I have what I believe is a white Gibson 1957 es-175 with pafs. according to all the information i can find they never made these . i bought it to a few people some said refinished but i know it is not my father has had it forever and it has never left the house. did they make such an instrument and if so how rare is it. I do not know who to trust when i am getting mixed answers and you can highly recommend and one person told me you actually had one .

REPLY

Well i am going to tell you you probably have one of the coolest guitars. I have personally sold 3 of these one was a Gibson  es-175d one was a Gibson  l-7 and one was a Gibson es-175 one pickup all were paf models and these i believe were a custom ordered or one run guitar. I know a famous collector in new york who has 6 of these  , i sold him 3 of the 6 and they are as real and as rare as it gets in the vintage market.

The first tome i saw one was in 1990 and i thought it was refinished because like yourself never saw one. Then i called my friend Perry Margoulef a vintage guitar expert and renowned burst dealer and he authenticated it and actually bought it. since then i had two others and have only seen 4 others in my life. i would guess they made about 12 of each model in white . that seems to be the consensus but no one knows. these are the coolest looking guitars ever i wish i never sold them.

the Gibson double neck in white was not uncommon although again only a few made but to see hollow body and arch tops in with  even spruce top ones in white is truly an exciting think for a vintage dealer or collector. i remember looking at this Gibson es-175 i had for hours on the shop thinking wow that  so hip at the time we had a burst and other goltops from the 1950,s but to me this was the cool one.

As far as value goes i would say they are worth about 3 times what a sunburst one is worth and maybe even 4 times as much . My favorite line is ok its too much, well find another !!!! Do not give that one away and if you want send me pictures and i can verify that one also if it is a real early 1957 Gibson it will have the no name paf ‘s which would  also add a rarity to it being some of the first paf guitars made. If you have any other  questions please feel free to contact me at  THE PARTSDRAWER i will be glad to appraise or authenticate it for free .

I see that this is the right time to buy a Fender black guard Telecaster. I see alot if ones for sale now at a a good price

( well compared to 3 years ago). I am a player so originality does not matter to me as much but what parts of the Telecaster are the most important parts that I should care about when buying one and also secondly how about a wood only guitar is that a good idea?

REPLY

That is alot to cover in a short blog post but here we go. First as always i am an advocate of all original guitar both for the collectors value and for aesthetically. If you can afford it go for it you will be happy in the long run. for me the two most important parts are the wood and the electronics. Having said that i would emphasis that if you are buying a guitar in whatever state it is in make sure the body is not modified if you can help it. That means no sanding , over spray or refinishing. and the decal is the most important parts for the value and to authenticate the guitar.

Old wood sounds great but not if it is covered in a thick poly finish or 10 coats of paint. On the other hand if they are stripped they may sound good but most of the value is gone. if you have to go this route make sure the body and neck dates are in tack and make sure there original. they are easy to fake. The electronics being pickups , pots and caps are the next most important things make sure they are original and that the pickups are original windings and not rewound . This plays out as follows the old electronics with the old wood if your lucky will have that magic sound and tone . These are the key players in the guitar in my opinion.

The pick guard plates , bridge, saddles, knobs , tuners  frets and so on are secondary and have nothing to due wit the tone factor. So if you are looking for a player there you go and you have to pay accordingly the more changed parts obviously the less you pay. For me i would try to get an original finished guitar with lets say changed pickuard and tuners and bridge . this way you have a real finish and a real guitar worth real electronics and the other parts you can buy over time . this way you can save  10k or more and little by little bring it back to stock and you can still get an original finish guitar that has a real value or potential value depending on how much you restore it.

The wood only scenario is your last resort and has a few dangerous speed bumps  you have to pay attention to. first the decal has to be original if it is not the neck value is worth 70% yes 70% less!!!!  original decal with over spray are hard to tell if not and expert but they are 50% less. so wait and get one with an untouched decal and the neck date should also be there

THE DECAL IS STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO LOOK FOR.  The stripped body should have and original date in the neck pocket  or under lead pickup cavity.If it does not  that body is worth 70% less too. becosue there are so many fakes who can tell??? again make sure body is not routed this too is important. if you follow these two steps atleast the wood of the guitar will have some value and you always have something to fall back on. a refinished  neck and body  without a decal and body dates are usuless and i woldl not even consider buying at all. I hope this helps if you have any other questions please feel free e mail me at THE PARTSDRAWER

Thank you

Jim pasch

The company has set up a new shop with due to the back log created from his old shop and other craftsman. The new location feature state of the art shop and a staff of wood workers and painters that are even better than the old staff  in the old location. Basically they cleaned house got rid of the old staff and setup and have optimized the process and have found some amazing talent in Florida to due his makeovers.

The new estimated turn around time is 5 months . i was one of the old customers who waited 12 months for mine to get done and yes the  work was amazing and yes it looks real but 1 2 months killed me . i have two guitars in the system now at the new location and have been guaranteed a 5 month turn around. This new shop  uses the exact same techniques as teh old shop and offers the same attention to detail. Ever guitar is an individual and is delt with in a one on one basis no assembly line no mass production they are creating  a piece of art.

it really is worth taking a moment to checkout this website the work is truly amazing and Gibson guitars themselves has never made anything this good in my opinion . It is not cost effective for a big company to due and the cost of the guitar would it basically out of reach to the general public. We are talking about craftsmanship, a talent that is hard to come by these days . I do not know about you but that fact that these are hand  done one by one and gone over and over until they are perfect is a an art that is almost extinct today.

So if you really want to see the potential of your less paul come to life checkout this site and give them a call. I believe they also offer limited services if you do not want a full make over such as replacing the boards and inlays and such so if money is an object they will work with you . If you need any further info you can also contact me at the partsdrawer

Jim Pasch

I am doing a restoration and i see that you sell vintage guitar parts. I am looking to buy a jack plate for my guitar and I see there are many repros out there and I saw a few at a recent guitar show that were aged and look real how can I tell

REPLY

Thank you for e mail and yes that is a real problem these days there are companies making incredible repros and makes all our lives that much harder. I always say this but must repeat it buy from someone who will guarantee and stand behind what they sell you if they say no refunds as is run there is a problem.

Ok the first trick taught to me by the Jedi master uncle lou years ago was hold the jack plate up to the light and if you can see the shadow of your finer through the plastic its fake  real plates are not translucent . I have seen some of the best repros made by a company retrospec and they look to be the best and even they cannot pass this test . The ones from retrospec on a guitar are impossible to tell so be careful!!!!!

Real burst jack plates were stamped out not cut with router. some of the great repros you see today are cut with routers. The reason is because two years ago some original  rolled plastic was found in warehouse that was for making these jack plates out . i assume it was too brittle to stamp out so what they did was cut jack plates out with a router and did an excellent job i will say and so these were flooded onto the market and are really hard to tell because the plastic used was now old stock!!!!

The argument of thin verses thick is a useless one as far as i am concerned. the earlier ones were thinner yes   and the 1958 1959 were a hair thicker and i mean barley thicker. But i have seen mint 1958 goldtops with thinner jack plates let m tell you Gibson never threw anything out and once and  a while i am sure old stock was found and used. First worry about if it is real or not then if you cant sleep at night look for the thicker or thinner one you need.

I will be glad to look at an evalutate any you have for free or can give you a number of someone who swill for you if you are not sure. Just by following the few things i mentioned you shoudl be fairly safe. If you need more help contact me at  the parts drawer and i will answer all e mails within 48 hours

JIM PASCH

ji pasch

QUESTION

What do they mean when they say does it black lite ?? I just bought a vintage guitar and want to check my parts out to see if they are real.

REPLY

Thank you for the e mail. Great question not a simple answer. Vintage guitar plastic should glow a certain color when exposed to a black lite in the dark. This is very obviously if you have new and old parts side by side to see the difference it is like night and day. But if you have only the vintage parts to test basically here is what it will  look like.

Again color is subjective to each person so i think it looks like a fluorescent yellowish color with a bit of green to it. But i have seen parts black lite more whitish and more unique tones than i can describe . basically they should jump out!! at you under a black light and really stand out. The newer parts change color but do not jump out at you. If you are still not sure borrow a knob from your friends new guitar and put the new and vintage parts side by side you will see right away.

Now another note ! all parts do not black lite the same color or at the same intensity. knobs and such black lite strong as do guitar tuner tips. pickguards are not as strong but they will react under black light. Do not panic if you see your knobs black light different from you knobs this is normal!! the same goes for finish but that is a real complicated story we will touch on at a later time.

There are fakes out there and people as we speak are trying to develop new parts that are aged that black lite so this is for now a fairly safe test but it will not be long until some idiot will figure it out and ruin it for everyone.

If you are still unsure you can send us parts and we Will evaluate them for free no charge you just pay shipping both ways.

Thank you again for your question

Jim pasch

The Parts Drawer

I am considering buying a vintage Fender Jazz Bass for my collection and I have been told the holy grail is the 1960-1961 Fender Stack knob Jazz Bass. Is this true and would you recommend this one. Also Is there anything I should look for when buying a Fender Stack knob Jazz Bass. Thank you in advance for your help.

REPLY

I wwould say without reservation this is the one to get. There is such a low production of these basses and they are so desirable even when the vintage guitar market goes down these are always a stable item and retains its value better than most. I have been selling Vintage guitars for over twenty years and if i get one of these a year for sale it is a good year. These are super hard to find and harder to find unmolested.

First I must warn you many have been converted from regular jazz basses of that year and this makes it that much tougher to find and identify. The only difference is the pots and knobs  so you can imagine it is not a tough modification and it is one that Can easily be done to look original.

I really cannot explain how to spot a converted bass if it was done by a professional forger because it Will look good. Many were just done by players who never intended to fool anyone and these are easy to spot. Look under the control plate and see how the solder looks a player could have just redone the solder and you can identify it easily . fender soldering was usually clean and by this time it should have an naturally aged patina on it making it look dull. use common sense if you are not sure look online you an see many pictures of fender bass controls and the soldering as a reference.

The expert forger has figured out how to age solder and use old wire from other original fender basses to make it look perfect. only a pro can tell and many cannot even tell who are not familiar with the original basses. If you are buying form a individual again use common sense judge character etc and ask questions about bass. look for any paperwork or receipts. If it is a vintage dealer go by his reputation and ask if he will guarantee it and put it in writing . An honest dealer will do this . Again these put together basses are so well done it is very very hard to tell.

That said if you find one just make sure al parts are original . in this changing vintage market and the volatile climate only all original guitars and basses hold some value. do not buy a modified stack pot bass unless it is real cheap they are hard to sell for any real money and hold no real value. As always with old basses check the neck many pre cbs basses were used with flat sound strings and the added tension bowed the neck.

I hope this helps and if you have any further questions please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

JIm Pasch

I am very confused I have been checking on the Internet for information pertaining t a real 1959 Gibson Les Paul Tailpiece and have found many conf;icting bits of information. I see by your site that you specialize in these parts and have a good reputation what should i be looking for in a real tailpiece

REPLY

Thank you for e mail well to begin with this is a very very hard thing to explain only because there are so any fakes and forgeries out that that look really good. There are companies now that specialize in these vintage reproductions and i will admit some are remarkable close and some near undetectable so beware and be warned this is uncharted territory for the novice.

