Collectors Choice Guitars and Collectible Values

Guitardon · Aug 17, 2014

KennyY said:
I've never found LE guitars to be good investments. The bad thing is when I have to sell stuff I had some unfortunte circumstance like personal emergencies happen at the time that was not right. Also, If you wait long enough, would the artist still be recognized and have future "goodwill" that future generations would want it also?

I think the overproduction of Historic Les Paul's have made them so common that none of them will ever really go up in value.It seems like they make maybe 5000 or more a year of R8's R9's and R0's times 20 years. That puts over 100000 if I am correct in my estimates, divide that by collectors and you get an over saturated market. But on the brighter side today is the new heyday of guitar building so we can all own one as nice as an original for our own enjoyment. That is how I look at it, I have my favorite 3 and I love every minute I get withe them playing, looking at them and talking about them. I definitely get my money's worth plus they sound and look so good on the occasional gig I play,:3zone so I can't complain.

oldflame · Aug 18, 2014

Re: Colectors Choice Guitars and Collectible Values

Pat Boyack said:
Here is my own experience -

Vintage gear and "investment" gear are great but you really don't want to use them because the wear lowers the investment. I've sold off much of my vintage gear because I never used it. I want to enjoy the instruments and amps I have. Life is too short to just brag to your friends and look at it.

Now I know many use vintage gear live but I would guess that it would be refines/reworked stuff that has already lost much of it's value. Mine was all either mint or top notch. :dude: :dude:

I feel much the same way Pat. For example, two of those vintage semi's in my avatar have 'issues'. Because of that, I never worry about their collectable status so I'm happy to gig them because they're really great playing/sounding guitars.

GreenBurst · Aug 19, 2014

KennyY said:
I've never found LE guitars to be good investments. The bad thing is when I have to sell stuff I had some unfortunte circumstance like personal emergencies happen at the time that was not right. Also, If you wait long enough, would the artist still be recognized and have future "goodwill" that future generations would want it also?

When the Lonnie Mack Flying V was released in 1994 (Qty = 195) it sold from $699 to about $1200 depending on where you were and if the store recognized what they had (some just sold as regular Flying Vs with a Bigsby - ie $699).

Now there are asking prices around $5K. Before the '08 bust I saw them advertised for as much as $7.5K. But still significantly more now than original the price.

Very cool guitar BTW (50s Korina spec V but in mahogany).

So, LE guitars can appreciate.

Maxmc · Jan 31, 2016

Same as the old question about can I make money on the stock market/property/collectibles/ horse racing. The are people who make a lot of money out of said markets but they are serious about their chosen market and spend a huge amount of time becoming knowledgeable masters of their chosen field. Even an original 59 with a known provenance is still a gamble. Just ask those that bought one back in the early 00s. On the other hand if you're after an outstandingly good Les Paul in the looks and playing department then a CC is definitely the go. Just pick one that appeals and track it down. I have a CC#6 and I couldn't be happier. If I wanted to invest I would've bought a house, which in Oz has always been a good investment.

F-Hole · Jan 31, 2016

Maxmc said:
If I wanted to invest I would've bought a house, which in Oz has always been a good investment.

Not around the '89 crash......but we digress.

Don't some of the Pearly reissue guitars sell for "silly" money?

renderit · Jan 31, 2016

Maxmc said:
Same as the old question about can I make money on the stock market/property/collectibles/ horse racing. The are people who make a lot of money out of said markets but they are serious about their chosen market and spend a huge amount of time becoming knowledgeable masters of their chosen field. Even an original 59 with a known provenance is still a gamble. Just ask those that bought one back in the early 00s. On the other hand if you're after an outstandingly good Les Paul in the looks and playing department then a CC is definitely the go. Just pick one that appeals and track it down. I have a CC#6 and I couldn't be happier. If I wanted to invest I would've bought a house, which in Oz has always been a good investment.

I think the new thought on that is it is not an investment if you live in it. As in you have to sell it to realize the gains and unless you are willing to move down the ladder you have to buy a new one at inflated prices anyway. So no. It's not an investment. You are not likely to lose money. But unless it's your kids getting it when you die and they don't need it...For them YOUR house may be an investment.

sonar · Jan 31, 2016

Investing in a personal guitar collection (usually) tends to even out assuming most have grown out of the big box store, impulse binging.

