Sell or refinish?

[ZMB KLR]

I have a red MIJ jazzmaster from 1994-95. Matching red headstock. I have owned this guitar a little over 20 years. Excellent condition.

Honestly, I never did like the red. Plays great, although I'm not a fan of the poly coated neck. I have been looking around and I REALLY like the Charcoal Frost Metallic of the thin skin series (not a fan of the price though!). I like dark grays or blue/grays in general, and I might consider having this refinished.

Would I be an ass for refinishing this guitar or should I sell it and build what I want using something newer?

I know the real answer is "Do what you want", but I guess I'm just making sure I am not missing a better option.

Thanks!

[parry]

Have you put a lot of upgrades in to the guitar? Pickups, bridge, etc?
Is it 100% right for you, right now - as is? If so - why not hang on to it and refin it?
If it's not 100% as-is, maybe try moving it on in favour of offsetting the cost of one of the thin-skins you mentioned...

[ZMB KLR]

Thanks for the reply.

100% original. I am happy with the sound and function. This would purely be a cosmetic change.

[marqueemoon]

Sell it and get what you want.

[andy_tchp]

^
+1, get rid of it.

[iodine74]

I wouldn't change it. There is a demand for them. Values on the MIJ/CIJs have been rising over the past few years. Sell it or get a different one.

I'm kinda in the same boat though. I have a CAR CIJ and I don't like the red. I've upgraded to Novak's and Mastery. I've parted together a couple other JMs, with the original intent to sell the CIJ, but the neck on the CIJ is probably still my fave. With the increases in values and likely continued increases... yeah tough call.

[Embenny]

The most economical solution on a modern guitar is always to sell and build/buy what you want. The sentimental route is to refinish, but that should only be done when the guitar really does mean enough to you that you're willing to throw lots of money into it that you'll never see back.

MIJs with matching headstocks fetch pretty good money these days depending on where you live. If you sold the guitar and put in the extra $500 it would cost you for a refin, you'd be able to put together a really nice CFM build.

[RoséBear]

Honestly, if the only thing you don’t like is the color, id refinish it. My first guitar was a Squier Strat. Typical sunburst. I could throw it out a window and it would stay in tune WITH the trem and it sounded amazing. I sold it to buy a 90’s American standard Strat. Shit was a nightmare. Wouldn’t stay in tune, sounded like mud.


If the guitar is great, just refin. Nothing would suck more than to cash out on what you want and have it feel less good.

I was going to refin my MIJ Jaguar which was my most reliable guitar, but I ended up buying a sonic grey jazzier instead

[Shadoweclipse13]

I'm of 2 minds: 1) if the market for them is decent, you could make a little money to finance a build for what you what, however 2) if the only thing you don't like about that one is the color, I'd be personally hesistant to sell it. There's no guarantee that you'd love the next one. That said, if that red is fairly common and not super popular, it's possible that it could take you a while to sell it too...

[parry]

2) if the only thing you don't like about that one is the color, I'd be personally hesistant to sell it. There's no guarantee that you'd love the next one. That said, if that red is fairly common and not super popular, it's possible that it could take you a while to sell it too...

That.

[rumfoord]

I vote to sell.

But maybe another couple variables are:
-Do you like buying guitars? or prefer not to bother, and just get back to playing? A refin could be more straightforward. You wouldn't have to engage in THE SEARCH.
-Do you have a way to play other JMs? If it turns out that (unlike most) you actually prefer MIJ JM pickups, it would be useful to not waste money in a new build (or that might mean you'd rather just refinish the one you have).

[NICQ]

buy an aftermarket body already finished in the colour you want (MJT or something) and just exchange the body
keep the red original body if you decide to sell it in the future so you can revert it to stock - MIJ/CIJ seems to be rising in price in the last years

[Embenny]

buy an aftermarket body already finished in the colour you want (MJT or something) and just exchange the body
keep the red original body if you decide to sell it in the future so you can revert it to stock - MIJ/CIJ seems to be rising in price in the last years

That would leave him with a CFM body and CAR headstock. Because he has a matching headstock, it's pretty much all-or-none on selling vs refinishing.

[Larry Mal]

Tough poly finish on those- I own one- it would not be a particularly easy guitar to refinish, either, nor inexpensive I would not think.

And at the end of the day you would not have added any more value to the guitar, so I have to question.

[Telliot]

Sell it.