The Gibson stop tailpiece was first introduced in 1954 on Les Paul Customs and in late 1955 on Les Paul standard goldtops with tunomatic bridges. An finally in 1958 on Les Paul standards in sunburst . So there is a limited number of real tailpieces out there I would say that 85% are still on the original guitars so do the math that does not leave many floating around. Most you will find came off refinished guitar or broken guitars were they were to valuable to leave on the instruments and a repro would do just fine.

Ok first they are light weight and should have an aged patina and no adjustment screws. he center seem down the back of the tailpiece should have another seem in the center laid on top of the other seem creating a thick overlap mark about a 1/2 inch long that is not an exact figure. so the center of the seem will be thicker. There will be file marks on the bottom of tailpiece by the end ears of the tailpiece and they will we on an angle not horizontal to the tailpiece.

The controversial part sis inside the ears were the studs hook on some have pin marks from the cast a circle in the center in back and some do not that is a fact and is correct i have seen loads of burst and vintage guitar and they came both ways. For the most part the tops of the tailpiece is rounded smooth and and is even like a new one but on several occasions including original owner guitar I have  has seen a slight and i mean slight ridge on top running across not a line but a slight ridge you can feel and is visible only on close inspection. Most do not so do not worry.

This being said do not take this information and run out and buy one look at real ones look at a vintage collection look closely at books. IN HAND IS TEH ONLY WAY TO TELL IF IT IS REAL . A picture can help but you can photo shop anything. If you buy one get approval and have it checkout by an expert . I can supply you with a list of reputable guys. Please be careful this is a dangerous territory for the uninitiated.

I hope this helps a bit i Will gladly inspect or look at any photos or info you have or Will gladly point you in the correct direction if you really need one . Please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER and i will answer your questions within 48 hours.

Jim Pasch

I recently was thinking about putting together a set f 1983 Gibson Korina guitars. I have the Gibson Flying V. I read that there is also a Gibson Korina Modern and a Gibson Korina Explorer. I have seen the Gibson Modern but have never seen an explorer come up for sale. Why is that ,was there a low run of these guitars and what would I have to pay today for one.

REPLY

Thank you for email. The Gibson korina series guitars made in 1983 did consist of those three models with the Gibson Flying V being the most popular and most produced . Then the modern was the next most produced and finally the Gibson Explorer was the most limited of the series. In twenty years i have only owned about 6 out of the thousands and thousands of guitars we have owned and sold. The gibson Explorer for me is the coolest and have no idea why they were not produced and what Gibson was thinking. Every guitar collector thinks there the best every player loves them once again Gibson Guitar dropped the ball on that one.

I have no idea of the real numbers produced I am sure the numbers are available on line but i would guess the shipping totals were around 100 on these. The great thing is these sound great and play great and if you did not have half a million dollars for a real explorer were in only about 25 were ever made this was the next best thing. Even today I do not know were to track any down for you they are that hard to find.

At the time these were revered as the real deal and an accurate replica. As we all know they were cool and yes they looked sort of like a real flying v but they were not very accurate. Until about 7 years ago or so they were all you had if you wanted a replica if you did not have a custom builder make one for you. As a quick note these were really bleached mahogany and not korina wood but that is not important it is the original guitars and their collectability and playability that counts.

Gibson in there historic series replicated these again and really well about 7 years ago and they are the best you can get at this time they are quite pricey maybe around $5000 but they are really hip!! I believe Gibson still makes them but on a custom ordered basis.

Back to the 1983 Gibson Explorer I would estimate these are about $3500-$4000 if you can find one . They have gone as high as 7000 at the height of the madness so now is actually a good time to buy one if you can find one. A complete set always brings the most money so here is a hint. Do not buy the modern until after you find the explorer . Find the harder one first this way you d not waste the time or money if you cannot find the Explorer just a little bit of advice.

Hope this information helped if you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at THE PARTS DRAWER and I wil be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Jim Pasch

I have a 1956 Gretsch duo Jet guitar ad it has a crazy bridge on it I am not sure what they are called. It is the most annoying thing I have ever seen. What can i use to replace it and why would Gretsch make such a stupid bridge in the first place. I do not like the normal bar bridge Gretsch uses there is no intonation adjustments.

REPLY

The Gretsch melita bridge is every mans nightmare and a parts dealers nightmare as well. I have asked myself the same question over the years and have come to no conclusion myself

In theory it has the ability to intonated well and adjust the string height very precisely but they could of made an easier design that was more user friendly. There are so many littler parts on these bridges they are easily lost when changing strings or doing repairs. The other problem is you cannot get individual parts to replace the lost ones. In the past you were forced to buy a whole new bridge or jut replace it many have just been thrown away and abandoned over the years

I cannot tell you how many vintage gretsch guitars i have seen upon close inspection have one or more replacement parts in the bridge assembly . This is a common nightmare in the melita world. Now Gretsch Reissues these bridges and you can steal a part from a new one but this has been the case for only a few years now.

The problem is if you have an expensive vintage Gresch guitar you need the bridge to retain value of the guitar so if you replace keep in the case. I would use a newer Gibson abr-1 style bridge on a wooden base. This was you are not drilling holes in top f the guitar and ruing the value. this bridge style will easily just retro fit with no mods. it Will adjust both height and intonation fine and is a working mans bridge tested and proven over the years.

The other bar bridge gretsch uses can be an option but again you have limited intonational adjustments with it. Do not drill holes on top for post or install some high tech unit it is not necessary and will destroy your instruments value. Always think ahead before  you modify any guitar .

I hope this helps and anyone out there reading this who has any old melita bridge parts e mail me I always need them . Contact me at THE PARTS DRAWER

Jim Pasch

I just inherited 3 vintage guitar from my father. I went to have them appraised and my father had custom truss rod covers made with his name on them . What are the correct truss rod covers for these 3 guitars. One is a 1953 Gibson Les Paul goldtop , the second is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul jr and teh third is a 1958 Gibson Les Paul gold top with the big pickups . any info you give me would help greatly

REPLY

Thank you for your e mail I will go over the various truss rod covers that were found on vintage Gibson les paul guitars for you. again i am going by what you told me i have not seen the guitars so by the information you gave me i will tell you teh correct one

The first Gibson Les Paul standards which were in gold have a truss rod cover 2 ply black white black material. there was no name or model on these cover. These early covers had fine lines or ripples running horizontally across cover only seen upon close inspection called roll marks  and are  back is white. these have a wide bevel or white border around them compared to the new ones. The Les Paul customs has the words Les Paul custom in script on the cover. the script is finer than the late 1960′s Les Paul customs

The next version on on the 1957-1959 les paul standards both goldtops and flametops were basically the same . Again the Les Paul customs bear the same script and wording on the top of covers. By 1960 the truss rod cover looks exactly the same but there will be no lines visible in the plastic . 1960 was a transition years for Les Paul’s in the fact that several features changed on the Les Paul including some of the plastic parts so this an important thing to remember

The 1954-1960 Gibson Les Paul jr. truss rod covers are totally different they are one ply black plastic . they look and feel very cheap as would be expected because these were basically student guitars. they have no ripples in plastic and are very hard to describe except that eh plastic is a bit thinner on the original ones than the repros I have seen today

Finally one model you did not mention but I will mention is the 1960 -1962 gibson Les Paul sg model. These just have the words Les Paul in script on the covers and agin it is a two ply with a wide white bevel .

I hope this helps o make sure you can e mail me pictures at THE PARTS DRAWER and i can tell you exactly what ypu need

JIm Pasch

I am confused about a few questions concerning the Fender Stratocaster tremolo block from the 1960′s. First of all did the sting hole depth in the back of the  block change over the years , and is it normal for the top bridge plate to have rough cast edges . I know there is a bunch of posts on this subject but i figured you would know with all your hands on experience.

REPLY

Thank you for your kind words. I Will give you info from what i have found over the years. The back of the block were the ball end of the string goes in had two depths. In the 1950″s to mid 1960″s the holes dilled in the block were more shallow. for instance when you look at the back of the block you can see the depth of the  hole about 1/2 of an inch  or a tad more i do not have one to measure the exact depth but it is visible lets say . By the later part of the od the 1960 ‘s say around 1967 the hole in the block to accommodate the strings ball end was much deeper lets say and inch or a bit more . This was to accommodate for new string designs i was told by an old timer.  Both are correct and both are real but that is the approximate time line i believe for the change . Again for the 1967 era remember Leo Fender never threw anything away so it is possible lets say in 1968 or earl y 1969 to still see a shallow hole block sometimes old stock was found and used .this is just a reference year but I have seen deep blocks from around 1967.

The bridge plate that screws onto the top of the block does has rough cast edges. Why I have no idea and fender certainly had the technology to clean them up but all era fenders have this rough cast edge on the blocks and that is a fact. I wouldassume it was just another cost cutting and time saving method since it does not look bad and most do not even notice,  I hope this helps you can always send us  the block to evaluated for you for free or if you a re not sure or send us pictures we will be glad to help.

A quick note to a company retrospec makes a vintage Fender Tremolo block that is virtually impossible to tell they even age them so be careful. These are the best I have ever seen and I am sure many crooks will try and pass these as real so buy from someone who will guarantee authenticity . If you have any further questions fee free to e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER and I Will answer all e mails within 48 hours

Jim Pasch

In the vintage guitar and vintage guitar parts world much was the same as the rest of the world gloom and doom with brief glimpses of hope. The vintage guitar market took the real hit and the good news was vintage guitar parts although down significantly still sold on a regular basis and pulled us through. It showed me that even in bad times one needs relief and if you cant buy a vintage guitar restore the one you had seems to be the message i got.Basically with limited funds people put their guitar back to stock rather than buying other more original ones. This solved their vintage guitar jones at a fraction of the price. The result is that parts sold people were happy and now their guitars are worth more a win win situation.

From a business stand point I would be lying to say we rocked and had a great year. The truth is we got by and thank God parts are selling but business was off. around November we got signs of a stronger recovery and it appears to be continuing and as of today sales are still good and we are also still able to buy great parts. I hope this year will be better for everyone.

The other good news for both is prices have come down on parts . This is great news  for the consumer and us as a buyer. We can sell for less because we are buying parts for less. Unlike the frenzy two years ago now seems to be a good time for everyone to buy vintage parts because the prices have settledand there is a good supply around. The fact that great parts are flowing out onto the market again is because people need money and they realized all those parts sitting in drawers are found money. I know from experience that people have been sending us literally photos of piles of parts they have and this has not happened in ages . People were holding on to them like stocks in the frenzy seeing crazy prices but realize now that now is as goodas anytime to sell. So I expect a great year for parts because of this fact.

Thanks again for all you support and help any questions please send me an e mail at THE PARTS DRAWER and i will answer all e mails within 48 hours

JIm Pasch

We are now offering for a limited time until December 31 2009 a 10% discount on all parts orders over $1000.00 and a 15% discount on all parts orders over $1600 . Simply mention this post or cut an paste it in your email to us and we will  deduct it from your purchace.

