Possible L5 Wes purchase advice

[L4CESN]

I’ve found an L5 Wes available for sale (unsure of price). I’m a little concerned about the tailpiece as it looks very corroded. I’m not sure if it can be fixed, or if it’s a sign that the guitar has been through something drastic, and I should avoid it? Otherwise, it looks very clean.

I’ll be talking to the owner soon.

I’d also appreciate opinions on what might be an appropriate price range?

[ThatRhythmMan]

Seems like it’s just the silver plate on the center medallion showing tarnish from the looks of it. Is there something else I missed?

My Silver Has Gone Black

[L4CESN]

Seems like it’s just the silver plate on the center medallion showing tarnish from the looks of it. Is there something else I missed?

My Silver Has Gone Black

Perhaps it is just tarnish that will clean up. To me, it looks orange like rust, as if the plating has gone.

[FredH]

Don't know the age of the guitar or where it has lived most of its life, but that sure looks like rust to me as well. I've seen a lot of Wes Mo's - many of the medallions tarnish over time. But from I can see, there appears to be tarnish and something that looks like rust

I certainly would raise the issue with the current owner

[ThatRhythmMan]

There does appear to be an orange-ish cast to the medallion now that you mention it. I’m not certain what metal is under the silver plate, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one rust. Close up pictures would likely be helpful.

[jazzkritter]

Yep ask the owner, might have been environmental. FWIW when we lived on a barrier island every guitar had to cased at all times otherwise stuff like that happened. Rarely to gold, but often to silver, nickel and of course brass. Luckily the center medallion on my 89 is wood

[Stringswinger]

Very odd to have such perfect gold hardware and such a corroded TP insert. Does the insert say "Wes Montgomery" on it? If not, it may not be an original part (and sourcing an original part will be very difficult and expensive). If it is an original part, it can be polished and replated, but if the rust has gotten beyond the surface, it may be problematic forever and will at some point, need to be replaced.

If it has the original case, COA and is near perfect other than the questionable insert, I would say it's retail value is in the 5K range.

[wintermoon]

That's probably the worst case of corrosion I've seen on one from any era, let alone a semi recent guitar.
You could strip and replate but you'll lose the engraving (though I can't even see it now)
Forum member Fws6 made some repros but w out mounting screw holes, you'd have to glue it somehow.
Gibson L-5 tailpiece silver medallion inserts Replica L5 | | Reverb

[deacon Mark]

That said the corrosion on the tailpiece is of little consequence and in the grand scheme of things minor. It takes some value off the guitar but little in my opinion compare to neck cracks and refinishes or even binding issue. It looks like a beautiful guitar and if your not interested in it for the right price I would be. These have gone up in value they won't be cheap but not necessarily do they need to break the bank.

[2bornot2bop]

I don’t know what some are complaining about. It’s a “used” guitar with a single issue. I guarantee that guitar in today’s prices, and being red is worth more than $5k. The guitar appears perfect other than the silver medallion. I recently saw a SB Wes model sell for $6700! $5k, no freakin way!

[ThatRhythmMan]

I don’t know what some are complaining about. It’s a “used” guitar with a single issue. I guarantee that guitar in today’s prices, and being red is worth more than $5k. The guitar appears perfect other than the silver medallion. I recently saw a SB Wes model sell for $6700! $5k, no freakin way!

I agree with 2b completely. One could find a Wes with playwear for 5k a few years ago, but those days are gone outside of a lucky deal. A few years ago it wasn’t that hard to pick up a Tal for $2500. Gibson Custom Shop archtops have been on the rise.

[Mark M.]

That looks like corrosion, not tarnish to me. And, why is the headstock so faded relative to the rest of the image in the photo? Be very careful. This could be a fake.

[L4CESN]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I’ll be calling the seller today to find out more.

The red guitar is from 2003, which seems a short amount of time for that amount of corrosion. I’ll see what I can find out.

Another guitar has entered the fray. It’s a 2010 case queen, signed by Jim Hutchins (must be toward the end of his life). It presents as new. There seems to be a lot of red in this burst, which I’m not all that used to seeing.

[sgosnell]

Silver tarnishes and turns somewhat golden, then reddish brown, eventually going toward black. There is nothing there that can possibly rust, AFAIK. Rust only happens to iron. I suspect a quick application of silver polish would return the medallion to its proper silver color. Gold does not tarnish. I see no discrepancy between the gold and silver parts.

[wintermoon]

The inserts are made of silver plated brass. Of course brass doesn't rust but it does corrode.

[2bornot2bop]

Buy the SB Hutchins. I owned a 2010 Wes in SB. The red is highlighted because of photo editing. It’s truly not that red up close. But these 2010 SB’s definitely have more red to their finish than say a ‘98 which has no red in it. Their finish differences were simply a philosophy of their times at Gibson. Notice a 2016 ES175, which is nearly unrecognizable.

[Mark M.]

Buy the SB Hutchins. I owned a 2010 Wes in SB. The red is highlighted because of photo editing. It’s truly not that signature up close. But these 2010 SB’s definitely have more red to their finish than say a ‘98 which has no red in it. Their finish differences were simply a philosophy of their times at Gibson. Notice a 2016 ES175, which is nearly unrecognizable.

+1 on the Hutchins. I had a 2006 Hutchins L5 CES that was a very fine guitar. I agree that the red tone is maybe ore pronounced in the photo. I bet that in hand it is gorgeous.

[Mark M.]

The inserts are made of silver plated brass. Of course brass doesn't rust but it does corrode.

Typically, the silver insert tarnishes to a nice smoky patina that I prefer over the bright shiny silver. This looks like something entirely different to me.

[sgosnell]

It's not possible to tell with any certainty from that photo, one way or another, but it appears to me to be silver tarnish. Having the brass corrode under the silver plate so badly that it destroys the plating would be rather unusual. I agree that a careful look, in person, is warranted, but I wouldn't reject the guitar out of hand just because of one photo.

[L4CESN]

Buy the SB Hutchins. I owned a 2010 Wes in SB. The red is highlighted because of photo editing. It’s truly not that red up close. But these 2010 SB’s definitely have more red to their finish than say a ‘98 which has no red in it. Their finish differences were simply a philosophy of their times at Gibson. Notice a 2016 ES175, which is nearly unrecognizable.

I had wondered if it was the photo editing.

this is a 2015 being played, and looks like a similar burst but not appearing as red as the photos I posted.

And another, appearing maybe slightly more red than the previous video, but certainly no Les Paul “clownburst”.

[wintermoon]

There's a blonde in the for sale section

[deacon Mark]

There's a blonde in the for sale section

That is a beautiful guitar but for me I will either get an acoustic L5 with a floater or a Wes. I don't need the bridge pickup. Wes L5 usually have a much better acoustic bit so let me know if you need to part with yours. Sunburst, Red, or blond they all are good!

[2bornot2bop]

There's a blonde in the for sale section

That one is pricey. With PayPal fee and shipping that guitar is over $8k, and the silver medallion is corroded.

[2bornot2bop]

I had wondered if it was the photo editing.

this is a 2015 being played, and looks like a similar burst but not appearing as red as the photos I posted.

And another, appearing maybe slightly more red than the previous video, but certainly no Les Paul “clownburst”.

Here’s my 2010 Wes. I’ll see if I can find some different photos. Btw, that’s a Hutchins model too.

[2bornot2bop]

Okay, here you go. As you can see, the red is reserved, and very tastefully done as highlights. I think it's beautiful personally. I owned a '98 CES that had the more traditional tobacco finish. But I preferred the classy finish of the 2010 Hutch L5.