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Delema, Which To Get

Tim C.

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
6,484
Hi All,

I am 46 and have been lurking here for awhile, totally enjoying this board. :)

I do the tube amp repairs part time for the Gibson dealer and was given a new '57 GT to try out for a week. The store wants $2,200.00 for the '01 GT and $3,500.00 for a 1999 NOS '59 cherryburst. The tops on the bursts are ok but not fantastic. I can go either way pricewise so let me know which you think I would be better off with over the long haul.

Thanks in advance,
Tim C.
 
A

Aggie

Guest
GT or NOS?

Depends: The NOS if you like high frets. The GT if you prefer the lower frets.If it is a question of LONG TERM collectability,I would GUESS the GT would be better only because the hardware is so different from the 99/00 models. Enjoy either. How about one each?
 

darkburst

New member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
294
If you're asking the question, you probably want the '59 but aren't sure it's worth the extra bucks. I'd get the one that sounds the best. You should get the one you really want. Hopefully they are the same one.
 

plaintop

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
9,591
Get the BURST!

First things first. You can get an '01 GT on ebay from a reputable dealer for $1800. Unless that one throughs you on your ass when you play a chord, I would shop around.

Forget the R7, if money is not a problem get the friggin burst already. The '99 and '00 R9's are some of the best playing/sounding/looking guitars Gibson has made in years. NOS Plaintop R9's are selling at $2500. The best deal out there. Mild flame expect the price to go up from there. Plug them all in and get the one that say's take me home. Negotiate!


digitalfly is now plaintop59
 

Zhangliqun

New member
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
5,204
In terms of quality, it comes down to the individual instrument rather than that one is a GT and the other an R9 because they're equally good.

The R9 costs more because it is a lot more popular -- people are suckers for that burst finish with flame. And I'm no exception. I wish GT's turned me on more, I would have saved a lot of money -- and I bought USED.
 

Dewey

The Czar
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
557
Hey Tim, welcome to the board! In my experience of historics, I've bought several and ended up with two flametops as my favorites. I prefer the flame myself, and most often even when people find a good sounding one and buy it, they often end up changing the p/u's anyway...mostly for the sake of experimenting with tone! It's hard to not tweak these guitars for every once of tone you can wring out of them....they're all great in their own right!

Keep your eyes and ears open for the best you can find....IMO $3,500 for a average flamed NOS doesn't seem to be a great deal unless the tone of the guitar is great. Mr Goodwood here on the forum has some great guitars for sale most of the time, check with him also, he's a great guy and has a very good reputation.
 
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