First a 50 years old guitar is obviously going to have wear not only on the body but the tuners also. the last thing to do is change tuners but it may be the case with many. when you do just get the retro style tuners and put the real ones in the case and when you sell guitar put them back on. The good thing about repro tuners is you do not have to drill out the guitar headstock and they retro fot in the original holes.

Ok but first do the following. 80% of the problem usually lies in the nut area. after years the nut slots wear down and the string binds on the nut . have your tech file out the slots cleanly and out graphite in the slots and this alone will improve the tuning 100% . if need to replace the nut.  This has to be done by a tech do not do it yourself you need the expertise of a good tech and a jewelers file.

Next problem is nobody winds string correctly anymore. the correct way can be seen on line after you twist back string to lock it ALWAYS WIND STRING DOWNWARDS IN A DOWNWARDS  PATH TO TEH FACE OF HEADSTOCK .This puts a good break angle on the string and helps keep it in tune. So just by stringing  guitar correctly and checking the nut issues I swear 90% of the problems are gone .

As stated the last and final way is to get a new set of tuners but again new tuners without the other two prior steps is futal . so if you get new tuners check the nut issues and wind strings correctly. then you can enjoy that vintage guitar and play it out every night with no issues. Remember these are old instruments and like cars and any collectible they have to be maintained.

If you have any questions please feel free to e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER  or if you need video tech tips try 300GUITARS.COM

JIM PASCH

Well today there is a company called RETROSPEC GUITAR and they have finally nailed it down as far as I can tell. They have the hands down best parts I have seen and I spoke to the Own of the company and what they have in store is out right scary, They plan within the next two  years to totally replicate all Gibson and fender parts . When I saw the reaction to these parts by reputable dealers I know I was not wrong.

Thank God I know the owner and he has told me a trick or two and what to look for but 99% of the people i know would buy these as real . They even sell the aged parts even more insane to ever detail. I have to say I am impressed and I usually never am. This will make my life a bitch now being I have to what what I buy over the next because it is impossible and i mean Impossible to tell with a photo of these parts are real or fake.

On one hand I am happy but on the other I just see a nightmare for people like me who deal in vintage guitar parts. Thank god nothing can replace 20 years of experience and I am confident I can tell. I just have a sixth sense with this stuff . My rule of thumb is if i have to think about it for more than 10 seconds it is a fake or not real . Now that is for me not the public. Sometimes I can just Lock at something and Say to myself something is wrong even if I do not know what it is and at that point I run.

So I am here to announce to the world I have seen the best and the future is going to get more complicated for sure with these parts out on the market. so beware and look close at what you buy and buy from a reputable guy who will always refund you if you are not happy. Hats off the to boys at RETROSPEC-GUITAR they have truly done amazing things lets just hope the unscrupulous people stay away . If you need more info or have any comments please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

Well lets just say this was an amazing find about $70,000.00 of vintage  parts and out of the lot were $35,000.00 of just hard to find vintage  Fender and Gibson guitar pots. This guy saved everything i even have a 30 lb bag of vinatge screws that will take a year to sort out. So this is some exciting news for us and the public.

 The beauty of this is that alot of the stuff was real vintage post that are getting more and more difficult to find. it is easier to find burst parts that to find some of the   pots  and to boot they were all in usable condition only about 2% ould not be used.  I took 3 days and about 7 hours a day to sort and check out all the pots and we are finally ready to go.

So if you are looking for any pots to restore your guitar now is the time . The word got out already and we are moving alot so drop us an e mail and get them while you can

 People ask why would you write a non glowing post  about the show it would only hurt you and the business. Most told me pump it up lie tell them it was great . But people who know me and respect me know that is not my style if it sucks i will sure not sugar coat it and that is why people actually listen to what i have to say. It was disappointing but not unexpected.

The normal frenzy of the dealer to dealer buying on the post day show was terrible. Usually it is like a shark feed and for 8 hours the dealers buy sell and trade form each other before te public comes in. I know from a personal stand point this is were we usually do 60% of our business at this show. But this year it was like the plague very little movement and very little motivation on the parts of the dealers. Most were not willing to budge on their prices and secondly what little cash was there was saved for buying from the public.

I was a few big deals go down and yes guitar changed hands but it was more than 50% off the normal amount i usually see. Sure things were sold and things were bought but i saw more real cool vintage guitars than ever and none of the high end stuff was moving. the price range i saw that was moving was the $800-$3000 guitar . most clean and original examples either sold or traded hands so there was some action. All the bursts , black guards and other high end stuff just sat . My buddy did sell a burst for $290,000.00 so this is not to say the show did not have its moments.

I was hoping to see a bit more excitement also from the public which was down and which I knew would be down since we are in near depression like economy but it was slow and the shark feed this year was toned down. The whole mood from the economy just brought everyone down and of course with less money at hand it  does not take a genius to figure out that less guitars will be sold. in the end I walked away not surprised but disappointed . I had hoped I would have seen some kind of sign of recovery but I am afraid it will be another long hard year ahead for this business

I have not lost faith I love vintage guitars and Vintage parts but the government, wall street and the greedy bank institutions  really screwed us this time this economy has even taken the wind out of my sails and I am always an optimist !!! I have not given up nor will I just like in the past we Will survive and so will this market we are just going to have to tighten our belts more and take a deep breath . I Will return to Texas as always if for nothing more than a great weekend of camaraderie and for the meeting of great friends but next time I would like to make a few bucks while I ma there

If  you have any comments please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

JIM PASCH

In these companies I personally find an originality and a vision that is on par with Gibson and Fender and Martin guitars. But what is more amazing to me is the vision for these instruments and their construction was so far ahead of the curve for the time starting in and around 1928. A metal guitar with a cone ? wow that was amazing and to see the construction of these instruments is also to be amazed.

Without going into details since this is a brief blog post for the novice  just to look at one of these instruments be it a national O Style , National Triolian or National Duolian you are struck with an immediate reaction which is usually wow!! then followed by thats really cool ! . Then when the uninitiated pickups one up he finds the beauty and the magic of this piece of metal that rings as loud as a cannon with a distinct tone and voice unlike any other instrument. Yes that is what I have seen time and time again. It is like watching a child play with a ball for the first time it is a mix of amazement and wonder that is what these guitar do to you upon impact!!!

Personally I am amazed at the thought process and design behind these guitars  and how this self amplified guitar not only changed the landscape of music from blues to country but also how it changed the minds of musicians of how instruments were perceived. It is incredible what this company produced in its short history these are works of art. Many people just want one because they look cool but look deeper and you will find that these instruments have a soul that few instruments do. If you are lucky enough to see a style 4 Tri-cone with its ornate engraving and elegance you will then see the art that these guitar can obtain, the Style-4 is the top of the line and in that you can see the beauty of art and instrument all in one. these are the Rembrandts of the guitar world none are more original and ornate these are the crown jewels.

So why then do they not hold the value of say a vintage Fender or Gibson or Martin. It is a shame , sure less people play them and even less know about them but demand is what drives this market., I ask you this how can a bolt on guitar like a Fender stratocaster assembled on virtually an assembly line be work more than a hand crafted hand made National Metal body guitar . It seems impossible but demand sets the market. No one on MTV is playing one , the old timers and classic musicians who used them are dead and only a hand full of new talent uses them so the future looks bleak.

I am telling you here and now these guitar are a piece of out Americana and our history. The company was forced to close in 1942 due to the  war and the need for metal . These are a lost treasure of the American guitar market and one that deserves respect and recognition. It took a genius to design these and a desire to make these that is why they are special. Pick up a real national and then go buy one made in china and you will get ill !!!  that is how bad they are . Craftsmanship is almost gone in the is country and so is pride when it comes to making instruments today. Take a close look at these guitar and you Will fall in love with more than just a guitar  you will be embracing a part of America that this country was once built on :craftsmanship and pride and  ingenuity.

If you have any questions please feel free to e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

Jim Pasch

We being both a vintage and used guitar company and a vintage parts dealer have been blown away once again by this phenomenon called Rickenbacker. We have seen time and time again that the Rickenbacker market just wont quit. Today most Gibson Guitars are worth 20-25% less than 2 years ago but Rickenbacker have not only not gone down they are more expensive now than ever.

This is due to a some call genius idea at Rickenbacker’s to  limit it’s production over the past 6 years . I think it is a good thing many feel that to wait for a years for a new guitar is out of the question but I feel over production and lack of quality is worse. The second reason i believe is quality of Rickenbacker guitar has gone up and the are making the best guitars they have ever made right now. so put quality and limited production into the mix and you have the formula to success. The vintage ricks are great and sound great bit as many know there was neck issues and suck but today the guitar are as solid as ever.

Upon close examination Rickenbacker has risen above the mess we call our economy today. For example a Rickenbacker 4001 bass used not a reissues just a run of the mill one was $1300 -$1400 used 2 years ago today they are $1500-$1700 . The standard reissue series were $1700- $2000 two years ago now they are $2000-$2400 and some of the c series ones are now bringing $3000-$3300. Amazing in a market that has taken a 25% hit Rickenbacker is going strong. The same goes for the guitars and depending on the models , series and condition follow the same growth pattern over the last two years .

As far as parts go Rickenbacker once again will not sell parts easily and Pick Of The Ricks in N.J. is the only real source for Rickenbacker parts and by the way the owner Chris is a true Rickenbacker lover and a great guy. H e is one of the few I can recommend. So even teh parts are hard to get so the used parts prices are up 30% and so are the vintage parts. So Rickenbacker has got us cornered here also .

I love Rickenbacker guitar and Just had to write this brief comment to congratulate Rickenbacker on  great product and strategy and  to tell all you rick fans do not dump those ricks there are money in the bank. Any further questions you have please feel free to contact me at THE PARTS DRAWER and I Will be glad to answer all e mails within 48 hours

JIm Pasch

Here you will find vintage guitars, vintage guitar parts, new guitars, vintage amplifiers, new amplifiers, accessories, guitar memorabilia and a stampede of dealers and a pumped up public all thrown into this one building. There will also be teh sightings of many celebrity’s and rock stars as well as musicians. It is a high energy mix that last for 3 days and on Sunday afternoon if you have survived you Will find it will tale you another 3 days to recover.

The importance of this show is that depending on how sales go it will set the mood for the market for the next 6months or so if it is a great show sales Will boost and the frenzy will be reignited. if the show is average or a abut the market will immediately feel that and could easily offset any growth we have seen in the past 8 months in this business. This show basically is a barometer for our business. This is why this show is so important and the world will be watching for the results come Sunday night.

I have been to the show many times and I always find stuff i have never seen and find the most obscure parts and vintage ite,s i never see anywhere else. If you have the time this is the one show to go to. You can buy a guitar from $100 to $600,000.00 that is how diverse this show is . One bit of advice start at one point and just go up and down isles do not jump around because YOU WILL MISS  many booths it is that packed so get a game plan and enjoy.

