1 Topic by shawn (edited by shawn 2011-09-03 19:30:15)

  • Registered: 2011-05-04
  • Posts: 16

Topic: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Since nobody else in my family plays and my wife, bless her heart, has no clue I figured I had to share this story with someone. This time I was the windshield instead of the bug.
So it goes like this. I own a small race engine business. We do some developement work
machining and such. So this guy wanders in that I've talked to a couple times before about doing a BB Chevy for him. Nothing to special, just a good running street/strip type engine. After a couple conversations, he says "so I hear you play guitar", (which of course the correct thing would be "attempt to play guitar" but that's another conversation). He says he has this "old guitar" and wants to know if I would be interested in trading. Say's it's a "Gibson" something or other. Seems his Grandad bought it brand new and it's been passed down to him. Just sits in the closet. Now I've been on the end of a few of these story's before, so I tell him to bring it on by and we'll take a look at it. So here's what shows up-

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/30762 … 425Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/46077 … 425Q85.jpg

Seems Grandad bought himself a new ES175 in 1963. This thing is 100% original. Believe it or not, the original receipt for the thing is still in the original case!! But wait, it gets better. Well maybe. Seems that guitar wasn't the only Gibson grandad bought. There was more than one receipt in the case. Somewhere grandpa also bought a Fender Jaguar and get this, a 1956 Les Paul! So casually I ask him where the other guitars are, trying to hide the lip quivering. He says his cousin ended up with the other Gibson, "not sure if he still has it or not. You interested in it, too?". Ummmm. Ya. "The other one my Aunt still has somewhere, last I saw. That one, too?". Ummmm. Ya.
So we made a deal on the ES175. Told him he was going to really owe me though, seein' as how I wasn't going to make any cash on this deal........

shawn

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Thats a beautiful guitar!

  • From: El Dorado Hills, Ca.
  • Registered: 2010-01-01
  • Posts: 797

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Shawn.....How do you sleep at night?! LOL!!

Why don't we eliminate all the warning labels and let things sort themselves out?
  • From: Grapevine, Tejas
  • Registered: 2009-11-03
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Wow, what an amazing find.  You got one of those antiques roadshow moments there.

  • Devan
  • Devan
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: Darwin, Australia
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 1,304

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Wow... Cool!  I want to hear how it turns out with the other two guitars!!!

JBLP Gold Top #129 - redubbed "#1 in Oz"
  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

We definitely need a progress reort on the '56 (with pictures).

  • Registered: 2008-03-07
  • Posts: 508

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Its hard to believe that in this day in age , with the internet and everything
that people do not realise the value of vintage guitars   yikes

Cool story

"Everybody's entitled to my opinion. wink
  • Registered: 2011-05-04
  • Posts: 16

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Hopefully he can catch up with the family over the holiday! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If not, I guess I'll have to settle......... big_smile

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Nice Steve Howe special... Probably two Patent # Pickups... Maybe One PAF one Pat #...  Im with Wharris... I wanna see the Lester...  Thats great score all the way around.. Does prove that the stuff is still out there..  Like the old days..
Joe B

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Its even the perfect color for that model!  I bet you try harder to play when your holding that thing in your hands  tongue  I would!

AD3THREE's Website

  • Registered: 2011-05-04
  • Posts: 16

Re: Sometimes you're the windshield.......

Update. Well the other two are long gone. Seems that his cousin sold it to someone else and the aunt doesn't remember where the Fender went. At least I'm going to end up with one of the three. I should be starting on his project about the first of the year, so as soon as I get it I'll pop the humbuckers out and see which ones are in there. Maybe a PAF? Hopefully Joe's right and I've got at least one in there!
Oh, Happy T Day!
shawn