check out this article about collecting guitars and their current values: http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P142831.asp


Amazing, I say,
Bebop

Thanks, BeBop, for the article. I've been an avid collector for 50 years and have over 300 pieces. Many are really valuable (pre-CBS
Fenders...my first good one, a 52 ES 295, lots of L-5's, etc.). Others are just fun, like the Robin mentioned in an earlier post.

I have taken busines depreciation on all of them and buy the maximum a year I can legally get away with.

It's my retirement, but I can't bring myself to part with a single one, although I have given 4 or 5 away to really promising jazz students over the years.

The thing is, I can't get as attached even to old B-3's as I can with a real piece of wood with vibrating strings aging with grace.

I smile when I look at some of the appraisals, but the joy they have brought me in my lifetime is priceless.

Russ

Russ and Nigel, I thought about you dudes when I read this article in my stock market news this afternoon and that is why I posted it here. I thought the article was too long to post so just the url pointer.
Glad it was of some interest to you
Bebop

Great article Bebop. Thanks so much for thinking of us and posting the link.

I just love guitars so much. Like Russ says there is something so very organic about a wooden instrument with strings. They really are alive. Although I appreciate the value of rare guitars my passion is simply playing them. I always feel sad when I see guitars that are never played. My only valuable guitar is a 1964 Gibson ES-335 while the rest of my guitars range from US Fender Strats through to cheap Korean copies. The guitar I use all the time with my band is a $300 Schecter Stratocaster with Duncan pickups. I love that guitar but it has very little monetary value. It just sounds and feels great so that's what I use. I have no problem being seen using cheap guitars.

But if I was Keith Richards ( or Russ ) I'd love to collect vintage guitars. They realize the true value of great guitars and appreciate that they need to be preserved.

I'm with you, Nigel. For performing, I use what feels and sounds good. Some of my favorite are "beaters". On my jobs last week, my nylon string was a ratty old Yamaha. My Jazz guitar was a full size DeArmond X-155 (briefly made a few years ago off the Guild x-155 molds-out of business). The basses were a DeArmond semi-hollow short neck (looks like a 335) and a Japaneese Squire P bass. None of these cost or are worth more than $500.00, but they are GREAT!

I sometimes use beaters when I'm concerned about damage, but usually, I just want to.

Of course, my all-time favorite is that old Guild you so graciously posted photos of last year. No real value, but what
memories!

For bass, it's a 63 jazz, which is played weekly and rarely needs any work. Of course, since I played it 6 nights a week in my "wild and crazy" days, it looks like somebody ploughed fields with it. After playing it almost 40 years I shopped for a "daily player" replacement and bought, you guessed it, a new American Jazz bass. It's my all-time favorite fretted electric bass. I've turned down some pretty big bucks for the old one, but would never get rid of it.

Thanks, folks, for putting up with this rambling trip down memory lane!

Russ
(still "pick" OK..just don't "grin" like I used to)!

Great thread Beebop.

For the longest time, I used to think the Tele was the ugliest guitar on the face of the earth....
...Oh how things change as we grow wiser.
My Tele is my main gigging guitar, versatile, relatively light compared to the SGs, IMO.

I also proudly own an Ibanez Musician. This is a heavy piece of wood. It's excellent for studio work (where you don't have to stand for 3 or 4 hours.) Full 2 octave neck through body, Mahogany and Maple, about a gazillion tons of brass....but heavy. Excellent tonal quality, extremely fast neck, did I mention it was heavy!!.

My Rick? Hey...it's a classic, not quite as versatile as the Tele for speed and tone change, but a unique sound in itself. The tailpiece had a severe crack in it, so it had to be replaced, good luck trying to find original parts.

Ah....my sweetheart...Danelectro 12.
When I look for a guitar, the first thing for me is it's gotta feel right, in the neck. Easy movement, minimal fret/finger interference. This one melted in my hands when I picked it up. Couldn't leave without it.

I picked up a rare Hagstrom a while back. These guitars have got the fastest necks around. Am I right Nigel? Not overly versatile in the tonal varieties, but when it's this fast, it's a fair compensation.
Fender Tele

Ibanez Musician

Rick

Danny Boy


HagtromII

Thanx for taking us down memory lane Beebop.

ps. I saw one of these floating in a music store the other day...
...I want it....I want it so bad!!
http://www.rockcityguitar.com/rc/items.asp?.r=263614&p=3&id=821


------------------
...shboom



[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 01-31-2006).]