I Will report next week on the results of the show so keep an eye out for this blog . I will have a better idea of the market by Monday so stay tuned, Again if you have any questions feel free to e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER .  you can also subscribe to this blog by going to the bottom of the latest news page and click on the RSS button and you Will automatically get all articles

Jim  Pasch

If money were not an option what one guitar would you recommend for me as a collector to buy. I am a Gibson man I prefer them over Fender guitars Many are telling me to buy a 1959 Les Paul flametop some a flying V. I know you have many years experience in this business your opinion would be of great value to me

REPLY

Thank you for the e mail  would be glad to recommend one for you and I did not even have to think twice. If money really  is no options for you,  A real 1950′s Korina Explorer is the holy grail. I would estimate about 28 were made and I would say about 80% are already accounted for in collections. This would without a double hold is value more than any Gibson guitar unless lets say Jimmy Pages Les Paul or some celebrity guitar.

The guitar itself is a radical design for the time and it along with the Flying Vee and supposedly !!! a Modern was Gibsons futuristic view of the guitar. The Explore itself i have always found to sound and play great. I have had the fortune to actually flay a few real ones and what can i say it is like a religious experience. The guitar was made out of a wood names Korina which is actual African Limba wood I believe and having the same characteristics of mahogany or that is my opinion it was a no loose situation. Any all mahogany guitar with humbuckers or P90′s pickups kills I mean it is a flawless combination and Gibson new this .

You have to be careful there have been many copies and forgeries over the years and some quite good ( thanks to max and others) but still now that i have seen a real one there is no real comparison. the problem lies in the fact that so few exist there is nothing to compare it to so how many people can say they have seen played or touched one. Thousands have played burts and and Flying Vees and have some reference to real and what is not but that is not the case with an Explorer.

A few tips do not buy one without and original case. !!!!! unless you have an expert with you the case is so rare it should be with theguitar also look closely many have converted double neck cases to fit these look close.  Nobody has ever copied the case correctly this is FIRST thing to look for. The parts are very unique for this guitar and I do not want to give all the secrets away but have the parts checked out . The tuners on these varied over the years too so check the fact closely. I Will be glad to answer any question personally rather than put all the info out on the net for the forgers to pickup on. It is better for you to pay a person a few thousand dollars when buy this to verify it i have a list of collectors who have the real ones and will be glad to help . These are going for around $500,000.00 now so what is $2000-$4000 when you could loose your shirt . Do not cheap out on an expert with this one folks you Will thank me later .

I hope this helps and again I will be glad to put you in contact wit a real guy if you need info just e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER  good luck and happy hunting this one is THE ONE TO OWN.

JIm Pasch

I first found out about one by accident when A customer brought one in and I had no idea what it was. The guitar looked like a million bucks rosewood back and sides inlay everywhere a killer neck and tone yet I had failed to see one anywhere. So I called my Long time friend and guitar expert  Perry Margouleff  who has seen ever guitar imaginable and is responsible for putting together the finest vintage guitar collection in the united states. He of course know right away what it was and said he owned three  of them . He continued by saying they were one of the finest guitars epiphone ever made and only a hand full existed that is why nobody really knows anything about them. He also found a buyer for the one we had and that collected only Epiphone guitars.

So while walking down memory lane I was thinking are there anymore out there. I tried looking and I cannot find any real solid evidence in shipping totals of that model at the time . They were made form 1963 -1970 but I tell you they I am hard presses to one in the last few years I have looked everywhere. here is a pictures and description courtesy of clays site.

Epiphone Excellente : Square shoulder dreadnought shape, rosewood back and sides, tune-o-matic bridge, large pointed pickguard with engraved eagle, multiple bound top, back, and ebony fingerboard, cloud fingerboard inlays, large pearl and abalone peghead inlay, single bound peghead, gold plated parts, natural top finish. Introduced in 1963. Discontinued 1970.

It truly is regal looking check out the large pearl inlay in head stock cloud inlays I mean this is the Cadillac of all Epiphone acoustic. I have had the pleasure to plays one of these and I will tell you they sound great . As good as a pre war Martin D28 no but as far as Gibsons go great.  Keep your eyes open for these I bet if you find one you will get a great deal on it since nobody has any idea what it is !!!!

If you have any further questions on thsi guitar please contact me at THE PARTS DRAWER and I Will gladly answer any questions you may have.

JIm Pasch

QUESTION

I just about had a heart attack yesterday when I opened up my bass case. I have a 1964 Gibson Thunderbird Bass guitar. I have owned it for 30 years ans have had no problems with this bass . Several years ago I stopped playing and stored the bass in the closed in a safe and dry area as to protect it no basement or attic. The other day I opened up the case and the headstock was broke and I nearly had a heart attack . I know for a fact that nobody touched this I live alone how is this possible and what is the bass worth now in this condition

REPLY

What a drag those basses are awesome. You are dealing with the most fragile bass ever made by any company on the planet. Even the hofner bass is likely to weather the storm better than these. but as you know these are the coolest looking and monster sounding basses ever made.  Well first of all you are not the first person this happened to . The problem lies in the design of the bass. I can tell you 50% of the basses we have owned in store have had broken or repaired necks . it is almost a given with them. Most are done by dropping , banging and case issues.

First of all if you note you have a large paddle headstock with 2 pounds of metal tuners all coming done to a thin but and thin neck area this is the problem. In you case I am willing to bet the bass was not tuned down before it was stored, wood expands and contracts and basically a one of these tuned to pitch stored away is an accident ready to happen,. just imagine all that strong tensioned weight all pulling on that small nut area on the neck.

Anyone who owns these should do two things d-tune it before you store it . also get a real case most breaks were cases by the cases design which was flawed from day one. get a good case that supports the neck and then loosen stings and you Will be fine

As far as price goes unfortunately the bass is worth half of what it was . You Will still make money but not as much I think a real bass isn this market is 8500 and yours is wort about 4000 now. if it is all original and in good shape. it is an easy fox just do not cheap out spend the extra few bucks and have it done correct with a nitro finish not poly!!!!

The other good news is the bass will still sounds as good and plays as good so if you are a player you still have a winner and one of the coolest basses ever made. If you need any otehr help please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWERand I wil be glad to help ]]> http://www.thepartsdrawer.com/20091010-1964-gibson-thunderbird-bass-guitar-the-good-the-bad-and-the-most-fragile-bass-ever-made/feed/ 0 http://www.thepartsdrawer.com/20091010-www-300guitars-the-best-guitar-site-for-vintage-and-new-guitar-lovers/ http://www.thepartsdrawer.com/20091010-www-300guitars-the-best-guitar-site-for-vintage-and-new-guitar-lovers/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:36:53 +0000 http://www.thepartsdrawer.com/?p=1335 Stop the press NEWS ALERT!!!  The guitar community now has a one stop place for all it informational needs . Here at www.300guitars.com you will find not only answers but videos , demonstrations , reviews and opinions from one of the guitar worlds most respected persons Bill Penn.

 The vintage guitar community has been rallying behind the website 300guitars.comThat Bill Penn created and runs. The site although does not deal with solely vintage guitar and news . The site has a many great articles and news of the vintage guitar community and its evens . It is a virtual pit stop for information on vintage guitars , vintage amps, new products, new guitar and amp makers, studio recording , recording equipment and guitar repair and maintenance and Bil does it all.

I just found a guitar my family has had for many years and no one ever played it. At first I had no Idea what it was but after looking on the Internet I found out it was an Epiphone Zepher with what re called new yorker pickups . The problem is there is no sound coming out of one of them and I took it to a local store and they tell me the pickup cannot be rewound and i need to replace it . Is this true or is the dealer just trying to pull a fast one I know you guys know alot about vintage guitar sand anything you can tell me will be greatly appreciated

REPLY

That is a great find wow you have  a great American vintage guitar on your hands. The dealer is not actually scamming you. very few people know much about the new yorker pickup and even less on repairing the, the problem is they are sealed with wax on the bottom and are not easily aaccesses and are very very hard to work on. So i Will cut the guy some slack on this one . The pickups are a technical nightmare to fix you have to totally disassemble the pickup rewind it and seal it again and truthfully it is a pain in the you know what. Most people just buy other original; ones and install them it is usually cheaper.

The price to rebuild one is probably 250 and a used one in factory condition is 250 -300 dollars. and it is also original which keeps the value of the guitar intact. A rewound pickup Will bring less for the guitar but hell you got a great deal on it so who cares. I would recommend  Rolf or Lindy Frailn to do the job they are very competent and guarantee what they sell and do. So either option is a good oe for you at this point

A brief comment of the pickups themselves is that they sound great and have a killer tonal range. I am not sure whey they discontinued the pickup other than that it is very expensive to manufacture and requires more time and money and companies as always look to cut costs. they were replaced by the mini humbucker which is cheaper and easier to make assemble and repair.

Hope this helps and if you need any more information on these pcikups let me know just e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER . You have a great guitar enjoy.

Jim Pasch

Take for example a new Les Paul standard for $2000 , what kid has that kind of money . How about a historic Les Paul well they start at $3000 and go up tp $6000. As if that was not bad enough signature models aged such as the billy gibbons and Jeff beck models and jimmy page models range form $15,000- $25,000. who would pay that when you can get a real 54 goldtop for the same price of $25,000 ?? I simply do not get it

Gibson Guitar has to realize that if they are going to remain strong in their market they have to make the great and upper model guitars more affordable. Why do you think kids started playing all these strat styled guitar and metal guitars. Guess what they sound great and are cheap and many are very well built. If a kid can rock out for $ 700 and still get all the girls why would he even think of spending $2000 +. Somebody in their marketing department better Wake up. I deal with musicians on the front lines and have for 20 years and this is what I have found to be true.

Sure Gibson sells guitar and makes amazing guitar that I will not dispute but why the price. they could sell them at half the prices and sell three  times as many and get three times as many loyal Gibson fans for life. Rather thanone or two people with money and  could open up a new market for them. I am not a fan of the stripped Les paul or the low end crap give them a great guitar at a great price that is all. I banez did , Yamaha did, ESP did and they have fans for life. Remember this a kid who buys his first great guitar is a fan of that compnay for life.Gibson should head that advice  and not loose potential customers  

So I am telling the younger generation yo might as well buy a vintage Les Paul Jr or SG before you spend money on a new

over priced  Les Paul .  Again this is only my opinion but as I stated I talk to kids everyday and many want a good Les Paulbut cannot afford it so they settle for another guitar brand . I would rather have a 1950′s Les Paul jr any day than a new Historic 59 reissue for the same price Think about it!! If you have any comments or questions please feel free to e mail me at

THE PARTS DRAWER

Jim Pasch

Jim pasch who recently decided at this point in his life he was going to focus Soley on the vintage guitar parts business and do business under the name  THE PARTS DRAWER  as he has for years . Jim Will continue to sell vintage parts and has still been buying and selling at a fevers pitch in this bad economy. This Will allow him  to travel more and spend more time with his family which is what he wants at this point. The parts drawer is the largest vintage guitar parts business in the world and is what Jim enjoys most at this point in time

Hoboken Vintage Guitars under its new management will continue to supply the community with quality original vintage guitar and amplifiers. The hours will be Monday /Friday 12-5 and will be extended once the remodeling of the store is complete. Of course Rich has always work his schedule around his customers and I have been told appointments before and after hours are never a problem. Just call ahead at 201-222-8977 est.

