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Heritage Auctions

The Stumble

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
716
Good afternoon Gents

I have been following a few auctions on the heritage website and wondered if anyone had ever attended or purchased a guitar through them?

a 1954 goldtop sold for $13,750 and 1958 goldtop went for $42k both well priced in my opinion

anyone with experience?
 

JTinFL

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
370
Good afternoon Gents

I have been following a few auctions on the heritage website and wondered if anyone had ever attended or purchased a guitar through them?

a 1954 goldtop sold for $13,750 and 1958 goldtop went for $42k both well priced in my opinion

anyone with experience?

+25%...
 

JTinFL

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
370
No those figures included what they call buyers premium

Then those are pretty reasonable prices. If I'm not mistaken, HA may be the sales arm of the guys that go around the country setting up events in hotels, buying up collectibles from local yokels at ridiculously cheap prices.
 

sharky

Active member
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
1,267
the 58 GT was refinished and for a refin way too expensive.

Plus you have to add their fees to the price
 

JJ Blair

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
3,462
Then those are pretty reasonable prices. If I'm not mistaken, HA may be the sales arm of the guys that go around the country setting up events in hotels, buying up collectibles from local yokels at ridiculously cheap prices.

You are incorrect.
 

JR-Special

New member
Joined
Dec 26, 2001
Messages
598
Heritage Auctions has been around for many years in the rare coin collector auction business. They are widely considered one of the finest and most reputable rare coin auction houses in the world.

Heritage is branching out a little and moving into some new markets, like rare guitars, fine art, and antiques. I am sure they will do a fine job of honestly presenting their clients guitars at the auctions they hold. I am also sure they have employed the best people to accurately authenticate the auction lots before sale. They aren't going to mess up their long history of intergrity to make a quick buck. But... Like any auction, it is up to the buyer to do their homework before they purchase.
 

S a m

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Messages
181
Sales seem to be around retail before adding the 25% deal-stopper surcharge.

The other thing is that they take nice pics of the front and back only, although their descriptions often refer to scratches and problems on the sides. That might work with coins but it's a substantial risk in the guitar world, doncha think?

Under-see, over-pay . . . sounds like auction fever to me. But I keep watching anyway.
 

DANELECTRO

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2003
Messages
6,318
I bought a 1955 Junior last year. It included the alligator case and everything was original except for the jack plate. I just had a basic description to go by and no information such as weight, fret condition, etc so I was taking a chance bidding on it. It took nearly 4 weeks before the guitar arrived, but it was well packed and in better condition than it appeared in their photos. This pickup in this guitar beats any other P90 I've owned and the neck has a wonderful profile, so I feel I got lucky on this one. Shipping was about $100 and with the buyers premium added it ended up being around $3800 out the door. A very reasonable price for the guitar IMO.
 

rockpit

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Messages
415
HA has had an auction in conjunction with the Dallas guitar show the last couple years. Sometimes the catalog description is sufficient. But, they may overlook something like 'non-original' nut. Or, in the most recent catalog, if the photo of the guitar actually went with the description, they described a wine red Les Paul, which was really an Oxblood Wraptail. I think if you register, and contact them well in advance, they will do an in-hand description for you.
 

OKGuitar

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
938
There are retail buyers in the mix, so if you're looking for a steal, the likelihood is you won't find it. 25% BP doesn't help either. They often understate the condition-which is good. if they say a guitar is "very good" it's generally a very conservative description. On the other hand, they are often (and I mean often) wrong about the originality or other factors. I know of a 63 335 that sold as unbroken that had a headstock repair (they took it back). I know of a 59 335 that had a rout in the pickup cavity (don't know how that was resolved). I bought a 345 that had a changed 3 way that wasn't disclosed, an amp that was described as "all original" that had a changed speaker but I also bought a 345 that was described as "very good" that was almost mint (other than crumbled tuner buttons). If you aren't there in person, it's a bit of a crapshoot. They do know how to pack.
 

Rich R

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
4,999
I buy all sorts of things from HA, all the time--not just guitars. It's not like dealing with Christie's, but they're fine. As OK says, the ratings on the guitars are very conservative. I've actually met their guitar appraiser, and he is very legit, as legit as anyone on this forum, although he is much more an acoustic man than an electric.

I think that, as a general rule, the AVH posters here would not be satisfied by any degree of price, condition, or expertise.
 

JTinFL

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
370
HA has had an auction in conjunction with the Dallas guitar show the last couple years. Sometimes the catalog description is sufficient. But, they may overlook something like 'non-original' nut. Or, in the most recent catalog, if the photo of the guitar actually went with the description, they described a wine red Les Paul, which was really an Oxblood Wraptail. I think if you register, and contact them well in advance, they will do an in-hand description for you.

Saw that Oxblood one, myself. Was too busy chasing another, tho. How'd it turn out?
 

apossibleworld

New member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
362
Heritage Auctions has been around for many years in the rare coin collector auction business. They are widely considered one of the finest and most reputable rare coin auction houses in the world.

Heritage is branching out a little and moving into some new markets, like rare guitars, fine art, and antiques. I am sure they will do a fine job of honestly presenting their clients guitars at the auctions they hold. I am also sure they have employed the best people to accurately authenticate the auction lots before sale. They aren't going to mess up their long history of intergrity to make a quick buck. But... Like any auction, it is up to the buyer to do their homework before they purchase.

It sounds like you haven't been following the regular guitar auctions they've been holding for the past several years. Or do you work for them or have a relationship with them or something?
 

The Stumble

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
716
Seem like people have had a mixed bag of experience which i suppose is to be expected with diverse auctioneers like these

thanks for the information
 
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