The Too Valuable To Play Syndrome

tonyrath · August 2013

Usual story My teacher has a very rich friend who collects guitars but does not play. Rich guy lives in Vienna where the temperature is 40 plus. On one of them the back has split at the top Whoops. What should I advised selling the guitars and getting a life.

Anyone else come across this. Bought a guitar and frightened to gig it or take it out of the case in case it gets damaged or loses value as its an investment

Barney · August 2013

cant really see the point in having good guitars and not playing them...thats the fun of having them ...its like having a sports car and leaving it parked in the garage....no point..:)

Bucket · August 2013

This is why I'd never want to own a properly old Fender or Gibson or something.

Earliest I'd want to go would be late 60s/early 70s. Usually still nice guitars (I've played very few properly bad 70s Fenders or Gibsons despite the reputation they have) and with the "something" vintage guitars have, but much less valuable so I wouldn't feel so apprehensive about playing them as they're meant to be played.

I wouldn't have a '59 Les Paul or whatever even if I could afford it. I'd be terrified of damaging it...

stonevibe · August 2013

I'd happily 'damage' a '59 Les Paul. If it was mine, I'd just play it.

octatonic · August 2013

As would I.

If I can afford to buy it then I will use it.

Otherwise you're just a curator.

Bucket · August 2013

octatonic said:

As would I.
If I can afford to buy it then I will use it.

Otherwise you're just a curator.

What I mean is I'd rather not have one at all! I'd rather have some nice old stuff that's not worth as much and play it properly.

jaygtr · August 2013

i read somewhere that bernie marsdens 59 is so valuable he is not allowed

to keep it at home

:-/

whats the point in that!

ICBM · August 2013

One of my guitars (^ that one!) has become so valuable since I got it that I now think a bit more carefully before I take it out to some gigs - not because I'm scared of scratching it, since it's beaten up anyway - but because I couldn't afford to replace it. I'm actually not that pleased it's gone up in value so much, since I don't intend to sell it... it's a nuisance really. [/First World problem]

Classical violinists use Stradivaris etc that are worth millions on stage. One had hers nicked in Starbucks a few years back, and it's only just been recovered... so electric guitarists worrying about gigging a plank that's only worth a few grand is a bit silly really.

If I was Bernie Marsden I'd probably just sod the insurance and keep the thing at home. No point in having it otherwise.

blueskunk · August 2013

I bet he does the owd rebel he is

[Deleted User] · August 2013

Plenty of famous players still gig vintage guitars. Mark Knopfler uses a late '50s Les Paul, a ''54 Strat & Tele. Apparently Joe Bonamassa uses a number of vintage LPs on tour. People at this level probably have sufficient security to make it viable (though Tom Petty's security ran off with several vintage guitars a few months ago, including Mike Campbell's Broadcaster! Thankfully they were recovered).

To be honest, I'd be nervous taking my '64 335 out on a local gig as if it were damaged or stolen, I could afford to replace it.

badlydrawnbanjo · August 2013

ICBM;7079" said:
One of my guitars (^ that one!) has become so valuable since I got it that I now think a bit more carefully before I take it out to some gigs - not because I'm scared of scratching it, since it's beaten up anyway - but because I couldn't afford to replace it. I'm actually not that pleased it's gone up in value so much, since I don't intend to sell it... it's a nuisance really. [/First World problem]

I must have missed this meeting?!? You've got a 59? I'd like to see some pictures of that please!

Lixarto · August 2013

badlydrawnbanjo said:I must have missed this meeting?!? You've got a 59? I'd like to see some pictures of that please!

He means the RIC in his avatar.

DLM · August 2013

jatgtr said:

i read somewhere that bernie marsdens 59 is so valuable he is not allowed
to keep it at home
:-/
whats the point in that!

In 1996 I saw it propped against a wall with no stand at a guitar fair in Leeds.

At the same show I also played a Les Paul that supposedly was another original 59. I quite liked it, but had no idea what I was doing. I was told it was with 25 grand. Would have been a good investment if it really was original.

badlydrawnbanjo · August 2013

Can I give myself a face palm?

Without it turning into a pissing contest, I wonder who has the most valuable (in terms of £'s, not emotional value) guitar on the forum?

marantz1300 · August 2013

I'd still play and mess with any thing I own,
I cant help it.

DLM · August 2013

badlydrawnbanjo said:

Can I give myself a face palm?

Without it turning into a pissing contest, I wonder who has the most valuable (in terms of £'s, not emotional value) guitar on the forum?

For just one instrument, I'd say Skipped and his LP.

IanSavage · August 2013

When I teched for Matt Schofield at the IGF, my main job was keeping geeky punters away from his guitars

rough reckoning there was about £50000's worth of guitars in that rack, but he still took 'em all out and gave them a thrashing...