I don't believe limited runs effect the big picture all that much. Sometimes you'll hit, sometimes not.

Just play what you like and have fun.

Maxmc · Jan 31, 2016

renderit said:
I think the new thought on that is it is not an investment if you live in it. As in you have to sell it to realize the gains and unless you are willing to move down the ladder you have to buy a new one at inflated prices anyway. So no. It's not an investment. You are not likely to lose money. But unless it's your kids getting it when you die and they don't need it...For them YOUR house may be an investment.

Sorry, let me clarify: I'm talking about a house which is not your "principal place of residence". In Australia at least, house prices in urban areas tend to double in value every seven to ten years. This has been the trend for the last 120 years.

david plues · Jan 31, 2016

hi Don, good thread with some interesting views - don't see why it buying one cannot be a good instrument to own and play and a potential investment - as long as it is 'spare' cash and not needed elsewhere.

El Gringo · Feb 2, 2016

i did not buy mine as an investment piece, i purchased mine to play .

class5lp · Feb 2, 2016

Guitardon said:
Hello everyone, I would like opinions on what the forum members and forum experts think about the potential of the CC series going up in value over time. I see them as investment guitars and with limited production numbers and think they have a slight chance. But what do you guys think, is there enough of the vibe needed in these guitars to make them desirable in the long run to become collectibles, or is it just another Gibson marketing ploy to sell some actually mediocre guitars at a premium. Some of these guitars would be hard to sell if they were regular production runs because of the bad tops they put on them and plain grain that others have.

So my question is simply do you see these guitars holding their values and eventually going up or is it just a flash in the pan marketing gimmick and declining over time?

Thanks in advance for anyone that chimes in on this topic!

I never buy a guitar looking at it from an investment point. I buy them cause I like them!

renderit · Feb 2, 2016

I buy them as an investment. But I bought stock as an investment so we know what an idiot I am...

junior beast · Mar 15, 2016

These Collectors Choice's look to be getting better and better, which is fun to watch I guess. Does anybody close to the inner circle know how long Gibson intends to be issuing new Collectors Choice guitars. Just out of interest. Will we be talking about CC#100 one day? Again, not that it's a bad thing.:salude

F-Hole · Mar 15, 2016

I know of five guitars in the "queue", so they'll be going for a while anyway.

sws1 · Mar 15, 2016

F-Hole said:
I know of five guitars in the "queue", so they'll be going for a while anyway.

I just learned of another one yesterday. Probably in the 5 you are referring to.

CC29V · Mar 15, 2016

I think a CC is an very usable Investment!

Cheers
Jürgen

ourmaninthenorth · Mar 15, 2016

El Gringo said:
i did not buy mine as an investment piece, i purchased mine to play .

Pretty much the same here...I buy guitars to invest myself in..as an antedote to all the financial bollocks we like to surround ourselves with.

Spiritual matters of this nature are pretty difficult to quantify on a balance sheet.

drog1602 · Mar 15, 2016

I can only speak for myself, I did not buy my CC as a collectible. I wanted a guitar that had that feel of a old worn in guitar but was a new instrument, so has a long playing life. My CC has met/exceeded my expectations, I am very happy with my purchase.

One thing you can expect when buying a Gibson, if you keep it long enough you will never lose your initial investment.

CC29V · Mar 15, 2016

ourmaninthenorth said:
Pretty much the same here...I buy guitars to invest myself in..as an antedote to all the financial bollocks we like to surround ourselves with.

Spiritual matters of this nature are pretty difficult to quantify on a balance sheet.

Agree!

Guitardon · Mar 15, 2016

drog1602 said:
I can only speak for myself, I did not buy my CC as a collectible. I wanted a guitar that had that feel of a old worn in guitar but was a new instrument, so has a long playing life. My CC has met/exceeded my expectations, I am very happy with my purchase.

One thing you can expect when buying a Gibson, if you keep it long enough you will never lose your initial investment.

I agree with everything you said here except about losing valuable. Maybe over a long period of time you'll recoup your money but in the short time you will not. I bought mine to play so I don't give a diddly.

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