I purchased my first JM around 1995, a lightly beat-up sunburst from Jan.1960 for $1400 with original case. I had that guitar until 2003 i think. I sold it to a friendly chap in Australia to buy a new bass rig because I thought I was on my way to stardom... well, a major label deal anyway. I always regretted selling that guitar, so much that I would lose sleep over it.
I decided to buy one again... but by 2006 they were much more expensive. So I bought parts and pieced one together. I used to be a guitar repairman so it was easy for me. I bought a poorly refin'd Jan.1960 body for sentimental reasons of course
But this one is CA Red... I bought a set of Duncan Ant.II's, used 500k pots and omitted the rhythm ckt., got a bridge and tailpiece from '65 and slapped on a CIJ '66 RI neck and I had myself a great sounding and great playing JM! It cost me around $800 to make. Well, I ended up giving that guitar to my girlfriend. She plays rhythm gtr and sings lead in our band and that guitar suited her parts best. I mostly use an LP anyway.So I was still itching for my own JM... boy did I score!
A good friend of mine does gtr repair for a large music retail chain here in New England. He tipped me off to an old JM that a store in CT bought. I told him to put my name on it without any hesitation... and after 2 months of layaway it's finally mine. It's all original except the finish... which is a butt ugly crap brown stain 
At least they left the shields in place so the original finish and penciled date is clear. So what is it? heheheThe body is dated 10/58 and the neck is dated 1/59. Original tweed case, original gold guard, original almost everything - minus finish.
And get this, the neck is COMPLETELY covered with Birdseyes and clean! One of the pickups arrived to the shop dead but we got it rewound by Lindy Fralin (didn't cost me anything). The pots were not great, couldn't be saved either. I had my friend put in 500k pots for me (I prefer the tone with these values) and my friend did a perfect refret. Pat Pend tailpiece, bridge saddles for high E & B have the small threading, single line klusons in perfect working order.
I'm in Heaven! How much you ask? $2,200 tax free because I had it shipped to one of the stores in New Hampshire :-)
So that' my story, I'll put up pics of the (2) JM's soon.
