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Stolen: Historic Red 1958 Les Paul with Factory Bigsby # 8 7145 - LOCATED!

erecords

New member
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
6
How can I get my guitar back? It's a red Custom Art and Historic 1958 Les Paul with a factory Bigsby (serial number 87145, 8 7145, 8-7145 )

I AGAIN found my guitar listed for sale on eBay: it is STILL at Fellowship of The Acoustics in the Netherlands. I sent an email to the Dedemsvaart police.

The guitar was initially stolen in Van Nuys in 1999 after a recording session with David Was. ,I filed a police report (Van Nuys Police Report # 990938087)
The guitar surfaced at Vintage Gear Hollywood I showed them my original receipt and police report after they confirmed that they had the guitar, and they then lied to me and said they didn't have it and told me alternately that they both gave the guitar back to some woman in Long Beach, AND that they never had the guitar and said they were selling it for someone at the Pasadena Swap Meet. The REAL story is:

My STOLEN guitar was then sold By Chris Nelson and John Nelson of Vintage Gear Hollywood to Rudi Bults at Fellowship Of The Acoustics in Dedemsvaart, The Netherlands. All parties KNOW it is a stolen guitar, and KNEW THIS WHEN THEY SOLD IT INTERNATIONALLY VIA THE INTERNET.

The Van Nuys Detective asked for the guitar to be returned, but Rudi just ignored the request and kept the guitar... telling me that he had sold the guitar. HE STILL HAS IT five years later!

I have been tracking this guitar since 1999. I know where it is and who currently has it I just cant get it back. Frustrating!

Rudi Bults has my STOLEN guitar (serial number 87145) 8 7145, 8-7145 listed on eBay as:
eBay item number:
131969121499
"Gibson 58 Les Paul Bigsby Reissue Cherry Red 1997"

Business seller information
The Fellowship of Acoustics
h.j. bults
Moerheimstraat 144
7701CJ Dedemsvaart
Nederland

Phone:31645386093
Fax:+31523-233011
Email:rudi@tfoa.eu
The Fellowship of Acoustics Rudi Bults Kanaalweg Oost 36 7691CE Bergentheim (NL) tel +31(0)523-232205|645-386093 E-Mail info@tfoa.eu BTW Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer:NL851536748B01
Trade Registration Number: 851536748
Value Added Tax Number: NL 851536748B01
I provide invoices with VAT separately displayed.
 

66SuperTremMKIV

New member
Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
405
Makes a mockery of the law.

Vintage Gear Hollywood....... there's a name from the past. Those guys are on par with Music Ground UK. Have used as many aliases as MG on ebay.

VG Magazine used to use Nelson to write articles on Vintage guitars, amps etc. When informed of his dubious practices and misrepresentation of vintage amps on ebay, massively exposed at the time on certain forums, he was sacked immediately. One of the Worst stores in LA.

With the proof you have it should be a lay down that the guitar be seized and returned. If serial # and description match, done !
 

Arch D. Bunker

Active member
Joined
Jul 9, 2015
Messages
255
Could have helped if you had included a link to the auction (appartently the item has sold):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-58-L...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Sorry for your loss.. I'm fine with naming and shaming, but only if supported by convincing evidence.

How do you know for sure that the Dutch Ebay seller knew that he was buying a stolen item? It's not likely that the US seller contacted him saying "hey, wanna buy a stolen geetar from me?"

If the Dutch seller was informed by you that he had your stolen guitar only after him buying it, then that does not automatically mean he would have a legal obligation to return it to you. That is a legal can of worms - just check the thread on the Montrose burst.
 

erecords

New member
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
6
Update: the Guitar is being returned to me! Thank you to the Dedemsvaart police in the Netherlands, the L.A.P.D., and the staff at Fellowship of The Acoustics for helping me to get my long lost guitar back!


How can I get my guitar back? It's a red Custom Art and Historic 1958 Les Paul with a factory Bigsby (serial number 87145, 8 7145, 8-7145 )

I AGAIN found my guitar listed for sale on eBay: it is STILL at Fellowship of The Acoustics in the Netherlands. I sent an email to the Dedemsvaart police.