The new store will get a new face lift and as always carry top of the vintage and used guitars. Rich is now offering a low consignment fee for a limited timefor the restructuring so give him a call. Hoboken Vintage Guitars  The store will once again focus on Vintage amplifiers which for years were not wanted at the old store when JIm Pasch owned the store . Rich himself is a vintage amplification buff and loves the old fender and marshall amps. So keep your eyes out for some cool amps rich says. The website is under construction and will be up within the next 30 days . Rich has promised to keep the inventory more current and the site updated ever several days were in the old days the site was updated every couple of weeks

Just think many do not even know of the Beatles as hard to believe as it is and now kids as young a 8 years old will be tuning in to the Beatles and their music, This is a brilliant move by the remaining Beatles and will definitely boost their catalog sales not to mention the mother load they have received and are receiving form this new video rack game

I got a call yesterday from a kid must have been 12 years old or so saying he wanted a bass like Paul McCartney and then innocently asked if he can plug the guitar into his video game. I thought wow this is amazing here is a kid who probably never knew the Beatles and has become fascinated in a short period of time and now wants to buy or use what Paul was using in the video game. Amazing.

This is a great boost to this vintage market that has taken a hard hit in this economy. True children do not have the money for a vintage bass but the fact that they are interested in one is the real beauty here. This actually gives me hope for the future of music and the vintage guitar market. The game has now opened up the eyes of millions of children to music and melodic music at that and the gear the Beatles used.

I am not counting the money or the sales yet but this is a glimpse of hope I see for the future nothing more and I am excited that someone has taken the initiative to put together a constructive no violent video format for the children,. We have enough violence in life and television why video games give me a break.  Maybe there is some hope out there for the children after all

This is just a personal observation and anyone who has any input please fell free to e mail me at  THE PARTS DRAWER  and I Will gladly respond with 48 hours

Jim Pasch

I have a 1959 Gibson Es-335 Dot neck guitar. The guitar is all original I had a dealer tell me at a guitar show that the tuners were period correct but not correct for this instrument. I took them off they are single line single ring Kluson tuners with the correct d-6400 pat number on bottom. The lunatic said the oil hole was small and al l  1959 guitars  had a large oil hole. Honestly I looked at him and wanted to whack him and said are you kidding me ( i used a few golden words I Will not repeat) I am the original owner and told him to get a life. I went home and now this has been bothering new for months what is the real story of this oil hole

REPLY

Give me a break you have an all original 59 Gibson ES-335 and he is complaining about an oil hole . You are a more patient man than me my friend but I will tell you  what I have found to be true after 30 years of studying these guitars.

For the the beginner the kluson tuner changed in 1959 from having the pat applied for stamped on bottom to now carrying the pat number D-6400. around this time the tiny little hole on back of case tuners know as the oil hole got slightly bigger. most would not even notice but it did. and since the price of guitar has gone up so much people have become anal on all these facts. I would like to make a few things clear that I have found and found over and over again over my years in the business.

Yes the oil hole changed officially in 1959. but I have seen large hole tuners on late 1958 guitars and have seen small hole in 1959. Lets get real here. nobody through anything out just as Fender and Gibson did there was a slight overlap . There is nobody I know who is worth his word who can tell you ALL 1958 has small oil holes and All 1959 had large . People have taken this insanity too far,

Buying a 1959 guitar with a small oil hole tuner would never stop me from buying it or for selling one for a penny less than a large oil hole guitar. If the tuners are original they are original period there are other ways to tell but I Will not go into it in this article. So your guitar is correct I ma sure you can tell him I said so and if you want you can bring guitar and I will verify it in writing for you.

What the hell ever happened to playing guitars. Does Anyone play them anymore,. I am a vintage guitar dealer and a vintage guitar parts dealer but people who argue over the size of an oil hole make me want to just pack up my bags and run . This business is a great business guitar  are one  of our few last enjoyments in life DONT LET AN OIL HOLE RUIN YOU FUN !! If you have any further questions please  e mail me   at THE PARTS DRAWER and I will be glad to answer any further questions . please enjoy your guitar !!!!

By the way any vintage dealer who thinks I am wrong please sell me your small hole 1959 at a discount please !!!

JIm Pasch

This got home thinking we bought guitars for $3000 and before he left he dais by the way i have a bunch of loose parts in the basement would you be interested and of course we said sure. 2 hours laster he comes back and I thought it was Christmas early. It seems like this guy tinkered with everything like most did in the 1960′s and early 1970′s when he opened up the box there were pre t top pickups , t top pickups abr-1 bridges kluson tuners and a slue of other parts.

Well i went crazy as usual and bought everything we bought $5800 of parts from him. That’s  amazing when you think about it that the parts were worth more than the guitar he brought in and he had actually last year thought about throwing them out !  needless to say he left here happier than me and that was a super day for us.

The moral of this story and to all out there what you think is junk is probably worth cash. you may not have a box full of stuff but simple things like pickups , bridges , tuners and bridge covers bring big money today. I know that there is still tons of parts out there in case pockets. drawers or boxes and that is all found money in this bad economy. Another interesting point is it is much better to sell the parts and keep the guitars. at least you can play the guitars.

These times are the baddest we have seen and every little bit helps be it $100 or $5000 . So look in those old cases and drawers and I will be willing to bet you have money sitting there you did not even know you had. If you have any questions on what a part might be worth just e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER and send a few picks and i Will gladly tell you the market value for free.

Jim Pasch

Why when I am Looking for Gibson semi hollow guitars the Gibson ES-345 is so much cheaper than an ES-335.  Basically they look the same to me , also are they a good buy at this time in teh market.

REPLY

Thank you for your question. First of all they have always been the little brother to the ES-335 and a unwanted little brother at that. The Gibson ES-345 guitar has gotten a bad rap from day one in the vintage guitar business. Everyone has to have a ES-335 but in truth many of these guitars are killers.

Any Gibson ES-345 from 1959 – 1965 is amazing for several reasons. The early ones with paf pickups rock and have to me from hell and the pre t tops pickups ,well just think of the Clapton cream sound  and you’ll get the picture.  The necks on these are also 1 11/16″ and have that wider nut which is very desirable. plus they play just as good as any Gibson Es-335.

The thing that bothers everyone is the Varitione unit. Well guess what !! just disconnect it and save your self $5000 -$7000 . Yes it is an easy fix that will not damage the vintage guitar and is a easy thing to out back just take it out of teh circuit.  That is it besides a set of different inlays it is the same guitar .

These also came in every variation like the Gibson Es-335 . they has a stop tailpiece , a bigsby or a lyre vibrato. So again if you prefer one or the other they were all offered from the factory. This is why I have said they were always a steal and a sleeper. But what do I know.

Today the vintage guitar market has hit bottom and is the best time to buy any guitar. But as far as  Gibson ES-345 this is the best time to buy one. There are alot around and the prices are great. As always I would suggest buying a a total original guitar they are less problematic and worth more if you ever go to sell one. An original guitar is also more likely to go up in value faster over time.

Hope you get a good one and love it. If you have any other question pertaining to period correct Gibson ES-345 please e mail me at The Parts Drawer

Thak you

Jim Pasch

I have what i believe to be a 1967 Hofner Bass. It is like the one Paul Mccartney used in The Beatles. I have not used it in years and i took it out of case and action is high and i cannot adjust it enough to play. The bass was in a normal closet no water or heat damage i do not know what to due . I took it to a local music store and they said i need a new neck .

REPLY

Hold on relax I bet first of all you do not need a new neck. The music store you went to I am sure does not deal in vintage guitars and restorations. Of Course i need to see pics of guitar but i am sure you need a neck reset that is all. So take a deep breath and relax.

First of all this is a common problem with all hofner basses . I Will go out on a limb as say 70% of the basses need or have had neck sets. This was a structural design flaw by hofner ans is very very common you did nothing wrong except maybe you should also ways loosen the strings if you do not play the bass this helps tale tension off neck.

Many can be critical of the design but few can argue as i am sure you know how great these bases sound. NOTHING sound like a hofner bass and its sound is legendary. So when people criticize as they have for years how badly these basses  were build i say the construction or lack of extra reinforcement probably adds to the fact of the great tone. many poorly constructed  guitar sound great they justneed constant care . Probably because they vibrate and resonate better

So first thing never bring a vintage guitar to a music store that does not deal specifically with vintage guitars. The repair procedure is totally different than a normal guitar. When you get a neck set be sure you tell the repair man you want it to remain as close to its original state as possible aka do not use alot of over spray preferably none!!!! this Will preserve the value greatly.

Remember the most important thing is after you get a neck reset it to loosen the string a half step or so when storing your bass or guitar . This relived the tension on the neck and you will find that the problem will be resolved. if you want to send me pictures of the bass i Will be glad to look at it and tell you what i thing or if you have any further question e mail me at The Parts Drawerand i Will e mail with 48 hours

Jim Pasch

I have an Epiphone Coronet is all original except the tremolo tailpiece is missing is this the same part  found on Gibson guitar or did Epiphone have there own parts . Any help you can give would really help I never see epiphone parts advertised .

REPLY

Gibson bought Epiphone guitars  in the late 1950′s . Up to that point yes Epiphone did manufacture and produce its own guitars . By around 1959 Epiphone guitar now owned by Gibson started to use various parts from some of the Gibson guitars. Gibson still produced some of epiphones unique parts for some of their models by within a few year basically all Epiphone were using Gibson parts Minus the Tailpiece , pickguards and on a few other there Higher models old style tuners were still used.

This being said after 1960 Epiphone Coronets used all the same parts except pickguards. Your guitars parts are 100% interchangeable with a Gibson except for the pick-guard. The parts you are referring to is called a maestro tremolo. This again was used on both Gibson and Epiphone models. When you are looking to buy one you will never see it advertised under Epiphone that is why you are having a problem. You will all ways find it advertised as a Gibson Maestro Vibrato. Remember if your guitar is pre 1965 you have to get the nickel version not the chrome version.

By the early 1970′s Epiphone guitar were made in japan and we are talking about a whole different animal here. This post is talking about American made Gibson and Epiphone guitars not the import lines. Most of those parts are metric and unique only to those models and personally i hate them so i do not know much about them.

I hope this helps just do a search for a Gibson maestro vibrola and you Will find one in a flash and it Will install perfect wit no mods to your Epihpone Coronet. If you have any further questions please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER  thank you

Jim Pasch

I just bought  a 1959 s paul jr Gibson Les Paul Jr I paid $6ooo it is real clean I think i got a good deal . Last year they were $9000 do you think the market will go lower or has it bottomed out.

REPLY

That is a great price for a clean 59 jr . Yes the prices has dropped but as you know i always felt in the last few years they were overpriced anyway,. Now the jrs are back in the range they should be so you should be safe

My personal opinion is now is the time to buy a Les Paul Jr if you want one. prices have never been better and they have not dropped in quite some time. so i feel as though the bottom has been reached. These have always been great guitar and a rock and roll staple. Thousands of great records were made with these and at the $5500 – $6500 range is were they should be .

Look everybody got greedy dealers , individuals , ebayers everyone and the pigs got slaughtered!!!!! . what can i say but now if feel it is safe to buy a jr and a good time at that because i do not feel they will go down anymore the price adjustment has taken place so do not wait much longer.

