Used Epiphone value/repair Q

Well, all that dirt can get cleaned off.
For 50$ I'd jump at it.

Are you sure it's actually made by gibson? It looks more like a frankenstine guitar to me.

double post, sorry

Buy, clean and play that white lady
(and call her "Cinderella")

Give him the $50.

Add a few more that you're going to have to spend to clean it up and you'll have a good, playable guitar.

You can clean the body up with lighter fluid - it'll also remove the gunk from old stickers as well.

The lighter fluid will also clean up the headstock.

To clean the neck, take all the strings off and try using some furniture polish, first of all. If that doesn't work, you may have to resort to 0000 (that's 4 0's) steel wool.

By the looks of the bridge, someone has added extra springs to make a "hard tail" out of a vibrato unit. Try taking one of the springs off - the plate that you see butted up to those two screws should be parallel to the body.
The rest is checking out the electrics and playing to your heart's content.

Thats a nice guitar. You should buy it. The time spent working on it and adventively playing it will be most rewarding for years to come. Thats sad it wasn't taken better care of. With the advice already given it will clean up nicely.

Joe

Are you sure it's actually made by gibson? It looks more like a frankenstine guitar to me.

Can anyone answer this? I'd be very interested to know if Epi copied the Fender design so closely. The only non-normal thing I'm seeing is that deluxe-style bridge.

Epiphone did make a close copy of the Strat, I can't be certain that that is it, though.

The best thing is to go to http://www.epiphone.com and ask on the forum - there are plenty of "experts", who'll be able to tell you more.

PS. you should also have the frets looked at, there are one or two that seem quite worn and will need dressing and crowning.

Gibson (through Epiphone) made Strat copies?

...that's like Pepsi bottling Coke and calling it Pepsi...*brain fart*

It looks like it could be nice enough, though. Definitely clean it up, an' have some fun with it, too. (I'd personally leave that sticker on there, though, it looks pretty cool - but the moron put it on upside down! ARGH!)

The thought 'dirty hands' comes to mind, that things a state !! Give it a good clean up though and it should be nice. Them pots look well corroded though which is worrying. Looks as though it was left out in the rain. Its a Strat with a Jackson style head.. Interesting. Still sod the looks, feel how she plays and if all goes well.. you've got a winner at $50. I just wonder why on earth they want to sell it so cheap.

Gibson (through Epiphone) made Strat copies?

...that's like Pepsi bottling Coke and calling it Pepsi...

Well, rodya, you've got Coke bottling Pepsi and calling it Coke.... Fender have a 335 copy and, if I remember rightly, also an LP copy.

Well, rodya, you've got Coke bottling Pepsi and calling it Coke.... Fender have a 335 copy and, if I remember rightly, also an LP copy.

What are you talking about? When did Fender have a 335 copy?

Hey guys,

Figured I'd post some pictures of it all cleaned up. Thanks alot for your suggestions. The lighter fluid really worked like a charm and a little elbow grease took care of the fretboard:

There's a small chunk out of the 5th fret which the guy had actually wrapped scotch tape around to keep from getting bigger. Odd. Anyways the guitar sounds really good. My ear isn't good enough to pick up electric subtleties really but it sounds better then my Epiphone Les Paul 100. Does anyone know a rough value of this guitar used/new? It seems to be sort of an enigma from the above posts.

Also, in the last two pics you can sort of see the outlines of stickers. I think it might have gotten left under a sunny window for a number of days, years, who knows. Is there any hope in restoring the paint job or am I looking at a new coat?

Thanks everone,
Alex

A refin wouldn't hurt this if you're looking for a guitar in tip top shape, but all things considered, it's probably going to cost more than the guitar is worth unless you do it yourself.

For your question about the sticker outlines, those are very likely permanent, the paint underneath the clear coat is breaking down and turning yellow. Some people pay good money for that!

I would say use it as your beater guitar unless you're an experienced craftsman or willing to send it out for work and pay the appropriate price. You could also fade it in the sun for a few days if it was just the un-evenness of the coloration that was bothering you.

Set it near a bright window, cover up the neck, and turn a fan on it for a day or 5 and see how it comes out.

Also, without the stickers, I'd say it has no character, might want to add a different colored pickguard or something. Just sayin'.