Emerald City Guitars acquired what comes across as a very distinctive lot - guitars, parts, etc.

[Harp Tail]

1962 Gibson ES-330TD [*Kalamazoo Collection!] | Reverb

This instrument came from our recently acquired "Kalamazoo Collection." We acquired the collection from a married couple that worked at the original factory from the late 50s until the factory closed in June of 1984. These pieces are uncirculated and mostly untouched in mint or near-min...

reverb.com

Apparently all from former longtime Gibson employees.

 

[SFIV1967]

Yes, they posted about this on Instagram and Facebook. Trevor wrote:

"What spawned from casual conversation over a couple years at my neighborhood coffee spot turned into the craziest “Guitar Safari” I could dream of. We are releasing a video soon on our YouTube channel of the whole ordeal but here’s the readers digest version:

Early October I flew to Kalamazoo, MI and spent 3 days with the amazing Jaci Friar. Jaci and her husband Hubie met on the Gibson bowling team in 1959 and worked at Gibson until the factory shut up. They were some of the longest employees at Gibson and lived only blocks away their whole life. Hubie passed away some time ago, but Jaci at 82 years old is still sharp as a tack smoking the same Marb 100’s she has been since we 14.

In the basement of this 100+ year old house Jaci and Hubie had 150+ new old stock Gibsons that they took home while employeed and also cleared out the factory when it shut down in early 80’s. They kept EVERYTHING. Employee records, signs, original tools, benches, case candy, hang tags, prototypes, never before seen models, expiremental instruments.. EVERYTHING.

We loaded a 36 foot box truck up and sent it nonstop back to Seattle. It was such a special few days hearing stories from Jaci while walking around her property and I’m so grateful for her trust in this and being able to share her and Hubie’s amazing story honoring their important legacy at Gibson. Along with the video coming soon we’ll be unveiling a few things a day and some of the back story etc on @ecguitars …
We were able to show Jaci the store over the holidays and it was the coolest! As she walked around the showcase of 50’s and 60’s Gibsons she pointed out what she was working on at the time (frets, finish, amps, pickups, etc) you name it she did it. We redid @tyler_ecg shop with the original bench & tools used in the factory and items honoring Jaci and Hubie. It was an emotional full circle experience and one I will treasure forever. Stay tuned for a lot more comin out on this! "

Emerald City Guitars | Seattle WA

Emerald City Guitars, Seattle, Washington. 11,294 likes · 72 talking about this. http://www.emeraldcityguitars.com

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And all the cases looked like they just left the factory! Not even dust visible on them, the lady seems to have cleaned them frequently during all those years.



Ralf

 

[Canard]

Nice shop. Nice people. I have visited a couple of times.

Emerald City Guitars - Seattle's Premier Vintage Guitar Shop Since '96

Welcome to Emerald City Guitars. Seattle's Premier Vintage Guitar Shop for buying, selling, and repairing vintage instruments. Located in Seattle's Pioneer Square. Our vast vintage and second hand selection of guitars and amps includes Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Martin, PRS, Guild...

emeraldcityguitars.com

Once a few years back, I spent way too long vacillating over a drool-worthy Peregrine they had in stock.

 

[SFIV1967]

Here is the first of a series of videos, worth watching and listening! (and you can also see Guilds behind him...)

 

[SFIV1967]

Now it would be cool if the missing Moderne is in that lot !

Ralf

 

[GGJaguar]

Talk about sitting on a treasure trove! I'll bet the really good stuff is being sold behind closed doors and won't be on their website.

 

[Midnight Toker]

I’ll bet it’s going to be pretty hard to even put a price on some of the items. Prototypes, 50’s/60’s NOS guitars (and mando’s). In essence, purchasers can somewhat be “original owners” of brand new instruments built 50+ years ago!! Amazing haul indeed!

 

[Norrissey]

That's kind of a shocking amount of stuff they collected! Wow.
I wonder if there are any Guild stashes like that out there : )

 

[HeyMikey]

Wow. A Gibson museum hiding in someone’s basement. What an amazing find.

 

[Harp Tail]

A Gibson museum hiding in someone’s basement

I just wonder why this lady waited until her considerable age to cash in on it.. perhaps she plans to live till past one hundred, also thanks to her steady Marlboros consumption?

 

[Canard]

I wonder if the good stuff will go to auction or if they just set fixed prices. Hey, call me cynical but ...



Now all you millionaires, come gather round,
An auction is happening, an auction of sound.
Gibsons and Gibsons and Gibsons galore
Guitars and things and much much more.

Come down from Redmond, you friends of Bill Gates
Come west from Wall Street, in the Big Apple state
Won't be no riffraff, musicians, or poor
With prices so high, they won't get past the door.

 

[Harp Tail]

Won't be no riffraff, musicians, or poor
With prices so high, they won't get past the door.

Very nice composition, Monsieur Canard!

 

[Teleguy61]

That price is super deluxe, but that 330 is something special.

 

[Wilmywood]

Man what a cool ES-330, the Gibson Casino!

 

[Wilmywood]

That price is super deluxe, but that 330 is something special.

For comparison's sake, a 1962 Epiphone Casino (same guitar, hollow body with P90s) sold on Reverb for $15,900

1962 Epiphone CASINO E230TD Royal Tan w/TREM-O-TONE Vibrola | Reverb

Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1962 Epiphone E230TD Casino in its original Royal Tan finish. It has a great playing neck with great frets. It's all original with the exception of the added upper strap button and 2 bridge saddles. It is also 100% complete along with its original hards...

reverb.com

 

[Wilmywood]

Here's a project Epiphone 1962 Casino that needs some work ...

1962 Epiphone Casino E230TD with Tremotone Vibrola 1961 - 1969 - Sunburst | Reverb

PRICE REDUCED!!! Temporary price reduction while I’m out for paternity leave (It’s a boy!!!)1962 Epiphone Casino, just like Keith’s and Paul’s! A very worthy project, including original Tremotone, electronics, P90’s, Kluson tuners, nut, knobs, and sunburst finish. No serious breaks. Nut width is ...

reverb.com

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I wonder if there are any Guild stashes like that out there : )

I ran into a small Guild stash like this at a place in Queens New York. My band-mate told me about a childhood friend of his that had purchased a NOS 60's Starfire VI from a place that used to be a music store but now just gave music lessons. They supposedly had some NOS Guilds stashed away from when they were a still a full music store. He was nice enough to give me the name and address.

I took a day off from work and drove up there one day. I "dropped" the name of my band-mate's friend and they let me in and lead me upstairs to a "back room". There had to be around two hundred guitar cases stacked up in the room. I took off my jacket and got to work. The guitars were of all makes so I just sorted through the Guilds. Most of what I found were electric solid-bodies like X-79's and X-82's that unfortunately I already had. So much to my chagrin I didn't find anything to add to the Guilds of Grot collection. On the way back downstairs they stopped a a door and said; "there might be a Guild or two in this closet." Well sure enough there was! I opened the door and there was a NOS 1967 Starfire V just sitting in there leaning against the wall. I pulled it out, blew the dust off it and asked; "How much?". We came to a happy price and after throwing in a non-Guild hard case, I was on my way.

This is the guitar:



I don't know if I have ever posted that story here at LTG but if I did it would be interesting to see how consistent I was with the narrative. (You know how stories tend to "grow" over time!)

 

[Norrissey]

Great story and great looking guitar! Thanks for sharing. For some reason I am captivated by stories of guitar treasures stashed away and discovered.