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Topic: Tomorrow's Collectors' Items |
Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 12 Apr 2009 9:21 am |
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| A lot of the lap steels currently well regarded as collectors' items were budget instruments when they were new. Disregarding professionally-made custom instruments, I wonder how many of today's commercially-produced lap steels will be regarded as desireable in 50 years time. |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Apr 2009 9:32 am
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Interesting thought, Alan.
Back then nobody had a clue that their instruments would someday be collector's items.
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BIG STEEL |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2009 8:13 am
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John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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Dave Bader
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2009 6:17 pm Rukavina
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Oops! I missed the part about custom made. It will be a collectible though.
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Eric Ebner
From:
Texas Republic
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Posted 13 Apr 2009 7:23 pm
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I agree that know one really knew then and it's hard to know now. Funny how time reveals all! I have no other comment or suggestions but will certainly follow the thread as it gains momentum. Great topic. That SuperSlide sure looks like a contender.
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Tribo-Tone™ Bars |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 13 Apr 2009 7:48 pm
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I can tell you which ones probably won't survive 50 years, though....
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 14 Apr 2009 7:13 am
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| I can tell you which ones probably won't survive 50 years, though.... |
Cheater ... thats too easy  
I can't think of any collectible big name, commercially produced, modern day "student model" sleepers.
No doubt there will be some that are more desirable, but mainly because they are still in one piece though.
There are a lot of higher end and custom guitars that I think will stand the test of time though.
We have some fantastic steels being build these days.
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 14 Apr 2009 11:36 am
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| I've got to think the Remington Steelmaster will be a classic for decades to come. |
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Richard Shatz
From:
St. Louis
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Posted 14 Apr 2009 5:36 pm
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Alan,
What a great topic.
If anyone could possibly know what would be collectible, it would be just like predicting next Microsoft, well, maybe not quite that good but I think you get my drift.
There are some phenomenal new instruments being produced now. But, will they be collectible and worthy of an investment?
Is speculation in this realm capable of creating an investment vehicle?
Therein lies the whole theory of "buy low sell high".
Right now, the beautiful and well regarded new lap steels are probably worth buying, if they are as good or better than a vintage lap steel for the same price or less.
For example is an Asher/ Ben Harper for over $2500 worth more than a Gibson EH150 or Rickenbacher A22 or B6?
I don't know the answer, but if it's that good and the market will bear the price then that might eventually be worth an investment.
I don't think there are too many new instruments that should be considered investment grade.
Here's my guess, as I am much more collector and much less a player. I really wish it was the other way around, but my guess as to what is driving the market of collectible instruments is more what is well known than what is true quality. By that I mean that the most collectible lap steel guitars are the ones made by the best known makers of the preww2 era, ie.. Gibson and Rickenbacher.
The lap steel market in my opinion is probably only in its infancy. The lap steel guitar is just beginning to be discovered. If lap steel guitars are ever discovered and enjoyed, the market will only appreciate for new and old renditions of the same instrument. |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Apr 2009 6:08 pm
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I think THIS GUITAR, especially being a one-of-a-kind; will one day be a desireable ‘Collector Item’! At the present time there is only one T–10, Short 22½” Scale Steelmaster!
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My T-10 Remington Steelmaster
Last edited by John Bechtel on 15 Apr 2009 10:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Apr 2009 9:27 pm
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| I've got to think the Remington Steelmaster will be a classic for decades to come. |
Yes I think so too. The Steelmaster is a fine, well constructed guitar - designed and custom made by a legendary icon of the Steel Guitar. There are only a few hundred of them in existence, and the time will come when they are "rare and collectible".
I think this will also be the case with Georgeboards, MSA and Clinesmith Steel Guitars.
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BIG STEEL |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 6:18 am edit
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edit
Last edited by George Piburn on 22 Jun 2012 6:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Morgan Scoggins
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 7:00 am Remington Stringmaster
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I agree with Rick Alexander. I wont live to see it, but I can forsee a time in 30-50 years when a single neck Stringmaster like mine will sell for five thousand dollars on ebay.
In the early 1950's a Fender lapsteel sold for about 200 dollars or less. Now a decent one on ebay will bring about a thousand dollars.I bet the Remington non pedals will eventually have the same collector value.
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"Shoot low boys, the're ridin' Shetlands" |
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Paul Smith
From:
Ma
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 9:21 am
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Smittys Pettengil.... destined to be a classic!
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 9:59 am
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| A lot of the lap steels currently well regarded as collectors' items were budget instruments when they were new. Disregarding professionally-made custom instruments, I wonder how many of today's commercially-produced lap steels will be regarded as desireable in 50 years time. |
Seriously, I'd vote for the Gretsch Electromatic. It tends to be under-rated by steel guitarists. It's widely available, inexpensive, looks and sounds beautiful, and will probably still be around in large numbers when all of our one-man shops are long gone. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 1:10 pm
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| Clinesmith! |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 3:05 pm
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| Quote: |
| Seriously, I'd vote for the Gretsch Electromatic. It tends to be under-rated by steel guitarists. |
I wouldn't doubt it a bit b0b, I've had this one for quite a while - and it's a sweetheart . .
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Stephen Calhoun
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 4:05 pm
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But what about today's budget steels?
The amazing thing--it would seem--is that yesterday's (forties-fifties) budget steels fetch prices up to 10x what today's budget steels cost.
Yeah, no real comparison, but it's interesting that all sorts of advances haven't accrued to today's bottom end. Since a Morrell, or Rondo SX or Rogue isn't in the same league as player with those old Champs and Supros, etc..
I have no idea myself, but was there way back when a difference that you can hear today between olden entry level and deluxe worth the premium you might pay for a Champ...today?
I have a factory second by Allen Melbert and a Fouke IndyRail. I think both are crisp players.
Could one make a future collectible today at $300-500 that will look, sound and fetch more twenty years from now?
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slide avant-gardist, experimentalist, echo surfer
two 1970-ish Fender 400, Fouke Industrial Rail, Allen Melbert 6, Rondo SX -- everything one way or the other through Guitar Rig/Logic/Apple/synthesizers/iPAD. ...sometimes out to a Tech 21 Trademark 60 1x12
recording as Kamelmauz.bandcamp.com |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 9:14 pm the current Gretsch Electromatic models
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<center>
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These have a $349 street price, and are better than many of those old "budget steels" that collectors snatch up on Ebay.
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 9:44 pm
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A lot of those "student lap steels" of yesteryear... Supro, Oahu, National... had Kluson tuners, quality pots, hand wired electronics, and some had string-through pickups. They were student guitars back in the day, but the quality of the parts and workmanship was far superior to the Asian import entry level lap steels of today. Hence the increased values of these 50 year old American made guitars today. I doubt that today's student guitars will ever be highly regarded. Most of them break down within a couple of years, never mind 50 years. 
As far future collectables, I'd vote for MSA Superslide, Sierra, Clinesmith... quality is important, and there are some great instruments out there now, many mentioned in this post.
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