JohnR1971 Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 Hi, I am new to this forum and have inherited a family heirloom in the form of a 1952 Gibson CF-100e. I am in the process of having it lightly restored and due to pick it up tomorrow. It is near complete original state (volume and tone knobs replaced with later model Gibson, but as close to original as possible & new strings) and has hung as decoration on my parents wall for as long as I can remember... so 40+ years. My mother inherited it from my Grandfather. Now for the possible celebrity connection... The family story that has been passed down through the generations is... Johnny Cash, did in fact, spend a time working on my Great Grandfather's shrimp boat in the mid- to late-60's in Tampa, FL. He did in fact write a song (not one of his particularly better or well known ones) called 'Put the sugar to bed', which is about being on a shrimp boat. Supposedly, and where the story gets vague on details, is that my Great Grandfather never played or owned a guitar prior to this period; however, THIS particular guitar came in to his possession. It has been passed down ever since. Can anyone steer me in a direction that would help in determining the origins of this particular Gibson guitar? As stated, it is a 1952 Gibson CF-100e with a working P90 pickup, very close to original... like I said, volume and tone knobs and new strings. Serial number 9613 30 indicates it was manufactured in Jan '52 and is one of 250 made (total of 1257 made from 1951 - 1959). The music store owner restoring it says, the strum action and "wear" on the fret board would indicate someone playing 'a lot' of country music, although I have no way of knowing if this is accurate??? If anyone can help, I will gladly post pictures after I pick up the guitar tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hayden Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 I can't but I can say Welcome to the forum 4H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 The music store owner restoring it says, the strum action and "wear" on the fret board would indicate someone playing 'a lot' of country music, although I have no way of knowing if this is accurate??? I think that means there's plenty of wear on the first few frets - from playing the usual "cowboy" chords. You've got a nice story about Johnny Cash, but I don't think there's any way to tie this guitar to him. Still, nice guitar! Yes, let's see some pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Welcome aboard, and by the way; I don't play country except for two songs, both Willie Nelson songs and I play a great deal on the first three frets. There's tons of rock and roll from the 60's and 70's you can play there. However I do play up to the 14th fret but not that much. My guitars get used mostly on the first 5 frets a lot. So that doesn't mean it had to be country songs because there's thousands of songs you can play there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 .... So that doesn't mean it had to be country songs .... Yes it does, there not called "Cowboy Chords" for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldJim Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 If you had photographic evidence that could place that guitar in Cash's hands, that would get you a lead. This has been done many times, but it's hard and sometimes expensive. The best cases are when a professional can use a photograph where a particular wear mark, ding, hole, something like that can be EXACTLY matched to an existing, undoctored photograph. It doesn't sound like you have that. There was a particular episode of a show where they were trying to prove that Les Paul left his blood on a particular white Les Paul Custom. The show followed several pieces of evidence, but could never tie the guitar to Lester himself. Also, it was said that he played thousands of guitars, so unless it could be proved that there was historical value, it was just a guitar that he might have played and it might have been his blood. The guitar the guy hoped would be worth a million was worth less than $10k. There's also an episode of Pawn Stars where a guy comes in with a white Les Paul and has several pieces of documentation that values his guitar at over $100k because it was played by Mary Ford for years while she was with Les. It was also used heavily by Mary on stage and in the studio. You may well have a very cool piece there with a nice piece of history attached, but it's not likely that it holds much market value. As you stated, the song he may have written on it was not a hit, and unless you can find something tangible, even that gives you no market leverage. Still, it is a '52 near original with acceptable wear, and one of only 250, so you do have a nice piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 1481175488[/url]' post='1817825']Yes it does, there not called "Cowboy Chords" for nothing. [/quot] Ok sorry then. I never knew they were called Cowboy Chords Larry. Just that I played many songs there that aren't country including Beatles, rock and roll songs and stuff from the 60's and that you can tell 2 of my most played guitars have usage on the first 2 frets from 3 years playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Unless there's photographic roof and validated, notarized documentation, it's all speculation. And just because a guitar was (or may have) been previously owned by an artist at some point doesn't always mean it does, or should command a higher price. I'm sure there are a number of guitars that came through the hand os Mr. Cash, but