Price for 1967 SG Special

[Angelo Rubino]

A friend’s friend is giving me first crack at his 1967 SG Special as in my avatar picture. His friend is suggesting it’s value at $5,000 to $6,500 Canadian. On Reverb the range for this is $2,000 to $3,000 Canadian. I suggested he take it to a reputable music store to get it valued. He is taking it to the Twelfth Fret in Toronto Canada . Can someone here give me an idea of what a fair price would be for this. The original heads are gone and replaced with Grovers years ago and the case is not original but as far as I know the rest is original. Thanks in advance, new year and a little unsure on how to do stuff.

 

[pancake81]

A friend’s friend is giving me first crack at his 1967 SG Special as in my avatar picture. His friend is suggesting it’s value at $5,000 to $6,500 Canadian. On Reverb the range for this is $2,000 to $3,000 Canadian. I suggested he take it to a reputable music store to get it valued. He is taking it to the Twelfth Fret in Toronto Canada . Can someone here give me an idea of what a fair price would be for this. The original heads are gone and replaced with Grovers years ago and the case is not original but as far as I know the rest is original. Thanks in advance, new year and a little unsure on how to do stuff.

Personally from what I see on the Vintage market I think it would fall in between the two price ranges you posted above. $2,000 - $3,000 seems a bit low in today market. However $6,500 seems high. You could scour around and grab a standard from that era for that price. Not seeing it or knowing the history/alterations I think $4,000 - $4,500 Canadian would be fair. So hard to say without having it inspected and looking for things like heel cracks, neck repairs, black light test, pot codes and verifying original electronics, etc. You get the idea. Right now we have a year, a model and an avatar photo, lol

Ultimately it is worth what someone is willing to pay. If he wants $5,000 and you think that's fair than everyone wins. I agree with your approach, have it inspected and appraised by a local shop. Then you both know what is reasonably fair and gives you a starting point. Maybe he wants to give you a deal, maybe you take the shops advice and are comfortable paying a bit more than expected after you get the feedback. Keep us posted how it unfolds

 

[Angelo Rubino]

Very appreciative of your help and I understand I am asking for appraisal without inspection but waiting for his asking price is nerve racking and I was hoping for and received a ball park estimate. I will keep you posted. I have too many guitars as it is but it’s a childhood dream to have an SG. I was 12 when this one was made and it is the same year as the beginners model ES120t my dad bought me as a kid. So in my twisted mind the 1967 ES120t needs a big brother.

 

[Decadent Dan]

 

[Angelo Rubino]

Thanks Decadent Dan. Looks like a Reverb chart? With crazy swings in price. Hard to get much specific info from these though. Looks like less than 2 grand at the moment but was the neck broken, was it all original etc. Certainly would love to pay that low price. We’ll see what my seller asks once he gets it appraised at the music store. In Toronto The Twelfth Fret is a higher end dealer with a good reputation as far as I know. Thanks for taking the time to help me.

 

[Angelo Rubino]

By the way does anyone know if the white pick up covers are legit. I can only find black ones in pics. I am assuming they are P 90’s?

 

[njpaulc]

The white pickup covers are replacements. The Grovers are a common mod because other replacements were not readily available (I know from experience) in the late '60's early '70's, and if there was any damage to the tuners they were the only game in town. The "poker chip' is also a replacement.

 

[Angelo Rubino]

Thanks that clarifies the matter for me. I couldn’t understand what was going on. By the poker chip I assume is the white washer ariund the selector switch. Very enlightening. I wonder if that devalues the guitar as is not original?

 

[cerebral gasket]

The cream pup covers and poker chip are not stock. I had a ‘63 and ‘69 SG Special in the past and have seen many other vintage Specials over the years.

Many folks back then just like today often changed tuners because they were not aware that tuners are rarely the reason for tuning instability unless the tuner is actually broken.

From my experience, winding the strings on the posts correctly using the self-locking method, giving them a slight tug so that the windings settle in on the posts and having the nut slots cut and dressed properly for the string gauge being used eliminates any tuning problems.

 

[cerebral gasket]

Vintage guitars are often overpriced IMO.

To me they are nothing more than old guitars with old wood, hardware and often worn frets. After having a couple of them in the past, I don’t get the hype.

I’d rather have a second hand Custom Shop guitar in great condition that is only a couple of years old. I would never pay full price for a new one.