Saw that Dano before...it's the one on your website, isn't it?

COOL!

I have one original Dano, and 5 of the re-issues. The six string bass model (think Rawhide, some early Duane Eddy and doubling of the upright bass on old Motown pieces)
is lots of fun!

Pick on, folks!

Russ

Look closely Russ...
...that's a twelve string bass.

------------------
...shboom

Really? My monitor isn't great. When was this made? Does that mean that the neck is 30 plus inches? Never saw anything like this and I've been a Dano fan since I bought my first Dano double (12 and 6) in 1963.

I've seen a 12 Baritone, but not a bass.

Russ

Originally made by Hamer.
I'd like to get it.....just to have it!!

------------------
...shboom

I see the confusion. I'm talking about the Dano on your personal website, and the Dano you have here. I knew I'd seen it before.


I'm familiar with the Hammer 12 string bass.

We have an 8 string around here somewhere...cheap..I think its a Dean.

Pretty neat stuff. Had a Hagstrom at one time...think I left it somewhere years ago.

Oh Well...


Russ

IN case of interest.
Here in San Jose we have a guitar store called Guitar Showcase. It is owned by Gary, (forgot his last name). I have been trading with him since 1967. they have a keyboard division and we had midi classes there twice a week for over a year back when Midi was brand new.
Guitars. He has them all and the amps too. he put up a new building two storys, and big and in the center he has all these guitars in an all glass room that is temp and hum controlled and well lighted. They can be purchased but some of the price tags I have seen are jaw dropping and staggering.
they are located on South Bascom in San Jose, California. I can get a phone and street address if you want/need it.
Best,
Bebop

Just as soon as I inherit a million or two.
Of course, with my luck..When my ship finally comes in....

...I'll probably be at the airport!!

------------------
...shboom

Very nice guitars shboom!!!

And I know exactly what you mean about Telecasters. They never attracted me so much when I was young. They never seemed as cool as Strats, SGs or Les Pauls. But now I love the character of the Tele visually plus I like the bite they have. I don't own one now but I am very tempted to add one in the near future. I've always been a strat fan so I already love that biting Fender sound and the Tele seems best at that.

That Hamer 12 string bass .... I'm not so sure I'd wanted to have to finger 2 bass strings at a time. But very cool all the same. I own a few basses including an Ibanez Roadmaster II, an Ibanez active 5 string ( can't recall the model offhand ) and a Fender Jazz Special Fretless.

Do you ever use the Hagstrom in a band situation? Does it sound like a Fender or is it closer to the Gibson P90s ? And what are you doing musically since your band folded? Did you put a new project together?

Thanx Nigel...that Hamer btw is set up with 3 strings per. It's unbelievable to try and play. Cheap Trick & Kiss have both used it. It's more of a Slash/Shred machine, although from some comments I've looked at of other sites, it can be quite a useful piece if played delicately. You'd end up with some incredibly fat harmonics, but tuning and intonation would have to be soooo precise.
Yes, I have used the Hagstrom, although as I said, the Tele is my work horse for gigs.
What am I doin' now??
Well, I've been approached by 5 bands, 3 serious ones, 2 were triflers. I'll have to pass on one particular band. They're wanting someone full-time (I'm not about to quit my career at this point).They're also a large "show band", http://www.timebenders.com/ so it's the costume/choreography thing all over again, so that's a sore spot for me, however, I did let them know that I could fill in for an absent member in a pinch if they gave me sufficient notice.
So the leader is gonna supply me with dvds of their shows, I can learn the material (probably know most of it already), and if they're short a member due to illness etc. I can fill in for them on keys, guitar, or bass.
I've also recorded 2 individual female songwriters over the last 3 weeks, providing them with demos to submit. They were pleased with the results.
I'll keep ya posted as to how things work out. I'm not worried about it right now.Life is good, and that's what matters....right?

------------------
...shboom



[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 02-02-2006).]

Wouldn't it be very awkward ??? Pressing down 2 bass strings and fingering them cleanly would be tough .... pressing down 3 would be harder still. Have you actually played one of these ? I bet it has quite a complex bass sound and I'd even expect some "natural" chorusing just due to tuning fluctuations between the 3 strings.