for me (Ken has been offered it) so I’m purely using the collective wisdom of this place and passing it on -if it was me I’d be on the modern Sg front too.