Quick Trade Help....

[jgcable]

I usually have time to do lots of research on this stuff but... a local guy offered me a trade for my Les Paul Standard and I don't have time to look that far into it.

My guitar is a 1998 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Black and cream with gold hardware. It only has about 3 hours of playing time on it since 1998. Comes with original case and ALL the original paperwork including all hang tags, brochures, build sheet and even has the original Gibson Brightwire strings on it and the original package for them.

I am not a LP guy and its heavy. I bought it as sale or trade bait.

The local guy is offering me a 100% original 1979 Fender Stratocaster. Its a natural finished ash body, maple/maple neck, 3 bolt neck with micro tilt, large headstock, bullet truss rod. It has minimal wear and original case. The guy is telling me its in collector/player condition and its clean enough to be either.

Does this sound like a fair trade? He is asking $1450.00 for the Strat. I am asking $1800.00 for the LP which is on the high side and I would be willing to take $1500.00 for it.
I don't care about playability or usefullness on this trade. I am more concerned about worth vs worth?

[rjohnstone]

Overpriced.


If it is one of these, they go for under a grand.
They made a lot of these in 79. A lot of black ones too.
The one in the pic below sold for $700 and its condition was rated 9.5.
423701_3404499516495_1390104360_3477424_828054435_n.jpg

Another pic.


If it was a different color (Antigua for example), or one of the Anniversary models then $1,400 + range would be normal.

[CowboyFromHell]

Sounds like he'd be getting the better end of the deal, to be honest, from what I know of Fenders. Maybe have him throw some cash in to even the trade?

[jgcable]

Thats what I thought. I did some quick research since you guys posted and sure enough... if it was a color it would be fair but natural and black were the 2 most popular colors and they made a ton of them. Its worth around $1000.00 on the high side.

Thanks for the quick responses! I wouldn't have jumped without checking first anyway.

[Hellbat]

Wasn't 1979 kind of low point in quality for Fender or is that right after they got bought by the employees?

[Newc]

Avoid the whole "trading for a trade for a trade" and either sell it or trade it for only what you want for yourself. If you try to trade for something you'll trade for something you'll trade, you'll come up short on each deal, and then won't get what you're after, except rid of the guitar.

Sell it and open up to overseas offers, to countries whose currency is strong against the dollar. It's cheap for them and you get close to top dollar.

Or find someone that has something you want (Custom Shop Jackson from a dealer?) and see if they'll go even.

[straycat]

I agree on the strat there are a ton of those out there.Newc's idea is a good one overseas is a good market right now.
If you were to trade for the strat I would concentrate on the Japan market to sell it.

[jgcable]

Since I told the local guy that I am not interested in the trade I spent some time looking up 1979 Strats. Yep... natural ones are pretty common but what I noticed.. based on EBAY completed auctions.. that excellent condition versions of this strat with the natural ash body sell for between $1450 and $1595. There are a few that sold around $1100.00 but they were non original or pretty beat up.

I also looked up 1998 LP standards in mint condition like mine and the few that have come up on auction have sold for around $1500.00

So it looks to me like that 1979 strat and my 1998 LP standard are actually worth an almost identical number. Thats what the guy told me who offered me the trade. I just didn't have time to look it up at the time. Am I missing anything on this?

[dvscool]

I wouldn't do the trade personally. but really it depends if your into strats. I think beyond the comparative values I would be asking myself if I would actually play the strat? Or are you just getting back into another scenario that you have a cool guitar hanging on the wall? What do you really want? Sounds like your in a position to get a really great guitar to me. I dunno, I would just be asking myself what do I wanna play?

[tinribs]

I'd say the Gibson is still a far more desirable guitar, I see a fair few late 70's strats on ebay uk that don't sell for all that much. If it was me, I wouldn't trade it unless he gave you a bunch of cash too

[jgcable]

I wouldn't do the trade personally. but really it depends if your into strats. I think beyond the comparative values I would be asking myself if I would actually play the strat? Or are you just getting back into another scenario that you have a cool guitar hanging on the wall? What do you really want? Sounds like your in a position to get a really great guitar to me. I dunno, I would just be asking myself what do I wanna play?

I wouldn't be playing either of them. I only play 2 guitars live. Have been for years. I just packed the LP back up in the case with all the case candy and stuck her back in the closet. I won't be playing this one. I don't even like how it feels sitting down. I feel limited playing it because of the upper fret access or lack of. I play alot in the 18-22 fret range.

[dvscool]

Alright dude, cool.....Man, I would be ditching that LP and picking up something sweet to shred on! LOL....I went though this stage where I just wanted to own guitars. Lots of them. They sat in my closet, under my bed. I didn't care it was just cool. Then when I started playing in a band again, I had to sell some to finance some other shit I needed to play. Then I just kept selling them. I only have about 8 guitars now, but I can honestly say I play all of them....ok, I do keep one on the closet if I'm being honest. I find it hard to justify the money sitting doing nothing. If I was loaded rich it would be different....that I know...

[jgcable]

I have alot of guitars too but I only play 3 of them. I play my 2 main live players which are a beat to shit Washburn strat that has been modified 10 times. Its sort of a frankenstrat. I also play an ESP EC1000 Deluxe which is a fantastic all around guitar. For acoustic I have a very nice Ovation Custom Legend 1869 from the late 80's.
All my other guitars just sit in cases or gig bags in the closet. I always leave my bass guitars out because I play them all the time. Guitar is boring to me.

[jgcable]

The guy with the strat contacted me again asking me if I am interested since he saw my relisting of my LP. I am seriously considering it. From everything I checked on Ebay on completed listings, both the LP and the strat sell for exactly the same amount. There is just alot more strats and alot less LP's.

[dvscool]

Just out of curiosity, you mentioned that you wouldn't play the strat or the LP. So why trade? Is it because you'd rather have the strat sitting in the closet or you think it will hold its value more? Or you just outright hate the LP? Just wondering dude.... really none of my business....