fretplay Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I saw this on E Bay! I thought it would be snapped up as it's $5000 in the book but no! Is there something I don't know? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1936-Gibson-ES-150-Charlie-Christian-Archtop-w-Vibra-Rest-OHSC-Strap-/181434064479?ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:GB:1123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 ...it's $5000 in the book...Is there something I don't know? I'm far from being an expert on these babies so can I ask; $5,000 would be for an instrument in what sort of condition, fretplay? Because the guitar in question would benefit from a fair amount of time at a luthiers' workshop... From the description in the ad pretty much all of the following reduces the value of the instrument considerably; "...the guitar shows signs of age, including scratches, a slightly warped pickguard, finish wear on the back of the neck and headstock, and binding separation. Each of the 4 "corners" of the back have a certain amount of separation of the binding, the worst being on the bottom right. The fretboard also has a couple of indentations in a couple areas in first position. There are also a couple areas of the top that are caved in a little, mainly around both f-holes and near the left upper bout..." If we add it needs a complete re-fret (and it's a bound neck) to that list then $3,750 might seem to be quite reasonable. But as I say; I'm no expert. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Genuine piece of US (and world) musical history there. Seen $5000 spent on a lot worse things than this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Since 1936 was the first year of the "Charlie Christian" ES 150 they are inclined to bring premium dollar figures for that model but a $6,200 price tag would be indicative of a near mint example with the original case,according to the Vintage Guitar Price guide,which is considered by many vintage dealers as the guide to go by when pricing such gems.The asking price isn`t really out of whack for such a historically important guitar model and taking its current condition into consideration.With a refret and little else,the value of the guitar could rise noticeably and they said that fret buzz was only an issue when it was played acoustically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 I'm far from being an expert on these babies so can I ask; $5,000 would be for an instrument in what sort of condition, fretplay? Because the guitar in question would benefit from a fair amount of time at a luthiers' workshop... From the description in the ad pretty much all of the following reduces the value of the instrument considerably; "...the guitar shows signs of age, including scratches, a slightly warped pickguard, finish wear on the back of the neck and headstock, and binding separation. Each of the 4 "corners" of the back have a certain amount of separation of the binding, the worst being on the bottom right. The fretboard also has a couple of indentations in a couple areas in first position. There are also a couple areas of the top that are caved in a little, mainly around both f-holes and near the left upper bout..." If we add it needs a complete re-fret (and it's a bound neck) to that list then $3,750 might seem to be quite reasonable. But as I say; I'm no expert. P. Pippy, The price is from Vintage Guitar Price List 2014. $5000 low condition $6200 High Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Pippy, The price is from Vintage Guitar Price List 2014. $5000 low condition $6200 High Thanks for the reply, fretplay. In which case the asking price might seem to offer pretty good value. Even more so if the VibraRest is of special interest to anyone. Perhaps the 'Market' is only interested in 'High-Condition' instruments at the moment? P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Thanks for the reply, fretplay. In which case the asking price might seem to offer pretty good value. Even more so if the VibraRest is of special interest to anyone. Perhaps the 'Market' is only interested in 'High-Condition' instruments at the moment? P. Maybe you're right but such an iconic guitar still at $2750 seems strange to me. Watch this space as they say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 Call me a noob but I didn't even know they made electric guitars that early This looks REALLY cool. I can't imagine the tailpiece being too stable but it looks rad. I bet this guitar sounds crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 Call me a noob but I didn't even know they made electric guitars that early This looks REALLY cool. I can't imagine the tailpiece being too stable but it looks rad. I bet this guitar sounds crazy We tend to think Fender and early fifties when we think of electric guitars but Gibson were the first to make a commercial model the ES150, 150 as it cost 150 dollars. A lot of money then. I believe it didn't take off all that well as players thought of it as just louder rather than seeing it's potential. Eddie Durham played the first guitar solo and Charlie Christian made the ES150 famous by playing in Benny Goodman's band. I believe Goodman resisted taking on Charlie as guitar players were low on the pecking order in those days but he was smart enough to know a good thing when he saw one. The guitar, the worlds most popular instrument was made famous more by Presley than Christian but what would a 1955 Martin D28 go for now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 ...such an iconic guitar still at $2750 seems strange to me.... That's weird. I don't know if there is a markup 'over here' but in the UK it's coming up as $1k more than that at $3,750 (barring the odd penny). At $3,750 it isn't too far below 'reasonably cheap' but at $2,750 it's almost half book-value. I'm not surprised you are wondering why it hasn't been snaffled up! ...Charlie Christian made the ES150 famous by playing in Benny Goodman's band. I believe Goodman resisted taking on Charlie as guitar players were low on the pecking order in those days but he was smart enough to know a good thing when he saw one... It might just have been a case of 'sour grapes' by a certain person (in the band) but... I remember reading that 'this person' claimed Benny Goodman became increasingly jealous of Christian's soloing which was becoming more popular with the audience than BG's own. But as I say; this 'person' was clearly quite bitter about the whole scene at the time (the writer refused to reveal the identity of said 'person' as he was still alive at the time of writing.) Mr. Christian is yet one more amazing talent who was taken from us far, far too soon. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 That's weird. I don't know if there is a markup 'over here' but in the UK it's coming up as $1k more than that at $3,750 (barring the odd penny). At $3,750 it isn't too far below 'reasonably cheap' but at $2,750 it's almost half book-value. I'm not surprised you are wondering why it hasn't been snaffled up! It might just have been a case of 'sour grapes' by a certain person (in the band) but... I remember reading that 'this person' claimed Benny Goodman became increasingly jealous of Christian's soloing which was becoming more popular with the audience than BG's own. But as I say; this 'person' was clearly quite bitter about the whole scene at the time (the writer refused to reveal the identity of said 'person' as he was still alive at the time of writing.) Mr. Christian is yet one more amazing talent who was taken from us far, far too soon. P. Yes sad, he was only in his mid twenty's when he died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted June 13, 2014 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I may be wrong but I think the key thing was that by having an electric guitar (and this was a pioneering one as it used a normal hollow body as its basis) was that when a guitar was used with those old big band or swing bands or whatever they were, the guitar could now be used to play solos that could be heard above the brass instruments and other loud instruments whereas before guitar was only really usable as a rhythm instrument. Mr Christian was apparently an early good and relatively famous player who used it in this way so the pickup was associated with him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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