Many dealers including our self have sold jrs below what we paid for them and are still doing sop now. but i guarantee that will not last . the vintage guitar market is picking back up slow,y so trust me in this business the deals wont last.

A last comment on this market in general. Our market is a disposable one when people need to eat they do not buy guitar but when they do buy that means the free money is around. I can tell you business has picked up and people are spending yes not as much as before but they are spending and that is a great sign .

Congratulations on a good buy you can never got wrong with a clean straight jr someone will always want one and in the end what a great guitar to have and play. Yes you do good and if you have any other questions just e mail me at The Parts Drawer

JIm pasch

I just bought a 1952 Fender Telcaster I thought was correct and I have brought it to several dealers and they tell me the pickguards is a replacement. It looks original to me is definitely bakelite how can I tell if it is real. The dealer i got it from swears it is real but nobody interested in buying it says real. I am stuck !  and frustrated help!!

REPLY

This is a more common problem than you think. The quality of fake vintage parts or reproduction has reach a dangerous level. They are so good it is even hard for us to tell at first glance. Only our years of experience tells us it is a reproduction.

For example. A great guy named Clive Brown in England makes the best black guard reproduction i have ever seen. I know Clive and he is a gentlemen and a true master at his craft. He sells them as reproductions and his companies parts are for restoration only and he states that. It is not his fault if unscrupulous people tale his product and sell it as real. Clive has even gone out of his way to help people who have been duped. So the problem is not Clive it is the idiot who buys it and tries to rip people off

Another great  company is Retrospec  LLC. they make the best repro parts i have seen and probably the only two company I would recommend due to my first hand experience. I Will not bad mouth any other companies many of the people i know and like but i feel as thought these two are the best and more importantly sell the stuff as repro and no to screw people.

Now as far as your problem goes any legitimate dealer should take the guitar back or make a price adjustment if the guard was not real. Dealers are human and do make mistakes and again some of this repo stuff is amazing. I personally find that it is difficult now lets say like on eBay to buy a guitar that looks correct and has repro parts. That is why we have always suggested but from a reputable dealer or a reputable seller on ebay and make sure you have a return policy and an inspection time period. if the dealer or seller says no run away!!

Sorry to hear about this i hope you can work this out with dealer. If you have any further questions please e mail me at The Parts Drawer

Thanks

Jim Pasch

QUESTION

I have a 1956 Fender Telcaster guitar. I am having it re-freted and the guy re-freting my guitar says he has to over spray the board. I told him that would ruin the value of the guitar and he says that that is the correct way to re-fret a maple neck. What should I do

REPLY

That is a well debated question in the vintage guitar community. And many still cannot agree and i Will explain why. To the credit of your repair guy the correct way to re-fret t a maple neck is to over spray it and seal ! the neck. Original fender necks including yours were done this way. The sealing or over spray of the neck seals the wood keeping out moister and helps prevent stabilizethe neck by allowing less expansion and contraction. Also the neck will not shrink as fast you have seen as tome goes on how the fret ends stick out this is from the neck shrinking as it gets older.

Now if you were to follow this course of thought i would say go with a light nitro over spray and i mean light. No poly finishes unless your neck was originally done in poly like a late1968 to present fender neck. this will lower the value a bit on the guitar so think twice.

The other school of thought is mine. Just re-fret and do not over spray only to help keep the vintage value of the guitar. Who cares i would rather keep the dirt fret board with original finish or What is left of it. Again ask yourself why your are doing it are you a player , a collector or a novice. Again I would say leave it alone !!! Also when you re-fret use original size frets the jumbos play great but kill the collector value. 

I hope that helped but again do not yell at your repair guy technically he is correct . If you have any other questions please e mail me at The Parts Drawer and I Will answer with 48 hours

Jim Pasch

I heard you ran the New York Guitar Show for 12 years .Will there ever be another New York Guitar Show.

REPLY

Wow that is a blast from the past. Yes I ran the New York Guitar Show from 1991 -2002 . Those were the great times when the business was actually fun. I took over the show from Skip Henderson who was know for his expertize in the vintage guitar business and his charitable work. Skip was one of my mentors and actually got me started in this business. I loved going to his store City Lights you never knew what would be there or who would show up. You could buy everything from a 1954 strat to a human skull and see anyone from Billiy Gibbons to lenny Kravits that is how wide a fan club skip had.

I was laos attracted to his charitable side and when I took over the show I promised it would remain a charity. All proceeds 100% form the door went to the aids resource foundation for children and the Mary help of Christensen’s church on the lower east side. Were still many of my fondest memories still l lie. The problem was too things eBaycame along and people are lazy so attendance went down   secondly  everyone automatically became a guitar dealer at that point . that was the going joke at the time and still rings true today. So the audience became less and less over the years . Today at most guitar  the attendance is pitiful to say the least and no real deals are to be had.

When we were forced to move the show to 31st street in New York the first show was great but soon September 11th came into play and people did not want to go to new york. The year after 911 the show was terrible and i decided to call it quites. I regret that day but i still feel it was the right thing to do. the fun was gone eBay had made so called geniuses overnight so what fun was  it to go to the shows at that point.

I am asked all the time will it ever come back. Well i never say never but if we do have a show one day i Will bring skip back into the picture and throw a hell of a bash.That is a parts of my life i cherish and i miss all the great people over the years maybe someday we will and i hope it Will be thebest show ever . If you have any ideas for thw show you can e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

thanks

jim pasch

I know you deal in vintage parts but what is your opinion on Rickenbacker guitar and are the new ones good. Secondly why is it so hard to find new Rickenbacker guitars.

REPLY

 Good question and a loaded on at that . We have also be selling vintage guitar for over 20 years so I can easily comment on the old versus the new. Well as all you rickenbacker guys know rickenbacker guitar were never mass produced. The limited numbers produced on the 1950 ‘s and 1960 ‘s is amazing actually. These are some of the hardest guitar to find and especially ion great condition. I do not know how they stayed in business.

The older Rickenbacker’s sound great . the sound i believe has alot to due with the pickups. The tone and sound is unmistakable and hundred of your favorite songs feature these great vintage Rickenbacker’s. For me personally the necks are to thin and uncomfortable for me but i own them and use them to record with they are killer! Now as with any vintage guitar there is problems and rickenbackers are notorious for neck problems many have had or need neck resets. Thank god these were one of the few guitar the druggie generation did not destroy or modify. As you know  tons of Stratocasters  and les Pauls SG  and what ever got modified in the 1960 ‘s and 1970 ‘s but for the most part ricks did not . Thank god.

Now I am going to say something here that Will anger many collectors but I feel the new Rickenbacker guitar in the last 10 years are better than the older ones. They are build better and even the finishes are great. But in tradition Rickenbacker is not producing alot like in the old days. It is not un common to have to wait a year today for a New Rickenbacker and again the productions are so low you have to jump when you see one if you want it because it is likely it will be sold tomorrow. The pickups theyuse are also amazing and I will gladly own or play one and I like the necks much better also and Rickenbacker has resolved there neck problems over the years which is great .

I hopr this helps and get one if you can you will not regret it . If you have any further questiosn please e mail me at The Parts Drawer

 Jim Pasch

QUESTION

I have a 1970 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black beauty guitar. It is 100% original and is in great shape the problem is i cannot play it anymore the frets are gone. They are almost flat and I do not want to  ruin the value of the guitar by re fretting the guitar . What options do I have.

REPLY

Great question I own one of these guitar and it is one of my favorite it is still affordable and still is from the last great period of Gibson in my opinion as far as vintage guitar go. These were know as fretless wonders supposedly easy to play and play faster with the lower profile fret. This was ok for basic chording as long as frets were new but even when new to actually play aggressive lead guitar I have found it tough with these original frets.

The first question is do you play the guitar or are you a collector. If you are a player get it refretted with correct !!! size wire by a professional and it will loose only a slight bit of value. Remember even as and original collectible now it is worth a bit less because it is unplayable even though it is 100% original.

These guitar are monster players and have great tone and great necks. I still think they are a sleeper in this market. Play it and get it refreted is my advise and sell it as a last resort. Gibson cannot make a guitar like that anymore.

If you are a collector you should leave it as is. You can still sell it as original but it will be the responsibility of the buyer to do with it what he chooses. You can also just sell it now while the market is low and get a better one at a good price these will always be a collectible guitar and sought after.

I hope this sheds some light on the situation please feel free to e mail me if you have any further questions at The Parts Drawer

Jim Pasch

I Have a 1960 Gibson ES-335 dot neck. The guitar is a 9.5/10 but after sitting in the case for the last 10 years the tips have shrunk and i just tried to turn on at it crumbled. How much less is my guitar worth and what should I do fix them or leave them HELP!!!

REPLY

This is a very common thing due not worry. First I would like to mention to all the guitar collectors out there if you do not open your guitar case on a regular basis your tuner tips will shrink and or crumble if your guitar was made form 1956-1962 . The reason for this is the gas produced form the plastic tips cannot escape and remains in the case which leads to deterioration. This also will apply if you have a nitro  pick guard. You have to open the case a few times every couple month and take guitar out of case for a few hours or this will happen. After 1963 the plastic changed and the tips will have no issues if the case is not opened but many nitro pick guards with deteriorate !!!

So that being said here is what I would do. If you are a collector just leave it for now if they are all gone. If one or two are shrink change them all or they will contaminate the rest. You can buy many replacement tips that look great and will keep the vibe of the vintage guitar. Plus you can play the guitar at this point .

If only one tuner is shot and the rest are great take them all off and put  on exact replacements and  put tuners is a box not in plastic this will stop them from rapidly shrinking and when you go to sell the guitar you can show the buyer the original tuners and he may have a spare tuner that will make theset complete.  This is usually the best bet . The only other option is to buy a complete set of vintage tuners that are in great shape. This will not only retain the value of the guitar but is an acceptable option in the collectors world .

Just remember a few minutes and a few little things make all the difference on a vintage guitar that is not being played. Just by opening the case taking the guitar out of the case , Changing the strings doing a set up or just loosen the strings as not to warp the neck with full string tension goes a  long way and will help maintain the value of your guitar.

Just drop me an e mail if you have any other questions at The Parts Drawer and i will answer them within 48 hours

Jim Pasch

This is one of the questions we received today at The Parts Drawer

QUESTION

What do they mean when they say rolled plastic parts . I have seen that many times but i can never find an answer. I have a Gibson Les Paul Pickguard How can I tell if it is rolled plastic?

REPLY

Thank you for your e mail. In the 1950 ’s they manufactured the pplastic by sheets and the process was that when making the plastic was pressed and rolled flat. This being said the process left  fine lines in the back of the plastic. Some times these can easily seen some times you need to look very closely. The front of the plastic was  always smooth and the back wee shinny but the rolled marks should be visible if it is real .

Then the parts were stamped out and cut . It was a simple and effective process. This was used for all multilayer lastic parts.You cannot see this one the simple one ply parts. 

In the around 1965 many of the plastic parts were made by injection modeling and the lines were no longer visible on the parts. I would like to note that Gibson like many companies never wasted any material . It is very common for the first lets say 4-5 years that rolled plastic is still used ON Gibson guitar parts .I have found it as late as 1968 depending on the model guitar and it’s popularity.

