From: gerald.b.ross@um.cc.umich.edu (Gerald Ross)
Subject: Re: Gibson Questions (ES 125T or Don't touch, it might break!!!)
News-Software: IBM OS/2 PM RN (NR/2) v0.14 by O. Vishnepolsky and R. Rogers
Reply-To: gerald.b.ross@um.cc.umich.edu (Gerald Ross)
Organization: University of Michigan Math Dept
Distribution: World
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 19:08:17 GMT

> In article <1992Nov18.192630.7983@lsa.umich.edu> gerald.b.ross@um.cc.umich.edu (Gerald Ross) writes:
> >In this area (Lower Peninsula of Michigan) any guitar in the
> >ES 125 family sells in the neighborhood of $300 - $525. I
> >have a ES 125 with one P-90 pickup, non-cutaway, thick body.
> >
> >I think it is an amazing guitar. It has a real mellow, sweet
> >sound. Good for Jazz, Country and Rhythm guitar work.
> >
> >Whatever you do, DON'T hot-rod this instrument by putting
> >a humbucker or some non-original pickup on it. If you do
> >the prices I quoted above will be cut in half.


          T O M    B A L O N writes:
> >
>
>         YES, YES, and for GOD'S sake man, don't play it ! Put
>         it in a glass cabinet with proper humidity control and
>         only use lighting with low UV ! Or it's value will be
>         cut way down to somthing like $75 bucks !
>
>         I'm really getting sick of all this collectible B.S. A
>         few more years of this and your basic Fender Champ will
>         cost $1000.00. Any guitar made of wood from ealier than
>         1980 will be $2000.00. Of course there will be thousands
>         of Fender Deluxe's, Pro-Reverbs, vintage Strats, Pauls,
>         335's all in nice glass cabinets for us to *look* at.
>
>         Sorry Ross, I don't really have anything against you. You
>         can ignore me if you like.
>
>         -Tom
>
>
>

Hey Tom,
If you read my message I said that the ES125 was a good guitar for
Jazz, Country and Rhythm guitar W O R K.  Yes I said WORK!

I have taken this guitar to local gigs. I have also
taken it on many >3 week road trips. IT IS A WORKING GUITAR.
I do keep it in a good quality case when I'm not using it. Is that OK?
Perhaps I should just strap it to the top of the car? The hell with
the rain! Its only a guitar, Man.

I do not believe in keeping vintage musical instruments in
museum cases. Nor do I believe in collectors treating these
instruments as if they were fragile flowers wilting in the
slightest breeze. These instruments should belong to players,
not collectors who just want another hash mark on their check list.
"Lets see I need a 59' a 63' and a 64' Strat to round out my
Fender shrine, and a Trini Lopez an Everly Brothers and a
Lucille for my Gibson Temple of Taste".

I also don't believe in taking say, a vintage Martin Herringbone,
mounting a whammy bar on it, filling the sound box with
plastic wood (those hollow bodies feed back ya know), adding
humbuckers and painting "Hendrix is God" on the soundboard in
day glow orange.

Is this still a vintage Martin Herringbone?
I don't think so (though the guy who did the "improvements" will claim
that it is when he wants to sell it).


This whole topic of vintage instruments, their use/non-use and pricing
is a huge topic filled with every opinion you can imagine.

Also, the original poster of the note just wanted to know if he
got a deal or not at $75.00.

enough said.
==============================================================
=
= Gerald Ross
=
=     ...It's 1992.  So where's my jetpack?
=
==============================================================