The "sleeper" guitar brands are stirring...

[Willie G. Moseley]

Hmmm...methinks once again, the adage about "you can't find a deal on eBay anymore but you can sure as hell sell something for a great price on there" is becoming more apparent with decent-made guitars w/ brand names other than Gibson or Fender; i.e., Hamer, Robin, G & L, etc.

I believe this has been discussed here before (possibly before I signed on), but the recent sale of an early '80s G & L SC-2 (a STUDENT GUITAR, for chrissakes) for over $1500 seems to indicate that such extreme pricing means that eBay winners either have too much money and not enough sense, or they are finally recognizing good values in vintage guitars and paying premium prices...or maybe it's a bit of both (although I personally think it's more of the former).

True, the SC-2 was near mint, but even though I like Leo-era G & Ls, that price seems a bit over the top. Of course, Gibsons and Fenders fetch more than their regular-market worth as well, perhaps even more so.

From now on, if anyone asks me about something I think is a sleeper in the used/vintage guitar market, I'm keepin' my mouth shut.

Anybody think such results as the SC-2 mean the end of "sleepers"?

[Michael_]

the end of sleepers on ebay, maybe...though there are still good deals to be had out there.

[formula73]

Hell maybe. I'm bidding a ridiculous amount of dough on that Vector KK, but it's a personal thing. I just want it, and I think they're killer guitars. Maybe that dude who bought the G&L had one he loved and lost? That's my story.

[Bob P]

IMO, there are still a few "sleepers" out there (at least it sometimes seems like that when you trying to sell 'em).

Hamer- The 90's Specials, Diablos, Studio's, Eclipse's, are way underpriced for what you get. When a near mint P90 Goldtop Studio barely fetches $800 I think it is a bargain. Centaura's are also a bargain

Heritage H150CM - I've got one with a 1 pc back, flame top, Duncan 59's, Traditional tune a matic/stop (not the big Schaller bumpers). Easily equivalent to a Les Paul Std (maybe better) but is worth 2/3 of what a Les Paul goes for.

Jerry Jones- original style "Danelectro" style with painted neck/rosewood bridge, etc.

G&L Legacy's.

[El Kabong]

The best buy out there still is a Japanese model series Charvel. For around $200~$400 one can get a great guitar. Shred is not dead.

[Hamerica]

In my best Allan Shore voice - Personally, I like to think ebay as a trail ballon. It will either be the Hindenburg or the proverbal SOS to the world.

In a lot of ways Willie is right. The best deals are still in the mom and pops and pawn shops of wherever. I understand the back parts of Mississippi and Albama are still quite good.

Ebay is just a market of, well, there campaign is correct "it". Bill Clinton started "it" but could not define "it". Low and behold, ebay has. "It" is whatever. I have had some really good luck on ebay. I have also had my share of nightmares. Sellers are getting smarter and ebay is getting richer. If you have "it" and want to sell "it" they have a great market for "it". (Damn, I can't stop.)

Bob P also makes a very good submission. I think there are several sleepers out there. Sometimes they arrive on ebay sometimes they don't. P90 Specials will eventually get their due. G&L's and others. The Centauras, yeah maybe not. Calis seem to be preferred.

The vintage market does surprisingly well for those that can stomach sight unseen and pray to the vintage gods that "it" is as they claim.

Somehow, it's a sad commentary on our lifestyle. We trust people we don't know with not only our money but allow them to tell us if we have been bad or good via feedback. Our neighbors (just thought of the Stones song)? Well, who are they anyway and do they have what I want? Whatever "it" is?

We get a sense of accomplishment in increasing our material wealth and dish out praise in doing so. Speaking of that I got go and leave someone feedback.

Best wishes,

Hamerica

[JJ Paul]

Hey Will - nice seeing you here (I'm the owner of your ex-Mockingbird, the one that was published on that lil' book of yours)...

This "market" (because that's what it is) is growing because of the way prices have already risen on the "bigger" instruments (think Blue Chip stocks vs. NASDAQ featherweights).

So people are exploring other avenues, picking up stuff they wouldn't have touched with a stick a decade ago.

And in the process they're thinking - Gee, these weren't bad at all!! especially when compared to some of the pretty mediocre stuff that is to be found nowadays (Non Hamer Content ).

Add to the fact that many of these guitties simply aren't produced anymore, and that in many cases many of them were heavily modded - so really if you have people that want to have good sounding, "original" period-correct guitars in good condition, said people are gona be laying cash on the table.

