ObG '59 Reissue LP

Mono · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:33 pm Post subject: ObG '59 Reissue LP

I've been offered an awesome ObG Les Paul.
Serial Number: G2-8003 (black stamped on headstock rear, no sticker).

My thinking is, and according to the Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orville_by_Gibson), that this is a '59 reissue made in 1992 at Terada, 8003rd production.

The giveaway was pointed out to me - apparently these came without pickguard installed. On the guitar offered to me, the screw for the pickguard has been poorly inserted and has left a wide gaping hole, probably an amateur job.

Can anyone confirm or correct any of this?
Are these guitars as rare/desirable/high quality as I hear?
I'm on a knife-edge decision here.....

marcusnieman · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:48 pm Post subject:

Need pictures, bro.

mojo hobo · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:51 pm Post subject:

HELLO mono ,I posted on that guitar on MLP forum ,YES ,after a more closer look ,it is a terada built orville by gibson reissue,I was a little mixed up and concerned about the routing not being terada ,but after looking again at this forums orville section,it has been a while

Trada routing went down the middle if the front cavity for plain orvilles,Most OBGs from terada went down the left diagional like this guitars,so it is a legit ORVILLE BY GIBSON reissue,It is also quite rare for a obg to have a 1-piece back,usally 2-piece
THAT IS THE GOOD POINTS:
The bad is the neck damage and can you live with it?If you get that guitar at under the BIN it is a BARGAIN,no doubt!
Neck damage cracks or breaks knock at least 30% off the resale price,but if you intend to keep it then that is not important is it?
Have you played it yet,you said it was local.By the way i think nostatic who posted in the other forum was the seller,could be wrong.
GOOD LUCK MONO!BE SENSIBLE ABOUT THE DESICION AND PURCHASE,ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE DAMAGE FACTOR!
See the thread> http://tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=14464&sid=5a5d02a98bca4dc19ae8cea83746cdc8

If it is such a desireable guitar then why aint it sold yet,take time bro!
and ask why!

MOJO HOBO

Mono · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks Mojo.
I have not played it yet. I am going round to his to play it tomorrow evening - I will definitely be reporting back what I find.
It all seems to be adding up to being a genuine '59 reissue. From the photos he has sent me I can also see fret edge binding...

Photos:
Oh yeah, it has a neck break.

Yeah I know what you mean. I could so easily buy this just because I want it - I've got to keep my smarts about me...!!

What do you guys think of the break?

mojo hobo · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:56 pm Post subject:

Well it is under string tension so that +1,I am sure a good luither would fix that and make it near impossible to see:
If you are concerned about neck breaks and guitars,look at this thread by me again,ooops not trying to make me join my fan club

http://tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=14831&sid=e3243b8e25b9b43e292cab94018cdf5d
I had the same concerns about a tokai reborn i was really interested in,I learnt a lot and got a lot of advice from other forum members that reassured me it was not that bad.

MOJO HOBO

Mono · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:54 pm Post subject:

I read both threads, thanks for the links MOJO HOBO.
I am glad I am not the only person who has had to make a decision as hard as this.
i've gotten in contact with a luthier here in the UK who has been recommended by several forums, just waiting for his email reply with a quote for the repair.

Oh god this is so tense. I KNOW how rare this guitar is and the quality manufacturing gone into it. Bah.

Mono · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:41 am Post subject:

Could someone please verify this as a solid flame top? (ie. not veneer)

Woop, I'm going to be trying this out in less than 7 hours!

duff · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 9:33 am Post subject:

looks like a veneer, but it's a blurry picture. I think most 59 reissues are veneer, and if i'm not seeing things i see a line from the veneer. The flame also looks like a veneer.

Mono · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:20 am Post subject:

Too risky.
Decided not to get it.
Thanks for all your help guys.

leadguitar_323 · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 6:03 pm Post subject:

Actually it should be a solid top and if you follow the grain in the right hand corner you can see the grain continues through the top. G serial is always Terada and fret edge binding is always a reissue..

Mick
_________________
so many guitars....so little money...

villager · Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:08 am Post subject:

i would need a better pic than that to say if it were solid or not..
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leadguitar_323 · Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:25 pm Post subject:

My eyes aren't what they used to be but if you follow the grain lines in the cavity you can match them to the grain lines in the top, and yes better pics would be nice ...

Mick
_________________
so many guitars....so little money...

Mono · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:02 am Post subject:

Sorry guys, that's the best I've got.
Anyway, she's gone. I would like to think all '59 RIs have solid tops, but who knows...

villager · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:04 am Post subject:

I know.... they don't, most ObG's are veneer.. its only rarely you see an ObG with a solid flametop, and the ObG reissues with solid flametops are rarer still....
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