How Much Is a COA Worth?

[wholelottaburst]

Ive always found them to be ridiculous. Thats just me. I dont care if the guitar I want has one or not. You cant play it and honestly i dont wanna sell it to someone whos so hung up on a worthless piece of paper thats theyd deny themselves a good guitar. You hmm and haw over a COA I just move on. At this point those in the market should be able to tell its real and it has an RF chip right inside it.

LOL! Sure, they're ridiculous. I've thought so since it started. Yet, being older I have to consider my heirs and spouse who will have to deal with all the crap I leave behind. I intend, God willing, to be able to leave some fairly detailed instructions about the value of my possessions. So, speaking personally, it's good to know how these details factor in.

 

[your idol]

i agree ......


but i forgot about the the RF chip which is used for factory use only is my understanding.....not like chipping your dog...

but i am surprised someone has not figured out how to read them....yet

I mean its an RFID chip. Any rf reader can read them. Wether the info on that chip is readable to laymen is beyond me. It could be all coded up in ways only verifiable by Gibson coding but I doubt they get too deep on that. Its probably pretty basic readable info that someone with a little Gibson knowledge can read/figure out.

 

[judson]

I mean its an RFID chip. Any rf reader can read them. Wether the info on that chip is readable to laymen is beyond me. It could be all coded up in ways only verifiable by Gibson coding but I doubt they get too deep on that. Its probably pretty basic readable info that someone with a little Gibson knowledge can read/figure out.

yea someone here posted it was really just done to track guitars thru the factory manufacturing process and nothing really earthshattering but if someone had a hard on that wanted to prove it was not a fake , maybe proving it had the chip in the neck proved it was valid would be a simple task.....

wonder what years they did it....here is a post from the Gibson forum..

RFID Tag?

I watched this tour in the Nashville factory on Youtube. Very interesting and if you havent already seen it, I really recommend you to watch it. Ill put the link below. About 14mins in this video-clip they talk about an RFID tag. In fact all the guitars that leaves the factory have got one instal...

forum.gibson.com

 

[guitarbob123]

I'm pretty sure they're still installing those chips/tags, at least on USA factory models.

There was the YouTube series about how the guitars are made on Gibson's channel and they talk about them being attached underneath the board and show them in one of the videos.

Of course they didn't show any Custom Shop products, the best guys to know about it would be at Historic Makeovers seeing as they're lifting the fretboards off with pretty much every guitar they do.

 

[strat1701]

IIRC the RF chip is somewhere in the neck joint, I thought I recall seeing some xray somewhere which showed it.

 

[musicmaniac]

If they don't matter then sell them without and keep it!

 

[filtersweep]

And personally - I wish Gibson offered "at a cost" either in house verification or a list of dealers who will do it.

For example - Randall Knives will refer me to experts on their product if I have a 50s or 60s knife I want to know meets Korea or Vietnam Era to support stories given about how dad/uncle/grandad carried it during their time in the service (can add value to collectors).

Why can't Gibson make a deal with preferred shops to authenticate a guitar - not give a new COA - just give a letter and verify its legit.

People are so damn stupid about that COA - feels guitars are going like coins and sportscards...slab them with a grading agency - never to be touched by mortal hands again. It ruined the fun of those collectibles and probably will ruin this one too.

Gibson only is interested in selling new guitars.

Of course the ressle market helps drive their cost structure, but it make poor business sense.

 

[efstop]

My 2019 ES-235 isn't a historic, in fact it was Gibson's entry level semi-hollow. And yet it came with a COA in the case. I bought the guitar used and was surprised to see that, and the hang tag describing its construction and the warranty folder.

I didn't know it had a COA so I can't attach a value to it.

 

[mjross]

If it’s a great guitar and what I’m looking for, it would be nice to have but the real question is, how does it play. To me, that is what’s important. People that collect like them!

 

[mjross]

If they don't matter then sell them without and keep it!

Some do!

 

[guitardon]

I don’t see it as a dollar value thing. I wouldn’t touch a guitar with the prices of CS without a COA. It proves it is real and face it, we all think we’ll never sell this one or that. But at the end of the day most of have said that before and sold our precious beauty for the next greater and better on that comes out. I know I’ve done that over 20 times. When you go to sell it most buyers will shy away from it unless it is dirt cheap.

 

[Duane_the_tub]

You can get a replacement COA from Fender for $75. It's unfortunate that Gibson won't provide this level of service to its customers as well.

Like anything else, the COA is worth only what a buyer is willing to pay for it (or in this case, not pay for it).

 

[themollusk79]

In recently had an 80’s ‘52 Reissue Tele (one of those early vintage reissues) in my shop. It was all stock and vetted for authenticity, but just missing the case candy and COA. I had the typical round of folks trying to talk the price down for the lack of COA. But, it eventually sold for its market value to the right buyer.

So, in the long run I don’t think a COA matters that much as long as you are willing to wait.

 

[mudface]

In recently had an 80’s ‘52 Reissue Tele (one of those early vintage reissues) in my shop. It was all stock and vetted for authenticity, but just missing the case candy and COA. I had the typical round of folks trying to talk the price down for the lack of COA. But, it eventually sold for its market value to the right buyer.

So, in the long run I don’t think a COA matters that much as long as you are willing to wait.

I purchased a brand new 1983 Fender ‘62 Candy Apple Red Stratocaster reissue.... it came with a bunch of vintage reissue hang tags and instruction manual in the orange lined tweed case, but no COA.

I don’t believe they had any.... they did have unique serial on the neck bolt plate that started with a V.... I believe it was $750 out the door. I ended up trading it for a couple of 2000 watt Crown PA amps for the band’s system back in the ‘80s.

 

[Cory]

They’re worth everything in terms of buying and selling in the historic/reissue line - best of luck selling one without a COA - I think most people spending that kind of money on the used market want it included, or be ready for the onslaught of lowball offers...

 

[blouie]

Ultimately I deep down know this is a stupid way to think but if there is no COA, I personally wouldn't buy the guitar! I kind'a suspect many people feel the same way, so it's not just a factor of devalued price for the guitar without COA, it's that your potential customer base is greatly reduced - less demand does mean lower price.

 

[mjross]

Did the original “59” have a COA? Hmmmmm......

 

[Justin_Case]

Did the original “59” have a COA? Hmmmmm......

Quite a few fake 59s out there. Fooled a lot of people into paying big bucks for a forgery....hmmmmmm.

 

[mjross]

Quite a few fake 59s out there. Fooled a lot of people into paying big bucks for a forgery....hmmmmmm.

Hmmmmm.............

 

[Steam]

So many of you guys wouldn't buy a secondhand Custom Shop Reissue LP from 1993 -'98 that originally came without a COA ?
Hmmmmmmm, . . . .