Musicians of all stripes are gearheads at heart. The search for the perfect instrument never ends – an instrument with the right feel, the right tone, the best playability and the best story. It’s always out there somewhere. We fill up our spare rooms with likely candidates.
Some instruments are considered very valuable, due to their vintage – the builder, and the age, and the condition. At any given jam session, the sum total of the appraised value of the instruments being played could be in 6 figures!
There are other things that add value to an instrument though, and these are things that a professional appraiser would not take into account. One of them I mentioned in the first paragraph – the instrument’s story.
Some stories do add to the financial value of the instrument. A $800 guitar that was played by Eric Clapton is worth much more than $800, right? If you have one of Clarence White’s guitars, it’ll likely appraise for much more than the headstock, age and condition alone would warrant.
I have several friends who have fine instruments that were handed down from relatives – an appraiser can’t take into account what having your dad, or grandad’s old Martin D28 or Gibson Hummingbird is really worth. There’s something very special in those instruments.
I am glad to know my fine instruments will be played by my children when I can no longer play them. And with any luck, THEIR kids will be playing them someday too, and the wood will grow rich with years and stories.
A friend of mine lost his wife a few months ago. She was a remarkable woman, and the turnout of friends at her memorial service gave evidence to what an amazing life she led, and how many people she touched. As with anybody that lives 70+ years, there were many chapters to her story, and it was very interesting to hear them, from so many people.
Her husband contacted me recently and wants me to look at her guitar, to see what it is, assess the shape it’s in, and its worth. I wonder what the guitar will be – but I think no matter what, it’s priceless.
