how much off if the COA is missing

[Sunbury les paul man]

Hi, recently came across a rather nice guitar but the COA was missing. How much do you guys reckon that should drop the price by?

 

[hank]

None. The COA's are for the "collectors". Guitars are made to be played.

In reality, if the guitar is to be a case queen, you should have the COA. Otherwise, the COA is useless to me.

jmho

 

[Sean French]

While to me the COA is a useless piece of paper,Historics that came with a COA and are sold used without one do most often take a hit.
Difficult to say exactly how much of a hit as it depends on who is buying,the asking price and if the COA is important to them.
I would say one or two hundred.

 

[Boshizzle]

Depends on rather or not you will ever sell the guitar and how. If you ever decide to sell it and someone who has played it wants to buy it, the COA will probably mean very little. But, if you are selling online, all people have to go by is the condition of the instrument, the case candy, and the top. It's stupid when you think about. I mean, a hang tag adds to the value of a guitar? That's ridiculous. I have never heard that "vintage hang tag tone" but a lot of people want it, it seems.

 

[Tim Plains]

I agree that the COA is useless, especially the 8-1/2" x 11", but they are part of the package.
Today, I'd say around $100 - $200 less if the COA is missing.
I'm not basing that on anything, just my opinion.

 

[Sunbury les paul man]

Well I may not sell it but I'm sure my son will when I'm dust!

Ok thats about the amount I thought off...

about the same for a Fender CS as well

 

[Mike60]

Hi, recently came across a rather nice guitar but the COA was missing. How much do you guys reckon that should drop the price by?

..nada..

 

[USP45Tim]

One milllllllllllllllllion dollars!

 

[zplapplap]

None. The COA's are for the "collectors". Guitars are made to be played.

In reality, if the guitar is to be a case queen, you should have the COA. Otherwise, the COA is useless to me.

jmho

While my gut reaction was to agree with Hank, that COA would be useful to EVERY guitar owner (player or collector) when it comes time to sell. The question is, "Will you get less for the guitar when you sell it because of a missing COA?" If the answer is yes then, how much less? Once you have an idea of that amount you'll have an idea of how much less you should be willing to pay for the guitar.

 

[ducblancpale]

Why did Gibson introduced the COA? Is it because there are fake LPs in circulation?

 

[d1 guy]

all you have to do is call gibson and they'll send you a new one. I lost the one for my joe perry LP and they sent me a new one free of charge..... Shouldnt knock anything off of price.

 

[Tim Plains]

d1 guy, Gibson told me they will only reissue a new COA if a person ships the guitar directly to them for inspection. Pictures won't do.

 

[Last]

I've got the exact opposite problem & it saved me over 1/2 of the price on my Historic '57 LP JR.

I've got the COA but the guitar has been refinished & the serial # is now history. It's got a sticker for the number.

I emailed pics to Gibson & I looked it over carefully myself & they confirmed it for me.

So yeah, it can really mess up it's value which is a shame but these are the times we live in.

 

[diceman]

all you have to do is call gibson and they'll send you a new one. I lost the one for my joe perry LP and they sent me a new one free of charge..... Shouldnt knock anything off of price.

IF you are the ORIGINAL registered owner, and only upon inspection of the guitar by Gibson in person. That is my understanding.

 

[markguitar]

I've probably sold a few thousand Historic LP reissues over the last 10 years and have never priced or sold one for less just because it didn't have a COA.

 

[Notorious BFG]

You can only get a replacment coa if you are/were the original purchaser, as far as I know. My understanding is gibson now plants a pellet ( like the dog micrchip ), into the neck b4 it gets glued up. If'n a geetar is sent in fer questions, they scan that mofo first thing out of the box.

 

[Lucky One]

I've probably sold a few thousand Historic LP reissues over the last 10 years and have never priced or sold one for less just because it didn't have a COA.

I think that should answer your question and leave no doubt. I wish they never even wasted the time and paper with those certificates, to me they are meaningless.

 

[DRF]

200 bucks!!! WTF,seriously,I think I recall seeing counterfeit blank ones on ebay for $12 I'm going there now.

 

[Tuxedo Kaz]

I've probably sold a few thousand Historic LP reissues over the last 10 years and have never priced or sold one for less just because it didn't have a COA.

I need to make the trek up there someday, Mark. Though I didn't buy from you this time, it's only a matter of time, like some bizarre rite of passage.


But I agree. To me the COA does not matter. If you can't tell a Historic from a fake without it, saving $100 is the least of your problems. It's just paper anyhow. Or leatherette, in the case of the new ones.