Luthiers timbers and other gear - deceased estate on ebay

James Mc · Post by **James Mc** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:35 pm

Their is a nice lady selling off her deceased husbands gear on ebay... lots of books as well as timber and near complete build a guitar kits.

Well worth a look here is the link

http://shop.ebay.com.au/merchant/sallywattle

From one of her listings
"My late husband's passion was Lutherie, he has over many years gathered alot of very selective guitar timbers, and other things associated with the craft.All of his timber has been stored in a humidifed room ,and stacked with little bits of wood to keep the individual pieces serparate for correct storage over the years..Some of the timber is 15 years old He also has incompleted projects which I will list if I have found the correct audience..."

"He was aware of his fate, and has put prices on alot of the items,however did not put a name to them.."

"So to be fair to myself and the purchaser, I am putting the starting prices of his items at 50% of the purchase price of the item...or the prices he had put on them."

"You may ask why this litergy, well if you are to email me and ask me what sort of timber is in the picture you will get a cybernetic shrug of the shoulders..... I am also hoping that I reach the correct audience for the items I will be putting on here, because my husbands greatest wish was that his passion be forwarded onto the right people..."

Cheers
James

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:53 pm

This item is a must buy...no longer published by LMI. I got one of the last editions and it contains a wealth of knowledge.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LUTHIERS-MERCANT ... 240%3A1318

Id also pounce on the Big Red Books....IMHO theyre worth at least $120 for the set. Also check out the GAL magazines.....

sebastiaan56 · Post by **sebastiaan56** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:20 am

Thanks for the heads up James,

Sebastiaan

matthew · Post by **matthew** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:25 am

wtf is this ?

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:44 am

Matthew its a guitar kit. It seems to be missing a few bits.....linings, end and tail blocks, truss rod, bracing etc. Would still be a good buy for someone wanting an easy first build.

matthew · Post by **matthew** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:06 am

But what are those holes for?

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:19 am

The holes are registration holes. Youd normally make up the kit in a mold and thered be matching registration pins on the mold. Some commercial luthiers use a similar system.

Actually looking at the bits again the back and top dont seem to be from same kit....back seems to have a cutaway while top doesnt.

Mark McLean · Post by **Mark McLean** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:22 am

Thanks for sharing the link James.
She seems like a genuine seller and a nice lady. Does anyone know her dear departed husband?
I have put bids on a few items.

The "almost a guitar" does look a bit odd. There is a cutaway shaped into the back but not the top, and the sides don't seem to be bent for it. But we can fix that, right?
cheers
Mark

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:29 am

Poor woman - I feel sorry for her and her loss.

Some of the parts pictured look like Martin (Guitar Maker's Connection) 2nds but I can't know for sure. Anyway Martin uses the same registration holes.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:35 am

Hesh1956 wrote: Anyway Martin uses the same registration holes.

No I dont

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:36 am

Mark McLean wrote:Thanks for sharing the link James.
She seems like a genuine seller and a nice lady. Does anyone know her dear departed husband?
I have put bids on a few items.

Are you the **** who outbid me on the Tass BW B and S set???

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:44 pm

Sally needs someone in the know to pop in and help or sort some of these lots.....Looks like at least one other lot might actually belong with the kit.

Anybody near Coffs Harbour?

James Mc · Post by **James Mc** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:33 pm

I'm working at the Blues and Roots Festival at Byron (great gig for anyone interested http://www.bluesfest.com.au ). It isn't much of a trip from there to Coffs, so I'll contact her and offer a hand.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:03 pm

You're an absolute gentleman James.....its always nice getting something way below real value but I'd like to see Sally get a fair price for some of her late hubbie's stuff.

James Mc · Post by **James Mc** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:34 pm

kiwigeo wrote:I'd like to see Sally get a fair price for some of her late hubbie's stuff.

Same here... I wish I was in the market for more timber but I already have more than I'll ever use, so if I can't help by buying it do what I can to help her get fair price.

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:35 pm

Maybe I'm seeing what I want to see in the photo, but it looks to me like she has a bit of the purple cloth folded over on to the back to protect it. If not, well, I've seen that shape before, but never as a cut away.

James Mc · Post by **James Mc** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:33 pm

On the ebay listing she has a second photo and it is definitely a bit that has cut out from the back (perhaps he was going to alter it to a cutaway).

