The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    I’ve seen a few epiphone es175 for sale at Online market With 2nd stamped on headstock and new serial number applied. Seems bizarre to me, anyone know more details about these?

    example
    Epiphone ES -175 Premium Ebony Free Shipping
    Epiphone ES -175 Premium Ebony Free Shipping | Cordelia's | Reverb

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    They are factory seconds, sold to a company that does any needed refurbishing. This company then acts as a wholesaler to licensed dealers. They are generally very good guitars, often with only subtle defects. They get stamped “2nd” or “used” to negate any warranty claims. The replacement serial number is given by the refurbisher/wholesaler.

  4. #3

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    I get it, it’s new but not “new” to where it can be under warranty. Thanks

  5. #4

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    yeah i first saw a lot of "2nd " stamps on late 60's gibsons...and the pattern eventually continued into their asian made epiphones...2nd stamp means it has a flaw...that flaw can be anything from a finish blemish to something more serious. i'e a crack, a lifted fretboard etc etc..each must be judged on it's own...no standard!

    cheers

  6. #5

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    I was wondering:

    1. Did Gibson ' 2 's have any warranty ?
    2. Why would the s/n's have to be changed ?
    3. Is the refurbisher allowed to sell them to any dealer ( or anyone for that matter ), or only to Epi dealers ?

    Just curious, .....

    TIA

  7. #6

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    I don’t believe that the Gibson’s were under warranty, but I don’t know that fit a fact.

    The company that does most of these guitars, MIRC, just requires that the seller be licensed with their state and have a reseller permit for sales tax purposes. They handle factory seconds for many manufacturers.

  8. #7

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    I had a JP from the mid-90s, didn't have an additional serial # though. I was never sure what the defect was, it had a slight blem, a speck, in the finish on the headstock. Intonation seemed a little off on a couple of notes, but that was inconclusive, too.

  9. #8

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    I have a Gibson J45 that has a 2 stamp on the back of the headstock. I didn't realize what it was for several years. No idea about warranty, I never asked, never needed to use it. I was pretty inexperienced back in 1970. I bought it in a store in Columbus, GA between Airborne and Ranger schools. It lived a hard life over the years, but it's still in my closet. I never noticed any flaws or defects then or now, other than what were inflicted later on, like my son stepping on the top while it was in the open case. 4-year-olds don't know their own weight.

  10. #9

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    I had a Gibson ES-175CC that had a 2nd stamp. I think that all CC’s had that stamp even though they weren’t actually factory seconds. Nothing to do with current Epi’s though.