interesting SC-3 mash-up

[Elwood]

An F-100 bucker at the bridge...hmmm (probably worth 2/3 of the asking price tho)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1981-G-L-SC-3-g ... 27d61ef1e3

[suave eddie]

A somewhat rare first version, Gumby shape--too bad about the pickup swap (even though it's a G&L). Much like the SC-1 in my avatar, the resale value is probably diminished.

[Fumble fingers]

dang !! .... I just posted about this right before I saw your post in this section .... I was wondering if it was a factory set up ???... looks like a lot of fun , looks like its been having fun for awhile ...lol.... nice road worn

[electrodyne]

This is the guitar I had my eye that I mentioned wanting to get and slightly modifying in a previous posting!

I went to their store and tried it. Sounds great, but it is waaaaaaaaaay more banged up and beat up than the pictures show or the written description lets on. Especially the neck and the back of the body.

[KenC]

If it hadn't been modified, $800 would be a good deal on this IMO. This is one of the two 80s SC models that has eluded me so far (the other being a second-style SC-2). It's really a pity to see this one mangled, as there were only a couple of hundred of these made to begin with. Oh well.

Ken

[electrodyne]

Was thinking that is a high price too (but I'm kinda new to the specifics of older G&L guitars, and spend my free time pouring over the archives on this very-informative website).

If a guitar has already been mangled, modified and orphaned, I don't see a reason to keep it in some faux-pristine state if it's already battered.

But I just love those old powder coated hard tail bridges (note to BBE - bring 'em back!), and was thinking hard about finding a way to acquire this one. After Elwood was suggesting the very subtle modifications I wanted to do would be rather costly, I had been giving this idea second thoughts.

As a side note, last night I made a quick Photoshop mock-up of what I would have liked to do to this and will post it later if anyone is interested.

[Elwood]

I went to their store and tried it. Sounds great, but it is waaaaaaaaaay more banged up and beat up than the pictures show or the written description lets on. Especially the neck and the back of the body.

Thanks for the hands on info . Was the finish original ?

Prob 400+ would be about right then (worth the sum of it's parts), even though we know it could be brought back with TLC . Sounds like that would require a pro refinish and new frets etc.

[Fumble fingers]

post your photo shop

[KenC]

Keep an eye on the G&LDP Marketplace. I bought a hardtail SC-1 that was posted earlier this year, and there was at least one other shortly before that. The older ones don't show up there quite as often as recent models, but you will see them occasionally. Also be aware that the very earliest G&Ls ('80 to early '82) had chrome bridges. Black tuners didn't show up until the mid '80s. My earliest black tuners are on ASATs from May/June '86. IIRC they first showed up on Broadcasters in '85.

Ken

[Elwood]

Maybe with a model that there are thousands around, old and new ...like that other F***er co.
When approaching an instrument that has both historical value , small production numbers , as well as having killer sonic potential ;
it's a great thing to be prudent in considering modifications that aren't easily reversible . Even the reversible mods create a chance of losing the parts you carefully tucked away but got separated from the guitar ...guitar gets sold...etc. (so many lost whammy bars) . There were alot of Floyd Roses/Kahlers installed on old strats/LP's in the early 80's , that's some expensive sawdust on the floor.

I'll stop rambling ( I'm trying to stay off my knee, lots of time to surf today ...LOL)

elwood

[Elwood]

If a guitar has already been mangled, modified and orphaned, I don't see a reason to keep it in some faux-pristine state if it's already battered.

Maybe with a model that there are thousands around, old and new ...like that other F***er co.
When approaching an instrument that has both historical value , small production numbers , as well as having killer sonic potential ;
it's a great thing to be prudent in considering modifications that aren't easily reversible . Even the reversible mods create a chance of losing the parts you carefully tucked away but got separated from the guitar ...guitar gets sold...etc. (so many lost whammy bars) . There were alot of Floyd Roses/Kahlers installed on old strats/LP's in the early 80's , that's some expensive sawdust on the floor.

I'll stop rambling ( I'm trying to stay off my knee, lots of time to surf today ...LOL)

[electrodyne]

Good to know all of these points.

