• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Craig Chaquico's quest to get his stolen '59 Gibson Sunburst Les Paul guitar back

Cody

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
It seams like if the case was found in favor of Cody legally owning the property that Craig would be liable for Cody's legal expense?? What I don't know about LAW, you could write volumes on but isn't that how it works? I'm going thru a succession where my attorney says "if your challenged and found to be correct then the legal fees are owed by the challenger that lost". If this isn't correct, I'm not understanding where you could go to defend yourself against any giant firm defending a well to do client?
I'm no legal expert, but there was a chance that I could have been awarded legal expenses if the case had gone to trial and I won. Not a sure thing, but definitely something my attorney would have vigorously argued for.

However, this ended in a settlement before it went to trial, so the end result is less an expression of what the law says the outcome should be, and more whatever the parties could agree on in order for everyone to drop their lawsuits.

Everyone's expenses would have shot through the roof if it went to trial, so it was in the common interest to find a compromise before that. I've heard it said that in a good compromise, everyone walks away unhappy. In my case that meant that I got title to the guitar, but no reimbursement for legal fees.

I could have declined, taken my chances in court, and maybe have ended up a little better off... or possibly way, WAY worse off. Under the circumstances, given a host of f'ked up choices to pick from, I feel I made the right call.
 

T.Allen

Moderator
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,662
I feel I made the right call.

I think so Harry. You would have had to suffer the potential of many more years of litigation and negativity. At least you can put this behind you and move on. It completely sucks that you now have to sell your Burst. You were in a no win situation.

Best wishes for the future!
 

Doc Sausage

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2006
Messages
1,707
And so goes the American legal system. Years ago I worked for a franchisor. Even in instances where proprietary laws/patents were clearly broken, taking it to court was always a crap shoot. One that could potentially break you. What sometimes seems black and white can be open to judicial interpretation. :dang
 

deytookerjaabs

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
You've got a good head on your shoulders about the thing. Good, honest, hard working people get shafted financially (or even worse) through the legal system every day. Of course, and vice versa.
 

jeffreylucky1

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
35
This is just heart-breaking. It is one of the reasons I don't even want the serial numbers of my guitars known. I've purchased many of them at pawnshops or in music stores second-hand. I've purchased some in bars after gigs or had people who knew I collected bring them to me to buy when they needed money. I purchased all of my current collection in good faith and only about 10% of my 45 or so guitars were purchased new. The fact is, most of us aren't 100% sure we don't own a guitar that was stolen at some point. We only know what we were told when we purchased the instrument. Think about that for a while and let that sink in....

I'm truly sorry, Harry. This just isn't fair. At all.

Jeff
 

Blues Bird

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
414
This is just heart-breaking. It is one of the reasons I don't even want the serial numbers of my guitars known. I've purchased many of them at pawnshops or in music stores second-hand. I've purchased some in bars after gigs or had people who knew I collected bring them to me to buy when they needed money. I purchased all of my current collection in good faith and only about 10% of my 45 or so guitars were purchased new. The fact is, most of us aren't 100% sure we don't own a guitar that was stolen at some point. We only know what we were told when we purchased the instrument. Think about that for a while and let that sink in....

I'm truly sorry, Harry. This just isn't fair. At all.

Jeff

Can't help it, but I am not quite sure whether you know what good faith is all about. At least buying guitars from walk-ins in shady bars wouldn't make it on my short list about good faith.
 
Last edited:

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Can't help it, but I am not quite sure whether you know what good faith is all about. At least buying guitars from walk-ins in shady bars wouldn't make it on my short list on good faith.
same here , I agree .Ditto for the second hand stores and pawn shops .
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I wonder if Craig Chaquico will try to buy the burst when it goes on the block ?
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
So if you were in the market for a burst and you found one in a pawn shop in your price range, you wouldn't consider it?
No, apart from The Music Zoo, Dave's Guitars , Wildwood , and Lark Street Music that's where I spend my cash because I know and trust them .To me it's all about TRUST .I cultivate friendships through business and work towards good deals via return sales and future sales .
 

talonmm

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Messages
179
I cultivate friendships through business and work towards good deals via return sales and future sales .

--------


what does this mean?
 

Cream Fan

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
I wonder if Craig Chaquico will try to buy the burst when it goes on the block ?

Being the writer that I am, I can't help thinking of the conspiracy theory aspect of this. That Craig's intent all along was to maneuver you into selling the guitar and he'd snap it right back up. I would have to assume that if you sold it someone other than him, your agreement to let him "borrow" it on occasion will become null and void, and that any new owner will not be bound by that. If it is at all possible, I would sell it to anyone EXCEPT him. Fuck the guy.
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Being the writer that I am, I can't help thinking of the conspiracy theory aspect of this. That Craig's intent all along was to maneuver you into selling the guitar and he'd snap it right back up. I would have to assume that if you sold it someone other than him, your agreement to let him "borrow" it on occasion will become null and void, and that any new owner will not be bound by that. If it is at all possible, I would sell it to anyone EXCEPT him. Fuck the guy.
I have my reservations about this due to what the asking price will be now (considerably larger than way back in the 70's)
 

Cream Fan

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
You're probably right. I would doubt he has the scratch for this. Still, if he did, he could always have someone straw purchase it for him. Cody would never know until the news broke that Craig is reunited with his stolen burst!
 

J.D.

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
I don't see any indication that CC would like to purchase this guitar from Cody at today's market price :hmm
 

Cream Fan

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
You may be right, in which case the irony is two-fold. Now, neither one will have access to it.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Being the writer that I am, I can't help thinking of the conspiracy theory aspect of this. That Craig's intent all along was to maneuver you into selling the guitar and he'd snap it right back up. I would have to assume that if you sold it someone other than him, your agreement to let him "borrow" it on occasion will become null and void, and that any new owner will not be bound by that. If it is at all possible, I would sell it to anyone EXCEPT him. Fuck the guy.

I think somewhere, in the last 20 pages of this thread, it is mentioned about this possibility from the beginning. When Craig and Cody came into contact over this, I'm pretty sure it was discussed about buying it.
Might be a long read. :hmm
Or, it could be from and early thread on the same subject. :ganz

Cody is a very reasonable guy, to say the very least. :salude
 

StudioFan

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
54
I've read this whole thread.
Sorry for all the troubles with this guitar.

I would sell the house .:hank
 

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
I've read this whole thread.
Sorry for all the troubles with this guitar.

I would sell the house .:hank

It's a valuable guitar, absolutely no doubt about that.

What's priceless in this whole thing is doing the right thing by one's family...and with the greatest respect I believe that's what Harry's doing.

Tip of the hat from here, from someone who's recently had to do the same thing, albeit not with a 'Burst - but with every guitar and amp bar one...first time since I was a kid am I down to one guitar. It bloody hurts.

I'd do it again tomorrow to keep my people safe.

:salude
 
Top