By 1970 there were mold marks visible on may parts not on all but many which instantly make them recognizable 1970’s parts.  Also as a note many of the early plastic parts had rougher edges and many multilayer guards had a wider bevel than today’s pickguards.

I hope this helps. Please e mail me if  You have any other guitar questions. Please fill out the questionaire at The Parts Drawer

I just bought a vintage p90 from a vintage guitar dealer and i went to install it in my 1959 Les Paul special  and my original cover does not fit. The pickup looks like a Gibson and I cannot figure out why it will nto work.

REPLY

Well there is a little know fact that Gibson changed the size of the p90 pickup by mid 1960 ‘s . For example if you have a 1950 ‘s or early 1960′s soap bar pickup Gibson guitar  ( not dog ear) and try to install a 1968 soap bar p90 it will not fit under the original cover. This is not a widely know fact so I would cut the dealer a break and offer him a chance to make it good.

As a quick note 1950′as p90s both soap bar and dog ear have double black wires coming off pickup this is a quick way to tell what year it is. now up until 1962 double black lead p90s can be found but again the covers Will fit . the difficult area is when they they are white and black lead wires you have to take a moment to and check .

Another quick note is the older style p90 soap bar pickups have shallow height covers . they are not tall and are easily distinguishable from the mid to later 1960′s that have tall covers over twice! the size . So if you are Lucky enough to buy or see the pickup with an original cover remember the shorter ones are the vintage ones. The ears are also longer and many of the soap bar pickups from late 1960′s, and the soap bar pickups from that era  have ears which they never did in te 1950′s and early 1960′s .

I hope this helps if you have any other questiosn please feel free to e mail me at The Parts Drawer

REPLY:

The correct bigsby for a Gibson ES-335 would be the model B7. This is recognizable by the double roller tension bars and the fact it has a screw hole and mounts to the top of the guitar.  I too have seen many people advertise  that the single roller B3 is correct but I have never seen one on an original guitar.

This is an important question because the bigsby bottom mount may line up and a B3 could be installed but and function but ALL ES-335 models have a B7.  This  because they are semi hollow. and being semi hollow you can screw the bigsby to the top and the screw goes into the center block and is stable. If you were to try and install this on a ES-330 for example it would hold but eventually the top will crack as they are hollow guitars.

Even guitars with the custom made plaque that covers the stud holes form the factory which is common make sure that you see thescrew hole on top of the guitar from the original bigsby if not the bigsbywas added later. Also a vintage bigsby has the string pins going through to the other side of the roller. the newer ones have pressed in pins on one side only the older ones had screw in pins so they went through on both sides this is an important factor because many people age bigsbys but they cannot fake that. I hope this helps

If you have any more question feel free to e mail me .

Jim pasch

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Why is it that everyone hates 1966 Fender Stratocaster and all I hear is it is not pre cbs get a 1965 or earlier. I have had it for year sand i think it is one of the best i have heard. Should I sell it and get a pre cbs Stratocaster?

REPLY

NO !!! Alert the media we have a winner here !!! Wow , people like you make my day. Ask any one who has known me for over 30 years i am one of the few who has raved about that year strat. In general  i hate 1964 and 1965 Stratocasters  . Over the years in my experience i  have found that i like 1955 ,1956 and 1959 and 1966 strats the best. Sound and playability of course is a personal thing but in general i would feel safe with any of the above. That being said I have found great Stratocasters  form all years and bad strats for all years including my favorite years EXCEPT 1966 !!!!! I have never played a bad one !!!

I personally feel it is because the necks are big and the headstock is thicker. Yes it is definitely thicker and that I believe  makes the difference. I  am so confident that i could order a stock 1966 Stratocaster and be happy with it as along as it is stock and in good working order. I have personally owned over 40 1966 stratocaster and all were winners 100% .

It may well be the combination of the thicker headstock the different pickup wire and by the way many 1966 stratocaster had large factory frets that is a fact !!!! and again why i feel they. I have been blessed to be able to play literally thousands of vintage  fender guitar and have found this to be true . this is not book knowledge it is hands on experience.

So do not sell it . Enjoy it the hell with a 1965 ( please all you 1965 do not hate me it is solely my opinion) .I believe in time the 1966 Stratocaster will get the respect it deserves and you can say you knew it all along

If you have any other questions feel free  to email  me

IRC always began with 615 xxxxx  354 . The x’s stood for stock numbers the last three numbers were the year and the week. here is example : 615 34657 334  this is a  IRC pots 1953 and the week is 34th week .

CTS  always started with 137 xxx or 137 xxxx  . The first x or first two were the year the last two x’s were the weeks.  Here is an example 137828     8 represents the year 1958 and week 28th week.  In second example :  1376828  68 represents 1968 and 28 the 28th week .

Central Lab always begins with 134 xxx or 134 xxxx. first example 134521 this dates the pot to 1955 and the 21st week . the second example 1346232 show a 1962 pot from the 32 week.

Remember this that pots can  pre-date a instrument year but never post date it . It was common to have pots 6 month earlier than an instrument but an exact cut off time is impossible to nail down. Usually the earlier the instrument the closer the pot dates are to the instrument manufacturing date. As the companies grew they bought more inventory and pots sometimes were mixed or lying around for a period of time before they were used. In the extreme instance of Fender Guitars in 1966 to cut costs Fender purchased enough pots to last the company for 5 years and so they are found in guitars from 1966-1971

Switches were made by the Switchcraft company and still are to this date . The early switches do not bear the company’s name. but by 1961 all switchcraft switches bear the company name stamped into the switch. Most were three way switches but they also had 5 way switches.

The caps are a very important part of the harness but i would need several full pages to dive into them and their variations . I Will list a few common ones but it is by no means a complete list. The earliest Gibson caps were made by Cornell Dublier or (cd). they were know as grey tigers ( the name found on many ) and were used in hollow bodies and solid body guitars. They were .022 @ 400v . by 1956 they has switched to the Sprague Company. The values were the same but the waxed paper grey tiger caps were now replaced by the Sprauge bumble bee it was black plastic shell with multi colored stripes and is probably the most recognized cap in the world for guitars. There were again a few exception but not many. In 1961 the Sprague caps changed again to the black case with two red stripes one  on each end and they were used up until around 1970.

I was just offered $400 for my 1956 les paul custom guitar tag is this a good deal . Also how much does the tag add to the value of the guitar.

REPLY

Great question. I would say your giving it away but it is you choice. Here is my spin on this and the rest of the vintage paper market. To a collector many times the original paper work is worth more to him that the guitar. It adds a validity and a history to an instrument that for the most parts has none.  I have always argued if it came with the guitar leave it but i know in today market this stuff is worth so much the temptation to sell it is irresistible .Two years ago i fell victim to it at the height of the market when i guy offered me an $8000 guitar  for my burst tag and i sold it and do not regret it at all . That was insane!!!!!

The guy who bought it paid $475,000.00 for the guitar had the original receipt and even a photo of the guitar and owner playing in the 1960′s but he did not have the tag . So he needed the tag and the rest is history. Now this is the most extreme case i know of and it has happened only once in 20 years but this is how crazy it gets. This being said most tags are worth very little $50-$300 and condition is everything. but a receipt with an original see# from the original music store could easily bring an extra $1000 or more to a guitar.

In your case your guitar a 1956 les paul custom is worth about $45,000.00 2 years ago they were $65,000.00 so if you have a real tag that says les paul custom on it and it is from that era i would say it is worth $800-$1000 . so $400 is too cheap in my opinion.  The price of the paper is relative to the price of the guitar . the guy who spent almost a half of a million on a burst $8000 was nothing . So use your brain and value the paperwork by the value of the guitar.

As another note booklets or tags with serial numbers that do not match your guitar are useless. The blank cards like the one i sold to the burst guy is worth the money. Also condition is everything the cleaner the better. so keep these fact in mind also when purchasingpaper or selling it. Also straps case keys original string boxes all this adds to the frenzy so do not throw anything out before doing some research. If you have any questions of paper you have and the values please contact me at  The Parts Dawer and i will try and answer any questions you have.

QUESTION

I have a what I believe to be 1958 Les Paul Jr. but it only has a 4 digit serial number. Is this possible.

REPLY

Great question. Not too many people know this but in 1958 the first run of 1958 Les Paul Jr’s have a 4 digit serial number that is correct. These are usually found of the slab body or thicker body Jr’s and the heel joint is much deeper on the early 1958 double cut Jr’s. I have only seen this serial number example on double cut Jr’s.

Also a cool little known fact is 98% of the ones i have seen also has a soap bar p90 under the dog ear cover. This is to accommodate the deeper neck angle on the slab early body 58 Jr’s . This is so the pickup sits down deeper in the body due to the shallow neck angle a regular dog ear p90 will be too high!! so yes the  serial number is different and also is many little details on that guitar that other people do not know.

So If one is not sure here is list of thing to check. The neck with be almost uncomfortably large in 1958 . will  likely have 4 digit serial number, check pot dates. carefully pull of p90 cover chances are it it is s soap bar pickup it is a 1958. also the heel joint will be deeper on the body. The body will also be a bit more squared off and thicker hence the name slab body.

I hope this helps thank you for  your question

Jim Pasch

Thr Parts Drawer

I see all the hype lately on Brazilian rosewood fret boards. Do they really make a difference. Thank you

REPLY

Ok, let me put on my bullet proof vest first before I answer this one! This is a big controversial question that has been circulating for some time and I an constantly asked about this so this is MY opinion on it bases on my 20 years in the business

I personally cannot hear the difference. Now that said I Will explain why and this is not in any way negating what other people may hear. I have tortured myself many times taking old les paul that are identical and the new ones with Brazilian boards and the new ones without and at the end of it all I am more puzzled than ever.

I feel Brazilian rosewood has a better tone and character than Indian on acoustic guitars. So it has to have an effect on solid bodies. All my favorite guitar have brazilian boards on them. So with that said I guess it does make a difference when combined with ther other structural aspects of the vintage  guitar.old wood is always better than new wood. But I feel the Brazilian rosewood in conjunction with other old wood other old pickups other old glue is what makes the difference not just the brazilian board. So i am a big fan of Brazilian boards but I cannot HONESTLY say you can hear a difference by just replacing the board.

I am sure if you took a 2003 Gibson Brazilian board les paul and compared it to an exact 2004 none brazilian on a sound wave scope you may see a difference. In fact I am sure it is difference, but through a Marshall amp I cannot hear it. Through any amp actually I have tried this test through many amps old and new and to me it is all the same.

So in conclusion. All my favorite vintage guitars have Brazilian boards. I think the board matters but only when it is put in the perspective of the rest of the vintage guitar itself and not alone. can I honestly say buying a Brazilian rosewood board on your new les paul will change what you hear. I would say no . Agian This is from my expieience from selling thousands of vintage guitar over teh years and personally comparimng them all. Maybe you can but I cannot

If you have any other questions please contacet me at  The Parts Drawer

Thank You

Jim Pasch

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QUESTION

All I every hear about is PAF’S,PAF’S, PAF’S never do I hear anyone rave about a T-Top Gibson humbucker. What is your opinion. Are they good pickups .