Personally, I don't mind a pleasantly modified guitar if it's done well and tastefully. But it seems ridiculous to charge the same price (or more) for a non-original guitar as the current going rate for a pristine original. And this one is a beater (though a nice-sounding one nonetheless).

Last week there was a beautiful later-model SC-3 in baby blue with the OHSC for $699. There was also a Fullerton red SC-1 in Minneapolis that sold for $675. Those prices seemed a little high, but not absurd either.

P.S. : RE: image uploading: Is there an easy way to do this on these postings? I'm not a luddite, but I was not successfully able to upload photos within this posting.

[Elwood]

P.S. : RE: image uploading: Is there an easy way to do this on these postings? I'm not a luddite, but I was not successfully able to upload photos within this posting.

if you paste the "image URL" between the "img"tags ...that works unless the dimensions are too large.
In that case use either the timage or thumb tags (above the edit box). the picture has to be hosted on the web somewhere.

there are more detailed instructions close by somewhere

The skyhawk that just came up on ebay...that was NOT tastefully done, but could be brought back with the right parts.
...and the seller calls it Custom...LOL
the DFV needs some attn right away if you look close.


good luck with the pics,

[Craig]

P.S. : RE: image uploading: Is there an easy way to do this on these postings? I'm not a luddite, but I was not successfully able to upload photos within this posting.

if you paste the "image URL" between the "img"tags ...that works unless the dimensions are too large.
In that case use either the timage or thumb tags (above the edit box). the picture has to be hosted on the web somewhere.

there are more detailed instructions close by somewhere

The skyhawk that just came up on ebay...that was NOT tastefully done, but could be brought back with the right parts.
...and the seller calls it Custom...LOL
the DFV needs some attn right away if you look close.


good luck with the pics,

See: Tutorial: Posting photos



PS Because this PSA evolved into quite a discussion, I moved it into this sub-forum. Otherwise, the post would have disappeared in 30 days.

[Fumble fingers]

I'm not sure how to ask this question , but where does the SC3 fit in the G & L line up ??..... is this like a entry level strat for G & L S500 ??... or what was the reasoning or purpose behind the SC3 ??

[Craig]

I'm not sure how to ask this question , but where does the SC3 fit in the G & L line up ??..... is this like a entry level strat for G & L S500 ??... or what was the reasoning or purpose behind the SC3 ??

See: Production List of G&L Instruments (USA).
G&L SC-3
SC-3 (Mustang-style Body).

Hope this helps.

[KenC]

I'm not sure how to ask this question , but where does the SC3 fit in the G & L line up ??..... is this like a entry level strat for G & L S500 ??... or what was the reasoning or purpose behind the SC3 ??

The SC and SB series were "student" models. The bodies were smaller and lighter than the other G&L offerings, cosmetic refinements were skipped, and there were no options available. They all had maple bodies (compared to the swamp ash or mahogany on the "professional" models), and came with maple fretboards and one standard neck profile. Pickguards were omitted, and they didn't get the same number of coats of finish as the others. The scaled down bodies were intended to make them more comfortable for children and women, with the hope that sales of other G&L instruments to those buyers would follow. According to Fred, G&L lost money on every SC/SB instrument sold but hoped to make up for it in future sales. Unlike Fender's student models, the SCs and SBs had full 25.5" and 34" scales, used the same hardware as the professional models, and had unique pickups to give them their own sound (Fender mainly used leftover Strat pickups for their student models).

When the SC series came out in late '82, the G&L lineup was basically the F-100 and S-500 (and possibly some overlap with the end of the G-200). Considering that the SC and SB models lost money, they really set the course for the company's future. The SC-3's pickups were used in the Nighthawk in '83 (which became the Skyhawk a couple of months later) and then in the S-500. The first-style bodies were replaced with a Strat-like shape in '84, and the SC-1 went away. In '85 the SC-2 became the Broadcaster, which became the ASAT a year later. The SC-3 stayed in the lineup through the end of the 80s, but with a more Strat-like appearance.