The guitar was initially stolen in Van Nuys in 1999 after a recording session with David Was. ,I filed a police report (Van Nuys Police Report # 990938087)
The guitar surfaced at Vintage Gear Hollywood I showed them my original receipt and police report after they confirmed that they had the guitar, and they then lied to me and said they didn't have it and told me alternately that they both gave the guitar back to some woman in Long Beach, AND that they never had the guitar and said they were selling it for someone at the Pasadena Swap Meet. The REAL story is:

My STOLEN guitar was then sold By Chris Nelson and John Nelson of Vintage Gear Hollywood to Rudi Bults at Fellowship Of The Acoustics in Dedemsvaart, The Netherlands. All parties KNOW it is a stolen guitar, and KNEW THIS WHEN THEY SOLD IT INTERNATIONALLY VIA THE INTERNET.

The Van Nuys Detective asked for the guitar to be returned, but Rudi just ignored the request and kept the guitar... telling me that he had sold the guitar. HE STILL HAS IT five years later!

I have been tracking this guitar since 1999. I know where it is and who currently has it I just cant get it back. Frustrating!

Rudi Bults has my STOLEN guitar (serial number 87145) 8 7145, 8-7145 listed on eBay as:
eBay item number:
131969121499
"Gibson 58 Les Paul Bigsby Reissue Cherry Red 1997"

Business seller information
The Fellowship of Acoustics
h.j. bults
Moerheimstraat 144
7701CJ Dedemsvaart
Nederland

Phone:31645386093
Fax:+31523-233011
Email:rudi@tfoa.eu
The Fellowship of Acoustics Rudi Bults Kanaalweg Oost 36 7691CE Bergentheim (NL) tel +31(0)523-232205|645-386093 E-Mail info@tfoa.eu BTW Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer:NL851536748B01
Trade Registration Number: 851536748
Value Added Tax Number: NL 851536748B01
I provide invoices with VAT separately displayed.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
That's great news!!

And, in a few minutes I will go retrieve a Les Paul that was stolen from me.
A big 'THANK YOU' to local law enforcement! :salude
 

F-Hole

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
2,171
Vintage Gear Hollywood.......misrepresentation of vintage amps on ebay.....one of the Worst stores in LA.

That's not the half of it....or even a quarter. Lest we forget the fake 'bursts, fake V's and Explorers.......they acted as a front for a certain maker who never does "retail", but should be doing hard time.
 

MapleFlame

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
So happy that you are going to get your guitar back. Its a beautiful guitar. I would love to see pictures when she arrives.
 

erecords

New member
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
6
So happy that you are going to get your guitar back. Its a beautiful guitar. I would love to see pictures when she arrives.

Here are some pictures:

red.jpg

IMG_3565.JPG

IMG_3566.JPG

IMG_3567.JPG

IMG_3790.JPG

IMG_3590.JPG

IMG_37762.jpg

DSCN6400.jpg

DSCN6384.jpg

DSCN6380.jpg

IMG_37832.jpg

IMG_3782.JPG

IMG_37882.jpg


www.erecordsmusic.com/red.jpg
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_3565.JPG
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_3566.JPG
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_3567.JPG
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_3790.JPG
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_3590.JPG
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_37762.jpg
www.erecordsmusic.com/DSCN6400.jpg
www.erecordsmusic.com/DSCN6384.jpg
www.erecordsmusic.com/DSCN6380.jpg
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_37832.jpg
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_3782.JPG
www.erecordsmusic.com/IMG_37882.jpg
 
Last edited:

F-Hole

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
2,171
Vintage Gear Hollywood....... there's a name from the past. Those guys are on par with Music Ground UK. Have used as many aliases as MG on ebay.

Curiously, their name cropped up yesterday.....trying to help a guy out who bought a fake 18 from them. A good fake, but fake nevertheless.

They also have a 2x12 fake 18 currently for sale.
 

Xpensive Wino

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Messages
6,079
Curiously, their name cropped up yesterday.....trying to help a guy out who bought a fake 18 from them. A good fake, but fake nevertheless.

They also have a 2x12 fake 18 currently for sale.

The skulduggery level in the 'vintage' world is sick-making. :dang
 
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