Cert of Authenticity

[GGJaguar]

Since when is a letter from a fan club a "Certificate of Authenticity"? Plus, no details about this being a prototype. Not everything in the (Guild) world is self-evident.

Guild Brian May Prototype Wine Burgandy | eBay

Condition is Used. DR. BRIAN MAY GUILD PROTOTYPE WITH ACTUAL SIGNATURE. For sale is my Brian May Guild Prototype with Dr. May's actual signature. THERE ARE 3 IN THE WORLD - DR. MAY HAS ONE, I HAVE ONE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OTHER ONE IS.

www.ebay.com

 

[GGJaguar]

 

[walrus]

"If you are looking at this you know the rest."

walrus

 

[GAD]

There is so much freaking rumor and "I heard" nonsense out there when it comes to Guild.

FWIW the sig does look legit. I don't know why they think it's worth $10k, though.

 

[fronobulax]

Perhaps the seller is genuinely naive and thinks Dr. May whipped out a gold ink pen and autographed the instrument? Perhaps they are looking for a buyer who would believe that because in some circles an autograph and signature are not the same thing?

 

[chazmo]

That is funny. I guess anything second-hand that hints toward the proper pedigree of a guitar is potentially helpful, but also essentially useless. Good luck defending/verifying this letter from a fan club. Ridiculous.

 

[GAD]

Perhaps the seller is genuinely naive and thinks Dr. May whipped out a gold ink pen and autographed the instrument? Perhaps they are looking for a buyer who would believe that because in some circles an autograph and signature are not the same thing?

That looks to me like exactly what happened. That's not what a regular Brian May Signature model looks like:

My '85 headstock:

His. Note that even the "pre prototype" model shown in the red special does not have the black headstock veneer:

The '90s Sig models have his signature as a standard feature on the back of the headstock, though I *think* there are slight variations on this:

I can't speak at a Hans level and without an obvious LL-serial number can't say if it's a prototype, but the guitar he's selling is different enough from the ones I've encountered: between the black headstock veneer and the pickups without sigs on them, I'd say it at very least looks like a very early example and would make me consider asking for the serial number. That is if I thought even half that price was fair.