software

Ok, here's the deal:

Found this old beat up JEM77FP that this guy is getting rid of. Turns out that its one of the earliest models that date back to 1989 or something similar.

All original parts, complete with Edge trem amp; locking nut (both badly corroded), old style JEM (non-AANJ) neck. The body is pretty beat up, although the actual 'curtain/floral' paintwork is intact, the horns and sides of the guitar are missing chunks out of the lacquer or whatever they use to seal it.

Neck is in pretty good nick, relatively straight except that the low E string is a little closer to the edge of the fretboard than the high-E string. Is this bad? Also, the usual paint-crack in the neckjoint is there, although it doesn't appear to go any deeper than the paint. Otherwise, frets have about 70% life on them and the vine-o-life inlay is perfect.

My concerns:

Edge trem - will the posts need replacement? How can I tell whether the wood will hold it's integrity?

The low/high E-string thing. What can be done about this? Is it a major cause of concern?

paintwork - how difficult is it to restore the chipped lacquer?Is there anything else I should be aware of before purchase? BTW, this guy is selling the JEM for AUD$1000 which is about US$780 at the moment.

I don't know a whole lot about JEMs, but as a connisieur of used import guitars, that price seems maybe a bit high, considering the condition you described.

WAY WAY too expensive. Don't even consider it at that price. That price would be for a Jem 77FP what was 90% of NIB. This guitar sounds like it is more like 75-65% so an appropriate price would be about $450-600 (tops) USD. Myself, if I saw this guitar with possible neck warpage and heavy corrosion I'd probably offer no more than $350 for the guitar if I was interested at all.

I hate to disagree with ya, RGN, but $700 is a great price for any original, kidney-shaped Jem!! (I'm referring to the kidney shapped monkey grip, not the finger gripped one.) It will only increase in value!!

Dunno about the answers to the technical questions you posed.

I was a happy Jem owner for 5 years, before I sold my Jem and bought a Gajic.

If that thing was mint it could fetch $1500 ... hard to say without a pic. Personally, I think that is an ugly Jem and would have very little interest in a beat-up one. One with neck possible neck problems would really turn me off. If it was a LNG model that is a different story. In general, I think all of the old Jems are over priced. You can find deals, I saw a beat up FP Jem in a Dallas pawn shop for $450 last year that sounds in better shape than this guitar.

bumpage