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The $$ Value of Provenance

Rich R

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
4,999
I think it's COMPLETELY up to the individual buyer. I, and many other buyers of vintage guitars, see NO VALUE in "paying up" for a celebrity provenance. Obviously, there is another school of thought, as the prices for some celebrity guitars are stratospheric.

There are also other intangibles at play, call 'em "judgment calls". Just a few weeks ago, buyers went absolutely snap-out berserk for the Gilmour guitars. OTOH, this weekend Heritage will sell several absolutely first-rate guitars that come from Graham Nash, and if there is a celebrity premium, I expect it will be modest (with a couple of exceptions). Why? My theory is that, despite being in one of the most successful bands of all time, Nash isn't perceived as that much of an instrumentalist, let alone a guitar hero. These can thus offer really solid value, as the general provenance issues remain ironclad. I would not mind owning Nash's '54 Strat...:spabout
 

au_rick

Active member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
871
I think it's COMPLETELY up to the individual buyer. I, and many other buyers of vintage guitars, see NO VALUE in "paying up" for a celebrity provenance. Obviously, there is another school of thought, as the prices for some celebrity guitars are stratospheric.

There are also other intangibles at play, call 'em "judgment calls". Just a few weeks ago, buyers went absolutely snap-out berserk for the Gilmour guitars. OTOH, this weekend Heritage will sell several absolutely first-rate guitars that come from Graham Nash, and if there is a celebrity premium, I expect it will be modest (with a couple of exceptions). Why? My theory is that, despite being in one of the most successful bands of all time, Nash isn't perceived as that much of an instrumentalist, let alone a guitar hero. These can thus offer really solid value, as the general provenance issues remain ironclad. I would not mind owning Nash's '54 Strat...:spabout

I would not mind owning ANY '54 Strat
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
I think there should / would be some increase in provenance, being that this was owned by Ed King, and used on Sweet Home. However, this is something like 100 times the "regular" price for a similar guitar - maybe more depending on what the replaced pickups would do to the price.
I couldn't say what I would be willing to pay - since I would be lucky to afford $45 and a couple guitar picks.
but maybe in the $50 - $100K range for that provenance?
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
This is quite a fascinating subject because I was just talking about this same issue with a family member a couple of nights ago and I believe that original mint untouched instruments (Gibson , Fender , Martin ) command the best prices , but then if it has a celebrity provenance the price goes thru the proverbial roof ! It then becomes ones priorities if they have to have a celebrity owned instrument or a mint untouched clean instrument which will be a bargain versus a celebrity owned instrument . I do know some celebrities maintain there instruments originality and some chop them up to smithereens as it is no different than a private owner that alters there vintage instrument .
 

Aloha_Ark

Active member
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Messages
154
A bunch of salesmen estimated that the value of the guitar (without famous provenance) would be $2500. Is Carter's Vintage crazy? Have they lost their mind? It's a friggin' CBS guitar.

 

Tarcisioo

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
385
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On this interview, Ed himself says he didn't like the guitar, that it wasn't a good one. Rhet Shull comments about that in his video posted in this thread.

So who's gonna pay for an Ed King's guitar that Ed himself said it was a bad one?
 

Cliff Gress

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
3,302
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So who's gonna pay for an Ed King's guitar that Ed himself said it was a bad one?

A rock guitar collector with dough. It is an historic guitar even if a bad one.
 

agogetr

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
451
to me 'provenance' is when i drive up a dusty road and buy an old guitar from the old as dirt original owner living in a canned ham trailer. he is telling you when he got it and how and where and everything he did with it and you know in your heart he isnt bullshitting you ...id rather buy from an old crusty dude like that than a guitar from a dealer who got it from milli vanilli
 
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