Looking at both this set and the almost complete 12 string set she has listed I can't help thinking that they look a lot like the newish acoustic Fenders. There were a number of do it yourself ex factory fender sets for sale on ebay in the US a few years back... they went for around the $180 to $200 each.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:44 pm

That's the thing about ebay, hate to be such a cynic but Sally's lack of understanding of all things lutherical could easily turn out to be driven by the fact that she's actually some stinky breathed bloke who sat down in front of his PC in crusty undies, did just enough research with google to get an idea of what this stuff should be worth, and then wrote all this out only a year or so after he fenced it from some ice paid methslave who cleaned out one of our mates workshops for just enough 'ugly dust' to maintain his grip on unreality for just a little bit longer.

Oh so bitter Kimmy, so, so very bitter

May be Sal is an attractive black widow who prays on rich luthiers killing them off after marriage and then selling the chattels??? OK, that is pretty far fetched cause everyone knows there is no such thing as a "rich' luthier, but with ebay you really cannot know what your dealing with and pulling the big sob is not a new technique used to enhance the generosity of the bidder.

I am not saying this is the case here of course, however it would pay to do a bit of research before dropping in to give Sal a hand. Besides if she is recently widowed, she may feel a little vulnerable and find even a kind hearted and well meaning approach a little intimidating. I would imagine one would need to be rather careful how contact was initiated.

Cheers

Kim

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:53 pm

All taken on board Kim but the collection of GAL and woodie mags, the Big Red Books and alot of the other stuff sound like a serious amateur luthier's stash. The books appear to have been carefully chosen...Ive got every one of them in my library.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:19 pm

I have no doubt that all of the stuff listed was once the property of a serious armature who did indeed take his time in selecting them Martin. I am simply saying that no one has any real idea of who is now selling them.

It could be the same guy who selected them in the first place using the compassion of others to obtain the best price, not the first time that has been done on ebay. It could be crusty undies, not the first time that has happened either and it could indeed be legit. But I would not be in a hurry to accept on the face value of an ebay spiel that it is indeed some poor woman who has recently suffered a tragic loss and is now having to flog off the dearly departed's hobby list just to make ends meet.

Maybe it's that I grew up early and in the harsh light of day that makes me a more suspicious of these things, but for some, especially when veiled behind the anonymity of ebay, compassionate soles are no more than a currency there to be exploited by greedy bastards and it's a badge they wear with honour.

Cheers

Kim

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:22 pm

I hear what youre saying Kim.....

sebastiaan56 · Post by **sebastiaan56** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:22 pm

Good one Kim, Im winning a couple of those auctions!

your point is very valid, I always wanted to resell my virginity on epay

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:12 pm

Sorry folks,

My faith in mankind had this very morning suffered a little heart burn with the resulting reflux souring the milk of human kindness now curdled at the bottom of my sole.

Should you see your way to send me lots and lots of money, I am quite certain that a full recover shall ensue in double quick time. For to give my brethren is indeed far better than to receive, and in helping my fellows be guided to the stream of their compassion and allowing them to drink deeply of the liquor of self fulfilment from the cup of generosity, my cup of faith in human nature shall most surely runneth over once more. Let the milk flow.

I hope Sally does well too

Cheers

Kim

Mark McLean · Post by **Mark McLean** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:36 pm

It is interesting how E-Bay gives you a look at human nature.
Kim, I too must admit that my first reaction was suspicion and cynicism. I've been had before. Then some greed kicked in and I thought I might get something good on the cheap - and hoped you guys would all miss it. Then I felt a bit ashamed of reaction 1 and 2, and was impressed that James even shared this with us.

In the end, what the hell, you can never know the value of another's soul. It is good that this stuff can go to people who will use it. If Sal is a grieving widow (which seems likely) then I am glad that she is managing this so well. I she is the front for a con artist then I hope (s)he gets their cum-uppance one day. But it probably won't be over this deal.

There is some good stuff there. At least one of the B&S sets looks like good blackwood. Yes, Martin, I was winning that auction for about 10 minutes, but I think Sal is going to end up with a fair price there. I notice an enquiry about the Euro spruce tops from a gent named Gerard, so I imagine I will be rebuying one of those from Mr Gilet at a later date. That is OK - we live in a market economy whether we like it or not!
Mark

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:52 pm

So who nabbed the LMI guitar building manual/catalogue??

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Luthiers timbers and other gear - deceased estate on ebay

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