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Topic: Very rare classic antique: the price?? |
Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 7 Jan 2009 10:13 pm |
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This afternoon I visited a friend this afternoon in a town about an hour from me and he invited a lady over to play some music with us. sShe showed up with a "Gibson J-250 Monarch Acoustic Guitar" that she said was worth in the neighbourhood of $22,000.00 CDN and about $18,000.00 USD.
Now I love a mellow sound of any older guitar, whether it be steel, bass or acoustic; however, and I admit, that her guitar had a very beautiful mellow tone and had a sustain that you wouldn't believe, but the price? 
Have any of you guys ever seen or played one of these things? I sort of wonder whether or not this acoustic is actually worth the money it us supposed to be worth or just because of its inlay design patterns and the brand name? I have never heard of an acoustic guitar being worth that much. |
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2009 10:37 pm Re: Very rare classic antique: the price??
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| Les Anderson wrote: |
This afternoon I visited a friend this afternoon in a town about an hour from me and he invited a lady over to play some music with us. sShe showed up with a "Gibson J-250 Monarch Acoustic Guitar" that she said was worth in the neighbourhood of $22,000.00 CDN and about $18,000.00 USD.
Now I love a mellow sound of any older guitar, whether it be steel, bass or acoustic; however, and I admit, that her guitar had a very beautiful mellow tone and had a sustain that you wouldn't believe, but the price?
Have any of you guys ever seen or played one of these things? I sort of wonder whether or not this acoustic is actually worth the money it us supposed to be worth or just because of its inlay design patterns and the brand name? I have never heard of an acoustic guitar being worth that much. |
I was just at the IBMA trade show a few months ago. Elderly Instruments had a booth, Martin Guitars had a booth, and several others.
The vintage stuff at Elderly started around $20,000 and went up from there(OK, there was a beat-up '56 D-21 that had two pickguards for $9,000, but most D-28's were in the $18,000-$60,000 range). Martin also had new guitars in the same price range.
There have been quite a few pre-war Martins going for over $100,000 the past two years. Some guy has an early '30s 000-45 on ebay for $300,000.
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Last edited by Alvin Blaine on 8 Jan 2009 6:14 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 2:16 am Some folks have a lot more money than me . . .
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You didn't say how old this guitar is or it's condition, especially original finish, repairs.
Older guitars are usually worth more than a new version the same model.
This model sells new for a discounted price of just over $17K USD. List is $34.5K |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 3:05 am
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As Joey says, these are available these days new for around $17 grand US: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Acoustic-J250-Monarch?sku=518946
I don't think these are an old vintage model. Gruhn's ID book lists only original production from 1994-1998 (94-95 was a Monarch Custom).
The originals had a 3-piece Brazilian rosewood back, and were presentation-grade guitars, which is probably why they're so pricey. I don't see many big-box acoustics in Brazilian rosewood under $6-8 grand unless there's something wrong with them. Maybe some late-60s Martins that were the tail end of the Brazilian rosewood production. |
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 4:22 am
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Dave Bromberg came in the other week with a brand new D41 Custom, it was loud, proud, and set up for speed and it was the nicest playing Martin D I ever touched. With Madagascar 2 piece back and lots of abalone, it is stunning.
Is it worth $20K? |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 10:33 am Re: Some folks have a lot more money than me . . .
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| Joey Ace wrote: |
| You didn't say how old this guitar is or it's condition, especially original finish, repairs. |
Joey, this guitar was in pristine condition in every sense of the word.
For those of you who are interested, the back, sides and neck of this guitar was/is rosewood. The face looked like it had a plastic (??) coating with very beautiful inlay work.
I have no idea how old the guitar is; I completely forgot to ask. Once I started playing it, all common sense seemed to remove itself from my mind.
The sound of this thing was absolutely beautiful; however, my first thought was, is this thing actually worth that much or is it a marketer's price tag. |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 10:40 am
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Dave, thanks for the URL to the pictures.
Below is the picture of the guitar that this lady has.
The sides of her guitar are quite a bit darker and the neck is solid rosewood with a deep red rosewood overlay. I think the frets are ivory but I can't say for sure. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 7:14 pm
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FWIW, on the Guitar World website, the list price of the J-250 Monarch is $38,999.
'Course, you can get it for around 18K at Musician's Friend, linked above.
But HERE at Musician's Friend your can get an authentic D-28 Martin (reissue) for around $32K, list price $39,999.
DAMN! Those boys are sure proud of their hide glue, ya reckon??!!? 
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 8 Jan 2009 10:00 pm
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Jeez, and here I didn't even wash my hands before I took hold of it and played it. And would you believe I actually had the nerve to play "Wheels" on it.  |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2009 1:21 pm
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Does it know "Freebird?"  |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 9 Jan 2009 1:27 pm
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Do you mean to say that the damn thing even talks??????  |
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Mark Durante
From:
St. Pete Beach FL
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Posted 10 Jan 2009 9:27 am
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It better talk for that price.
I guess I'm really old, I remember when you could buy a brand new American made, (there wasn't any other kind), Fender Telecaster for under $200.00. |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 10 Jan 2009 11:10 am
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Mark, I bought a Yamaha LG6 SR, jumbo box acoustic in 1965 for $259.00. I bought a Gibson L45 jumbo box in 1967 from a friend who wanted to go to a Fender Strat and needed some bucks. The used Gibson cost me $200.00 at that time.
I still have both acoustics today and I have to admit, I still like the deeper mellow tone of the Yamaha much better than the Gibson. The Gibson has a better colour tone on the top surface and I think, nickel plated, frets where the Yamaha has ivory frets. (this may be why the Yamaha produces a deeper tone)
I am not sure what the Gibson's back and sides are made from; however, the Yamaha has a solid rosewood neck, back and sides with a mahogany top . I think the Gibson has a Sitka spruce top which gives it its very fine grain and the beautiful blond, 3D colour effect.
To make a long story short however, the Gibson is supposedly worth four times the price today that the Yamaha is worth. To my ears though, the Yamaha has a better tone and plays easier. So once again, there is a question of where it is made that makes the price. |
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