Hackubus Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I've got a stewwwwwwwwpid clean '91 SG/LP Custom 30th anniversary in that crazy 90s French's Mustard Yellow TV finish. We're talking never had a screw turned stupid clean, not even so much as a scratch stupid clean.Here's my problem: These pickups are dogs. I think the entire harness could stand to go & be replaced with better pots 'n caps.I could probably replace the harness & the p'ups may spring to life. Of course, doing any of this totally screws up the reason I bought it in the first place...What would you guys do?Put 'er under the knife & get a usable guitar or just polish it up, or hide it under the bed until the guitar market comes back & flip it later?
MCChris Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 hide it under the bed until the guitar market comes back & flip it laterTIWIWD
Feynman Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Just sell it now to avoid any further temptation, hopefully to Shawn.
MCChris Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 Pointless factoid: I sold one of those to James Iha back in the day.
kizanski Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I notice you never mentioned how it plays or if you even like the guitar.I'm guessing you like the guitar because you bought it, but the condition seems to be what you're more concerned with.I don't see why you can't put the pickups in it that you like and, if you decide to sell ti down the road, just put it all back to stock.Would the unoriginal solder joints kill the resale that much? I mean, it's not a vintage Strat or Sunburst Les Paul we're talking about...
MCChris Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I notice you never mentioned how it plays or if you even like the guitar.I'm guessing you like the guitar because you bought it, but the condition seems to be what you're more concerned with.I don't see why you can't put the pickups in it that you like and, if you decide to sell ti down the road, just put it all back to stock.Would the unoriginal solder joints kill the resale that much? I mean, it's not a vintage Strat or Sunburst Les Paul we're talking about...My take is that he'd like to preserve the cherry condition. Making it playable increases the likelihood of the guitar getting nicked up and whatnot.
Willie G. Moseley Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 The 'N.O.S.' label has its attraction in the guitar market. Keep all of the case candy as well, but inspect it on a regular basis; one of the NOS instruments I was hoarding...er, retaining went thru some kind of transformation due to the original finish not be applied correctly at the factory, and I opened the case on one occasion to discover it appeared to have leprosy. Had to send it back to the factory, which means I ended up with a new, unplayed guitar that was a factory re-fin, and that's how I had to present it when I sold it...which was soon after I got it back from the factory. That experience left a sour taste, and what NOS instruments I might have (or will have) are checked regularly.That being said, if the guitar's already two decades old, it probably won't have any deterioration problems unless moisture/humidity factors come into play.
zenmindbeginner Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 The economy is never coming back. Replace the pups... take it some guy who is a known expert at tweaking awesomeness out of guitars and has extremely reasonable rates.Murkat is the man to do this.
kizanski Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 My take is that he'd like to preserve the cherry condition. Making it playable increases the likelihood of the guitar getting nicked up and whatnot.Understood and agreed, but I'm not aware of this model being highly desirable, even in perfect condition.Not to say that it's not desirable, but it's not one of the guitars one sets out to store under the bed for "that day" when you can cash in.Go ahead and play the fucking thing or sell it.
Hackubus Posted January 12, 2012 Author Posted January 12, 2012 That settles it then, I'll get to work replacing the harness & a bridge pickup. The next sound you'll hear will be a cherry popping. (the guitar's, not mine). As far as playability & liking it, it plays great, I'm quite certain there's an awesome SG hiding in there despite being neutered right outta the gate with these junky ass 300k jobs. I've ran into some KILLER late 80s early 90s SG, and I think this is one of em.I've lusted for one of these since I saw Warren Haynes with one on the cover of GW mag back around 91-92. The want for one was always there, but I thought they were priced a little too high for me on the used market, but then.... I came across this one and it was the deadly combination of being A: Stupid Clean B: selling for about $750 less than what they had been bringing, so I jumped on it. Normally, my tinkerfuck-itis knows no bounds & they go straight into surgery when I get a new axe, but I just couldn't bring myself to modding this one.
Lockbody Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I change the 300k pots out on every SG I get. 500k Pots, PIO caps (.022 bridge/.015 neck), and 50s wiring will wake that bad boy right up. Definitely try it before you start replacing the pups.BTW, what pickups are in it, 57 Classics?
Hackubus Posted January 12, 2012 Author Posted January 12, 2012 I'm not 100% certain what p'ups are in it. I kinda hope they are. I like 57Cs in SGs & 335s. That'll save me a buck or two if so.
serial Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I had one of those in practically NOS condition that I picked up in 97 after lusting hard after one since 91. LOVE the look-HATED the guitar. It sounded like crap and the neck was SG-wooblefucky. That guitar put me off of SGs for many years. They really don't bring that much on the vintage market. Most are pristine too. Iha's was up for sale a year ago and as I recall sldidnt fetch that much. I liked the feel of the neck but not the way the guitar played-kept it less time than any guitar I've ever owned.Replace everything, play it and take care of it, otherwise, you just have a $2-3k (on a very good day) paperweight. Gibson has too many "rare" models that this one has never really spiked. I still watch for them because they look SOOO cool.
bubs_42 Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I'm with Steve on this one. If you like it rip the pups and start fresh.
Lockbody Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 I'm not 100% certain what p'ups are in it. I kinda hope they are. I like 57Cs in SGs & 335s. That'll save me a buck or two if so.Yep, 57 Classicshttp://forum.gibson....sary-sg-custom/Those pots got you down, mang,*EditThen again, dude in that link say his isn't a particularily good sounding SG compared to others, with what Serial said too... maybe it doesn't have "it" and never will.
MCChris Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 There was a time when '70s 3-bolt Strats weren't desirable. Just sayin'....This is the operative quote IMO:doing any of this totally screws up the reason I bought it in the first place...
kizanski Posted January 12, 2012 Posted January 12, 2012 There was a time when '70s 3-bolt Strats weren't desirable. Just sayin'....This is the operative quote IMO:doing any of this totally screws up the reason I bought it in the first place...Those three bolt Strats got "collectable" when the Pre-CBS stuff went batshit, through-the-roof crazy.For that to happen to this guitar, every more desirable SG that came before it (even the Norlin '70's stuff) would have to get collectable too, and as Zen alluded to, that's not happening.Don't get me wrong - I'm not throwing rocks at his guitar, but the Golden Age is dead. If you're going to stick something under your bed, you need to start with something more collectable.Or gold.
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