THIS IS NOT A "FOR SALE" THREAD.


I own a 1992/93 Gibson NightHawk Custom.
The "original" one with fender-style neck dimensions, 3 pick ups, (M-Series mini-humbucker, NSX single-coil, M-Series slanted humbucker) fireburst finish, ebony fretboard w/ crown inlays; full binding; fixed bridge; 10 PU combinations.






It has much affective value, but I will never play it a lot.


Now and then, I think I'd better trade it in for another (maybe better) guitar or for some other equally valuable piece of gear I would use much, much more. But I never make up my mind.

This one just doesn't suit my playing that much. I've set it up as much as possible, but my fingers still ask for a whole refretting and a bloody larger neck. But it's just me.


You know, maybe in 2023 I'll wish I did not sell it for sentimental reasons, who knows...


So guys... How much is this guitar valuable, materialistically speaking? do you think things will change on this side? And... What would you do if you were me?

As much as gibson tries to cover their ass, even their "re-issue" doesn't seem to be flying off the shelves. If the guitar doesn't suit you, you can probably find a headstock snob who will buy it just because it's a gibson. I have no idea what the going price would be, though.

I think you should sell it, unless it has insane sentimental value and its part of the family. If you know you never use it then you might as well trade it in for something you will appreciate and use more that suits your playing style.

Sell it and never look back!
The guitar here in the States sells for under $1000, that is relatively cheap for a Gibson.
As previously stated, the Nighthawk (and its' close relative, the Blueshawk) is not a big seller. i had a Blueshawk, but it didn't hold its' own with the Les Pauls I have...

I'm not you, no IF's about it. I never sell off equipment anymore, to many past regrets, so I've vowed to myself only under extreme financial duress will I off anything I once thought was Important enough to buy. YMMV

Well, I pretty much never sell equipment these days..... but -

Although that guitar is pretty, it's also one of those cockamamie experiments that Gibson comes up with every so often that one has to wonder "What it the world were they thinking???" Fender scale length? Slanted bridge pickup with a route that doesn't fit any other pickup? Totally weird pickup combination that looks rather mismatched and ugly? It's like Gibson was trying for something that covered both Strat and Les Paul territory and failed at both. It's not the first time Gibson attempted to invade Fender territory (remember the S-1?) and it's not the first time they failed.

I would never have considered buying that guitar in the first place (unless it was really stupid cheap) and if I happened to somehow own one anyway I'd probably sell it or trade it for something more along the lines of an instrument I'd actually use. Or an amp. Or recording gear.

Agree that it's an odd duck.

I also believe that guitars that don't get loved/played should go - there are just too many in the world and they shouldn't sit in cases. Someone out there will probably love it and play it to death. To be slightly pathetic, the guitar deserves it!

Here's the interesting thing - the early 90's were GREAT years for Gibson compared to the recent years previous and the years that follow. QC was awesome, build quality was great, they were firing on all cylinders compared to the horror show of today.

Bear that in mind either way whether you decide to keep or sell it.

This is the key here. You don't really seem to like it... In 2023 you will regret holding on to it for so long instead of buying something you actually play. I wouldn't bet on this guy appreciating in value, and adjusted for inflation you'll probably just continue to lose money on it.

Buy something you love, that inspires you with the money. Trade in..?? Eh...you'll lose your ass on that. Just sell it to someone that wants a weird Gibson.

Sell it, if it was a sound issue pickups could change (even the angled humbucker) but if neck then there isn't much you can do.

Right, if you don't actually enjoy playing it, then you really owe it to yourself to get something you do. Unless you have your bases covered otherwise, and just keep it around as a possible collector's item or feel you need that sound once in a while for whatever reason.

For that matter, whatever the sound of that guitar is... I remember when they came out, I thought they were odd then and now I kind of like them a little better. I'd buy one if it was really cheap, I guess.

And yeah, Fender tries to get into Gibson's territory, Gibson tries to get into Fenders, and sometimes we all win and sometimes you get some weird stuff.

Here's one of mine:



Everyone online says this is somehow designed to take on the Strat, of all things... I guess because this Firebird has three pickups with Strat switching and the pickups can be tapped to make them have the coil length of a Fender type pickup and not a P90.

Somehow, though, I think the Stratocaster will keep on selling. But you know, it's fun to have these unique guitars.

