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A real 1958 Les Paul in a no reserve ebay auction.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:44 pm
by westtexasred
Hard to believe someone would sell this on ebay.(Link)

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:05 pm
by Gabriel
Wasn't the suburst introduced in 59'?

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:56 pm
by westtexasred
mrperson wrote:Wasn't the suburst introduced in 59'?
1958

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:04 pm
by Gabriel
westtexasred wrote:
mrperson wrote:Wasn't the suburst introduced in 59'?
1958
Ah fair enough that works then :roll:

still on ebay?

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:31 pm
by SKC Willie
No way would I ever dish out that much money for someone who is unwilling to give out any info of the serial. Take a picture and black out that parts not needed to date.


It's already up for 30,000. Crazy

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:14 pm
by hotrodperlmutter
holy shit that thing is in fantastic shape.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:45 pm
by astro
I would never buy something like this off of ebay (if I was was rich enough, that is), too many experts at building relics around means that you wouldn't know if you're getting a fake. I'd have to be 100% sure the guy was legit, which would mean it would have to be someone I've known a while and trusted. For all we know this guitar was made in China.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:49 pm
by Will
Very little feedback + no item description + no gut shots = probable forgery.

I don't know enough about LPs to see any weirdness in those pictures, but given that they are the single most expensive vintage guitar it seems very suspicious he wouldn't go privately or to Sotheby's or something.

The wear looks a little heavy - especially on the stoptail. That's not exactly a part of the guitar you rest your hand on. In general, it just doesn't look right. The wear is both very substantial and very shallow, ie, no big conspicuous damage points. That, to me, suggests artificial relicing. The want to make it "look old" without damaging it.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:53 pm
by Mages
yeah, you gotta give a little more info about yourself if you're trying to sell something like this on eBay.


IMO, vintage Les Pauls are not worth the money. a new one will get you 95% of the way there for less than 10% of the price.

Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:54 pm
by Bacchus
Is it not quite common for someone to put their '58 Les Paul on ebay with a ridiculously high reserve, just to get publicity for the sell so that it'll do better when it goes to auction?

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 12:00 am
by Mages
I'm not seeing a reserve on this though

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 12:01 am
by stewart
I've just put a bid on it. Seven MILLIon DOLLAREs. I haven't even seem a picture. An furnk.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 12:37 am
by eurotrashed
This does seem odd. You would think for something like this, you would want to take the time when you sell it.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:25 am
by Nick
I seriously think anyone bidding on it is pretty much going to take the week off work (if they need to work), fly or drive out to where this guy lives and rent a hotel for a week, and schedule an appointment to view the guitar with an experienced luthier or appraiser to confirm its authenticity.

Putting a NR on eBay is going to gather the most attention to the guitar. It's a gamble but worst case scenario you put a shill bid in for 10 million dollars and get banned from eBay for a while. Anyone selling a guitar worth this much probably wouldn't give a shit. That having been said it doesn't surprise me he doesn't have a high feedback score. Dude is probably a high roller who don't have time to be buying and selling cabbage patch kids all day.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:30 am
by astro
Will wrote: I don't know enough about LPs to see any weirdness in those pictures, but given that they are the single most expensive vintage guitar it seems very suspicious he wouldn't go privately or to Sotheby's or something.
You're absolutely right. This is the kind of thing where you want a little more than a Paypal guarantee when selling something like this to a stranger. I don't think anyone who owned a real 1958 LP and knew what it's worth would sell anywhere but through a reputable dealer of these type of collectible guitars. Selling through ebay just makes no sense for this if its legit.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:02 am
by Will
What bothers me about those pictures is that it has exactly the wear you'd expect it to have. Literally. Every spot where there should be missing finish, or a couple dings, there it is! Real old guitars don't look like that - they're more individual. The wear spots seem conspicuously typical.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:16 am
by kypdurron
Nick wrote:I seriously think anyone bidding on it is pretty much going to take the week off work (if they need to work), fly or drive out to where this guy lives and rent a hotel for a week, and schedule an appointment to view the guitar with an experienced luthier or appraiser to confirm its authenticity.
That. And a lot is going on behind the scenes. Be sure that there are more pictures. It's over 30.000 $ by now. Who would now place a bidwithout knowing exactly what for? I mean let it be a 73, and it's worth maybe 3000 or less :D

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:52 pm
by westtexasred
Bidding is up to $40,100? Real or fake(pictures below)
► Show Spoiler

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:48 pm
by SKC Willie
i think the fact is that if you can't provide legitimate proof that the guitar is real. Like, several appraisers notes; the guitar has to be considered fake.

But if you were going to fake something, why go with a burst Les Paul? If it is fake it is going to get found out and I cannot imagine faking merchandise that is worth in the hundreds of thousands won't get you a little bit of jail time. I don't know, it seems to me that if you really wanted to make money faking something you'd have to go with Fender Strats or Teles.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 2:12 am
by westtexasred
Seller added this photo today.

Image