Pawn Shop Stories: Too good to be true?

[Thunderface]

I finally stopped into this Max-It Pawn store I've driven by countless times and didn't see any guitars of real interest (i.e. no Guilds), but I did hear a couple of interesting stories from one of the sales associates.

This kid brought in a 1974 Gibson ES-340 that belonged to his recently deceased father, looking to get $30 for it, since he had no idea what it was worth. The Max-It guys said "we'll give you $900 for it," because, as the guy telling me the story said, they couldn't sleep at night knowing they paid so little for the guitar. Apparently that guitar is now at Willie's having some work done on it.

Story No. 2 involves a woman who came in with two pre-CBS Fender Strats, a 1962 and a 1964 model, asking for $800 for the pair. The sales guys again stepped in and said, "these guitars are worth a lot more than you're asking for them." She replied: "I don't care. He stuck me with an $800 bill and I'm pissed off!" So apparently they gave her her $800 and sold one of the two Strats immediately -- for $26,000!

 

[SouthernSounds]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

I'm specially speechless right now, TF...

But, two 60's strats for $800... :shock: Oh boy...

Around here, things like that never happen...

All the best,

B.

 

[Thunderface]

I'm just wondering if the second story is true, or if it's a recycled pawn shop story.

 

[CA-35]

Somebody once told me not to believe anything I hear and only half of what I see. :shock: Somehow I think it applies in this case. It does make a great story though!

 

[AlohaJoe]

Around here, things like that never happen... B.

Or anywhere else. :lol:

 

[Scratch]

My son-in-law's grandfather (79 yoa) surprised me about six months ago when he told me he has an old (1958) Strat under the bed. He hasn't played it in over 40 years and said he'd like to sell it. He then said he'd like to get four or five hundred for it if possible since it's in 'pretty good shape'. He showed it to me and I'd classify it as Good ++ to Excellent - condition...

I took him to the dining room table on which sat a laptop (he's more a Keystone Beer guy than a Dell geek) and plugged in 'What is a 1958 Fender Stratocaster Worth? When he saw the response (20k to 60k) he nearly fell out of his chair. I then said with a wink; "of course, you could always sell it to me for five hundred since it's in good shape." I'm taking him to see a couple of fellas in Austin who will probably buy it from him at reasonable true market value...

There went my chance... :lol:

 

[tjmangum]

These kind of things may still happen, just like people winning big bucks in lotteries, but I believe the incidents are just as rare. It is usually the other way around. Someone sees an Antiques Road Show or some story about a rare guitar going for 10's of thousands and immediately assumes they have one just like it. "Well, it does have 6 strings and says Fender on it!"
In my auction business, on almost a daily basis, people walk in with all kinds of items they believe has great value. 9 out of 10 times I have to tell them, "Sorry, what you have here is a $10 item, not a $1000 dollar treasure."
While all the reality auction shows have improved attendance it has also increased the "silver bullet" mentality that one tangible item they possess will change their life and make things better. (Think lottery again.)
Most of the true treasures we have uncovered have been from people who had no idea what they had and placed little value in it.
I have literally had people come in with a $200 (on a good day) Chinese made Ephiphone asking if I could sell it for them for $2000, because they saw something that mentioned an early 60's Epi being worth 2-3 thousand.
Terry

 

[dreadnut]

You can't believe how many millions of violins have "Stradivarius" written inside.

 

[Brad Little]

Tag/Rummage Sales, was: Pawn Shop Stories: Too good to be tr

Not from a pawnshop, but I just got a rummage sale bargain, although not like $800 for a collectible Strat. I was at a church rummage sale and looked around while my wife talked to a friend, spotted a small Crate amp, it had a $5 sticker, and before I could ask if it worked our friend let me know it does. Model G20, single 12" speaker, 20 watts. Once got a brand new in the box pair of Boston Acoustic bookshelf speakers for $10 because "the wires are missing, so I don't know if you can still use them." Another bargain was a Behringer GMX-10 (?), small modeling amp, $25, got it home and there was a Seymour Duncan soundhole pickup inside.
I do miss the days when you could find old Harmony Sovereigns for 15-20 bucks, though.
Brad

 

[PEZmusic]

I got a neck tru-body BC Rich at a tag sale for $70 bucks once

 

[SouthernSounds]

Somebody once told me not to believe anything I hear and only half of what I see.

Good point, man. Good point...

Around here, things like that never happen... B.

Or anywhere else. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

All the best,

B.

 

[gilded]

If you do pawn shops all the time, every day, and buy a lot of stuff, i.e., pedals, basses, amps, guitars, whether it's old or new., American or Asian, then they might hold stuff for you. Certainly, if you are 'that guy', most shops will tell you when things are coming out of pawn.

A friend of mine 'like that' bought what he thought was a Korean Howard Roberts Copy for several hundred dollars a couple of years ago. It turned out to be a '68 Epiphone Howard Roberts Custom, with the carved top, long scale neck, tree of life inlay, etc., one of approximately 52 guitars made between '65 and '69. It would be an understatement to say that he made a considerable profit on the guitar in question. How do I know that? Because I bought the guitar in question....

I've bought some cool stuff in pawn shops, but it's been a long time. Most of my big pawn shop hauls are 20+ years ago, though. The advent of the internet had something to do with that. Additionally, every time you buy a cool guitar out of a pawn shop and take it out of the local economy, it's like not throwing a fish back... no one else will catch that particular fish. The Law of Diminishing Returns, blah, blah.

 

[Ravon]

My son-in-law's grandfather (79 yoa) surprised me about six months ago when he told me he has an old (1958) Strat under the bed. He hasn't played it in over 40 years and said he'd like to sell it. He then said he'd like to get four or five hundred for it if possible since it's in 'pretty good shape'. He showed it to me and I'd classify it as Good ++ to Excellent - condition...

I took him to the dining room table on which sat a laptop (he's more a Keystone Beer guy than a Dell geek) and plugged in 'What is a 1958 Fender Stratocaster Worth? When he saw the response (20k to 60k) he nearly fell out of his chair. I then said with a wink; "of course, you could always sell it to me for five hundred since it's in good shape." I'm taking him to see a couple of fellas in Austin who will probably buy it from him at reasonable true market value...

There went my chance... :lol:

You ought to drop a hint to him on wanting that certain Guild you've always wanted but somehow the funds for it was always 'just out of reach' :wink: .

 

[dreadnut]

Hey, I got my DV-52 from a pawn shop!

 

[dapmdave]

I've bought some cool stuff in pawn shops, but it's been a long time. Most of my big pawn shop hauls are 20+ years ago, though. The advent of the internet had something to do with that.

Could not agree more. Back in "the day" the pawn shops could be a great source for vintage gear at reasonable prices. At least around here, the pawn shops shops will hang their junk on the wall and post the rest on eBay or craigslist.

Dave

 

[marcellis]

My blue F-65ce, out the door for $550 from a Houston pawn shop.

With OHSC & it's in lovely condition too.

 

[Ravon]

Thats absolutley stunning Marcellis. You've got it all in one beautiful guitar- purfling, ebony, abalone, G-shield, striping , oval soundhole and above all the beautiful blue. What a steal!

 

[davismanLV]

Can't argue with that bargain, Marc!! Thanks for posting those pics. What a BEAUTIFUL guitar!! As Ravon and I both mentioned in another post..... LOVE those oval soundholes!!! 8) 8)

Ahhhh, I see Ravon beat me to the punch on this one!! :lol:

 

[marcellis]

I got a white python strap for it too.

 

[Ravon]

Oh yeeahhh.... 8)