LP Pron: Gibson "Goldie" '59 'Burst

AlanRatcliffe · 2011-11-29T14:22:51+00:00

One of the better known and most desirable '59 LPs has been recreated by Gibson and released as part of the Custom Collectors series. A mere $11,762 will n...

LP Pron: Gibson "Goldie" '59 'Burst

AlanRatcliffe

You're missing the point Tokai. This is an identical copy of a very specific guitar (like the limited Fender EVH Frankenstrats or Gilmour model Strats) - one of the ones featured in the book The Beauty of the Burst. Aside from being a (presumably) very well made LP, they are finding tops that match the original one's and Tom Murphy is relicing them to look identical.

Not my kind of thing, but a hell of an undertaking...

Bob-Dubery

Gearhead wrote:
X-rated Bob wrote: Hugh's Fine Guitars have still got two '60s
Those are naaaaaas ?

Ja. But now I think about it they'll probably cost a bit more than $11k...

I don't see the value proposition in this guitar (which doesn't mean that there isn't one) but if you want something that looks and sounds and feels like a '59 Les Paul and is built like a '59 Les Paul and uses the same materials as a '59 Les Paul, and a supposedly benchmark '59 Les Paul at that, then maybe this isn't so expensive.

Gearhead

X-rated Bob wrote: they'll probably cost a bit more than $11k...

The question on my mind was: just how much more? Twice? Three times? Four, then?

vic

Gearhead wrote:
X-rated Bob wrote: they'll probably cost a bit more than $11k...
The question on my mind was: just how much more? Twice? Three times? Four, then?

The Goldtop is around R800,000 ( at the current exchange rate) ......so about 10 times the " Goldie"

Bob-Dubery

Interestingly Gibson announced this guitar (or announced it for the first time) in the spring of 2010. Why all the noise now? Did they end up with a pile of them that they couldn't move?

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Collectors-Choice-2-1959-Les-Paul-Goldie.aspx

This number 2 in the "Collector's Choice" series.

Number 1 was Gary Moore's Les Paul
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Collectors-Choice-1-1959-Les-Paul-Standard.aspx

You can pay more (if you want) for Gibson's recreation of Eric Clapton's '60 Les Paul (the "Beano" Les Paul)
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Eric-Clapton-1960-Les-Paul.aspx
Interestingly they didn't have the original to work from in this case, and had to try to guestimate everything from photos and in co-operation with Slowhand.

singemonkey

The proposition is that certain buyers know this will be a very limited production and thus is bound to increase in price over time to some extent. Not because you desperately need a Gibson replica of this guitar.

Same with the Green/Moore guitar or the Jimmy Page guitars, or the Pearly Gates and what not. Only what Occupy Wall Street calls the 1% will be buying these just as a playing guitar.

If you just want an accurate reproduction of a specific 'burst there are a handful of makers who could do it as well or better for around the $5,000 - $6,000 mark. Unethically, some of them will even put the Gibson logo on it. Those are guys who are not making 100 limited guitars. They'll make a limited run of 1. But the resale will then be dependent on the maker's reputation which, even if great, will be known only to the highly informed.

So these are collectors' items - like commemorative mugs of the royal wedding. Wise buyers will keep them in pristine distressed condition hoping they'll jump in value at some point.

Though looking at the prices of good condition '70s Gibsons (saw a mint natural finish standard sold for $3,200, immediately relisted and last time I looked it was at $3,6000 with a day to go on the auction) I'd say those are a much surer investment.

Tokai-SA

If you owned a Picasso or Chagal would you want a whole bunch of identical copies made of your paintings?

That's what puzzles me, why the owner of this $500,000.00 1959 would want identical replicas made of his guitar...I doubt the American owner of the "African Burst" (one of the finest examples of a 59 in existence that comes from SAfrica) will allow his guitar to be replicated.

Here's our friend Stuart with the Africa Burst.

Tokai-SA

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: You're missing the point Tokai. This is an identical copy of a very specific guitar (like the limited Fender EVH Frankenstrats or Gilmour model Strats) - one of the ones featured in the book The Beauty of the Burst. Aside from being a (presumably) very well made LP, they are finding tops that match the original one's and Tom Murphy is relicing them to look identical.

Not my kind of thing, but a hell of an undertaking...

I know I'm missing the point...we all know what the real point is, $$$$$$$. ?

The Gilmour replica is a lot easier, it's a black painted body, you can do identical relicing on the body (which they've done), but this 1959 is a flamed maple top, you cannot match the flame.

Bob-Dubery

Tokai SA wrote: If you owned a Picasso or Chagal would you want a whole bunch of identical copies made of your paintings?

That's what puzzles me, why the owner of this $500,000.00 1959 would want identical replicas made of his guitar...

I don't know but I'd bet that he's getting a cut of the action.

Besides, they are not identical. They won't have the serial number, nor will they have the detailed history that that guitar has. In the serious collector circles that Singemonkey mentioned it will be easy to establish that a guitar that you are presented with is or is not "Goldie".

I also agree that these instruments are not really made for players but for investors. It's just like all those limited edition Martins. You don't buy a Stephen Stills Martin to take it on the road. You buy it knowing that only so many will ever be made and that if you hang on to it and look after it then in the long term it will appreciate in value.

singemonkey

They definitely get a cut. Whether it's a flat rate or a percentage I don't know. But that's why people do it. Famous artists whose guitars are copied are no doubt getting far more. But it's a way of making more money out of your 'burst without devaluing it in any way. The owner of the Green/Moore 'burst for example, needs to carefully consider when to sell that guitar. In the meantime it sits there holding a big chunk of his cash. Gibson says, "We'll copy this and you'll make money out of it," it works great for him. The guitar is then not only accumulating value, but earning its keep in the meantime.

Damn. I can't even imagine what that guitar will sell for next time. Definitely over a million dollars. Maybe he's waiting for the other previous owner to die ? Certainly the fact that Gibson replicated it will not affect that price.

AlanRatcliffe

If anything, the real Goldie is now even more famous thanks to the repros. His value just went up...

Tokai-SA

I'm happy to announce that the proceeds/commission of the Gilmour replicas go to a charity of David Gilmour's choice, not into Gilmour's bank account. ?

I think the investors (most of which are Japanese) that buy the original 59 bursts, know the history of each and every one of the remaining one's, they know what they're worth and where they are, and who owns them.
They certainly don't need to be reminded about the "Goldie" and it's history, they already know it all, reminding us about it shouldn't increase it's value at all...IMO

AlanRatcliffe

For every collector with the wherewithal for a real vintage 'burst, there are probably 100 waiting in the wings or working their way up to where they can afford them.

Also, publicity is publicity. The more well-known the guitar becomes and the more people at ground level that regard a guitar like Goldie as being one of "the ones", the more it boosts the high end value thanks to the ground swell. There are also certain bragging rights that go along with a collectable like this and so the more famous the guitar, the more valuable it becomes.

Being the second guitar in the series (and then only to the Peter Green/Gary Moore Les Paul) also helps position Goldie as one of the "first amongst equals".