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I was crusing round ebay today when I came across this.














Now that I've picked my jaw up off the floor. Yikes. Did I read that right? $196,000+?



Than I found this listing on a nice 00045. Read the description, I've never read quite a description like that. If I'd have been able to think of all that, I don't think my head would have fit through the door.Rod True39004.6026736111

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I'd go for the Martin anytime!

One thing is for certain, the guy who bought the Fender was incredibly smart to keep the boxes. To collectors, that's really valuable. The only smarter thing he could have done was to never play the stuff, leaving it in the box for all those years. Then he could get a fotune for it. He still may.
The Martin copy looks nice. Too bad the seller had to slime both CF Martin and Lynn Dudenbostal in the process. The wood looks more like cocobolo than brazilian though.Don Williams39006.3788773148

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Wow! Although that is a vintage instrument in meticulous condition, I think that seller is a touch delusional...

Maybe someday that combo will be worth such a price, but not before a century or two run out...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

You'd be surprised what a wealthy collector of Fenders might spend on such an offer...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Oh, I'm sure there are many with deeper pockets than good sense... still, that's over-priced...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Geeesh, How much are those boxes worth??

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

[QUOTE=DaveAndy] Geeesh, How much are those boxes worth?? [/QUOTE]

Well there is a premium on vintage cardboard. They just don't make the stuff like they used to...



...oh...



...wait a minute...



...I guess they do.    

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

In the world of antiques especially, the box adds tremendous value. Sometimes the item is worth twice or more if in the original box.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

The collectable market really operates on an entirely different set of economics. The value has little to do with the object but more the scaracity of the item and the demand. Guitars are especially prone to this magical thinking.

If it is valued solely as a guitar then it is pretty tough to ever justify this price, but if you think of it more like an untouched Mickey Mantle rookie card... then... well.... Obviously no one ever NEEDS something like this, the thrill for the collector is the "find" and the means to acquire.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I totally understand about value, scarcity, demand, supply.....it's my job.

The only issue I have with this particular auction is that there are several other vintage strats on ebay all around the same era, but considerably less, like by $50-75K.

The one thing I find interesting is the incredibly large range of "values" that people (ie: sellers, and I guess some buyers) are putting on these instruments. Is a vintage strat really worth $196,000, may be to the right person, but in my industry we always say that one sale does not dictate the market value, even if there are only a hand full of similar items out there. We periodically see one or two sales which are considered excessive and generally they are not supportable. But, someone, for some reason, has to have it and will pay more than the general populous would if given a chance.

Just some thoughts.

After taking a second look, I notice that the other "similar" strats are going for $100-150K Less.

Wasn't the worlds "most valued" guitar



sold in 1993 to Scott Chinery, arguably the man who owns the most guitars on the planet. It sold for an unpressidented $150k at that time.

Here's a good read on Scott Chinery and the "blues guitars" he had built. Very interesting fellow, to bad he's dead.Rod True39006.4575694444

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Very good and interesting read, Rod!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I know a guy who has operated a guitar store out of his garage going back easily into the early 1960's, if not the '50's. He's been stashing away limited edition Fenders and Gibsons in his house for years now, going back at least to the 70's. As far as I know, they're still sitting there in the original boxes and plastic coverings....
Needless to say, his family has quite an inheritance to look forward to. When he took me up there once back in the early '80's, he had a room full of the things...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

A chum of mine has Lowden custom #1

1976 vintage, owned from new.

I've played it and it is beautiful....

He had a refret about 18 months ago and George suggested he should insure it for ?17,000 at least

That's $35,000 to you collonials.

Not much considering what a Martin #1 would be.....

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

There certainly appears to be a ceiling on vintage instruments around the $60-80k price range, with only the very very very rare, like that New Yorker up there being valued above the $100k range. That guitar is in the National music museum now. You can buy a new D'angelico for $3000 now, I sure it's factory made now just like a Fedner Strat.

If you look in Gruhn's website, there is an 1830's martin which looks in very very good condition. Now, these guys at Gruhn's know what instruments are worth wouldn't you all agree. The Martin is listed at $62,000.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Oh also if you look on Gruhn's website under inventoy, they have a 1957 strat for $35,000. They do however have a 1939 Martin D-54 listed at $125,000. I sent them an email to see if that was correct. Walter Carter sent me an email back saying that the price would have been double if it hadn't been refinished. WOW!!!!!Amazing.Rod True39006.6300810185

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Gruhn constantly pushes vintage guitar prices higher with his asking prices....he seems to be getting whatever he asks, so maybe he does know what things are worth. Seems more like he's cultivated the influence to decide what things are worth (in other words, creat that worth simply by declaring it to be so).

Andrew

A D-45 with a few minor issues sold for $250k or so on ebay last year or early this year.
harmonist3439006.9827662037