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  • #23925
    sonny228
    Participant

    Gibson ES335TDC Serial number 851961

    I want to know the value of this guitar. It is not a reproduction and is in near brand new condition along with its original case. I do know we are aproching the big bucks range. I need to insure it but I have no idea of its value. My father owns it and he is the original owner. He met Lucille, that why he bought it. It was made in 1966 and purchased in 1967.

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    • #67138
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I was a bit surprised myself. I seem to remember in the late 80s/ early 90s the 335 was all the rage and prices of nice, old ones were frightening. Fashions change, though, and some guitars can be the “in” thing one moment and fall out the next. It happens with “classic” cars, too.

    • #67104
      lee_UK
      Participant

      Ive been looking a few 60’s examples and they dont seem to get as much money as i thought, Mint condition doest really affect the price because a lot of people like the ‘used’ look of an older guitar.
      335TD’s and 335’s both seem to fetch similar money, i suppose for insurance you should insure for $3,000.
      I have a 335 dot cherry which i bought new in ’98 and i would hope to get £1,200 ($2,100) for it in A1 condition, so it seems your older guitar isnt worth a lot more than my modern 335 dot cherry.

    • #67098
      sonny228
      Participant

      I looked at the ones on e-bay, but they were in poor condition. This one is like new, even the case looks new.

    • #67107
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Yes, I dropped a boob there. The problem is that Gibson’s serial #s went totally erratic in the mid 60s – mid 70s period and 861xxx doesn’t show up all that easily when web-searched. Lee’s link is the best one for guesstimating the year on this period.

      My price for an 80s example was based on ebay.com listings. There is a ’66 12-string (less desirable, I’d imagine, and aftermarket tune-o-matic) with a BIN of $3400:
      http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1966-Gibson-ES-335-TDC-12-Sweet-Cherry-ES335_W0QQitemZ260064282660QQihZ016QQcategoryZ38085QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

      and there is a ’68 worth watching through its auction although, again, there are issues here that will affect the end price:
      http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-1968-ES-335-ES335-ES-335-VINTAGE-ES-335-TD-C_W0QQitemZ280060558780QQihZ018QQcategoryZ38085QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

      To get top dollar, originality and condition are everything. How’s yours?

    • #67162
      lee_UK
      Participant

      i think Bass was using the 1st and 5th number system for working out manufacture years, and so (8)519(6)1 becomes an ’86 model but this only works on 8 digit numbers, this chap has a 6 digit serial number which pre-dates ’77.
      a quick look at the ‘Blue book’ http://www.gibson.com/Files/downloads/bluebook/GibsonSERIALNUMBERS.pdf
      tells us that his ‘Lucile’ is indeed a ’66 model, i would think it must be in the $10,000+ range, just glad he didnt take an offer of $2,500 for it!!

      Sorry about that Sonny288, hope someone on here can give you a correct valuation for your year.

      Lee.

    • #67119
      sonny228
      Participant

      I know it was produced in 1966, so 40 years old is more like it. Any updated value for this guitar? My father purchesed it in San Diego in 1967 brand new.

    • #67113
      lee_UK
      Participant

      $2,500 seems a bit low for a Lucile, i think if it’s in top notch condition it should get between $3,000 – $3,500, you dont see a lot of them coming up for sale, and dont forget, $3,000 will get you a new one but yours is 20 years old and that should add value especialy if you hold on to it for a few more years, look at the prices of 70’s Strats? and some of that 70’s gear was the worse made in history, and it makes good money, wont be long before the 80’s gear is ‘in vogue’.
      Good luck with it.

    • #67108
      1bassleft
      Participant

      That serial # sounds like a 1986 Gibson. If so, insure for circa $2500 – quite a bit of money but not an astronomical sum. Does ’86 tie in with the known facts?

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