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Thread: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

  1. #1

    Default Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Hi Folks,

    I have not posted here in quite some time. I would love your advice and there are likely lots of people here who have opinions on this.

    I was gifted this guitar for Christmas:

    https://www.andrewwhiteguitars.com/p...freja-100-nat/

    As you can see it's beautiful and interesting. It's the Korean made production model of one of his handmade guitars. My sister in law (who gifted it) says it's specifically an Appalachian guitar.

    I am an elementary teacher, and teaching and playing with kids is the only situation where I use guitars. I don't gig with one nor do I play guitars at home a lot. (I use my uke for that as it's smaller and quieter).

    I have a Taylor GS mini that is my go to guitar. It's loud and portable and has a pick guard and isn't glossy top. It can take a beating (equipment around 10 years olds often does) and is still going strong.

    I'm afraid if I play this beautiful glossy top guitar with no pick guard, it will be ruined within months and I will be sad. I want it to be with the right player and right situation.

    I could try to sell it here in classifieds or I could take it to a music trading store here in GA that I've dealt with many times. Of course I will get MUCH less as a trade or sell to re-seller.

    Any suggestions for asking price (it was free to me but my sister in law paid $599 for it)? Would people who browse the classifieds here be interested in such a guitar? It comes with a custom hard shell case too.
    Lynn Tillman

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Hard to know about the interest of others; I personally am set with acoustic guitars, at least pending a GAS attack. Selling technically used, you're looking at maybe $400-450 if you find the right buyer, maybe less since it's not a Martin/Taylor/Gibson with name recognition. It's at a price point that's kind of tough. Those looking to buy their kid a guitar to try out/beat on don't want to spend quite that much, and true gear heads (if they have the disposable funds) tend to aim higher. I don't mean that as a knock, as my favorite guitar is also my cheapest, a Guild D40 Blem I got for 500 bucks with a hard case. I've thought about selling it, but don't think I could get what I paid back, and it's too good a guitar with too many good memories attached to let go.

    So, the advice for which you're not really asking is this: If you have the room to keep the guitar, consider getting a clear pick guard from Stew Mac to protect the finish and just play it! Don't worry about the scratches and dents, they just give it character!!

    Also, welcome back!
    Chuck

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    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Hi Lynn, good to see you back here.

    I agree with Chuck ... doesn't matter much to the market that the guitar is brand new, it is not a well known, heavily sought after item, and can be had new for $600. If someone here were specifically looking to get that exact guitar new, they might pay you 450 or 500 instead, but what are the odds?

    The guitar cost you nothing, so play it until it falls apart, or let the kids do it. OR, an idea:

    Make a raffle prize of it and sell raffle tickets to raise money for your music program.

    By the way, thank you for investing in these kid's love of music. I always enjoy reading and hearing how they're doing on Facebook.
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  6. #4

    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Frankly, unless your other name is Edward Scissorhands, I can't see how you'd damage the top all that much just by playing it.

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    I agree with CES, a clear pickguard will protect it, not cost much, and should you decide to sell it down the road it won't hurt the value. You might think about using the mini for students who are interested to play while you play this. Not taking it home, but maybe private lessons at school for those seriously interested. The mini would fit them better for size.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  9. #6

    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by mojocaster View Post
    Frankly, unless your other name is Edward Scissorhands, I can't see how you'd damage the top all that much just by playing it.
    I am a lazy and horrible guitar player. Every guitar I've ever owned with no pick guard has 1/4 circular scratches from the sound hole to the edge. I know... I'm terrible.
    Lynn Tillman

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  11. #7

    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gunter View Post
    Hi Lynn, good to see you back here.

    I agree with Chuck ... doesn't matter much to the market that the guitar is brand new, it is not a well known, heavily sought after item, and can be had new for $600. If someone here were specifically looking to get that exact guitar new, they might pay you 450 or 500 instead, but what are the odds?

    The guitar cost you nothing, so play it until it falls apart, or let the kids do it. OR, an idea:

    Make a raffle prize of it and sell raffle tickets to raise money for your music program.

    By the way, thank you for investing in these kid's love of music. I always enjoy reading and hearing how they're doing on Facebook.
    I need to post some more stuff they've done. It's not our best year this year but they're still doing ok. I hadn't thought about the raffle thing. Not a bad idea!
    Lynn Tillman

  12. #8

    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Quote Originally Posted by CES View Post
    Hard to know about the interest of others; I personally am set with acoustic guitars, at least pending a GAS attack. Selling technically used, you're looking at maybe $400-450 if you find the right buyer, maybe less since it's not a Martin/Taylor/Gibson with name recognition. It's at a price point that's kind of tough. Those looking to buy their kid a guitar to try out/beat on don't want to spend quite that much, and true gear heads (if they have the disposable funds) tend to aim higher. I don't mean that as a knock, as my favorite guitar is also my cheapest, a Guild D40 Blem I got for 500 bucks with a hard case. I've thought about selling it, but don't think I could get what I paid back, and it's too good a guitar with too many good memories attached to let go.

    So, the advice for which you're not really asking is this: If you have the room to keep the guitar, consider getting a clear pick guard from Stew Mac to protect the finish and just play it! Don't worry about the scratches and dents, they just give it character!!

    Also, welcome back!
    Thank you for your detailed response. I don't take it as a knock at all. I totally get it's not a "big name" and priced higher than beginner level. I'm not sure keeping it is an option. Space is an issue and it's too nice to let fifth graders play (IMHO). I like the way my GS mini feels and sounds better than this one. Thank you for your opinions. I think I may take it to the music trading store. Lots of different types go through there and the right player may find it someday on the shelves... At least I can trade it for something I can use personally or at school.
    Lynn Tillman

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    That’s a cool guitar and from a maker I’d not heard of. I would personally keep it because it’s not every day that one is gifted with a beautiful guitar. You could always use it to explore odd tunings or to learn a new technique, like fingerstyle where the pick guard would be a non-issue. Or if you really don’t want to keep it, you could be on the lookout for someone who really needs a nice guitar but could ever afford one. You could re-gift it and likely change the course of a life.
    ...

