Value of Gibson Triple 8

[Bobby Boggs]

This guitar is a one owner. Purchased in 1953. By no means mint. But pretty nice for a 66 year old guitar. Has original case which is a little ratty. But serviceable. Dad added pedals to one neck in 1965. While they work good. They can be easily removed. I don't know the non pedal market. Just trying to get an idea of it's max value. It's not for sale. He's just curious what it might be worth. Forgot to mention the volume, bass, and treble knobs as well as the neck selector switch work just fine. As does the pickups and tuning keys.

Thanks in advance. b. Sorry, some of the pix are blurry. Best I can do with a phone.

[Jack Hanson]

According to the Gibson factory shipping totals published in the Duchossior book, 17 natural finish triple-neck Console Grandes were shipped between 1953 and 1956; only 2 in 1953. To compare, 98 sunburst CG-Ts were shipped between 1951 and 1956.

The natural finish triple is a rare guitar, but its collectability and maximum value likely walked out the door the day it was modified. Personally, I wouldn't hazard a guess what it's worth, but it's an instrument I'd be thrilled to own and play.

This is possibly a case where the instrument may be worth more to its original owner and his heirs than to others.

[Jay Yuskaitis]

I have a '53 D 8 Console Grande that I played for several years. It was completely unaltered. I had planned to add two pedals to it, but couldn't bring myself to alter an almost pristine Gibson. My late mentor, Eddie Cunningham had a D 8 Fender he added a Ford gas pedal to for the two string change, that to me, to this day has never been equaled in tone by any modern pedal guitar, probably because the sound to me was so much different at the time. I would love to play your T 8 Console Grande. The value, if'n 'twas mine, would be unmeasured in Dollars. Jay y.

[Bobby Boggs]

Wow, the pictures are worse than I thought. But maybe enough to give folks the idea.

Jack, thank you for the detailed info. Interesting for sure.

Jay, if you're ever passing thru the area you are welcome to stop in and play it.

I kinda learned on this one. But my heart has always been pedal steel. So I cased it in April 1969. When I got the guitar of my dreams at the time. A D-10 Sho~Bud finger tip. Same color as Buddy Charlton had played a few years earlier. Pictured here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP9mDEri85o

Last week Dad asked if I'd dig it out of storage and clean it up. I did, and the things that surprised me the most is how loud it is unplugged. And how good it sounds. I've been privileged to play pedal steels that are world renown for their sound. After getting re-acquainted with this old rag. I'm not sure we've advanced all that much tone and sustain wise in the last 50 years. Sorry for the ramble.

Feel free to comment. It's not a for sale add.

Thanks b.

[Jack Hanson]

Surely it sounds just awesome, especially through an old tube amp. What tunings did you set it up with? How many pedals were there, and what did they do?

Surely the photos don't do your CG-TN justice. Gibson had a reliable source of exceptionally figured maple, and typically saved their best pieces for naturally finished instruments.

Thanks for sharing.

[David M Brown]

As a non-pedal player, I love seeing these old consoles restored to playing condition.

Thanks for posting the pics.

[Chris Bauer]

A rare and wonderful guitar, even modified!

The Console Grande market is an odd one, it seems. My experience is that the asking price for CGs has steadily and steeply gone up over the last four to five years BUT the actually selling prices have been more or less flat.

I've seen asking prices for unmodified T-8s as high as $3500 but I don't recall any that have actually sold for over $1100 and several were several hundred dollars less. (To be clear, I can't say that there have been none selling for more money, just that if there have been any I haven't been aware of it.)

At any price, though, it's a wonderful - and wonderful sounding - guitar.

BTW - Something else I've noticed in the last few years - and this isn't at all exclusive to Gibsons - is that while some collectors will pay a little more for a T-8 than for a D-8, in the player's market, the selling prices seem to be pretty much the same. The selling price ends up having waaaaaaay more to do with what kind of the shape the guitar is in than the number of necks. In fact, my sense of it is that single necks are slowly climbing into the same range too though they're not quite there yet. (Now that I've been looking for one, that hurts!)

[Bobby Boggs]

Surely it sounds just awesome, especially through an old tube amp. What tunings did you set it up with? How many pedals were there, and what did they do?

Jack it has 5 pedals. But only 3 where roded. Pedal neck is tuned to E9. Same tuning as today's 10 string E9. Just missing the high F# and D#. Pedal one raises the high B to C#. pedal 2 raises both G#'s to A. Pedal 3 raises high E to F#.

Middle neck is C 6th with a D on top. Top neck is one of the many versions of E-13. Not sure which I'll settle on.

Again, I counted 8 or 9 small screws to remove and pedal mechanism can be history. And I have the missing inlay. Just haven't re-glued it.

Chris. Thanks so much for the info you added. That's the kinda of stuff I had in mine when I started the thread.

I doubled check with dad. It was delivered in 53 to Subic Bay the Philippines. I took some pictures of pictures of Dad with the guitar and band at Subic. I can post later if anyone's interested.

Thanks to all that have posted.

b.

[Mark Roeder]

Best add-on pedals I've ever seen. Usually the guitar gets really butchered to accommodate the pedals. This seems like it is just screw holes. That helps keep the value up.......

[Chris Templeton]

Bobby, That's so cool to see a great guitar that is one owner!

[Jack Hanson]

I doubled check with dad. It was delivered in 53 to Subic Bay the Philippines. I took some pictures of pictures of Dad with the guitar and band at Subic. I can post later if anyone's interested.

Would love to see old pics of your dad and his guitar. (Always love to see old pics of guitars!)

[Bobby Boggs]

Mark and Chris, thanks for the kind words.

Jack I'll be happy to try and load a couple of shots in a day or two.

Did these have serial #'s and were would it be located?

Thanks b.

[Bobby Boggs]

I brought this back up. Dad's passed in 2020. I'm sure he told me at some time in my life, how much he paid for this. But I've forgotten if he did. Anyone have and idea what this would have sold for new in 1953? Thanks in advance.
b.

[Brad Bechtel]

I found this price list from 1957 showing the CG-523 Console Grande triple neck with oak finish for $400 USD (Faultless brand case for $65 USD).

Compare this to the other instruments on this same price list and see what you think.

[Bobby Boggs]

Thank you Brad. Your time and effort is very much appreciated.
b.

[Tim Whitlock]

What a cool instrument! I would love to sit down to something like that. The market for the old Gibsons is a good deal smaller than a Fender or course. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say $2000 - 2500 and a longer wait for a buyer to appear. Just a heads up: I sold my Gibson D8 last year on reverb.com for more than double what I paid for it three years ago. Seems there was a guy that was buying them up for some reason. It might be worth posting it there at the upper price range and see if he bites. Good luck!

[Glenn Wilde]

It would be real nice to see those old pictures of your Dad playing this guitar.