his double garage into a small store, and Class Axe in Kemptville was born.
Bob’s clientele runs the gamut,
from newbies looking to break into the hobby to guys with lots of money to spend on very specific guitars. If you’re a newcomer, Bob could
probably set you up with a mid-60s Fender Mustang, mass-produced to cash in on the guitar-mania that followed the Beatles’ arrival in 1964. A vintage Mustang will set you back about $1,600. At the time it was produced, it would have cost about $125 − a good indication of the money involved in starting a hobby that is not for the faint-of-heart. “It’s an addiction,” says Bob. “I
know guys who are going out daily looking for guitars. I have one buyer from Japan who has customers who will pay very serious money for the right guitar, the right year, the right colour.” He says there are a number of
elements that determine a guitar’s collectability. “I think it’s more the scarcity
than the sound. Of course, condition plays a large part in the value, and original parts. I’ve had customers pass on a $15,000 guitar because a part had been re-soldered. That’s just the way these guys are”. As with any hobby that involves
collecting and big bucks, Bob stresses a buyer has to be careful, especially if you’re dealing with sellers on the Internet. “Counterfeits are a big problem,” he says, “and China is producing
www.bounder.ca colewalker@cogeco.net
guitars with the big names right on them.” So his advice is simple: make
sure an expert checks out the guitar first before you buy it; and don’t shell out money for a guitar before you plug it in and check the sound and feel.
But all rules are out the window
if you happen to stumble upon what Bob calls “the holy grail” of guitars: the 1958 Les Paul Flame Top. “It’s very rare, very collectible,”
he says. “We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. That is the absolute ultimate.” Bob says there is really no way to
predict which newer guitars are worth collecting. “The market is so flooded these
days with special edition models and reprints of classic guitars,” he says, “that it’s hard to predict what’s going to be valuable to collectors down the road.” So for now, the best advice is to keep checking garage sales for that
continued on page 19
If You’re looking for Residential or Commercial Real Estate give us a call, Buying and Selling in Eastern Ontario,
we can help find what You’re looking for. New Office Now Open in Kemptville.
Supporter
Each Office Independently owned and operated
gseguin13@gmail.com 613.258.4900 • 613.283.4900
www.rcrhomes.ca BOUNDER MAGAZINE 17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72