guitar search

Subject: guitar search
From:
Date: 31 May 99 - 02:16 PM

Is there a way to check out a guitar to see if the price being asked is reasonable? My son found a Gibson Epiphone, model PR7ETBK for $849.95. I tried to check for a webpage at Gibson, but couldn't find anything to check for model numbers. The serial number search just said this guitar was mad around 1959, and it is brand new, so I don't get what I am doing wrong.TIA Lynne

Subject: RE: guitar search
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 31 May 99 - 04:25 PM

Lynne,

You might try visiting the websites of dealers in used guitars. Two places to check are Elderly Instruments and Mandolin Brothers (they sell lots of guitars, too).

Manufacturer's websites seldom give prices for their product.

If you don't find it at these two sites, try a websearch using words like "Epiphone acoustic guitar used".

Good luck in your search. There may even be a Mudcatter who can talk to you about prices.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: guitar search
From:
Date: 01 Jun 99 - 05:51 AM

In addition to Roger's advice, you can post a question to the newsgroup

rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic

I have seen a lot of "what is a ..... worth" asked and answered. (However an answer often is "check the Elderlys or Mandolin Bros. site" ;^})

Murray

Subject: RE: guitar search
From: annamill
Date: 01 Jun 99 - 03:32 PM

Hello,

Just thought you'd lke to know this. We have a Gibson Epiphone Stratocaster at our house and we only payed $150 for it. Be careful. If they are selling it as a real Strat or Les Paul, which they also make copies of, you may be getting cheated.

annap

Subject: RE: guitar search
From: Chet W.
Date: 01 Jun 99 - 07:10 PM

Gibson serial numbers were for a long time not very reliable. Epiphone became the budget label for Gibson at some point within a few years of 1959 (not sure exactly when; somebody else will know) and some of their guitars were very nice, but for some reason I doubt this one is as old as they are telling you, and, unless this is a really special individual guitar, you can do a lot better than that for $850. Try checking the dealers given above and maybe the auctions.

Chet W.

Subject: RE: guitar search
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 01 Jun 99 - 11:46 PM

After Gibson absorbed Epiphone the Epiphone models were actually higher priced than the equivalent Gibsons. An Epiphone Texan was more expensive than a Gibson J-50, although they were virtually identical guitars. You have to be careful these days as Chet says. Companies like Washburn and Epiphone advertise as if they were still the "Real Thing". They are definitely not, and have very low re-sale value. The odd thing though is that (snob appeal excepted) most of the imports are very well made.

Subject: RE: guitar search
From: Bert
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 09:23 AM

If you don't know if it's worth 850, Why do you want it? Is there something about it that specifically attracts you? If you don't have a 'special' reason then it IS too much.

If I was buying another guitar I'd probably look at a Seagull first, an excellent guitar for about half of that. Unless of course I saw something that had special meaning to me.

When I bought my most recent guitar I used 'Peter's Placebo' - you know - "An ounce of image is worth a pound of performance". So I got me this really pretty bird's eye maple job. It sounds OK but LOOKS really great.

Bert.