Gibson Midtown - what's a fair price?

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

So I'm intrigued by the idea of a Gibson Midtown. The idea of it sitting somewhere in between a 335 ish and LP ish time really appeals, as does the more ergonomic body size/shape.

I know a couple of years ago retailers had a bit of a fire sale on existing stock when the got discontinued, and they were being sold for silly money. However, there don't seem to be many about these days on ebay/Gumtree/Facebook etc. Of the few that I have seen, the prices seem to have crept up to where people are asking for more second hand than places like DV247 were selling them for a couple of years ago. 

For a Standard it seems like £700+ is the asking price, and the Customs are more like £850+. I know that's still not a lot of money for a USA Gibson, but seems odd that prices seem to be going up. Is it just a simple case of supply and demand - not many for sale so people bumping the prices up? 

It's a lot of money for me - more than I've ever previously spent in a guitar - and I'd have to sell another guitar to afford it. I don't want to end up getting ripped off and potentially losing money on it.

TL:DR version - anyone on here bought/sold one recently, and if so what was the price?

Musicman20

Supply/demand. These were £700-800 new I think from Thomann. Nice guitars!

crunchman

If you read the R8 Peach deal thread, there are rumours that there will be similar massive blowouts on Gibson Memphis and Gibson USA.  It might be worth keeping your eyes open for something there.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

crunchman said:

If you read the R8 Peach deal thread, there are rumours that there will be similar massive blowouts on Gibson Memphis and Gibson USA.  It might be worth keeping your eyes open for something there.

Interesting, though I don't think they currently make anything that quite fits the bill of the Midtown, unless they start discounting ES-339s to £750! 

Hattigol

I bought one from Thomann a while back. Was B stock so even cheaper. Cracking guitar - startlingly good value. That said, I didn't love it and shifted it on (for more than I'd paid for it) about a year later.

It is supply and demand. As you say, there aren't many around and some people are asking silly money for them. As @crunchman says, might be about to become a very buyer-orientated market...

eSully

I sold one last year through a local Fb group for £650 although they do appear to go for a little more now. Lovely guitar, I just prefer solid bodies. 

Henrytwang

I bought an immaculate used one in blue complete with a Gibson case for £500 on eBay last year. They’re nice guitars with their own distinctive sound. However I got fed up with the stupid electric tuners and fitted a set of Grovers.

johnl

Alternately if you want a 335ish Les Paul there are always the ES Les Pauls which might shortly be dropping in price....

chris78

I sold one last year for £650 if that helps.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

johnl said:

Alternately if you want a 335ish Les Paul there are always the ES Les Pauls which might shortly be dropping in price....

Something about those always just looked a bit 'wrong' somehow! Never really got on with the ergonomics of LP's anyway, definitely not really a single-cut fan. My midget fingers struggle to reach the dusty end of the board without a double-cut. 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Henrytwang said:

I bought an immaculate used one in blue complete with a Gibson case for £500 on eBay last year. They’re nice guitars with their own distinctive sound. However I got fed up with the stupid electric tuners and fitted a set of Grovers.

Now THAT would be the sort of cracking deal I'd be after! There's a Pelham Blue one not far from me going for £750 asking price, and I suspect I'd also end up having to fork out extra to replace the robo-tuners. 

Out of curiosity, what was it about the tuners you didn't get on with?

Henrytwang

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Henrytwang said:

I bought an immaculate used one in blue complete with a Gibson case for £500 on eBay last year. They’re nice guitars with their own distinctive sound. However I got fed up with the stupid electric tuners and fitted a set of Grovers.

Now THAT would be the sort of cracking deal I'd be after! There's a Pelham Blue one not far from me going for £750 asking price, and I suspect I'd also end up having to fork out extra to replace the robo-tuners. 

Out of curiosity, what was it about the tuners you didn't get on with?

Oh they were just a bit of a pain. They tend to make a meal out of tuning on auto and although you’re supposed to be able to use them manually they feel awful when you try to turn them. Changing strings is also a bit awkward as you have to undo and then tighten the screw that locks the string for which you need a thin coin or a screwdriver. If you’ve been playing for a while it’s really not a problem to manually tune your guitar, I guess that if somebody decided to put them on beginner guitars they’d sell like hot cakes but they’re just not for me, I’m just about to replace a set on another 2015 Gibson that I’ve recently purchased.

brownovich

I had a black Custom one (in my profile pic actually.) bought for £750 new from Thomann and sold for the same amount to a mate. Only guitar I’ve ever regretted selling and I knew it was a mistake as I handed it over. Had to buy a 335 for £1700 on the Peach Black Friday deal last year to replace it.

iain.reverb

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

So I'm intrigued by the idea of a Gibson Midtown. The idea of it sitting somewhere in between a 335 ish and LP ish time really appeals, as does the more ergonomic body size/shape.

