I guess I just don’t understand the point of being upset or angry because someone chooses to do something that doesn’t impact me in any way. If someone can afford to buy a bunch of instruments and store them for 40 or 50 years, so what? If someone wants to part out an old instrument, again, so what? I buy what I choose to buy at a price I choose to pay. If I don’t like the price of a part or a whole instrument, I don’t buy it. No harm, no foul, what’s the point of being upset?

Haha - well of course that's right. But just to be chatty, there was a case in my part of the world a few years ago of a player who took their Strad to be repaired - and then left it on the train on the way home. Struggling to find details on that story: I don't even remember if they got the instrument back - I think maybe not.

But here's another story of a fiddle player who left a $4m Strad in the back of a taxi in Newark:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/nyreg ... iolin.html

So I'm not sure the "serious" violinist necessarily looks after his instrument any better than that teenage Strat player...

Cheers - C

For sure. In fact, superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma owns Jacqueline Du Pré's famous Stradivari cello - but actually plays a modern one.

...Won't persist with this, but I was still searching for that original story I was talking about. Can't find it, but I am coming across numerous other instances of classical players carelessly losing priceless instruments. Here are several examples.

Gidon Kremer left his Guanerius on a train. Yo-Yo Ma left his Stradivari cello in a cab. And Peter Stumpf of the LA Phil left his 320 year old Strad cello on his front steps overnight when he went home after a show. It was stolen at 6.30 the next morning:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0520/p01s01-ussc.html

Given that most people who play expensive instruments have them on loan from generous owners, just imagine how their stomachs turned over in those situations!

Good Lord! Find me a dumb teenager to lend my Strats to - much safer!

Cheers - C

A few years ago a country band played at the cowboy bar down the block from where I work. The next day they came in to my work to watch football, before heading out. The picker left his late 50's tele, in its case under the table. He phoned in a panic, super relieved we had it, they were already on the highway, an hour or so.I got off work, and sat and played it in the office (unplugged unfortunately,) until he came back. He said he brought it inside, because he didn't feel safe leaving it unattended in the van. I told him he needed to handcuff the case to his wrist, like in an old spy movie!

people have brain farts all the time. He's lucky that I had pestered him to let me see it earlier, so i noticed it on the floor before it could walk away.

When we were talking he said he was thinking of installing a B-bender. I hope i talked him into getting another axe to do that, His was well played, but still in excellent shape, a bit less worn than they went for on the road worn series, except real wear, not a sander.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Spare you my "self-righteous theories?" Oh, brother.

Who said wealth was bad? I said I don't understand owning things just to own them. And the "self-righteous theory" in that is... what, exactly?

Put a collar on it, wouldja?

Hey

To each their own

One mans trash is another mans treasure

Different strokes for different folks

Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder

The fool is the one that thinks they are smarter than everyone else

Intelligence starts with the acknowlegdement that you have a lot to learn

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Ooooooooh. I am SO chastised!

As further justificaton to my humble collection of new'ish instruments. They and their amps are allocated to my daughters 11,6 & 1. By the time i toddle off this mortal plane (another 20/30 years) they should be starting to appreciate in value. The cheapies (both mexican) are my tools, one is going with me. The other i doubt will last that long. My theory regarding their rise to prominence is based on the 70's guitars model. What is commonly termed a guitar from a bad period held value with inflation until about 98/99. At that time the price jumped to £800 and has continued to rise to around £2000 now for pristine early decade pieces. Given that those guitars are widely considered bad pieces (not my opinion i hasten to add). From a period when fender turned out a huge number of guitars their rise in value bodes well for current instuments in 30 years time.

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No no and no

I am guessing but I would think fender now makes in two months what they made in a year back in the 70's so I am thinking more like 50+ years before a good increase in value for the average production guitar plus people back then had no clue of how value would go up were as now you hav so many that pamper and care for there guitars so as to keep the pristine condition so there will be many more around because of that logic. A fender Strat is this most owned guitar out there and shear numbers will keep the values down. What guitar do you see the most of on EBAY being sold? You could not even compare how many Fenders are being made to Gibson or Epiphone or PRS. Fender's production probably passes them like a Amtrak train to a freight train.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Collectors regard strats as more collectable simply because of their popularity and affordability at the time. Should that hold (entirely likely) Its going to be an easy sell. Fender usa currently looks to knock out about 3000 guitars a month from what i saw on the factory tour vid. Its a high number turnout for sure but all original, well looked after pieces should accumulate. I see far more 70's for sale than 80's or 90's btw. Certainly they wont raise in value much during my lifetime, but after i'm gone its a good bet.

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No no and no

There is a magazinr I used to subscribe to called Vintage Guitar,which is made for and aimed at guitar collecters.The prices of these guitars are really of the chart,and you would not believe how many stores there are that just sell these high end guitars .Now I was turned on to this magazine by a friend who plays, and it took me a while to grasp why Iwas buying a guitar mag for collecters and what is this whole seen about.The bottom line( and I think almost everyone on the forum would agree)is that we all see the guitar besides being an instrument as a piece of art and something beautiful.I can walk in a musuem or read a book that has paintings of the masters but it does nothing for me,I can see the beauty but I dont wish to own them .On the other hand I can see a roomfull of guitars or a book with them in it and lust after them all,as to me they are art and something of beauty.How many of us just spend a day polishing and going over our guitars ,or when someone shows you something new they got and when they open that case your like wow thats beautiful,Thats because your seeing art.Now most of these guys who have these huge million dollar collections are or have played guitar at one time in their lives and there are a very few who have not.Leo Fender could not play so should he have been told you cant make them.Now to answer a few questions from the earlier post why would someone pay so much for just a 52 telecaster neck,the answer is somewhere someone owns a 52 tele that needs a neck and by keeping it all the same year is keeping the price of it near the max where if they put a 60s neck it might take a 5-10 thousnad dollar drop.I think Nikininga posted a thread of Eric Johnson selling his 52 GIBSON for $128,000 I remembar that it had 3 tuning pegs replaced and the replaced pegs were from another 52,he did not get them from the locol shop.I can assure you he paid dearly for them.David Gilmoar playing his 001 strat that is great but your talking about a guy worth millions but I bet that guitar has its own security in charge of it no joking.I remember reading a story where Paul Mcartney had to have his Hoffner violin bass repaired in N.Y and sent it over from England with a bodyguard who never let it leave his sight lol.If you read most interviews with famous players they will say they retired there most valued guitars and take an artist series model of theres so they dont have to worry.And hey anyone can have a nice collection.I am up to 11, if I look at it from a collecting point of view I bought both a BECK AND CLAPTON model on ebay 6 years ago brand new with stickers and tags for a grand each .They were like $1,300 at the time now there over 2 grand so I made 2 grand.But I dont look at it that way as these will go to my sons i could never part with any of my axes but I guess before it is said and done I will own a few more.And hey nicks and dings happen but those who just have no regard for handling a guitar right I would never lend to .I mean there is no reason for a relatively new guitar to look like a relic.The biggest mistake is when your done put it away, as this is when most accidents occur.The one thing about both Fender and Gibson is that both companies retain there value if you buy something in 10 years it will be worth what you paid or in most cases more.Almost every other company except PRS when you walk out the door after purchase your guitar dropped by a third of what you paid /KEEP ON ROCKIN