burningyen Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 My previous thread got archived, so I hope it’s ok that I’m starting this new one. Sadly but inevitably, Walter Becker's two Mercury Heads will be auctioned by his estate on October 18th. It’s an insane collection, worth checking out: https://www.julienslive.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/312/lot/122287https://www.julienslive.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/312/lot/122288 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Fookin' SHITE! This has to be the most ridiculously comprehensive collection I've ever laid eyes on, and I'm only on page 6/23! An Ibanez Rocket Roll bass? GTFO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Haynie Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 So, Ben, are you going to try to get used guitars that you built now that they are celebrity owned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortious Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 You're in some good company there, Ben! Wow, what a list. The low starting bids and estimates are amusing. I got a bid in on the Huber Redwood for $750. I'm sure no one else is gonna bother with that given all the other stuff available. 🙃 I see all the Hamer's have bids in already too. Even Julien's doesn't know how to spell Squier. How the hell did this guy ever have time to be a professional musician while amassing all that gear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 He owned ALL the stuff. Dang. Good for him, for supporting small builders but that's into hoarding compulsive territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizanski Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Those price estimates were clearly compiled by one of the industry's top custodial engineers, because it certainly wasn't anyone who knows anything about the value of guitar gear. There are 5 or 6 Hubers there listed at prices that even the most reclusive Gear Pager would scoff at. Several listed with a $3,000 "estimate," which would be a steal for one owned by any unknown clown, much less a celebrity player Hall of Famer like Becker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biz Prof Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 9 minutes ago, kizanski said: Those price estimates were clearly compiled by one of the industry's top custodial engineers, because it certainly wasn't anyone who knows anything about the value of guitar gear. There are 5 or 6 Hubers there listed at prices that even the most reclusive Gear Pager would scoff at. Several listed with a $3,000 "estimate," which would be a steal for one owned by any unknown clown, much less a celebrity player Hall of Famer like Becker. Thought exactly the same thing. It's an impressive collection with seemingly a sample of everything. A few that stood out to me: A bevy of Melody Makers (I can see having one, maybe two) Firebird 12-string Camo Gibson Explorer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizanski Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 1 minute ago, Biz Prof said: Thought exactly the same thing. It's an impressive collection with seemingly a sample of everything. A few that stood out to me: A bevy of Melody Makers (I can see having one, maybe two) Firebird 12-string Camo Gibson Explorer You had me until "Camo Gibson Explorer." - lol A terrible idea made by a company during an era which could best be described as "lost." But speaking of Gibsons in the Becker auction, give me all of the R'59 Reissues you can find for $3,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biz Prof Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Just now, kizanski said: You had me until "Camo Gibson Explorer." - lol A terrible idea made by a company during an era which could best be described as "lost." Seemed really odd that he would pick that for his collection, but it just dawned on me that he had a few guitars with three P-90s. The only other time I can recall a "pro" using one on stage was when I caught a Steve Earle show in the late '80s. His guitarist had one, but IIRC, his had a factory Kahler. It needed one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigolsparky Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 It looks like he had at least one of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnieZ Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 25% buyers premium on any purchase over $100 + shipping. some things I would be interested in but not because they were Becker's. arniez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 HOT DAMN. That's a LOT of guitars and amps. I wonder how many the family is keeping. I keep hearing the Dom DeLouise from History of the World Part I in my head : "Nice. Nice. Not THRILLING. But NICE." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveL Posted September 23, 2019 Share Posted September 23, 2019 Man, that is a very interesting assortment of guitars, am almost wondering if there is a strategy here, where they are assigning low estimated values, almost like a realtor prices a house too low to spark a bidding war... or maybe I'm giving too much credit... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 Dang, there are a LOT of big lots towards the end, like studio and live racks, huge groups of pedals, etc. Probably going to see a whole bunch of this reappear on reverb a few weeks after the auction ends, priced individually. I should also mention he only had Dr. Z amps on state when I saw Steely Dan a few years back. I can't remember what guitars he was using, but he had a really bright green one that is by Hahn apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortious Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 Ben, are you planning on attending the auction? You should try to use it to promote your guitars, it's a pretty unique opportunity, never know who you'll meet. Jim Irsay usually sends a buyer to these things (I see Sadowski 1 in his future), and I'm sure there's a bunch more lower profile people with similar interests that will be there or be sending someone. As for the Huber Redwood, only 24.5 more days of it being ignored and it will be all mine for $750. So don't anyone else bid, m'kay? Thanks in advance. 🤩 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAMERMAN Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 On 9/23/2019 at 7:38 AM, polara said: He owned ALL the stuff. Dang. Good for him, for supporting small builders but that's into hoarding compulsive territory. He was a highly successful lifetime musician - I am so much happier to see him have a collection like that than a wall street schmuck. I like to think it all got used at one point or another. Having said that I would have one serious lefty collection if I were a wall street schmuck! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 21 minutes ago, HAMERMAN said: He was a highly successful lifetime musician - I am so much happier to see him have a collection like that than a wall street schmuck. I like to think it all got used at one point or another. Having said that I would have one serious lefty collection if I were a wall street schmuck! 🙂 I think there is one guitar player out there who has a gear collection that probably dwarfs ALL others. A player who pretty much gets gifted guitars by builders, who when he goes on tour needs to bring EMPTY CASES to bring them all home. Billy Gibbons. His collection is supposed to be warehouse sized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningyen Posted September 24, 2019 Author Share Posted September 24, 2019 11 hours ago, Tortious said: Ben, are you planning on attending the auction? You should try to use it to promote your guitars, it's a pretty unique opportunity, never know who you'll meet. Jim Irsay usually sends a buyer to these things (I see Sadowski 1 in his future), and I'm sure there's a bunch more lower profile people with similar interests that will be there or be sending someone. Nah, I can't really justify a trip out to LA for this. But I'll be following it closely and have an eye on a few items myself. I have to chuckle at the $250 starting bids. That's how much I paid for the HD pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningyen Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Minor corrections to the listing of the red Mercury Head: it has a Gotoh 510T-FS1 bridge with Highwood HG saddles and Gotoh vintage-style tuners, not Hipshot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shark Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 On 9/24/2019 at 10:04 AM, tbonesullivan said: I think there is one guitar player out there who has a gear collection that probably dwarfs ALL others. A player who pretty much gets gifted guitars by builders, who when he goes on tour needs to bring EMPTY CASES to bring them all home. Billy Gibbons. His collection is supposed to be warehouse sized. Rick Nielsen too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 On the other end of the gear collection spectrum... and Trigger will probably sell for more than any collection, if it doesn't just go straight into the Smithsonian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Haynie Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 As long as a Wall Street schmuck plays what he collects let him have all he can afford. If the guitars are set aside unplayed as an investment that is wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCChris Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 36 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said: As long as a Wall Street schmuck plays what he collects let him have all he can afford. If the guitars are set aside unplayed as an investment that is wrong. What someone does with a guitar they've purchased is neither right or wrong, nor is it anyone's business. I'd rather that Trigger be set aside unplayed than have some dickhead plink out "Brown Eyed Girl" on it at the local B.Dubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizanski Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 2 minutes ago, MCChris said: I'd rather that Trigger be set aside unplayed than have some dickhead plink out "Brown Eyed Girl" on it at the local B.Dubs. Indeed. Some guitars actually belong in a museum, particularly once an icon dies or retires it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningyen Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 1 hour ago, polara said: On the other end of the gear collection spectrum... and Trigger will probably sell for more than any collection, if it doesn't just go straight into the Smithsonian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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