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I'm giving some thought to trading my 1968 Gibson ES-175 (bought new) for a Eastman AR503CE. I already own a AR610 no cutaway and no pickup.
Ever since I have owned Eastman's the fit and finish on the Gibson pales in comparison, I also would like a solid top for a more acoustic tone when not amplified. The only time I get out the Gibson is once a year for a yearly pit band gig.
I haven't tried to deal with the almost local music store yet but what kind of offer could I expect. I haven't traded instruments since I traded a 62 SG for the ES. I really don't want to do a private sale.
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11-12-2019 12:38 PM
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It's very tempting to buy a used Eastman 503 and trade it with your 1968 ES 175
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You will get totally hosed at a music store. Best advice is to sell it privately or put it on consignment (try to find 20% consignee; most places are 25%) then just buy the Eastman (maybe you can find a used one). Sounds like you already have a guitar to play in the meantime...assuming your annual pit band gig is not coming up in the next 3 - 4 months.
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In Canada stores that do trade typically give you credit worth 80% of the estimated sale price. Which is very good because sales tax is about 14%. They charge you tax only for the difference between the trade in price and price of the purchased item. I traded stuff that in the end came to about the same value as I would get from kijiji.
Obviously your guitar is worth a lot more than an Eastman 503.
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Trading with a store rather than a private sale will net you less money. I think that a 68 ES-175 will sell privately for between 3 and 4K net. A store will probably give you around 2K (and maybe even less).
Trading a high quality laminate guitar ( and not all Gibsons are high quality, to be sure) for a solid carved Eastman (not all Eastmans are high quality either) is not necessarily a trade up.
Consigning is a very good option. IMO, one can pay a 20 percent consignment fee and still come out ahead of selling through EBay or Reverb.
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The fit and finish on a new Toyota RAV is better than that of a 1968 Black Ford Mustang Fastback. NEVER trade the Mustang on a Toyota.
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Preferences aside, i wouldn't call it a trade up either..
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Originally Posted by BBGuitar
JohnLast edited by John A.; 11-12-2019 at 06:04 PM.
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BB I really do not know what you are thinking but a 68 175 is consider a pretty fine guitar. My thought is you seem to like acoustic archtops and while Eastman's are fine I would sell the 175 privately you will do much better no matter what you get for the guitar. Then buy the acoustic archtop you want. The market is a complete buyers market from acoustic archtops you could get a monster guitar for the money. In the $3500-4500 range you have many choices that I believe in the long run and in resale would be better than an Eastman. I do not see an Eastman as a trade up guitar. They are fine players guitars that do the job but resale is nothing. In the end any Gibson archtop will be way above the Eastman.
Let me suggest....
Gibson L7
Plain Campellone
Guild's of various models
Heritage Golden Eagle or Sweet 16
Gibson L4
Some Epiphones although I am not personally a big fan
An Elferink mine PM
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Post your Gibson for sale on this site for starters. I wouldn't call that a trade up. Different animals to be sure but I think the Gibson is worth more.
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There is little or no market for my Gibson where I live.
I would not sell it privately with out the buyer playing / inspecting it.
Don't trust consignment. There was a music store here that would rent out consignments.
I am in no rush to sell and wouldn't unless the deal was fair.
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After agonizing on this a while I have decided to hang on to the Gibson or at least not trade it in. The Eastman I was considering was sold anyway. I will wait till they have one in stock again. My wife is encouraging me to just go and buy it.
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Originally Posted by BBGuitar
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Originally Posted by GNAPPI
Yes the "clown" was not in business very long. No he did not do that to me. I rarely if ever sell a instrument.
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BB, why not sell the 175 here? I would think there would be a lot of interest. This is a good community with a lot of successful, friendly transactions happening.
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Originally Posted by BBGuitar
Sadly, I sold the ‘60 175DN that I got in 1961 when I got the call that my L5 was in. The buyer was a friend who wanted to learn to play the guitar and had been bugging me to sell it to him for a few years. When I returned the L5, he refused to sell my guitar back and kept it for years. He never did learn to play it - he gave up after a few lessons from a local teacher. But for some reason, he loved that guitar……..and so did I.
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Gee, now I'm kinda glad I didn't buy that L5CES in 1972, for $895.00 new ( I woulda had to order it - and then accept it .)
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Gibson for Eastman...Brock for Brogglio?
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Depends on which team you are. Trades are always risky, for both sides. The OP seems lucky, in that his wife wants him to just buy the Eastman. It is not illegal, nor IMO immoral, to own multiple guitars.
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this thread is over 2 years old
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Originally Posted by wintermoon
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Originally Posted by Greentone
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Originally Posted by BBGuitar
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this thread is over 2 years old
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Still have the Gibson.
My current crazy thought is to buy the Eastman and swap the electronics, that way I would have the workmanship of the Eastman with the electronics of the Gibson.
I am still not going to sell the Gibson.
Humiliating Confession
Yesterday, 01:31 PM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos