Gibson Les Paul Custom value.

[Knockout]

Hey dudes (and dudeses), I have a white aged Gibson Les Paul Custom. It is in great used condition but, it had been fucked with a bit. Someone tried to make it look like Zakk's Custom by stripping neck and for some ungodly reason the back of the headstock with it. Then dumbass, realized that it was all mahogany(1990) and not mahogany with maple nack like before 1981) so he repaints a back of the headstock with fugly unmached white paint and puts Gibson's Standard (perly) tuners instead of metal ones.
Well, I took the guitar for repainting and now the neck is pretty close in color to the body. The thing is that whoever did the striping striped serial with the paint. So now it is serialless Les Paul Custom. It plays like it should and as I said condition is great, you can hardly tell that it was repainted.
So the question is how much value was killed in the process? I mean if it is pretty much worsless now, then I will try to modify it. Puting Hetfields EMG's in it, hevier guage strings etc.
I did not take pictures of the after product but here is frontal of the before, with the standard perloid tulips (now it has gold metal tulips).

 

[vultures]

Do you have any direct proof that you could get, like the receipts from previous owner, letter of authenticity, anything? I think Gibson might restamp if you can show it's authentic.

 

[Knockout]

No documentation on the serial. Gibson did verify that it is authentic guitar(I sent them bunch of pictures).
The guitar is awesome, and I would not let it go anyway. I just curious how much serial number effects the value.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I'd say that guitar is worth about 500 bucks with no serial number. Send me your Paypal address and I'll take it off your hands immediatley.

 

[nighttrain69]

yea ,sorry, its worth nothing..but ill take it off your hands
seriously though, are you concerned for a selling stand point,or resale ..or just curious on value..
putting a value is difficult,because some guys dont want a les paul thats been molested or beat up..others dont care..

 

[Shawn Lutz]

keep it if you like it but w/o serial numbers its stolen goods in my book and a hard sell to anyone.

 

[Knockout]

yea ,sorry, its worth nothing..but ill take it off your hands
seriously though, are you concerned for a selling stand point,or resale ..or just curious on value..
putting a value is difficult,because some guys dont want a les paul thats been molested or beat up..others dont care..[/quot

I was wondering, if I ever want to trade it and I see someone asking for a Gibson Les Paul Custom and has something in trade value close to $1800. Should I send an offer with the whole explanation or don't even bother?
Again the guitar is in awesome condition, plays better than modern Customs, has that aged Randy Rhoads look and pickup say 1972 TT (not sticker ones) on them (which is not the worst ones in Gibbies).
I'll post some pictures after refinish tonight.

 

[blackba]

I would consider sending it to Gibson and seeing if they can fix the refinish or at least put a serial number on it. A minimum you are going to want a letter from Gibson stating it is authentic. Sorry but there are a ton of Les Paul fakes. Its worth what someone is willing risk if you don't have documentation.

And if it plays well, who cares what its worth, keep it and play it.

 

[mysticaxe]

I would consider sending it to Gibson and seeing if they can fix the refinish or at least put a serial number on it. A minimum you are going to want a letter from Gibson stating it is authentic. Sorry but there are a ton of Les Paul fakes. Its worth what someone is willing risk if you don't have documentation.

And if it plays well, who cares what its worth, keep it and play it.

+1. If it was me and someone offered me a LPC with no serial number in a trade, I would either pass or assign a value based on the assumption of a Chinese knockoff ($200, tops). Problem is, I'm not interested in knockoffs.

 

[Knockout]

Fake les pauls are way too easy to spot. The authentisity is not an issue here. If it was a fake Gibson than it would be the best fake ever produced and I would sell it to Gibson for investigation. Also, as I said Gibson did send me an email saying th ething is authentic.

 

[nighttrain69]

+1 if you love the guitar ,play it and enjoy it, but if the time comes where u want to get rid of it, send it to gibson..let them authenticate and possible restamp it..what you spend at gibson, will definatly come back in terms of money and chance of selling the guitar..

 

[mysticaxe]

Fake les pauls are way too easy to spot. The authentisity is not an issue here. If it was a fake Gibson than it would be the best fake ever produced and I would sell it to Gibson for investigation. Also, as I said Gibson did send me an email saying th ething is authentic.

That's why I said if I couldn't touch/feel it, I would pass.

 

[Zap]

+1 if you love the guitar ,play it and enjoy it, but if the time comes where u want to get rid of it, send it to gibson..let them authenticate and possible restamp it..what you spend at gibson, will definatly come back in terms of money and chance of selling the guitar..

I agree. I don't see many potential buyers for a Gibson without a serial number, even with an email from Gibson. Whoever did that to the guitar needs a tire iron upside the head.

 

[johnpace2]

I think there are enough buyers that can tell a fake from a real LP. However, as others have said, you're going to get hammered on the price. I'm thinking $1,200 or so.

 

[Knockout]

Oh well, customized Les Paul Custom it is then!!
Put some James Hetfield new EMGs in it, make it White Iron Cross
Anyway, here are the pictures...


p.s.
If anyone wants to buy this one for $199 shoot me pm.....nah, you wish

 

[nighttrain69]

p.s.
If anyone wants to buy this one for $199 shoot me pm.....nah, you wish [/quote]


awesome ,it a beauty..now wear the fretts out

 

[Knockout]

So just ordered THIS, EMG 81X and 60X. First step to the total transformation into the most awesome modified Les Paul Custom which shall be called THE NAMELESS...

 

[snowdog]

You could do some investigating with other places that refinish Les Pauls, many of them have the stamps to re-apply the serial # after a refin. Or make up your own custom one with your initials like they do on signature models. AB 001.....

 

[Knockout]

That is great idea man!
I think I will put my initial and 00001 serial!

..and then I will sell to someone saying that it was Custom made Custom

 

[Knockout]

I was joking on the last post