I know a couple of years ago retailers had a bit of a fire sale on existing stock when the got discontinued, and they were being sold for silly money. However, there don't seem to be many about these days on ebay/Gumtree/Facebook etc. Of the few that I have seen, the prices seem to have crept up to where people are asking for more second hand than places like DV247 were selling them for a couple of years ago. 

For a Standard it seems like £700+ is the asking price, and the Customs are more like £850+. I know that's still not a lot of money for a USA Gibson, but seems odd that prices seem to be going up. Is it just a simple case of supply and demand - not many for sale so people bumping the prices up? 

It's a lot of money for me - more than I've ever previously spent in a guitar - and I'd have to sell another guitar to afford it. I don't want to end up getting ripped off and potentially losing money on it.

TL:DR version - anyone on here bought/sold one recently, and if so what was the price?

They are definitely creeping up in price on the used market
Standard https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/1742
Custom https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/3209

sw67

Mine was £780 new in 2016. It was one of the last made so came with factory fitted grovers. Its a lot of guitar for the money and £750 + seems to be the going rate of the few that have sold on my local facebook group

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

iain.reverb said:

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

So I'm intrigued by the idea of a Gibson Midtown. The idea of it sitting somewhere in between a 335 ish and LP ish time really appeals, as does the more ergonomic body size/shape.

I know a couple of years ago retailers had a bit of a fire sale on existing stock when the got discontinued, and they were being sold for silly money. However, there don't seem to be many about these days on ebay/Gumtree/Facebook etc. Of the few that I have seen, the prices seem to have crept up to where people are asking for more second hand than places like DV247 were selling them for a couple of years ago. 

For a Standard it seems like £700+ is the asking price, and the Customs are more like £850+. I know that's still not a lot of money for a USA Gibson, but seems odd that prices seem to be going up. Is it just a simple case of supply and demand - not many for sale so people bumping the prices up? 

It's a lot of money for me - more than I've ever previously spent in a guitar - and I'd have to sell another guitar to afford it. I don't want to end up getting ripped off and potentially losing money on it.

TL:DR version - anyone on here bought/sold one recently, and if so what was the price?

They are definitely creeping up in price on the used market
Standard https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/1742
Custom https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/3209

Seems I missed the boat a bit! Hey ho, maybe if I find a decent bargain somewhere the value might actually continue to go up. Seems unlikely that they go down in value I guess?

suspiciousminds

I have a pelham blue one and i love it.
i got it in a p/ex deal a couple of years back for £600, which was a bargain i think with a case as well.
Tbh i like the auto tuners although they do look cheap, the birstbuckers sound epic, especially with a big muff.

Adamski

These are definitely sleepers. As @brownovich says, his one was a really nice guitar. I mean it wasn’t as good as the best Les Pauls or 335’s out there, sure, but for the prices they go for they are an utter bargain. Wouldn’t pay more than £700 used for one though and would probably look to get one for less. 


Its one of those guitars that one day a musician will pick up because it’s cheap yet still a Gibson, write some hit songs on it, get famous and then Gibson will rerelease it for big bucks. Then it’ll develop its own niche market 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Adamski said:

Its one of those guitars that one day a musician will pick up because it’s cheap yet still a Gibson, write some hit songs on it, get famous and then Gibson will rerelease it for big bucks. Then it’ll develop its own niche market 

Maybe that'll be me! 

iain.reverb

Adamski said:

These are definitely sleepers. As @brownovich says, his one was a really nice guitar. I mean it wasn’t as good as the best Les Pauls or 335’s out there, sure, but for the prices they go for they are an utter bargain. Wouldn’t pay more than £700 used for one though and would probably look to get one for less. 


Its one of those guitars that one day a musician will pick up because it’s cheap yet still a Gibson, write some hit songs on it, get famous and then Gibson will rerelease it for big bucks. Then it’ll develop its own niche market 

Yeah I can see this happening 100%, remember when the reissued the L5s, after a few people started playeing them. Think we will see a reissue Maurader or Solex first though

rossi

I bought a Pelham blue one for 600 on blowout .Its a cracking guitar (not the neck) and sounds good .I dont mind the robo tuners ..Its a fraction large for me as I am small and also very old ,and I find its heavy in its case  to lug around .I might sell it but know I will regret it .