cmatthes

Cool around, and a thumbs up for the Genny Cream Ale!

That's an incredibly cool guitar, and I think you got a helluva score on it. Do I think that being in a run of 50 will impact it's future value or desirability? Honestly? Not really all that much. Gibson (and Fender) are putting out so many higher end collectible runs that they've totally diluted the market. I remember some of the limited runs from 30 years ago that were designed as "collector" instruments. Some of those were hot up until a decade or so ago, but with few exceptions, the new collectible market kind of stays flat. Simply too much out there. The limited runs to have gotten way back when, in my opinion, would include the Guitar Trader Flametop reissues, things like the Lonnie Mack Vees from '94, PRS Dragons, and stuff like that. I remember in the mid-'90s, when you could actually pick out the limited runs that the big guys were putting out, because they were few and far between (HLE Strats, Custom Shop Firebird VIIs, etc.). Even those aren't going for all that much more, and often for much less than they were a few years ago. For the last 15 or so years, the big guys all crank out so many "Limited Runs" and "Dealer Exclusives", that nobody can really keep track of them, and although many are incredibly cool, I wouldn't expect any of them to even so much as double in the next decade or so. I also have this theory that in the next 10-15 years, all those aging baby boomers who bought all these "collectibles" and vintage pieces are going to have a mass liquidation as they prepare for nursing homes and smaller quarters, further driving prices down and killing the market. There just isn't sufficient interest in whatever the hell Clapton played on the "Beano" album to anybody under 50-55 or so. Most people younger than 50 have never heard that record and couldn't care less about chasing down that "woman tone" that the older Gear Pagers and Les Paul Forum guys get wood over. That was the sound of THEIR youth, not mine. The kids buying guitars today are more interested in Schecter and Squier stuff than what I consider to be the classic stuff. Their heroes don't play '50s Les Pauls and 335s and Pre-CBS Fenders - they play black on black 7 string death machines! Anyway, not trying to open up a rant or tangent or anything - your guitar is freakin' cool as hell, and I mean that sincerely. Would I even think about investing in it for possible future increased value? Never. Play the hell out of it and enjoy it now - you got a kick ass guitar for a smokin' price!

The "Repo Man Soundtrack" (VA) The Jam, "Greatest Hits" The Lemonheads, "Car Button Cloth" You Am I, "Hourly, Daily" Led Zeppelin, "Houses of the Holy" Pretty much anything will work to drown out the morning latin/dance exercise music they pump out that carries to my part of this beach though!

I like that one, Jaye. I like the 'Trons in my Tele, so was curious to hear what you think about the ones on the MIM.

Always loved Queen, but have always hated Lambert. Not disputing he's got the chops - he very well might - but the thought definitely takes them down a few notches in my book. He's no Freddie, but then again, nobody could be.

I REARRY rike that Res Paur!!

Agree w/Turdus - I looked into buying Pavillion seats for the DC show a few weeks after they went on sale, and got the "Lawn Only" option. "Nissan Pavillion/Jiffy Lube Live" isn't worth the drive for lawn seats for me.

Maybe when the ticket prices started eclipsing opera ticket prices?

Yes - that and the Copper finish were standard on that model.

His wife was the roommate of a girl we worked with here at the beach back in the 80s. They were both models, but Elena got signed to VS the next year. She wasn't the hottest of the girls in that house either..

http://www.ebay.com/...=item3a7651ecb0 Cool, but that isn't a Proto II.

That's a BEAUTY!

I've got a fretless late '70s P-Bass that is slightly thinner at the nut for some reason, but...it's FRETLESS, so doesn't really do me a whole lot of good! I also have a J-Bass neck on my other P-Bass, and that seems to be the best of both worlds.

Yes - I have limited quantities available, but still have a selection. Email me with what you need and I'll see what I have.

No sharkfins. Sorry! We tried those several times over the years, but apparently, that's a proprietary shape, so none of the custom pick people can get that stock. One of the pick guys we used also said that he wouldn't be able to get those to fit in his dies properly for imprinting.

There is apparently no more of the checkerboard pattern cotton material left anywhere in the world! We've been trying to track that down for well over a decade here, and no dice. I'm sure that if we could find a manufacturer who could do it properly (it would have to be 100% right, or no point in doing it at all), then we could see about going forward, but to my knowledge, nobody has gotten that far with this "project" yet. If somebody finds that or can con a strap maker into doing those, I'm all ears...

I completely understand the concept, just don't personally think it's a good idea to throw good money after bad. Why spend $5-$7k for a guitar that will be worth $3k, tops, and may play like crap?

I think it's just that this one will become a money pit rather quickly. Very easy to put more money into a project or restoration than it will ever be worth, and this one is getting pretty close with whatever happened with that neck/fingerboard.

That = SUCK

A fitting tribute!

Congrats, Brian! She's a great girl - you know Siobhan approves as well...