REPLY

Thank you for question . I am sure this will stir a bunch of controversy up but what the heck.  I Will start by saying they are not my favorites but I Will also add they are good pickups and sound fine and are better than a lot of the later Gibson pickups. Anyone who knows me and who has ready many of my articles and columns will note that the pre t -top Gibson pickups post 1962 are my favorites. I would gladly have a set of those over PAFS  ONLY because I personally feel the pre t tops are more consistent as many PAFS vary greatly. I have never really heard a non killer set of pre top from 63-65 period end of story!!!

Back to the T-top pickups. Just because I do not use them does not mean they are not great pickups. Many of the classic rock albums you have listened to and admired for years the guitars used these pickups. So that alone should silence the disbelievers. But again tone is a relative thing and one of a choice and is a personal thing. What I like you may hate an such is life and as it should be.

I love Gibson Les Pauls so lets take that as a starting point. most 1968-1974 les paul customs rock. They are some of my favorite  mod;es guitar from that era and they have these pickups. And yes an early 1970′s les paul kills if you get a good one. i still own one and think they are very underrated guitar. I still have the original pickups in them and will leave them as such they sound great and are very versatile from rock to jazz to country to blues. So Yes they are good pickups and yes I like them.

I only prefer the pre t tops probably because I played more blues rock and that have that real Billy Gibbons tone out of the box i love. Those pickups, a marshall and a great guitar is all you need .no pedals  no gimmick just turn it up and go , that is what i love. The t-top pickups to me are more middle of te road good for all kinds of music pickup which is probably why Gibson made them . A jazz guy can feel just as at home with them as a blues or rock guy. Gibson I assume was just reaching out to a wider audience at the request of their customers.

Today there is a very strong market for these pickups. And in answer to your question directly yes there is not a lot of buzz about them compared to PAF’S AND Pre T-Tops but in a way that is good. This  way they are still affordable as soon as something  is hyped you know the price doubles. So I would not overlook this versatile pickup try one and I am sure you will not be disappointed. Remember you are the one who has to like it not me or the rest of a forums members. Music is personal and an inner expression of yourself so check them out

Thank you for your question I hope this helps . If you have any more questions just follow the link below and i will be glad to answer them as soon as I can

JIm Pasch

The Parts Drawer

I was recently told my 1961 Fender Stratocaster neck was only worth $1500 because the decal was not original how can that be possible when a regular neck is worth $5000.

REPLY:

That is actually true unfortunately and I will explain why. There are many fake vintage parts on the market these day and that goes for necks and bodies as well. It is easy to relic a neck swap finger boards etc. and deceive the public. I have seen guitar that looked amazing and fooled many dealers but were no more than 6 months old.

Here is the good news for the vintage guitar market. Not for your case in specific but NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FAKE AN AGED FENDER DECAL YET!!! this is the best thing and the reason why the decal weighs so heavy in the equation. I have seen people try and have seen some real close fakes but none good enough to fool a vintage expert.

The thing they cannot fake is one a pre cbs decal the lettering has a greening and an oxidation like texture to it you can feel the decal and the lettering actually gets a raised texture over the years whether the guitar in in the case or played everyday. this natural aging cannot be faked . Unfortunately I am sure soon it will but for now the market is safe. Gibson guitar are easy to fake because the the logo is either a water decal or an inlay ed veneer that is easily changed

So this is why there is such a big difference in price. to me when i look at a vintage fender the decal is the FIRST thing I look at . This is a rule all Fender buyers should apply. I hope this has helped I know this is not good news for you but it is the reality of the vintage guitar market

Any further questions just contact me at The Parts Drawer

Thank you

Jim Pasch

How can I tell if i have a short spaced humbucker from Gibson. I just bought one on eBay and I want to make sure i bought the correct one.

REPLY

Ok I Will tell you the easiest way without having another to judge it by. I could tell you to get a ruler out and measure but I have found out in the past people do not know how to read a ruler correctly. Si here is the deal.

If you have a normal spaced cover just flip it and the Pole pieces should line up it is a full spaced cover. Now not everyone has that ability so this is the guaranteed way. This is the only fool proof way i know.

First you have to take the cover off the pickup. if you do not know how to do this do not do it yourself you could damage the windings especially on an expensive Paf. Have your tech or repair guy do believe me it is worth the time to do it right

Once the cover is off simple look at the top of the bobbins. were the pole piece screws come thought look if at the end screw and see if you can see a half circle, like the drill press stamped the bobbin but the screw is slightly offset.

You will see it as clear as day if you do not see a half circle by the end screw hole you have a full spaced pickup. ALL short spaced pickups look as if the machine that punches the screw holes in the bobbin missed and there is that double stamped half circle.

If you are still not sure i can send you a picture I hope this helps

I am ready to spend some big bucks on pickups is there a difference and what do you recommend. Price is not an option I am looking for tone

REPLY

This is one of the most frequently asked questions i get and is a bit complicated because sound is relative to the person and is an individual taste What I like you ma hate so I will tackle the question in two stages from bother perspectives.

O first of all if you are a collector you need the correct pickup for your guitar no matter how it sounds. As crazy as it sounds a 100% original 1959 les paul that sounds like crap is better than the best sounding modified one in the collectors market. By the way never really hear a bad burst!!.

 Wth that said here we go. I personally think that a PAF pickup has a bite and a sound the pick makes when hitting the sting that a normal pickup does not. Again we are in personal territory here but the attack of the pick of the string for me is more aggressive and yet clean. I like that and yes they are have a great tone but to me that is a trademark. PAF pickups range from 7.7 ohms to 9.0 ohms i have had factory unsoldered double whites that read as high as 10 ohms this is not the norm. around a mid 8.2-8.5 is normal  for  nice one.

Now this is real important I ave heard bad PAF pickups when i mean bad i mean run of the mill sound not horrible. To me the the lower the reading usually the more mid tones and a warmer pickup the higher the output the more treble . But again as pickups age the age differently and i have heard the opposite both  scenarios. but the general rule is the lower the output the more tone.

So if you are a player the PAF range is great and again it is a matter of taste. Not all pickups are killers and the pickups will sound different in different guitars. the higher output ones should  go in solid bodies or semi-hollow bodys that i do know.  This again being said I feel most with like the PAF tone and sound in a solid body guitar and semi-hollow guitar.

Now a little secret that some know . The best pickups Gibson made with a consistent and with a tone were from  1962-1964 in my opinion and are pre-t top pickups. Everyone I have ever heard in an SG sounds like GOD. everyone is a es-335 sounds like GOD. these are monster pickups at 1/3 price.

The first versions of these are pafs with new stickers that have patent numbers on them.They have double black lead wires and all PAF markings on pickups. By 1963 they went to black and white lead wires. FOR ME WHO CARES THEY ALL SOUNDS GREAT . Now collectors will argue and of course you need the correct pickup for te correct guitar and year if  you collect or buy and sell guitar but for a player good new they all sounds great. I never heard a bad 63-64 sg or es-335.

These have that classic sound you loved from Cream, the Beatles, Mc5 and more. I will go out on a limb and say that 99% of the people who buy these pickups will be satisfied. These are my favorite pickups.

So I hope this helps I do not know if you are a player, collector or both but i hope this give some insight into the pickup decision making

JIm Pasch

The Parts Drawer

I have a 1967 Telecaster but according to the book it should have a channel rout to the neck pickup of the guitar in the body and this one does not . Is this possibly a one off guitar from Fender.

REPLY

Well  this is a good question but one with an answer I do not think you want to hear. Never did a 1967 telecaster not have a channel rout. All telecaster up to 1969 have the rout period, no exceptions.

So without seeing your guitar there is two possible scenarios. First which is the better of the two is it is a 69-74 telecaster body and the pats were swapped. This is a big problem with fender guitar or any bolt on guitar parts and body are easily exchanged. If the finish looks correct then this is probably the case. In this  instance your guitar still has value but not real collector  value. Lets hope this is the case.

The second possibility and a hard one to swallow id that is is not a real fender body and someone faked a real finish . At this point you have what we call in the business a parts guitar and the value is put on it for what the real parts are worth not how it looks ,plays or sounds. Don,t shoot me I am only the messenger. This is a sad fact that there are many evil people with no morals who have been doing this for years taking advantage of people who simply do not know. It is not your fault but this is why I am posting these  questions to help educate the public and bring back some kind of respect to this business.

Thank you for your question and I hope everything works out for you. If you want you can always send us the body and we will verify it for free you just pay postage and insurance both ways

Thank You

Jim Pasch

QUESTION

I was on Ebay and am looking for vintage pots for my Fender Stratocaster. Is there something I should look for and how can I tell if they are from a real Fender. Thank you for your time . I will await your answer.

REPLY

Great one. The  one thing to know most of all and that is this if it does not say 250k on the pot it is probably not a pot from a Fender guitar.

I am sure there are one or two examples out there but after 30 years of collecting and playing and 20 years in business I am confident in saying 99.9% of all fender guitar pots  have the 250k designation on them.I have literally sold thousands of Fender and Vintage fender guitars and this is the case period.

  The pots may look and be the same year and made by the same manufacturer but they were probably out of a harmony, kay or other guitar. Yes they will work and yes they will look correct to the untrained eye but they are not.

So on ebay you will see lets say a set of  1960 Fender Stratocaster pots one set may be $1500 and one set $400 chances are the set that is $400 do not say 250k on them if they do and are correct stack pole or CTS  pots grab them that is a steal.

I hope this helps . Also I would be glad to look at an auction for you and tell you my opinion just forward me the link in an email

Jim Pasch

The Parts Drawer

This is a question we received yesterday and feel it is worth posting on the news page.

QUESTION

What do they mean when they say does it black lite ?? I just bought a vintage guitar and want to check my parts out to see if they are real.

REPLY

Thank you for the e mail. Great question not a simple answer. Vintage guitar plastic should glow a certain color when exposed to a black lite in the dark. This is very obviously if you have new and old parts side by side to see the difference it is like night and day. But if you have only the vintage parts to test basically here is what it will  look like.

Again color is subjective to each person so i think it looks like a fluorescent yellowish color with a bit of green to it. But i have seen parts black lite more whitish and more unique tones than i can describe . basically they should jump out!! at you under a black light and really stand out. The newer parts change color but do not jump out at you. If you are still not sure borrow a knob from your friends new guitar and put the new and vintage parts side by side you will see right away.

 Now another note ! all parts do not black lite the same color or at the same intensity. knobs and such black lite strong as do guitar tuner tips. pickguards are not as strong but they will react under black light. Do not panic if you see your knobs black light different from you knobs this is normal!! the same goes for finish but that is a real complicated story we will touch on at a later time.

There are fakes out there and people as we speak are trying to develop new parts that are aged that black lite so this is for now a fairly safe test but it will not be long until some idiot will figure it out and ruin it for everyone.

If you are still unsure you can send us parts and we Will evaluate them for free no charge you just pay shipping both ways.

Thank you again for your question

Jim pasch

The Parts Drawer

 Today The Parts Drawer Has officially launched it’s new website . There will still be a few Additions needed bit this  is in response to our customers who asked for a new format. I would like to personally thank all our loyal customers for their support over the past 20 years. We will continue to bring you the finest vintage and used guitar parts we can find.

Jim pasch