Valuable Instruments

[tjwhitejr]

Well, I have been playing music for a long time now. I got my first guitar when I was about 10, which was in 1964. It was an acoustic from Sears. A Silvertone. It didn't take long to warp, but allowed me to learn some basics. I next moved into electric guitars. After several low end electrics, I was getting pretty serious about playing by the 70's. A couple of years after graduation, I bought a Les Paul Custom gold top electric. I think it was adound 1974, and the guitar is a 1971.

This guitar is in excellent condition (and NOT for sale) and includes the original Gibson hard case. Looking around the internet, this guitar goes for $5,000 to over $8,000! I paid around $500 for it in 1974. I always knew this one was worth something, but that is a pretty good return. And it is a sweet playing guitar.

This morning, just for fun, I was playing my old acoustic, not the Sears one, but an old junker guitar I bought in the mid 70's for $25 from a dude that needed the money.

It is an Epiphone, and I looked around on the web to find out some info on this guitar. Turns out this is a 1964 Epiphone Texan which is now known as the Paul McCartney Texan. Sir Paul bought one in 1965 for $175. It is the guitar he played on Ed Sullivan and several Beatles recordings. He still has it today. (Well, not THIS one, but one like it.) I saw these on the internet for $2500 and more. It was made by Gibson. It always had a sweet sound to it, but I never guessed it was worth anything. This was the guitar that I took camping, to the river and just my general knocking around cheap guitar. I have always been careful with guitars, especially the Les Paul, but I was not quite as careful with the Epi. Fortunately, it is still in great shape for being 44 years old. I even have the tag that was attached to the neck from the factory and the original case, but the case is a bit worse for wear. The stitching has rotted, but I am sure it can be repaired.

I am not wanting to part with either of these, as my son plays guitar, and I will pass them to him. But I am going to get them appraised and added to my home owners insurance. To have possibly $10,000 in 2 guitars blows my mind.

My point is, if you are an old fart like me and have guitars you have dragged around for decades, research them a little. Or even if your Dad left you an old instrument it may be worth looking at it. What was a low end, inexpensive guitar in 1964 is still better than most of the "good" stuff today.

Happy digging!

[johncub]

I recently went through something similar although on a smaller scale. I've had this old washburn acoustic for years. It's a pretty decent guitar, thinline, cutaway, etc. I finally got around to wondering when it was made (since it has the most beautiful old lady smell) and found out its as old as I am. I don't care what it's worth monetarily. I just didn't know it had seen as many years as I had and because of that I felt as though I'd been disrespecting it by not giving it the mad props it deserves.

Sure, I wish it were a les paul goldtop worth thousands but that would create a situation where I would consider its value at every opportunity and likely change the way I interact with it. I doubt I'd let my 3 year old play a guitar worth that much. I'm glad, in a way, mine's not.

But it did become much more valuable in my own eyes. The love of an instrument is quite fulfilling because they never seem to go the way of a woman and turn into un-love.

[Corndog]

To this day I regret beating my old JV series P-Bass to rat shit. The poor thing is long gone and I miss her...

[Vulconizer]

Sooo glad I wasn't drinking anything when I saw "the most beautiful old lady smell". If I had, I'd be cleaning that crap off my computer.

[Corndog]

This thread got me thinking...[oh no, he's thinking again!!!]...sentimental or monetary value. Which is more important???
It's no secret that I LOVE cheap guitars but they have to "feel" right. Collecting "vintage" guitars fer the simple fact that you can afford to do so doesn't make sense to me.
To me a guitar is a tool that I use to make something [hopefully] that other folks will enjoy years down the road.
If I bought a table that was meticulously hand crafted I'm not gonna question or speculate on what hand plane he used, I'm just going to enjoy the table.

Make sense???Or am I on drugs???!!!

[tjwhitejr]

Originally Posted by Corndog

This thread got me thinking...[oh no, he's thinking again!!!]...sentimental or monetary value. Which is more important???
It's no secret that I LOVE cheap guitars but they have to "feel" right. Collecting "vintage" guitars fer the simple fact that you can afford to do so doesn't make sense to me.
To me a guitar is a tool that I use to make something [hopefully] that other folks will enjoy years down the road.
If I bought a table that was meticulously hand crafted I'm not gonna question or speculate on what hand plane he used, I'm just going to enjoy the table.

Make sense???Or am I on drugs???!!!

I might have a bit of money from time to time to buy instruments, but I would never go out and buy a vintage instrument (unless it was $25). When I bought the Epiphone, it was just a 10 year old used guitar. Holding on to it for 33 years is what made it valuable. Same with my 1971 Les Paul. Both are "vintage", but, like you, the joy of playing these is the real pleasure. And watching the care and joy my 17 year old son shows when he plays them.

My daughter loves to listen to music, but my son has such a hunger to play music. He's only been playing a couple of years, but has picked up lead far beyond what I could do in my best days. And he has learned bass and now drums. (I was given a lower end professional double bass drum set a few weeks ago - long story.)

I guess what I am saying is, no matter the instrument, age, cost, or whatever, a love and respect for music will elevate even a "cheap" guitar to a higher level. I play my Squire Strat that is a year or so old and worth about $100 more than any of my guitars. Cheap and sweet.