Can You Identify These Guitars?

[Tck13]

I want to sell several of a friend's guitars on ebay for him but I need to completely identify them first. And before anyone says it, yes, I've been posting in several guitar forums to get help. Haven't been 100% successful yet so I thought I'd try here as well.

This is what I have so far:

This first guitar was pretty easy. The serial number is 110185 and appears to be a 1963 Gibson Les Paul Jr. I'll say it's NOT an SG because it has the name on the headstock and the SG models do not. 1963 was the last year for this guitar. I'm 100% sure that I have this correct. This guitar should sell for at least $2000

This next guitar I can't figure out the model. Judging by the serial number, it's a Gibson Acoustic / Electric Guitar made in 1973. The serial number (which is etched on the metal part on the bottom of the guitar with the letters "pa") is pa 08827921. ***This number has been updated, please see post below...

It looks like an es125, es150 or es175 but I just can't positively identify it. Anyone?

This last one I've narrowed down to a 1968-1970 Aria or Conrad Electric Violin Bass Guitar. The only thing on the guitar is a number on the back which is: 2287973.

All of the components on this guitar match the components on both the Aria and Conrad Bass Guitars but I think that they were both made by the same manufacturer in Japan by the name of Matsumoku.

 

[theyperch]

I'd be willing to bet that the acoustic/electric is an es125. The ES175 has the cutaway, and the ES150 has a bound fingerboard and trapezoid inlays, which this guitar does not. Also, based on pictures on the internet, you have the same shape pickguard, same tailpiece, etc. It looks like an ES125 to me. Makes sense, since the line was dropped in the 70s.

 

[impolyt_one]

yeah the second one is an ES125. All are beautiful guitars, so good luck.

 

[willpower]

You should be able to get a good deal more than 2K for the Les Paul Jr. The guitar is in near mint condition.


The soapbar pickup on that guitar makes for a great sound
[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[Tck13]



You should be able to get a good deal more than 2K for the Les Paul Jr. The guitar is in near mint condition.


The soapbar pickup on that guitar makes for a great sound...

I'm thinking I can but I was going to start with that price on Ebay. There's a nicer one on Ebay and I think they want $3k for it but it's not sold. Probably a bad time to sell something like that.

I just found out that the Bass is probably a Conrad. Apparently, that was a knockoff of Hofner by a Japanese company called kasuga. I originally thought it might be an aria but apparently I'm wrong about that.

I emailed this guy and he says it's a Conrad. Who knew all of this stuff existed?

 

[John Doe]

The first guitar is an SG body not a Les Paul Jr. An SG is a double cut away body and a Jr. is a single cut away. I'm not sure what you mean about the name on the headstock. Are you saying it says "Les Paul Jr." on the headstock? Maybe it has a truss rod cover from a Les Paul Jr. on it?

 

[origenesprit]



The first guitar is an SG body not a Les Paul Jr. An SG is a double cut away body and a Jr. is a single cut away. I'm not sure what you mean about the name on the headstock. Are you saying it says "Les Paul Jr." on the headstock? Maybe it has a truss rod cover from a Les Paul Jr. on it?

You don't know what you're talking about. Early SG's still had the Les Paul moniker before Les Paul told them to change the name, and this holds for the Jr.'s as well.

 

[Gus]

The first one is a "Les Paul Jr." if it has the Les Paul decal on the headstock on gold. It needs the P-90 cover and the correct volume and tone knobs however if you want top dollar. These are nice guitars when set up properly and have a great sound.

The second one is an ES-125. The tuners have been changed. It was not made in 1973, it was made in 1967. You have to drop the prefixes and start with the number 8 on the Gibson Serial number chart. This is not a very popular model and may take a while to sell at any price.

I have never collected Japanese guitars or basses so I can't help you here.

Good luck with your selling.

 

[Parker]

Thanks for posting that Who clip. How great was Keith Moon?! I love that everyone is playing like they're the star.

 

[willpower]



Thanks for posting that Who clip. How great was Keith Moon?! I love that everyone is playing like they're the lead.

Keith was so great. The WHO were in top form for that Dec 1968 performance - they were on tour at the time so they were well rehearsed. Here's another terrific one. I love how Pete adjusts adjusts the amps directly for distorted/clean sounds: [VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[Gus]



I love that everyone is playing like they're the star.

That was one of their strengths. It was like four Alpha Males fighting it out for dominance which gave such powerful performances.

 

[Tck13]



The first one is a "Les Paul Jr." if it has the Les Paul decal on the headstock on gold. It needs the P-90 cover and the correct volume and tone knobs however if you want top dollar. These are nice guitars when set up properly and have a great sound.

The second one is an ES-125. The tuners have been changed. It was not made in 1973, it was made in 1967. You have to drop the prefixes and start with the number 8 on the Gibson Serial number chart. This is not a very popular model and may take a while to sell at any price.

I have never collected Japanese guitars or basses so I can't help you here.

Good luck with your selling.

I'm not sure what you're talking about with the Electric Acoustic. There are no serial numbers matching mine (with or without adding numbers or letters) in 1967. Do you have a reference for what you're saying?

The only reference I have for Gibson serial numbers shows a serial number match in 1973.

Here's the link to what I'm referring to (it's a PDF file)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...-IXwAMuZaHh25efbA&sig2=BWIedWtZBpYWaIGLEs0TGw

 

[Gus]

Go to this list of serial numbers from Gibson http://www.gibson.com/Files/downloads/bluebook/GibsonSERIALNUMBERS.pdf



Drop the "pa o" that is a Gibson code for the assembly site and not part of the SN.

I'm not sure what you're talking about with the Electric Acoustic. There are no serial numbers matching mine (with or without adding numbers or letters) in 1967. Do you have a reference for what you're saying?

The only reference I have for Gibson serial numbers shows a serial number match in 1973.

Here's the link to what I'm referring to (it's a PDF file)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...-IXwAMuZaHh25efbA&sig2=BWIedWtZBpYWaIGLEs0TGw

 

[Tck13]

Unfortunately, I'm making a mistake in 2 ways (which I just found out).

In speaking with my friend who I'm helping sell the guitar, he mentioned that the numbers on the guitar are actually an insurance policy number etched on there by the original buyer (my friends Dad who has since passed away). He apparently insured the guitar and this was the policy number. I'm wondering if this may be the original serial number that was turned into the policy number because it matches approximately around when the guitar was purchased (60's or '70's).

I checked the guitar over again tonight and corrected the number (I had the original number in this thread wrong) and I checked to see if I could find a serial number on the guitar anywhere. I couldn't. There seem to be no numbers anywhere on this guitar.


The updated letters and number are Pa-08827921.

 

[Tck13]

nm