But if you have a dream guitar that you need to sell your Nighthawk to fund, you really should do that.

And then post pictures about it.

I remember playing a few of these when Gibson first offered them and not being impressed at all. If you don't love the guitar and don't play it then don't hesitate to sell it to buy something you do love and do play.

...I surely won't trade trade it for a present day Gibson, but can I ask you a source for these considerations of yours? They may make the "advertising" more interesting...!

Just google '90s gibsons' and you'll find lots of anecdotal love all over the place.

I think selling it would be a second good deal for me.

You don't have to consider only "inflation". Also the EUR/USD exchange rates comes into play. Though some inflation, this guitar did not depreciate as the dollar (or... electric guitars in Europe) did.

I bought it used and in good condition for 650€ when the dollar was strong and the cheapest Gibson SG/studio was around 1300€ new

I'm selling it used and in excellent condition for maybe something more than 1000€ (not 1000$) when you can bring a new Gibson SG guitar home for 700€ anywhere in Europe

Any guitar which is not a LP/SG/Tele/strat has always "failed"... until Jimmy Page or Jack White got pictured playing one. I don't blame the company for this.

This guitar has always looked cool to me, and I like many of its tones.

I have one I picked up cheap. Nice guitar but I never play it. They're more desirable now then ever ill prob sell mine soon.

I'd go for either an 84 Custom Shop ES-335 with Shaw PAF's
or go for a 2000-2001 Gibson Historic RI.

Also '93 Fenders are some of the best production builds.

New stuff is a total crap shoot on quality control.

If wishes were horses, I'd buy a Collings 290 with TV Jones & Bigsby.

They've never been as demanded, but what about the future?

Just remember that these "odd duck" guitars that no one wants are usually the ones that become valuable 30-40 years later. Not saying that this will be such a guitar, but one never knows!

Of course, if you need the cash from a potential sale to get a guitar that you will actually play, then go for it (I always think of guitars as tools first, then works of art, then investments dead last; I'd rather have a useful tool than something that's just taking up space in the closet). If you are flush with cash and have the storage space, then consider holding on to it for a bit longer.

If it were mine I'd sell it and get a LP Standard - VOS 57 RI. Never cared much for
the one off models from any of the guitar makers out there.

Ditch it. There's a reason I didn't marry my college GF. Good times, but she just wasn't a keeper.

Bam! Take that, bitch! You want to play games? You want to be a little flake? You're gonna hear about it, years later, on an obscure audio related forum about an obscure and unpopular guitar a dude is thinking about selling!

I like how you play it, sir.

Well,

this odd duck has already gained much real value, and I'm afraid it's gonna gain even more value in a not so distant future.

the present value gain... I think it's mainly due to the fact they made a reissue, and a lot of people see "reissue" on the catalog and may want the original.

the nighthawk fever may end forever within a couple of months but who knows? today you read "early nineties gibson QC was the best" just on some gearslutz forums; tomorrow it may be on everyone's mouth for whatever reason. Guitars are no "commodity" to me, but they are, and I hate these kind of wastes.

Exactly. I'm not a guitar collector, but in many cases the rare and valuable items are the ones that no one really wanted at the time, so they didn't end up in many hands.

On the flip side, if it really appreciated in value, that may just cause Gibson to do a re-issue.

You never know with these things, but usually when you try to "collect" something for profit, it fails. Its always the thing that no one anticipates.

I'd say, if you have all the money you need, keep it. If you look at it like, "if I sold it, I could have that", then sell it and don't look back. Figure that, even if it appreciates, what do you think the upper limit could be? A couple thousand? Does holding on to for a decade more really set you up financially? Probably not. Get something you'll enjoy instead.

I'd sell that, might not be easy.

Besides, who gives a [blank] about the future? No one's guaranteed a future.

Do what you want to get your groove on now and let other's worry about the future if they want.

I guess someone's still buying them - they felt a new sig Nighthawk was a good idea... this was just announced today.

Gibson announces Nancy Wilson Nighthawk | Gibson announces Nancy Wilson Nighthawk | MusicRadar

Unless you are a guitar collector what is the point in keeping a guitar you don't like playing?

Dunno, if you aren't using it and can trade up to something with a more secure
value, depends on what it actually goes for.

No, that money will help in getting a tube head and a frankenstrat without drying up my accounts. But no "asset" guitar...