Antique_Guitars · August 2013

I would buy antique guitars then start a museum, if any of them were in a playable state i'd give em a tickle.

ChrisMusic · August 2013

Did any of you see the BBC4 programme: Secret Knowledge - Stradivarius and Me

It puts a perspective on all those PRS guitars and others hiding in cases under beds around the globe

BBC blurb: Clemency Burton-Hill indulges in her lifelong passion for the instrument as she explores the mysterious life and lasting influence of Stradivari - through four special violins on display at this summer's Stradivarius exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. (exhibition on till 11 Aug)

It was aired on 15th July, but they will no doubt repeat it again…

all that is available on the site is a 5 min clip of Stradivari’s oldest known violin.

Here is the whole programme on youtube - part 1 & part 2 - enjoy

I have to say I was spell-bound by the whole program.

duotone · August 2013

Has anyone seen John5 collection? He has been collecting for years to get a Fender telecaster/broadcaster from every year since production began.

ICBM · August 2013

Lixarto said:

badlydrawnbanjo said:I must have missed this meeting?!? You've got a 59? I'd like to see some pictures of that please!

He means the RIC in his avatar.

Ha, yes! It's a Rickenbacker 381V69, which currently retail for £4.5K - even as battered as mine is I'd guess it's worth at least half that. I swapped a PRS worth a grand for it when they were much less expensive new.

Although if I had a '59 Les Paul I'd still use that and not worry about scratching it. It's the theft or total write-off risk which worries me.

When I played PRSs with my band I always wanted a Dragon so I could gig it and really piss off the PRS collectors

- plus I thought one would look great with a bit of natural wear and tear.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

Nothing pis-es me off more than a museum housed guitar. They were built to be played, play them. It's like never doing anything remotely 'bad for you' in the hope you might live a bit longer ... bollocks ... it's a short brutal life with no encores ... with people and guitars ... it's better to burn out than fade way!

mike_l · August 2013

badlydrawnbanjo said:

Can I give myself a face palm?

Without it turning into a pissing contest, I wonder who has the most valuable (in terms of £'s, not emotional value) guitar on the forum?

No, and certainly not me, my most expensive was £600 Including a £200 P/X

juansolo · August 2013

I get paranoid about the expensive ultra pretty ones. Yet will use sports cars as they're intended (and then some in some cases) when they cost significantly more. Weird isn't it? I've found the easiest way not to be paranoid in my case is not to have any expensive ultra pretty ones.

Adam_MD · August 2013

ICBM;7172" said:

When I played PRSs with my band I always wanted a Dragon so I could gig it and really piss off the PRS collectors - plus I thought one would look great with a bit of natural wear and tear.

God I always wanted a Dragon, no real idea why and I'm not sure I wouldn't be too embarrassed to play it out live. It'd be bloody fun though :-)

AlexHunter · August 2013

I've always been slightly concerned about gigging some guitars - largely due to the fact that if they were broken or stolen I couldn't get another, so I'd prefer not to take them to a little dive pub for a £50 gig. That said, I have used them all at gigs regardless and I'm using an ultra pretty Tom Anderson as the all round gigging guitar currently, even if it is a dive bar.

axisus · August 2013

Not in the same league at all, but I had a super bling PRS CU22 10 top 20th anniversary model. It was a lovely guitar but I sold it within 6 months, Felt much too precious. All my main guitars are 'tatty' now!

marantz1300 · August 2013

If its new and has no marks or dings,I feel less relaxed and get proper pissed if I mark it.
I have a 69 Les Paul Custom ,but it has 44 yrs of wear and I don't care if I add more to it.

Jalapeno · August 2013

I gig my Tom Anderson and my Sadowsky Archtop - not exactly vintage mega bucks to replace but they'd still more than make me cough a bit.

tbh - damage to them is my bigger paranoia.

frankus · August 2013

can't see the problem, he's a collector - it's a perfectly valid past-time - just might not be your thing.

I got told I was a collector of guitars by my Karate instructor ... but that's circumstance between job and kids I'm tied up - it won't alsways be like that, so I get my joy in creating or commisioning exactly what I want - pedals, amps, guitars

wordy · August 2013

I wouldnt care about putting a few marks on one of my guitars as long as I know I want to keep it, and play it for a significant length of time. I just worry about losing a lot of money on something expensive, after realising that its not the guitar for me after 6-12 months.

I occasionally think that mid-range guitars are the way to go.

I have a Fret King propped up by my bed at the moment thats probably picking up a bit of paint from the wall on the headstock and body, and it also probably gets a bit warm in there somedays (insert your own joke here), but thats fine cos its not worth so much, so who cares? It now gets more play than my american G&L, which sits on its stand in the spare room.

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The Too Valuable To Play Syndrome

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