again, wont result in them being worth anything more than their current, fair market value. Now if you could prove that it was the guitar that was used on a particular legendary performance or sued to write a certain popular hit, then you may have something, otherwise it's just another vintage guitar, but still a darn cool one at that most likely! Not in any way the same thing here, but I have a 2012 Advanced Jumbo. Came from a vintage broker that is well known in that circle and has a known friendship and working relationship with Joe Bonamassa and his father. I'm not a Joe Bonanassa fan, but of course know who he is. This particular AJ was a backup that was taken on the road. Suffered a headstock break that was perfectly repaired. They didn't want it at the shop because they deal pretty much with very high end vintage stuff. Mr. Bonamassa's father apparently came in one day (as he is known to do with this particular vendor from time to time) with several of Joe's old guitars that he doest play anymore. This one was one of them. My point is, it's a very cool story, but there's no way that they can validate this story of him owning it aside from circumstantial evidence and just taking their word for it, so it doesn't result in the guitar being worth anymore than market value of a 2012 AJ with a neck repair. If they had a pic with Joe and the owner of the shop holding, perhaps a different story. As a result I got a very great deal on a guitar that has become one of my favorites simply because it sounds incredible, and has nothing to do with who's hands it passed through before I owned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Without provinance. It will be a mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvi Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 ask a well known vintage dealer for info or tips,and, search for pics of j on the boat strummin...,$ value aside, if it was johns, it still mite have a real song or 2 in it...dna too- good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 All of the above speak truth and wisdom. In your position, I'd be thankful that the guitar survived 40 years on the wall without structural damage, be glad it's a guitar worth owning, cherish it as an heirloom, and play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I cant help but think of Forest Gump. Welcome to the forum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I cant help but think of Forest Gump. Welcome to the forum... Haha! Watched it again last night and had this very thought reading this post. Great minds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Contact Gruhn Guitars in Nashville and see if they can help you. They'd be the ones to help you or point you in the right direction. Calling them is the first step. Hope this helps. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usernameinvalid Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Put the Sugar to Bed came out in Nov of 66 so do some research on what Johnny Cash was doing before Nov 66. I know Johnny Cash had some hard times in his life so it shouldn't be hard to find out if he worked on a shrimp boat at some point. Seeing the guitar is a 52 that makes it 14 years old when the song came out. Cash used mostly Martin guitars but has used Gibson guitars so researching if he ever owned a 1952 Gibson CF-100e shouldn't be that hard. Good luck in your quest. Post some pic when you get time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I think gruhn charges for info. Otherwize he will say its not real and worth 100.00. Go to the source. Country music hall of fame in nashville is a good place to start. Or to the cash family. I bet they would be a wealth of info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 In 1964, coming off the chart success that his previous album "I Walk The Line" had been, he recorded the album Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian In June 1965, his camper caught fire during a fishing trip with his nephew Damon Fielder in Los Padres National Forest in California, triggering a forest fire that burnt several hundred acres and nearly killed Cash. Cash claimed that the fire was caused by sparks from a defective exhaust system on his camper, but Fielder thinks that Cash started a fire to stay warm and in his drugged condition failed to notice the fire getting out of control. When the judge asked Cash why he did it, Cash said, "I didn't do it, my truck did, and it's dead, so you can't question it." The fire destroyed 508 acres, burning the foliage off three mountains and driving off forty-nine of the refuge's 53 endangered condors. Cash was unrepentant and claimed, "I don't care about your damn yellow buzzards." The federal government sued him and was awarded $125,172. Cash eventually settled the case and paid $82,001. In 1966, in response to his activism, the singer was adopted by the Seneca Nation's Turtle Clan. He performed benefits at the Rosebud Reservation, close to the historical landmark of the massacre at Wounded Knee, to raise money to help build a school. In 1967, Cash's duet with June Carter, "Jackson," won a Grammy Award. In 1969 he had his own television show which ran through 1971. 58 episodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splake Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Cool story, The CF's 100 are pretty cool with the cutaway. None the less, keep it, play it and maybe you can pull some of that 3 chord Johnny Cash Mojo out of her. Cash = Legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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