Swee baby Jesuss, she is amazing!

[leocuellar]

1800? For 1800 you can get a used Gibson Standard or a Traditional, I mean, Elitists are the closest you can get to a Gibson, but this guy is trying to sell that thing for more than what a Gibson costs, and we're not talking about a lower end Gibson, but a Standard. The worst part is that probably someone will pay that money for it, isn't that crazy?

 

[cvrle1]

The worst part is that probably someone will pay that money for it, isn't that crazy?

I dont know, I dont think it will go that high. I am almost willing to bet that it will not get sold due to ridiculously high reserve. It is at $530 now and reserve has not been met. And seeing how BIN is $1800, I can see his reserve being north of $1000

 

[shane2mc]

Yeah, it's a cool guitar. But it's not $1,800 cool. Auctions end every day with reserve prices going unmet. It wouldn't surprise me if this is one of those. If so, maybe the relist price will be more realistic.

 

[Barcham]

1800? For 1800 you can get a used Gibson Standard or a Traditional, I mean, Elitists are the closest you can get to a Gibson, but this guy is trying to sell that thing for more than what a Gibson costs, and we're not talking about a lower end Gibson, but a Standard. The worst part is that probably someone will pay that money for it, isn't that crazy?

I'll take an Elitist over a Gibson Standard any day of the week. That being said, I wouldn't pay his asking price for this guitar and I don't think anyone else will either. If he picked it up at the Gibson factory sale, he didn't pay anywhere close to that either and he's just looking to make a good profit.

 

[Kong]

There is an Elitist Tak for sale with the tombstone headstock on Craigslist not too far from me, and the asking price is $900. It is dead mint from what I can see.

Epiphone Elitist Tak Matsumoto

 

[Mad Scientist]

$1800 for an Epiphone? No thanks.

 

[Mr Teeny]

$1800 for an Epiphone? No thanks.

Maybe you're setting your standards and expectations too low, there's plenty of Epiphones I'd love to be able to buy for $1800 or under , especially some of the coronets.


Those might be an acquired taste but they are quite sought after, I see them sell upwards of 100,000 yen on YJ every so often. Here's one that sold 158,000 yen (~$1500) and that was in Japan where there's always a few up for grabs. Obviously the auction one's missing the case and signature (which may or may not be a bonus) but I certainly don't blame him having a BIN that high. Plenty of people can happily drop that on a guitar so may as well chance your arm with a high BIN especially on a rare and sought after guitar

Epiphone ELITE LESPAUL TAK-BURST

 

[dangerdog]

Too bad he didn't know what that was before he listed it but there is ZERO doubt that is a prototype for the Elite Tak Burst. The black binding, the abalone and the top quilt and color leave no doubt.

 

[cvrle1]

Price up to $800, and reserve still not met. I stand by my thought that this doesnt sell due to high reserve.

Too bad he didn't know what that was before he listed it but there is ZERO doubt that is a prototype for the Elite Tak Burst. The black binding, the abalone and the top quilt and color leave no doubt.

For the uneducated, like me, does that make it better, worse, same, more expensive, less expensive?

 

[Barcham]

For me, as far as the guitar itself goes it makes no difference. There's no documentation so it means nothing to a collector either. The fact that it lacks the original case is a minus in my book and brings the value down.

EDIT: OK, I just went back and re-read the ad. I agree that this may well be a prototype as it has no serial number. That would explain the lack of original case as the case had likely not even been designed when this guitar was built. That would also explain the lack of a Tak signature on the guitar body. This is very likely one of a kind and if I was the seller, I'd not let it go cheaply.

 

[leocuellar]

I'll take an Elitist over a Gibson Standard any day of the week. That being said, I wouldn't pay his asking price for this guitar and I don't think anyone else will either. If he picked it up at the Gibson factory sale, he didn't pay anywhere close to that either and he's just looking to make a good profit.

With all my respect and with no offense intended at all, Why do you prefer an Elitist over a Gibson Standard? In which specific areas are better?

 

[Tanqueray]

With all my respect and with no offense intended at all, Why do you prefer an Elitist over a Gibson Standard? In which specific areas are better?

With the exception of the poly finish, they're built closer to the specifications of the historic les pauls than the current standards are.