I hope this is helpful.

Ken

[Fumble fingers]

thanks , Craig and Ken , Ken that was what I was looking for

[electrodyne]

That was quick - it sold. Someone is going to enjoy a very sweet sounding guitar!

Considering how (pleasantly) mangled it is and being non-original, I hope this doesn't mean the price of early SC models are about to take another $200-$300 price increase for those of us still hoping to find one in $500-$700 range.

[KenC]

Considering how (pleasantly) mangled it is and being non-original, I hope this doesn't mean the price of early SC models are about to take another $200-$300 price increase for those of us still hoping to find one in $500-$700 range.

Finding a first-style below $700 is going to be difficult. All of mine were in the $750-$900 range. Early SB models are still down around $600-$700, but I'm sure they will take off soon.

Ken

[KenC]

Early SB models are still down around $600-$700, but I'm sure they will take off soon.
Ken

Considering the wear on this SB-2 some bidders will shy away , this one might come in at a great deal.
If the amount of wear is any indication of how fun it is to play,this is probably a mean red tone machine .
As long as the neck has long forgotten it was a tree (no warps/twists/truss rod trying to escape at the first fret...).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-SB-2-Electr ... 4386451%26

I love the look of that bass, but seeing as the seller gave an obviously incorrect description (wrong body wood, fingerboard, pickup and nut width) and has a no-return policy I would stay far, far away...

Ken

[Craig]

Early SB models are still down around $600-$700, but I'm sure they will take off soon.
Ken

Considering the wear on this SB-2 some bidders will shy away , this one might come in at a great deal.
If the amount of wear is any indication of how fun it is to play,this is probably a mean red tone machine .
As long as the neck has long forgotten it was a tree (no warps/twists/truss rod trying to escape at the first fret...).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-SB-2-Electr ... 4386451%26

I love the look of that bass, but seeing as the seller gave an obviously incorrect description (wrong body wood, fingerboard, pickup and nut width) and has a no-return policy I would stay far, far away...

Ken

+1 and don't forget the wrong description on the middle pickup, too!

[Elwood]

Early SB models are still down around $600-$700, but I'm sure they will take off soon.
Ken

Considering the wear on this SB-2 some bidders will shy away , this one might come in at a great deal.
If the amount of wear is any indication of how fun it is to play,this is probably a mean red tone machine .
As long as the neck has long forgotten it was a tree (no warps/twists/truss rod trying to escape at the first fret...).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-SB-2-Electr ... 4386451%26

I love the look of that bass, but seeing as the seller gave an obviously incorrect description (wrong body wood, fingerboard, pickup and nut width) and has a no-return policy I would stay far, far away...

Ken

+1 and don't forget the wrong description on the middle pickup, too!

yah, but they aren't musicians...quikdealz
that info was blindly pasted by someone in data entry mode. They might not care much, but there still is a nice
instrument for sale. This is risk I would consider up to a certain dollar point.
elwood

[KenC]

yah, but they aren't musicians...quikdealz
that info was blindly pasted by someone in data entry mode. They might not care much, but there still is a nice
instrument for sale. This is risk I would consider up to a certain dollar point.
elwood

I wasn't trying to be critical (OK, maybe just a little bit). My concern would be that a seller who can't describe an instrument correctly would not recognize or describe things like ski jump or headstock breaks. A no-return policy really puts a buyer at risk in that situation, IMO.

Ken

[Elwood]

I wasn't trying to be critical (OK, maybe just a little bit). My concern would be that a seller who can't describe an instrument correctly would not recognize or describe things like ski jump or headstock breaks. A no-return policy really puts a buyer at risk in that situation, IMO.

Ken

Good to keep things balanced by knowing the risks and rewards at hand. Especially when you have to invest time and cash ( I hate filing claims with Bay-pal ) .
This little discussion is a good example of how some of these old ones end up going cheap .

Then again, at times it seems auction final prices are totally random .
elwood

[Ahryn]

heh, a super SC-3.

Probably sounds pretty cool and looks like it has seen some lovin.