Guitar prices

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I wonder why a used guitar with several years on it or has been played by someone famous should be asked to bring as much or more as a brand new one.
If I get someone famous to play mine , Is it worth more?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Paul,
I'm not famous but I am notorious. Is that close enough? Whoa!

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I Thought you were famous Erv. If you play mine I can be famous.
I can play a song that Buddy plays. He sounds a little different tho.
Seems like he has a little more ring to it.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Because that sort of stuff is significant to some people ot there, that's why! They feel that a player imparts part of himself to the instrument, and that that carries it's own value, which sometimes far exceeds that of the instrument itself.

Maybe this will explain it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyt3-Uy4gVQ

~

DG Whitley · Posted 27 Jan 2015 1:04 pm

Paul, I would guess the guitar would go for whatever the market will bear.

If it doesn't sell for the beginning price, then it tends to drop until someone will buy it (for the most part, some refuse to drop beyond a certain point).

My position is I will never pay new guitar prices for used guitars. My view is that they are used and have "wear and tear" that will need attention once in my possession. I don't care what brand it is or who played it, it's used and not worth the price it was new. I look at them just like I look a used cars, same thing in my book.

Rarity of the guitar does not impress me in the slightest, it means parts will be harder and more expensive to come by, as will repairs by an experienced technician.

I know that stance probably peeves some sellers on here but so be it. They have their opinion and I have mine.

My two cents, YMMV.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"Played by..." generally is meaningless in the resale or collector markets.

"Owned and played by..." is another thing altogether, and there are collectors who buy such instruments at a premium.

As far as used steels selling for nearly as much as new ones, it depends on the maker and specific model. Some have higher resale value than others, especially high-end, one-off instruments or vintage rarities.

The same type of situation exists in the 6-string market to a lesser extent - except for celebrity-owned instruments, especially those sold at auction.

In either case, the bigger the name, the higher the price.
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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

How about "signed by"?
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Allen Hutchison · From: Kilcoy, Qld, Australia

My 2 cents

A thing is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it!

I'll never forget Joe Wrights philosophy on this subject during his workshop on a tour here some years back. He's told his family to sell his guitar/s for whatever they are worth when he's gone. i.e. They are not worth any more or less just because he played them.
(I'm sure we all pray that won't happen for a long long time yet!)
IMHO - without Joe's fingers on the strings, it's just another guitar!
As a collector, there would have to be some special historical or model significance to increase value for me. Granted, a signature may make a slight difference in some cases?

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

"A thing is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it! "

Interesting. I also play bender guitars, and am astounded at the prices they go for. A simple Tele with a P/W B Bender may go for a grand. But just look at all it takes to make a pedal steel! Comparing the two, a pedal steel with 3 and 5 should go for about 8/10 grand. I think the B Bender guys are paying way too much for what they're getting!

Allen Hutchison · From: Kilcoy, Qld, Australia

Correction - I should have said, "a things value is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it" doh!

I agree with you John, it appears that time & effort of manufacture doesn't play a large role in the price structure.

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

To the OPs question,
Some collectors of any commodity may place an above market value IF there is a market for such items, and if provenance is verifiable.

Is the item worth more ? Only if someone will pay for it.

As far as never paying more for a used steel than a new one, that's not a bad rule, but...

What happens if what you want is no longer made ? For now, let's not talk Bigsbys and such, as they aren't in the price range of an average players budget. At least not this very average player.

if it's an item that's desireable, and no longer made, it's not impossible it could appreciate in value , like any other commodity. That's likely the only time I might be willing to pay what the makert would bear, if I wanted the item bad enough.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Owned or played by means nothing to me and also I probably will never buy and instrument with writing or etching all over it unless a can replace the part. Underneath guitar doesn't bother me. I think it would be great to own a guitar that someone famous owned but I'd rather have the paper work that states such and no writing on the guitar.

Some guitars for sale on the forum here are way over priced and some are under priced and they go quick. If I want a guitar bad enough, I don't mine paying a premium price for it which I have done a couple times. As long it's not too premium.

Rarity doesn't impress me either but I'm a player not a collector.
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Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

I had a drummer tell me my steel would sound better if I took to someone and had it played. !! Rolling Eyes

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Hero worship??????

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

John Swain · From: Winchester, Va

I tried Jim, but they charged me $4.50!!!!!!

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Forgot to mention, I have a bad reputation in your neighborhood, John. ..
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Charles Curtis · Posted 28 Jan 2015 8:00 am

I bought a psg from a Forum member that was once owned by a very famous psg musician for about 4 or 5 years, and I believe that the dealer picked it out of his stock for this musician. I have read that there are different things about a psg that affect the sound and I believe that this is true. I will never sell this psg because some day I'm going to give it to one of our grand daughters who is an accomplished musician on a couple of instruments already and will really appreciate it. My wife and I drove a few miles and met the seller and his wife to have lunch and pick it up. IMO, they are just wonderful folks and a joy to know and what a joyful day that was; but then it's what I expected and I hope someday to see them again.

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I want to thank Donny Hinson for putting that youtube clip on here.
The touch of the master's hand.
I think that is most beautiful and touching thing I have seen. Very real.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I have a Zion Tele-style that was built for my friend Neil Zaza, It's quite above their usual guitars, as he was an endorsee at that time. It's definitely worth more than their standard fare!

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I understand about special made guitars.
I was talking about run of the mill stock.
I also understand if you have to wait for a year or more to get a new guitar for $3600 that asking $5 or 6 thousand dollars for a used one several years old is a little steep.

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

Here's another thing to consider.

That steel that WAS owned by a famous steel player....maybe he sold it for a good reason. Maybe it was a very average sounding guitar. I owned a steel that previously belonged to two of the greatest players ever known. Both of them obviously chose not to keep it. I actually didn't even know the complete history of this axe when I bought it. The tone was very average, nothing magical . My other steels sounded better, even when I played them.

Just something to think about when someone sells something that Once belonged to someone famous. The famous player chose to sell it.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

In my case, Neil played my Albert Lee, and fell in love with the neck. He's been an endorsee of three companies since then, Peavey, Cort, and now Carvin. The necks are all specked out to my Albert's neck. I'd like to get that guitar back from him!

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Florida USA

Vintage guitar dealers were polled if signed/autographed pieces brought more money. They answered that, with the exception of a very few names, any price increase came out to about 10% at best.

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