High quality wood, no weight relief, long neck tenon, extremely high quality control, etc.

 

[Barcham]

With all my respect and with no offense intended at all, Why do you prefer an Elitist over a Gibson Standard? In which specific areas are better?

Exactly what Tanqueray posted as well as I actually prefer the Elitist poly finish to nitro as it protects the guitar better. Would I pay Gibson Standard prices for an Elitist? No, of course not. But I don't have to. I can buy a used Elitist for less than half the price of a used Gibson Standard and get what I consider to be a superior instrument for less of my money.

To get a Gibson of equal specs and quality of an Elitist today, you would have to move up to the Custom Shop/VOS/Historic level at a huge price increase. And even then, you would not be getting real mother of pearl inlays or a bone nut.

 

[Tanqueray]

Custom Shop guitars don't have real MoP inlays or a bone nut? That I did not know.

 

[Barcham]

They have 'antique' acrylic inlays, no idea what the nut is made of as they don't list it in the specs. Probably corian like the rest. But they do use hide glue! I guess they think that makes their '57 VOS GT worth $4000 more than I paid for my Elitist. I do not agree.

 

[shane2mc]

Barcham, do you think there is as much potential for an Elitist like this to hold or even increase in value over time as there would be for a similarly priced and/or a similar quality Gibson?

I'm no expert, but I wouldn't think there would be as much "investment" potential for an Epiphone, simply because of perceived value among the masses of American-made Gibsons over Epiphones (right or wrong). What do you think?

Not that I'm even considering buying this one. Just curious....

 

[Barcham]

I don't think there is any investment potential in any recently produced guitar, say the last 20 years, by either Gibson or Epiphone. A new Gibson Standard sells for about $2700 and used ones can be had all day long for around $1700. That's hardly a good investment. I do think that Elitists will retain their value and possibly increase marginally as the years go by. An Elitist like this one off guitar is impossible to say. I'd think it will retain it's value like most used guitars but will increase very little in value beyond normal inflationary increases in the dollar.

As for similarly priced used Gibsons...well that would mean currently produced Standard models and I don't think there is any investment potential in those at all. I think that if someone buys used guitars and chooses their purchases wisely, they will at least break even if it ever comes time to sell.

In my opinion, anyone who is investing in guitars hoping to make money down the line is a fool. A few years ago people were paying over half a million dollars for vintage Les Pauls that today they would have trouble selling for half that. But a guitar to play it, not for any other reason.

 

[cvrle1]

In my opinion, anyone who is investing in guitars hoping to make money down the line is a fool. A few years ago people were paying over half a million dollars for vintage Les Pauls that today they would have trouble selling for half that. But a guitar to play it, not for any other reason.

This X10000. I never understood people that buy guitars, or almost anything for that matter as an investment (other then house and other major purchases like it)

yes I would not want it to get scratched up and banged around, but it is a guitar, I am using it for fun and because I like to play it (even though i suck at it haha) As long as it doesnt get broken, or gets any major damage done to it, it is a means to a hobby of mine. When i play tennis, I dont buy $5K racket and put it away in my closet never to be seen again, hoping I can sell it for double in few years. I use it, and play it (no I dont have $5K racket) and if it gets scratched, so be it.

This guy was smart though (or maybe just really lucky) as he will most likely make a pretty penny off this guitar. Maybe not from this eBay listing, but whenever he sells it. I am doubting that when he bought it he had resale and making $$$ off of it in mind. One thing is for certain, whoever buys it from him, will probably not make that much, if any $$$ at all when he decides to sell it down the road.

 

[shane2mc]

Agreed. It'll be a LONG wait to profit from the sale of a production guitar that you buy new today. Finding a good deal on a used one ups your chances, but I'm not putting my retirement account money into guitars.

A Loar mandolin from the 20s is a different story, but that's another thread....

 

[leocuellar]

Hey Barcham, good info about elitists vs gibby std, thanks for the answer, I actually prefer a gibson Traditional, solid non weight relieved body, great electronics, fret nibs, long tenon (I think), american workmanship, great pickups and paradoxically, also cheaper than a std (and cheaper than this particular elitist by the way)

I mean If I had 1000 to spend I definitely would look for a nice elitist, but if I had 1800, without a doubt I would get a used Gibby trad plus and save the extra 100-300