If I paint this guitar

[kiteman]

Do you think it'll sell?

It's handmade by a luthier.

[Heywood Jablomie]

Regardless of the finish, I honestly don't think you're going to get anywhere near the $400 you're asking. I don't think it's realistic. It may be "hand made by a luthier", and it may be a wonderful, good-playing guitar, but the bottom line is that it's a funny-looking, no-name guitar that apparently won't fetch a very high price, regardless of what you think it's worth. Don't shoot the messenger.

[hubberjub***]

I don't think painting it will help. It looks like a nice piece of wood an I don't think the body style is bad. The musical instrument economy is down. Your situation is compounded by the fact that the luthier is not very well know. If you like that guitar I'd hold on to it. Didn't you say it's a Buck Dharma inspired guitar? Have you looked for any BOC fan sites or forums? That might be a good route.

[kiteman]

Yea, I'm a member of Buck Dharma forum but their password recovery doesn't work. Also the forum doesn't allow guests to enter. It's moot.

I could keep it but it doesn't get played much and I rather have someone wear it out. I'm wearing out my Carvins.

I thought it's a good price because all the materials are quality and it does play well. It feels like wearing an SG but without the neck dive.

EDIT: I'm also trying to clean house from my accumulations.

[Eric***]

No, I don't think painting it would help even a little. Here's my take on it: I would buy it, funny shape and unknown luthier and all, for $200.

And I like the finish on it right now. If I'm going to go for a $400 guitar, I'm going to venture into safer waters.

If you paint it, you're doing it for the people who would never have any interest in a guitar like that in the first place, so it seems like all it would do is lower the attractiveness for someone who would take a chance on it.

Personally, if I was you, I'd either keep it or throw it in as part of a trade with someone. Selling it probably won't net you a result you'll be happy with.

[Bloozcat]

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Just as ironic and hopeless a case here, kiteman. Although the name on the guitar shouldn't matter rationally, in the world of guitars, it does...

[kiteman]

Would you believe I paid $899 for it?

Yea, I know.

EDIT: I played this guitar for almost a year and enjoyed it tremendously but I made a mistake, I bought a Carvin Bolt kit. Then I made the same mistake again and bought a Carvin DC127.

[GuitarAcademy]

Here's my .02

I'd want it as is with the natural finish. If you had a lower price and a return option, I might be interested. In the end, its about how it feels and plays to me. Since I cannot feel the neck, how it fits me as a player and such, that's a big gamble. And just because its made from a Luthier doesn't mean I'd like it. I go to the NAMM show and have played many guitars by Luthiers and frankly I have been as disappointed as often as I have been when playing a brand name.

GA

[sumitomo]

I know where your comming from brother,I just built a strat,warmoth neck,locking tuners,tonerider pups,fender body,ect.I have about 600.00 or better and I know I couldn't sell it for 400.00.I say keep an add on your guitar for 450.00 or better and sit on it,the right person will come or not.Sumi

[M29]

The natural wood looks great! I think you need good exposure so a large number of people can see it. Once that is done you will have an honest idea on what you have and what to do next. There may a person out there that loves it.
The economy is eating everything up right now. Get it out there for (all) to see and see what happens.

[kiteman]

EDIT: in response to GA.

Just like any others.

This guitar has a "Harper profile" neck. Seems to be pretty comfortable. Some invention of his I guess. Like a D from the nut to a shallow D then becoming C at the end.

I'm not going to paint it as I realized it can be a botched job. I've thought about staining it though, that might be better and I'll keep it.

[kiteman]

The natural wood looks great! I think you need good exposure so a large number of people can see it. Once that is done you will have an honest idea on what you have and what to do next. There may a person out there that loves it.
The economy is eating everything up right now. Get it out there for (all) to see and see what happens.

On my CL ad I have 137 views on the pics (imageshack) so far from Jun 7.

Funny thing is I've just put the Holdworths pups on and I started playing with it more often when I first tried it on my new amp.

[Bloozcat]

The wood appears to be Mahogany. If that's the case then keep it natural wood finish. Any idea what the finish is now? Urethane? Lacquer? The flash photography has probably created that light/dark irregular finish look as well. Does the wood appear as the same shade/color all throughout?

The biggest problem in trying to sell an unknown name custom guitar is exposure. A single add for a one-off guitar isn't going to generate much interest. But, if you had several from the same custom maker and were at a guitar show, your chances of selling it (or several) go up. But, without a recognizable name you generally can't get top dollar...no matter how nice the guitar.

[kiteman]

No, I'm not trying to get top dollar, just the money's worth.

Yea, it's mahogany in one piece and it's poly wiped. This probably show it better and before the pup swap. The case underneath is included in the sale so I figured it's worth 400 bucks.

By the way there's nothing cheap on this guitar but the people won't see that. What they buy is a nice shiny guitar.

[Eric***]

Well...then you get into determining what it's worth. If you can't sell it for more than $100, is it actually worth more than that? To you the answer is probably yes, which is why you keep it, right?

[Bloozcat]

By the way there's nothing cheap on this guitar but the people won't see that. What they buy is a nice shiny guitar.

Hence my coment about the guitar show. At least in an environment like that many people could handle, play, and hear the guitar. A big plus when selling what is essentially an unknown quantity.

Best advice is don't be in any rush to sell it. It may take a while and a lot of patience, but that one person may come along sooner or later who'll love the guitar and meet your price. What else can you do?

[kiteman]

ERIC- right.

Bloozcat- no hurry, just wanna make room. I like the guitar though and my Carvins sounds stiff compared to this guitar.

I figure I'll make it a project guitar, I like the idea of staining it. Make it look like cherrywood. I got the sandpapers and a can of poly wipe. All I need is the stain.

[Bloozcat]

A mixture of cherry stain and mahogany stain can make a nice red mahogany look. I did that on some chair rail that I was trying to match up to some dark cherry furniture I have.

You might want to go with some of the liquid stain from Stew-Mac.

If the guitar plays well, sounds good, and you like it, forget what you paid for it and just enjoy it. That's what it's all about anyway...

[oldguy]

If I paint this guitar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you think it'll sell?

It's handmade by a luthier.


Keep it, just as it is, unless you have to have cash to survive. Don't do anything to it, just hang on to it.
I have axes I paid "too much" for because they aren't well-known names, and they kick *** on most of the big corporate offerings. If I mention them on a forum, it's usually a "ho-hum" response I get, though I only mention them to put people on to a great bargain.
If you absolutely have to sell it, PM me.