Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I wonder what it sold for back in 1957?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0301795004
VINTAGE 1957 GIBSON LES PAUL GOLD TOP ELECTRIC GUITAR
Buy It Now price: US $112,500.00

That's a really nice one, but the price makes it tough. I love '57s

The last '59 I saw went for north of $250k from memory.

Given I'm more a player than a serious collector, I have always struggled with the concept of the hyper-valuable guitar.

Vintage guitar mag did an A/B with CS RIs and real 50's gold tops some time back and the difference was minimal, so the massive price gap is pure collector demand.

antipodean wrote:The last '59 I saw went for north of $250k from memory.

To be fair, there's a big difference in market value between a '57 and a '59

I recall in the late '70s, There was a '54 Goldtop making the rounds of guitar shows, with a $950.00 price tag on it.

The serial number had been routed off and filled, too...I wonder where it is now?

1965 wrote:

antipodean wrote:The last '59 I saw went for north of $250k from memory.

To be fair, there's a big difference in market value between a '57 and a '59

Yep, big time.


The highest price paid (that I have heard) for an absolute MINT 'Burst was over a half million dollars. The market has cooled down a bit from then, as this was a few years ago......but Gold Tops and Black customs are still going at $100,000 or less in many cases.

They're all insane to pay that much for any of them, if you ask me.

Wow!

JimK

I don't think the buyers of those guitars are primarily interested in their instrument value, that is, the way a player would rate them. It's just an interesting way to stash a hundred grand, for those who can. I'd be tickled to death to own a re-issue, or some of the genuine vintage numbers that can be had for a few thousand.

As for the original price of a 57 gold top, I see these notes from surfing around

"Les Paul Sunburst 1958 to 1960 ... originally sold for $280"

"1957 Gibson Les Paul guitar that originally sold for $265"

.... so perhaps my original guess of $300 wasn't far off.

Hmmm, buy a house or a guitar........................not a question to ask your Mrs.

whojamfan wrote:Hmmm, buy a house or a guitar........................not a question to ask your Mrs.

Why not make everybody happy?

kiramdear wrote:I don't think the buyers of those guitars are primarily interested in their instrument value, that is, the way a player would rate them. It's just an interesting way to stash a hundred grand, for those who can.

Yep, you are absolutely correct Kira. Many investors were (and still are) dipping into the vintage guitar game, who can't even play a chord.

I, for one, don't blame them one bit. I can tell you, I'd much rather have bought a mint '59 Les Paul than have dumped a half million into the stock market a year or two ago, talked about bummed out...

At least if you invest in guitars, and you lose money (or they become worthless), you can still play the blues. It may not pay dividends like stocks may have at one time, but at least they are tangible assets.

I don't blame them for placing value on a great instrument, but I just hope their interest won't drive the price of every decent old guitar through the roof for us lowly worker bees. Is that a possibility?

1965 wrote:

antipodean wrote:The last '59 I saw went for north of $250k from memory.

To be fair, there's a big difference in market value between a '57 and a '59

Totally agree Wes! I was just reaching for what I believe is the most expensive "generic" guitar, though I have heard of a '60 lp going for big dollars mid last year....

As you can gather, I'm not on the bandwagon for these....

I have two Gibsons - both '60s, both ugly refins, both play and sound like angels, neither is worth a darn... that's the way I like it (Ah-huh ah-huh).

And I thought the Gibson ES-175 was expensive.