So...GC lost the COA on a Les Paul Custom

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

I would say it lowers the value $100 - $200 and also limits your potential buyer pool later on. Some people will not buy a guitar without the COA.

I know when I play live, the COA is one of the most important assets to my tone...

 

[Ddavid]

Papers are the part I worry about the most.
Well, that and the pictures.


(Who really gives a shit?) If you love the guitar the pedigree shouldn't matter.
If pedigree and resale does matter, don't buy it.

This is simple.

I get that it doesn't matter to players. He'll, it doesn't matter to me, except I have a bunch of people telling me it should matter to me (e.g Gibson, GC, MLP members, etc) I just want to know ahead of time what the issues are if I do not have a COA.

To me it's just a silly piece of paper, however, if that silly piece of paper (SPOP) makes my new $3500 guitar worth half that then I'd be silly not to want a SPOP.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

I get that it doesn't matter to players. He'll, it doesn't matter to me, except I have a bunch of people telling me it should matter to me (e.g Gibson, GC, MLP members, etc) I just want to know ahead of time what the issues are if I do not have a COA.

To me it's just a silly piece of paper, however, if that silly piece of paper (SPOP) makes my new $3500 guitar worth half that then I'd be silly not to want a SPOP.

Sorry man, but regardless the guitar you buy new will automatically be worth half of the price once you pass the warranty period. COA or no COA..

 

[Ddavid]

Sorry man, but regardless the guitar you buy new will automatically be worth half of the price once you pass the warranty period. COA or no COA..

Of course it will lose value, but more so without the SPOP. Right?

I get that many MLP members are above this sort of thing but many members feel strongly about COA's. Again, I don't give a rats butt about a piece of paper because I know it's authentic and new. I just wanna know that kinda crap it'll cause if I don't have one.

Edit: someone above said several hundred less. That's an expensive piece of paper!

 

[Tim Plains]

I know when I play live, the COA is one of the most important assets to my tone...

That's all fine and dandy but it is what it is, and why you decided to quote my post with this witty little comment is beyond me. The guy in the first post asked about value without the COA.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

Just laughing at the expense of some of you is all..

 

[Markie A]

GC is the biggest Fish in the Pond & the Guitar is brand new ............................... They can get you another COA if they really want to!

 

[Ddavid]

Just laughing at the expense of some of you is all..

How helpful of you. Why bother replying if you think it's stupid, silly, and beneath you to be worried about something as trivial as documentation?

I asked what I thought was a straightforward question, "what's not having a COA gonna cost me?" I thought that MLP would be the appropriate crowd to ask about this topic. I'm sorry if my thread title was too vague and you stumbled into a discussion you have no interest in.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

It's ok I forgive you.




The truth is some will care some won't. I think most won't. I don't even know where the other guy got his "100-200" dollar price value... It seems silly if its even true.

Oh and the worst part is the guys that do care about the COA won't pay any more than the guys that don't.

 

[christianpaulanderson]

oh no, the best guitar i've ever played doesn't have a coa, i can't buy it now

 

[cousingrandpa]

My R8 has one, my R9 doesn't, I really don't care & if I got stupid & sold my favorite guitar I have ever owned I wouldn't take any less for it because GC couldn't come up with the COA for a guitar I bought new from them. It's a piece of paper & I don't play a piece of paper, I play my guitar & it's a great playing, sounding & gigging guitar.

 

[dspelman]

I'm surprised people give so much credence to the COA. I was shocked when I got mine - it's such a scabby bit of paper and easily counterfeited.

This. ^^^

I think a COA comes with every Chinese copy these days.
There are lies, there are damned lies, and there are COAs.

If you're a flipper or a dealer, then you don't want that guitar because it's missing the COA. If its likely that you'll keep the guitar, it doesn't matter. I've never relied on a COA to authenticate anything.

When did they start putting those things in the cases, anyway? All of my Gibsons but one is pre-1980 at the moment. None of the old ones have COAs. And with regard to the new one, it's a pain in the butt to leave it or any of the rest of the case candy in the case (it's just going to get chewed up) and though I don't really sell my guitars very often, I'm guessing that I'll forget where I filed it away should that time ever come. COA = PIA.

ON THE OTHER HAND.

Since there ARE those who value them, GC has its you-know-whats in the ringer with this guitar, so it should prove to be worth its weight in wood pulp as a bargaining/negotiating tool. Let us know what the going rate for a missing COA turns out to be!

 

[dspelman]

How helpful of you. Why bother replying if you think it's stupid, silly, and beneath you to be worried about something as trivial as documentation?

I asked what I thought was a straightforward question, "what's not having a COA gonna cost me?" I thought that MLP would be the appropriate crowd to ask about this topic. I'm sorry if my thread title was too vague and you stumbled into a discussion you have no interest in.

The natives are restless today.

What with all the blathering about mojo and nitrocellulose respiratory claims and stainless steel pinging and more sustain when the pickguard is attached and "I'm going through my fifth pickup swap and all of them sound terrible on this brand new R9 when I play it through my vintage Spyder 1", there are times when common sense actually catches up to us. Sometimes the Gibson Game just gets weary.

A good night's sleep and we'll be back to snorting corks in the morning.

 

[Ddavid]

.

ON THE OTHER HAND.

Since there ARE those who value them, GC has its you-know-whats in the ringer with this guitar, so it should prove to be worth its weight in wood pulp as a bargaining/negotiating tool. Let us know what the going rate for a missing COA turns out to be!

I'll let you know....

I don't plan on selling my guitars...ever.

BTW, since it's new, I want my truss rod wrench and polishing cloth too.

 

[wavemagnet]

It blows my mind that GC can't or won't develop a system to keep track of an expensive guitar and it's paper work. It amazes me that they stay in business. I bought an nice '06 G0 used a couple of years ago with no COA. I'm betting the original owner never received it! If I ever buy another custom shop instrument new it better include everything it left Gibson (or Fender) with.

 

[christianpaulanderson]

People still buy guitars at Guitar Center?

 

[Ddavid]

People still buy guitars at Guitar Center?

Yeah, I've bought several from them. I've been lucky so far and have had a pretty cool sales guy help me out. I don't blame this snafu on him, and I'm sure he'll try to make the best of the situation. I just wanted to know how big of an issue this was before I moved forward.

 

[AngryHatter]

How helpful of you. Why bother replying if you think it's stupid, silly, and beneath you to be worried about something as trivial as documentation?

I asked what I thought was a straightforward question, "what's not having a COA gonna cost me?" I thought that MLP would be the appropriate crowd to ask about this topic. I'm sorry if my thread title was too vague and you stumbled into a discussion you have no interest in.

This hasn't come up 2,000,000 times in the past.
String gauge?
Topwrap?

The line starts over there. Nice to meet ya.

 

[Ddavid]

This hasn't come up 2,000,000 times in the past.
String gauge?
Topwrap?

The line starts over there. Nice to meet ya.

Then why post? This is the Les Paul forum.

If you ever have chest pains I hope some grumpy bastard at Mayo dot com doesn't say "not this crap again" when you ask for advice. If its too much for you to offer help then back the hell out of this thread and be unhelpful elsewhere

Edit:
1) ok, I had a Snickers bar. I feel better now.

2) I've already gotten helpful advice, so I'm good.

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

Then why post? This is the Les Paul forum.

If you ever have chest pains I hope some grumpy bastard at Mayo dot com doesn't say "not this crap again" when you ask for advice. If its too much for you to offer help then back the hell out of this thread and be unhelpful elsewhere

At that point you'd go to a doctor, not a message board....

Since we're on the subject, my penis hurts? Advice?