I do love blondes.....but......

[mickj]

Help folks.

Can anybody help date this Guild? Hans maybe?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370316697759&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The serial number has been gouged out and I asked and there's no label visible inside. I'm guessing around a '58 but don't know. I've never seen an early 5 digit serial number Guild with the numbers so out of alignment. I suspose it could be a 4 digit number, but seems unlikely.

Also I didn't think they put black pickups on blonde guitars even in the early days and I question the pickguard's originality.

Any insight and comments are certainly welcomed.

Anyway, if I could get it for an excellent price (much less than his asking), the binding issues could be fixed and a pretty, albeit road-hard blonde could be born again.

Thanks,

Mick

 

[fab467]

Wouldn't a carved out serial number possibly indicate a stolen instrument? Just asking...

 

[mickj]

My thought too, but the store is a brick and mortar and seems legit.

If we proceed that's definitely a question to add.

Mick

 

[walrus]

This guitar and the gouged out serial number has been discussed. I wouldn't buy it, but that's just me.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16884

walrus

 

[AlohaJoe]

BUYER BEWARE... this was ALSO previously discussed extensively here:
http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14935&hilit=carved+out+serial+number

 

[adorshki]

BUYER BEWARE... this was ALSO previously discussed extensively here:
http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14935&hilit=carved+out+serial+number

Yes but to be fair consider the probability that the lister has provable legal possession of the instrument regardless of whatever's happened to it before, as discussed towards the end of that thread.

 

[motopsyche]

This was a fascinating thread to read all the way back. Two guitars, both with carved out serial numbers, being sold by a store with 27 neutral and 44 negative feedback reports in the last 12 months. Buyer beware, indeed.

Having said that, I bought my 1967 Martin GT-75 from a prominent music store in the Washington, D.C. area in 1982, mostly because it looked unbelievably cool and had those DeArmonds and that Martin Bigsby. Several years later I went looking for the serial number to enter it in an inventory database. Lo and behold, the inked serial number had been gouged out of the wood inside under the f-hole. If I ever think of selling that guitar, I'll pass along that story and the original sales receipt, along with how the sales staff at the store really tried to dissuade me from buying it because it had a very "old school" sound that really wasn't happening then. No one particularly cared about serial numbers on used guitars back then. At least, not me. Now I do. But I'm not selling.

 

[mickj]

Thanks for the discussion. I guess even though theft had crossed my mind I hadn't thought it through all the way, since it doesn't appear the gouging of the serial number has been done recently.

Out of curiosity, I'd still like an opinion of the age.

Maybe sometimes you can't save them all.


Mick

 

[AlohaJoe]

BUYER BEWARE... this was ALSO previously discussed extensively here:
http://letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14935&hilit=carved+out+serial+number

Yes but to be fair consider the probability that the lister has provable legal possession of the instrument regardless of whatever's happened to it before, as discussed towards the end of that thread.

I'll be the first to admit that anything is possible, and I'm a firm believer in fairness.

On the other hand the odds of that particular guitar having been stolen at some time in its history seem pretty high to me, so I would choose to not buy it from anybody, but esp not from an outfit with lousy feedback who others on the forum have had unresolved trouble with.

Others may be more trusting, but at their peril.

 

[adorshki]

I'll be the first to admit that anything is possible, and I'm a firm believer in fairness.
On the other hand the odds of that particular guitar having been stolen at some time in its history seem pretty high to me, so I would choose to not buy it from anybody, but esp not from an outfit with lousy feedback who others on the forum have had unresolved trouble with.
Others may be more trusting, but at their peril.

I think I missed the negative feedback and unresolved probs-that DEFINITELY merits a "BUYER BEWARE" Thanks Joe. :wink:

 

[fronobulax]

On the other hand the odds of that particular guitar having been stolen at some time in its history seem pretty high to me, so I would choose to not buy it from anybody, but esp not from an outfit with lousy feedback who others on the forum have had unresolved trouble with.

I won't repeat the discussion from the other thread, but I do know people who have had items stolen, serial numbers defaced by the thief, incredible luck (although perhaps not so much luck) and had the item recovered and returned. This means they are the legitimate owner of an object with a defaced serial number. Don't try and sell it unless you have a copy of a police report. Almost makes you wish the police had not recovered it.

For those without the patience to read the other threads there does seem to be reason to be leery of warpdrivemusic even if the item has an unquestionably clean title.