Chiswickite - formerly The Croydonian

How much would you pay for a guitar?

A company in the US is selling what it claims is a guitar used by the incomparable Robert Johnson, and is knocking it out for the pocket money price of $6m. There is no audit trail, no signed affidavit etc, but rather it makes its claim based on comparing the guitar with a photograph of RJ where he is holding a guitar of the same type. In another incarnation I am an unreconstructed blues nut (yeah, I know – I’m sad and should get out more etc etc), and a blues forum I hang out on has been discussing it. One of the members contacted a friend who is a luthier to ask his opinion on the claims made by the seller and got this response:

“Total b.s. The things that they describe as unique were most likely common to all of the batch run when it was made. They probably made 20 or so at a time. Things like "the ring inlay is deeper than normal" etc. are totally irrelevant, 'cause celluloid shrinks and recedes into the wood. The original has way too much wear, if this hasn't been refinned it's not the same. One glaring thing is I think Robert's guitar has the slanted Gibson inlay and this one has the strait across inlay which would make it a few years newer. That part can't be disputed".

If it is bought at the asking price, by the look of things it will be going to someone with a great deal more money than sense.

Labels: Common sense? What's that?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at 9:38 am. You can skip to the end and leave a response.