I'm definitely seeing this trend in the old 70-80s Ibanez models and I can imagine it will spread.

Probably all for the wrong reasons, and probably in an irrational way.

But as we have learnt from the recent past, "irrational exhuberance" can go a long way before exhausting itself......

JJ Paul

[cmatthes]

When an O'Hagan Shark goes for over $750 (yes, it's seen that action at least once!!), something's seriously wrong with the buying public!

[mattb]

I think my Monaco up there now it a great deal....this is the 2nd run and no one has bought it. I'm losing faith that it will sell. Starting BID is only $875

[HamerHokie]

I think my Monaco up there now it a great deal....this is the 2nd run and no one has bought it. I'm losing faith that it will sell. Starting BID is only $875

This dovetails in with what I was going to post - there are plenty of good Hamer deals on Ebay. No one bids up the current models too high, and the older models are bargains.

[lonote049]

Keep an eye on USA made Reverend guitars and basses. Joe Naylor has stopped making his guitars in the USA (except for the Rick Vito signature guitars), he stopped making basses about a year and is now importing his guitars (no basses available) from Korea. The Korean Reverends don't look like the USA Reverends but they still have a retro vibe and appear to be high quality instruments. I've had a Rumblefish XL bass for years and I can attest to the quality and workmanship of USA Reverends. I bought the bass stupid cheap ($360 shipped with a gig bag in pristine condition) and I could probably double my money now.

[Willie G. Moseley]

I traveled the rural areas of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle for 29 years, and even those areas (think they) are getting hip. Of course, the way things have turned out, I shoulda jumped on more guitars, even Harmonys and Kays, than I did, particularly in the '70s, but hindsight's 20/20.

But a few years back I went into a pawn shop in a small town north of Mobile, along the Mississippi line and the dealer had a '60s Silvertone by Kay archtop acoustic (humor me if you've heard this before)---the type with the faux wood grain spray-painted on. The trapeze tailpiece was solid rust, and the store had a sign on it that said "Antique---$499". This happened in the middle of nowhere!

I've wisecracked that the owner of the store told me "Mr. Moseley, before you leave, I'd like for you to meet my wife and my daughter."

And there was one woman there with him...

[fruhike]

The best buy out there still is a Japanese model series Charvel. For around $200~$400 one can get a great guitar. Shred is not dead.

I had a 90 or so Charvel Fusion Deluxe and that was one of the best guitars I have owned. Very easy to play.

[tombo]

The best buy out there still is a Japanese model series Charvel. For around $200~$400 one can get a great guitar. Shred is not dead.

Yeah.....then ya gotta figure in the $$600-$700 worth of "mods" and you coulda got something that was good in the first place - a Hamer Californian comes to mind.

[El Kabong]

Nope, Tombo, I wanted frets, not railroad ties. How's that $1000 Fischer~Price amp of yours doing? Do you wear a toy hard hat to go with your plastic amp when you pretend to have a Soldano in your living room?

[serial]

The Vector KKs SHOULD be selling for a good bit. They are extremely well made guitars (well any one I've played). I hadn't played mine in about a year (since I got my Korina Vector from JeffR). Broke it out last night and forgot that it weighs absolutely nothing, sounds and plays great-even with the Kahler.

[wgarces]

I love my KK V. Play it all the time. Broke the high e string! I'm changing the black mounting ring to a creme one. Hey Steve, do you have a pic of yours? Sell the Marshall?

KK_top

[sw686blue]

I think my Monaco up there now it a great deal....this is the 2nd run and no one has bought it. I'm losing faith that it will sell. Starting BID is only $875

Matt, how come you ran it a second time? Wasn't there a bid on it last week?

[stobro]

"But a few years back I went into a pawn shop in a small town north of Mobile, along the Mississippi line ..."

I used to travel that road. I distinctly remember a mom-and-pop store with one of those generic Coca-Cola signs out front that read:

Enjoy! LIVE FISH BAIT

That was back in the mid '80s when I was a design engineer for Peavey. I guess some of the guitars I helped design might someday enjoy an ebay-fueled price appreciation. I'll have to get ahead of the curve and start collecting. Let's see, Razer, Mystic, Milestone, Horizon, Patriot, Foundation, Fury, Hydra...

-Brandon

[bobbymack]

Ebay is the market.

Denny Crane.