Would you trade a Gibson ES-137 Custom for a Fender Telecaster 52 Hotrod

[jakeyboy1216]

The Gibson is a 2007 and the Tele is a 2011. Both are in very good condition - no major issues, just normal wear and tear.

[GNAPPI]

"Would you trade a Gibson ES137 Custom for a Fender Telecaster 52 Hotrod"

No

[oldane]

No.

[OzMando]

Negatory

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[Ray175]

Is this a pure trading question (making money ) or for playing reasons? If playing, what objectives?

[Lobomov]

Gibson is worth slightly more on the used market, but I'd prefer the hotrod presonally, so I'd take that trade despite the uneven monetary value.

[Rhoderick]

No!

Music is the key that can open strange rooms in the house of memory.

Llewelyn Wyn Griffith

[Strickland]

Nope

[mad dog]

Depends on your taste. I've never picked up an ES-137 I could bond with, so that trade might work out for me. It could be very different for you.

[jads57]

Only if you absolutely LOVE the Fender, and then ask for some $ difference!

[John A.]

Are you talking about an even swap, with no extra money given for the difference in value? If so, that's leaving some money on the table (looks like maybe $2-300 based on Reverb asking prices), but if you really want the Tele and don't want the 137, you can look at that as the cost of getting what you want now vs waiting until you can sell your 137 (which could take days, or months). I've been on both sides of this kind of situation, and if you get what you want, and the other guy gets what he wants, and neither is in or out of pocket any real cash other than a not-huge hypothetical value difference, IMO, it's worthwhile. For me, a couple of hundred is worth it to save the effort and uncertainty of selling first and buying later, and having a guitar I want in hand sooner than I would otherwise. $500? Probably not.

John

[jakeyboy1216]

Is this a pure trading question (making money ) or for playing reasons? If playing, what objectives?

I'm simply trying to get an idea of the resell value of these guitars. Both models are no longer in production, so one can't go by the cost of a new guitar. And there aren't many on the used market either - eBay and Reverb have very few of each. I understand that that whether or not one would make the trade will depend on a person's playing style, preferences, objectives, etc. My question is simply to try to get an idea of which guitar has a higher resell value in today's market. By the comments I've read so far, it appears that the general consensus is that the ES137 has a higher resell value that the Tele.

[Jabberwocky]

ES-137 Custom? Someone offered to sell it to me asking for $2200 in 2011. Market was about $1800 to $2200 back then.

There is also the ES-137 Classic which is lower in value. That one would be about even in value to the Fender Tele Hotrod 52.

$2799 MAP Gibson Memphis ES-137 Custom - TriBurst | Sweetwater

[Longways to Go]

Personally, I'm with the No's. I would not do it.

Do you have a disliking for your Gibson? If so, then you might as well be rid of it.
Tele's are great, but they are also easy to find at many price points.
For example, $600-700 will get you a very nice American tele.
I can't imagine sinking $2K into a tele, but that's just me.

[Ray175]

If resale value is the sole concern, then rightly or wrongly the market today seems to give better residual value to the Gibson

[citizenk74]

I played an ES-137 Custom in 2006. It had, hands down, the most perfect neck on any guitar I ever played. Had I not just plunked down a wad of creditbux for an ES-175 at the same Gibson dealer, it would be mine today. My question is, is the Varitone mono, stereo, or both?

[Jim Soloway]

I have no idea about the resale of either guitar but I'd MUCH rather play the Tele. That's a really nice combination of features. I like the 13 bit everyone I've ever played was heavier than I like. There are a lot of semis I'd probably go with over the 137.

[73Fender]

The Hot Rod Tele is a very nice model. They are long DC'd. 9.5" radius, overwound OV bridge pickup to keep up with the humbucker and a 375k Vol pot for a nice blend. That is the version with the SD mini humbucker. There was another version out for a short time after the original was DC'd around 2012. There are also thin skin models that Wildwood sold. I actually broke out my black one a few days ago after many months of it being cased. The later version, which I've never tried, had a full size humbucker

I have no idea of the value of the Gibson but it sounds like they are worth more. I vaguely recall seeing a few on the local CL for less than $1,500 I could be wrong though. A decent used Hot Rod should be around $1,200 give or take.

[mongrel]

No way. You can make the functional equivalent of the Tele with a decent Mexican and a Duncan mini-humbucker. The 137 is steadily on its way up value wise.

[nick1994]

I'd prefer the tele. I have one, but if there's a difference in value just ask for some cash your way. especially you don't have any particular bond with the es-137

[mongrel]

No way I'd do that trade. You can make the functional equivalent of the Hot Rod Tele with a decent Mexican or American Tele and fit a Duncan mini-humbucker in the neck with no more than a little Dremel work. The 137 is steadily on its way up value wise and if it were me, I'd keep the Gibson in its case under the bed and it could be worth twice what the Tele is before the next presidential election. My favorite Tele at the moment is a 1996 Squire made in Korea with a top loader. It's one of the good alder body ones with a really nice 9.5" radius necks. I put a pair of Duncan Broadcasters in it with new pots and switch. The guitar cost $149 and the pickups and wiring $150. I like the lower string tension the top load bridge provides.

[Skip Ellis]

I'd trade in a New York minute to get rid of the Gibson and get a nice guitar.