 

[Angelo Rubino]

I can understand your logic and if he wants top dollar I may do just that. I generally buy used and that way there is less chance of losing money if I sell…which I rarely do. Thanks
Everyone’s input is welcome and I am extremely grateful

I still am curious as to the effect changing to Grover’s, replacing pickup covers to white and white poker chip have on the current value of the guitar

 

[cerebral gasket]

Changing the PUP covers and poker chip from black to cream/white has no effect on sound or functionality and was done for aesthetics reasons. Previous owner probably wanted the plastics to pop more with the higher contrast color scheme.

The original tuners on Juniors and Specials are three-on-a-plate with small white buttons. As said before, many people change tuners thinking it will improve tuning stability instead of winding the strings on the posts correctly and making certain the nut slots are cut properly for the string gauge being used.

Personally, I don't care for the three-on-a-plate tuners for aesthetic reasons or the feel of the small buttons. To my eyes they look like they belong on a cheap acoustic guitar. I also do not care for the look of Grovers with kidney bean buttons either.

I prefer the Kluson style with keystone buttons for aesthetics and feel. Grover Deluxe 135N are direct replacements for the Gibson Deluxe Kluson style tuners in the event that you ever need to replace broken tuners.

I've never had a problem with the functionality of any tuner unless it was broken. Some tuners have higher gear ratios than others, but at the end of the day, they all do the same thing.

 

[Go Nigel Go]

Totally agree on the functionality of the tuners. From the sounds of things, none of the mods will adversely affect anything, so from a player's standpoint it just comes down to how you like the mods. If the white covers suit you as much as they did the person who swapped them, it's a win IMHO.

There is certainly a significant market premium placed on 100% original instruments, and they do command insane prices sometimes. Something as simple as swapping the original tuners out will have an outsized impact on the value relative to the inflated collector's market price of a 100% mint piece. Not being a collector myself I always value an instrument as a player, and those 100% mint guitars will always carry a premium I am unwilling to pay.

I would say the +/- $3000 dollar range for a sensibly modified instrument in excellent condition would be preferable to $6000 for bragging rights on an unmodified original in the same condition. I want to play it, not just look at it on special days.

 

[PermissionToLand]

Just make sure that only the pickup covers were changed and not the pickups entirely. That would have an impact on value, if so.

As far as value, I personally feel like we're in a bubble right now and prices won't stay this inflated indefinitely. So to anyone looking at vintage gear as an investment, I'd warn them. However, you seem interested in an instrument to play, so I'd follow that Reverb chart averaging around $2,500. Looking at that, maybe actual selling prices aren't quite as inflated as I thought. It may actually be the case that appraisers are overvaluing them and that's why you see so many listings asking $3,000-$4,000. It could also be the inflation of new Custom Shop prices in a feedback loop with vintage prices. Another factor may be that while prices for a Standard or Custom are inflating rapidly, sellers don't realize that Specials, Juniors and Melody Makers won't necessarily inflate at the same pace.

I can tell you this; a shop near me had an early '71 Special (still the same design as '67 with a few small changes) and only asked $1,750 for it, in good condition. So you really shouldn't have to pay top dollar, deals are out there.

 

[Angelo Rubino]

Yeah the more I learn from you guys the more I am questioning how much I am willing to cough up. I can get a new standard ‘61 with the Maestro Vibrola for $2,700 plus tax (another 13%) in Canada at Long and Macquade. I emailed the seller who hasn’t gone for an appraisal yet and he told me the guy before him painted the pickups white. I actually had this guitar for a year or so but don’t remember much. My best friend is friends with the guy selling and he had borrowed this guitar for years and asks me to hold onto it for a while. I met the seller and he is a nice and honest guy but not that knowledgeable about the guitar. He did say he paid a little over $100 for it decades ago and he is more of a Taylor acoustic rhythm player than leads. He referred to the SG as the “sad” guitar because it never got played much by him. Anyone Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

 

[Angelo Rubino]

Well this story ends here. Bought the 2013 SG Original with Lyre tailpiece in heritage cherry for $2,400 cash (no tax) plus threw in after much back and forth…an $80 Pearl Snare Stand I needed, and a set of strings and 2 fender pics ha ha. Previous owner was a collector so it was virtually unplayed and looks new! Love it!