JEM77FPs pop up all the time, but the good ones are starting to find their permanent homes now, so the ones that do come up seem to me to mainly be more "players'" guitars than case queens.
Cost on these always depends on condition, with the best condition ones commanding the highest prices. Different patterns (there are three body patterns) haven't noticeably affected price from what I've seen, but others may know different than my mere passing observation.
Don't get in to debt to get one of these though, there're enough out there to bide your time and get one when you can afford one.

 

Mv 88' FP is a player. Bought it back in 2005 for $900. My intention was to play it live as my main guitar but it has been in the case more than on stage. Some due to worrying about loss. I have always hated the volume knob location. When I play it live, my hand hits the knob and gradually lowers the volume. That is about to change. I am getting a new pick guard, mounting hw, stuffing the Tone inside the guts, moving the Vol to Tone position. After all is done, it is going to get played. I don't want to own a museum. Life is too short to not enjoy your toys.

From what I have seen, they all go for $1K and more now. Today I could probably get $1200 for mine if I had to. It is my daughter's fav guitar. One day it will hang in her house as a decoration and memorial to me.

 

I've got 13 guitars at the moment, I mostly only record with them at home, so out of those 13, only ONE will ever leave my home, and that's my carbon fiber RainSong acoustic guitar, I only take it outside because it's what I get paid to play. My other 12 guitars are all electrics and I keep them in humidity controlled sealed display cases made by Grundorf with clear fronts so I can see them, while kept at constant 45% RH thanks to Humidipaks. I don't like "relic" guitars and am a perfectionist about keeping my guitars mint. It pains me to even have to buy a used guitar because I bought all of my guitars new. But, I used to own a new Jem 77FP back in 1990 and I sold it 2001 and have always missed that guitar. I bought it mostly because of looks, I love the colors of the Floral design. It was never my favorite guitar to play, I mean it was OK, but I've always owned a lot of guitars at any given time.

I want to own another mostly for sentimental value. So that's why the finish being perfect is the most important part to me. I've already got a new 7VWH, which is basically the same guitar. I just want the 77FP because of it's looks and sentimental value. I looked at completed auction for the last 4 months on Ebay and seems like they go for around $3,000.

I would probably be willing to pay as much as $4,000 if that's what it takes to get a "case queen".

Since they are a little more common than thought, I may delay it until later in the Winter to avoid getting a personal loan or new credit card.

When I get it, I will play it as often as a guy with 14 guitars can play one, maybe a few minutes per day, or 4 good sessions in my music room per month.
It just really bothers me that I sold the one I had, I paid about $1600 for it when it was new I think and lost it in a pawn shop for only $400.
So I am quite obsessed with eventually getting another one, I mean really obsessed, as in it bothers my mind on at least a weekly basis. Makes me feel like a piece of me is missing.
Even though I never played it as much as my Les Pauls, Strats or Warlocks at the time, I still miss it and want it back.

I have a $4,000 credit card with Guitar Center and I thought about buying a FP2 from them if they have one, but then thought no, the FP2 is kinda cool looking in it's own way, but the original Floral Pattern was just BEAUTIFUL.

Perhaps if someone has a FP77 "case queen", we could work out a trade, meaning I'm willing to purchase anything you want from guitar center up to $4,000 in trade for it. (As long as it's something on a 36 month or 48 month promo plan, so I don't get stuck with any interest from them.)

 

Lol, i love your username. Hope ya find one!

 

Thanks! the username was just the first thing that came to my mind.

I really prefer to get the 15th reissue of the fp77 because it will be a little newer, probably easier to find one of those minty.

I must have been under a rock in 2003 when they were reissued, because I never knew they did a reissue of them until yesterday.

 

All the last believable mint 15TH's have been hot. They've been high for several years. One was $3850 last year on open bid. 15TH's are different guitars, Edge Pro to the Edge or Lo Pro of the earlier guitars. Early guitars in incredible condition and right packages [case, paperwork, etc] are also very sought after, because there really aren't that many of them. Most of them bear at minimum several battle scars. But, you don't pay prime money for any of these guitars if you're going to throw stainless frets in it, unless you don't care about immediately losing half it's value the second you do. Your best option are the guitars with liveable scars running $1-2000 cheaper.

 

Hi Rich...
Just wanted to say hello on here now that I remembered my password and say thanks again for the Jem 77FP, I will post up some photos when it arrives.

 

I understand. But maybe it losing resale value would be good for me, I'd be less tempted to sell it again.

Yeah I feel like I'm going to have to pay about $4,000 to get one that looks new. Unless I just catch someone quick that needs cash fast.

I wish Ibanez would just reissue these again... but I heard the reason they don't is because they can't due to them running out of the "lifetime" supply of fabric they bought years ago.

I could probably quench my "sentimental" thirst just as easy by buying the BFP Premium...
I actually think it's prettier than the original 77FP and prefer it's Maple board.

But...

I've just read so much in this forum that the Premiums are JUNK.

Granted, I probably sound like I am contradicting myself here, because in my earlier post I admitted, I mainly want the Floral for sentimental reasons due to having an original one when I was young, and also due to the aesthetics of the Floral pattern... however, I need it to also be Japan kind of quality.

I mean if I bought a new BFP, and had the tremelo replaced and had the fretwork redone and did everything possible to upgrade it and all, wouldn't it still be a peice of Indonesian Junk? I mean it's still going to be the same woods that Indonesia selected.

 

In which case, I'd be looking for a 1990, that fully replaces your dream, and was a pivotal year as the last year with edge but first with the moved volume knob making it a far better playing guitar.

 

I paid 2K for my 77fp.
But it is in pretty decent shape.

 

That looks saucy!!! And in today's terms, worth every single penny

 

I've found a floral for sale here in Thailand.

$2,400 and it looks like the lung of a heavy smoker

https://www.guitarthai.com/classified/question.asp?QID=1611606

I'm going to pass