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Hmmm. Like I said guitar investments and trivia are just a hobby and have done well funding my Gas. Gold has been my best investment the past two years and land second. Then stocks and securities. Remember music is fun. I also enjoy giving good guitars to kids that show initiative. That is most rewarding of all. Back to the beach. Peace.

This is very true indeed, JustinH, This being the main reason when the JPCs came out I got three to begin with. One to play and two to see what happenes and hope they would be sought after. Then the 002 came availiable and a dealer knowing my interest got it for me. I wasn't alone in wanting it, the first to come up with cash wins and I moved quickly with 22k. It was actually to go to a friend of Pages. Dan Hawkins ( Darkness) I believe, who did end up with the 001 of 500 instead. There were two number ones. The first 25 of the pilot edition were signed by page behind the stock. Page still has this number one. He is holding it on the latest edition of Guitar Afficianado, Hawkins has already altered his 001 of 500 as found in pictures and videos on the web. Now it more resembles the original lost Black Beauty with the open pups on one set. This trivial information took myself and gibson people some time to research. So far as we know this version of trivia is correct. If anyone knows otherwise I would appreciate letting me know. My 002 is going to NYC to a now undisclosed location for display. It will be made public soon. Still only out of the case a few time for pictures. What a beauty! Now on the matter of plain old les paul customs without artist connection I would like to say what sparked my interest in collecting originally was when a good friend of mine found a Sunburst Les Paul from 1960s in the closet of a rehab facility that was slated to be torn down in Seattle. The box was still stapled shut. I think the original price was around 400.00. He kept it and had it appraised at a huge increace of price. I can't remember how much but it was alot. He worked in the music business and knew it was valuable. Another friend who was a logger in N. Cal redwoods, found an old Martin Classical in an abandoned makeshift cabin in an area they were clear cutting. He got thousands for it and it was beat up. I love my guitars and music, it is my favorite pass time. I know many say just play it and love it but I do enjoy following guitar trivia and being able to fund my habit at the same time. I still gig in mine and other studios coast to coast from time to time, but am not trying to make a living at it anymore. Just fun.

Serious musicians and aficionados, as well as boomers prone to playing air guitar when no one's looking, have realized that a guitar's appeal only grows over time. This translates to good investment strategy. "We have never seen the prices grow as quickly as [in] the last three or four years; we're shocked every couple of weeks when we hear about something being offered at a price that's so much higher than what we thought the price [should be]," says Stan Jay of Mandolin Brothers, Ltd., in Staten Island, New York. For example, a 1959 Fender Sunburst Stratocaster with a slab fingerboard initially would have cost about $250, but by 1997, it was fetching between $8,000 and $9,000. you'd have to ante up to $17,000 for the same guitar. from: FORBES MONEY MAGAZINE , there is a lot online one should look at about investment guitars if you have that interest. And remember there are collectors out there who have a few million as pocket change. For 40 yrs guitars have been a sure bet. Some surprise with quicker profits than others but always a sure bet. I don't agree with forget about investment even with the guitars I love to play. I will be leaving behind more guitars than my kids would care to keep around. Leaving with instructions on how to sell the ones they don't keep for sure. Back to the beach with my Uke. Peace.

Serious musicians and aficionados, as well as boomers prone to playing air guitar when no one's looking, have realized that a guitar's appeal only grows over time. This translates to good investment strategy. "We have never seen the prices grow as quickly as [in] the last three or four years; we're shocked every couple of weeks when we hear about something being offered at a price that's so much higher than what we thought the price [should be]," says Stan Jay of Mandolin Brothers, Ltd., in Staten Island, New York. For example, a 1959 Fender Sunburst Stratocaster with a slab fingerboard initially would have cost about $250, but by 1997, it was fetching between $8,000 and $9,000. you'd have to ante up to $17,000 for the same guitar. from: FORBES MONEY MAGAZINE , there is a lot online one should look at about investment guitars if you have that interest. And remember there are collectors out there who have a few million as pocket change. For 40 yrs guitars have been a sure bet. Some surprise with quicker profits than others but always a sure bet.

I remember when the JPC Black Beauties went on sale and I thought ok investment!! I got four including one that has the serial number of 002. I sold two to buy that one. Another #86 I played alot and it got rather worn looking but was still a beauty. I really loved it but traded it for a Full Dress Harley that is also a black beauty but worth much more than my original 6000 paid for the page. Now the 002 is going to NYC to spend on display time untill it is sold for 150k. I took a lot of noise from the nay sayers but here We go again. Even with the saturation going on I can't find many better things to invest in. Although I might get some bullion to put under the mattress next I will also keep with Gibsons as investments. Even a les paul standard left in the box for my grandkids to open in 15 years is better than sending them stocks or bonds to sit on while they grow up listening to grandpa slam out old Zeppelin rifs.