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Quote Originally Posted by Mando_Lynn View Post
    Thank you for your detailed response. I don't take it as a knock at all. I totally get it's not a "big name" and priced higher than beginner level. I'm not sure keeping it is an option. Space is an issue and it's too nice to let fifth graders play (IMHO). I like the way my GS mini feels and sounds better than this one. Thank you for your opinions. I think I may take it to the music trading store. Lots of different types go through there and the right player may find it someday on the shelves... At least I can trade it for something I can use personally or at school.
    I completely understand. We downsized last summer and I've moved 4 mandolins and 3 guitars out of the house in the past few months. I gave away one of the guitars and one mandolin (that were too inexpensive to make worth the trouble to sell), and it made the day of the kids' to which I gave them. If you don't like it/won't use it, by all means, move it along...

    The raffle idea is intriguing, hadn't thought of that!!
    Chuck

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  17. #11

    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    I have decided to keep it and look for the clear pick guard as suggested. The $200-300 I might get isn't worth the heartache I would feel if anyone in the family asked me to bring it over for a get together and play something. I will never love it as it doesn't speak to me the way it feels in my hands, but it is beautiful and I like to look at it.

    Thank you all for your advice.
    Lynn Tillman

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  19. #12
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Good choice. And it may grow on you over time, some instruments I initially liked but didn't love are now "keepers." It can happen....

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    If you can and like it, keep it? I was pretty much gifted an attic find a bit over a year ago and its getting restored as it is rough, it was in a crawl space that they actually had to knock part of the wall where it was walled over years ago as the guitar is a 1919 OO-18 Martin! It was going to get thrown away along with a super rare 1934 Blonde/natural Gibson Roy Smeck Radio Grande flat top-in the sweet Brazilian back and sides-My buddy found these from a family friend and he told them they are worth bucks but they didn't care and if he didn't want them they were getting trashed! "Yes this still happens to fine instruments more than people realize!"
    I gave him 300 bucks for the Martin to help him get the Gibson fixed, the neat thing is the Martin has the original hard case and its about perfect compared to the guitar but at least Master Dave Musslewhite is fixing the Martin for me, Master David Harvey is fixing the super rare Gibson Brazilian Dreadnaught for my friend!

    I'll always keep the Martin just because of the back story and it has no pickguard either but I'm not getting one put on it! I like D size guitars but the Martin is super neat and for sure restorable! "I wanted the 34 Brazilian if he wasn't going to keep it but I'm more than happy my friend decided to keep it and get it fixed as I told him that is one special guitar, being around me he's learned a bunch about these pre-war instruments and how special/rare they are and it'll beat out his 70's Martin D-35 and well most any other guitar for that matter as 12 frets to the jumbo body that baby will have some serious bass response!"

    So for a freebie or if one doesn't have much $ in something and you don't need the extra $ "that will go fast anyway for bills/food/life etc...Keep it!"

  21. #14
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    I just discovered this thread and it sounds like you got some good advice from folks here. I ironic thing is that that Andrew White guitar is only a hair above the retail price for your GS mini. But instruments are meant to be played, so I would not worry about scratching it up. And if you needed to get rid of it to save space you might put an ad in the classifieds here to trade for a small instrument, like, for instance, a mandolin.
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Quote Originally Posted by Mando_Lynn View Post
    I have decided to keep it and look for the clear pick guard as suggested. The $200-300 I might get isn't worth the heartache I would feel if anyone in the family asked me to bring it over for a get together and play something. I will never love it as it doesn't speak to me the way it feels in my hands, but it is beautiful and I like to look at it.

    Thank you all for your advice.
    The family aspect of the deal makes it awkward and potentially messy, since, right or wrong, there are usually at least some kind of strings attached to gifts like this, and getting rid of it will surely cause hurt feelings on some level. A tough situation in that regard. On the other hand, I don’t know many family members who would drop $500-600 on a gift like this. Sounds like you have a great SIL.
    ...

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Quote Originally Posted by Mando_Lynn View Post
    I have decided to keep it and look for the clear pick guard as suggested.
    Hurray for you. It's a gift from a sister, and for that reason alone well worth keeping. Instruments are meant to be played, with the wear and tear that results.

    You may learn to love it, as I hope you love your sister.
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    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    When I'm given (gifted?) an instrument, I just say thanks, keep it, and enjoy it.

    If you're worried about scratching it with your nails, a pick, or picks (is your strumming really that brutal?), get a pickguard. They're cheap.

    For what it's worth, it looks like a dandy little axe.

  25. #18
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    PS - Just found your post above and see you took my advice before I gave it. Good going. Enjoy!

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    You are doing the right thing, the clear pickguard material is pretty easy to install. Keep it and have fun with it, that’s what your sister wanted!
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  27. #20

    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    One thing to put into the equation is how the giver might feel if you got rid of it right away. Just a thought.

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    I was going to stay out of the family aspect of it, as everyone’s family is different, but, yeah, you’re definitely making the right call...
    Chuck

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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    We don't know what the sister wanted. Support for sure but why, if Lynn already had a guitar, would she buy another?
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    Default Re: Guitar (not mando) Advice for what to do with it

    Quote Originally Posted by DougC View Post
    Support for sure but why, if Lynn already had a guitar, would she buy another?
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