Moral Dilemma--Help! - Page 2

bolophonic · #21 02-09-2013, 03:13 PM

Heirloom guitar. I'd keep it.

Munjibunga · #22 02-09-2013, 03:18 PM

Oh, boy. Moral dilemmas, my specialty.

You have to keep it. You didn't have it yesterday, so your life will not change from what you expected by keeping it. It is an heirloom, and an obvious symbol of your dad's feelings for you, regardless of lunch money issues. I believe he would be deeply hurt if you sold it.

Charge people money to see it, saving it all for a great bass.

hrodbert696 · #23 02-09-2013, 03:35 PM

One more vote for the heirloom factor. And why not learn to play while you have it?

Just an anecdote; my wife has two guitars she got as a kid. One is a classical guitar her teacher made for her (he doubled as a luthier). The other is a cheap no-name steel string. She picked that one because she was ten and liked red (it's got a cherry sunburst finish). Now that she's older and is getting back into playing and relearning her chops, she's realized that these are probably not the two greatest guitars in the world. A $500 Cordoba plays and sounds nicer than the classical her teacher put together - he may have been a luthier, but not a great one, or else this one wasn't his best effort. She may get better guitars soon - but is she going to sell these two? No way. They're the guitars of her childhood.

ggunn · #24 02-09-2013, 04:30 PM

Keep it. Keep it. Keep it.

If you sell it, ten or twenty years from now you'll be rolling around in bed in the middle of the night wishing to hell you'd never let it get away from you. Whatever gear you might buy with the money could not possibly appreciate in value over the years like that guitar will.

And get it appraised and insured.

Illini10 · #25 02-09-2013, 05:03 PM

Keep it.

Big Dog Johnson · #26 02-09-2013, 05:06 PM

Keep it. Of course. It´s a wondeful gift!

Learn how to play it. That will make You a better musician.

Besides, it will make Your father happy.

theduke1 · #27 02-09-2013, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braud357

Personally, I would consider it to be an heirloom, and continue to care for it. If you feel differently when your Dad passes - then you can sell it. Plus side - it will only appreciate in value. If you feel you can talk to him about it - share your thoughts with him. That may have been what he had in mind by giving it to you.

+1+1+1+1+1+1

Yango · #28 02-09-2013, 05:21 PM

Keep it. No question. Nothing that you could buy with the cash can ever replace something like that.

My Father gave me a solid gold pocket watch. Now, I don't carry a pocket watch, I always wear a wrist watch. There's no doubt that I could get a fair wack of cash for the pocket watch... but then the heirloom would be gone, and so would the cash in pretty short order. My Dad died about 13 years ago, and I'll never part with the watch... except perhaps to pass it on to the next generation.

funkingroovin · #29 02-09-2013, 05:23 PM

It is but it isn't about the monetary value..

It isn't because I'm not very materialistic,and I would LOVE a vintage bass,player or closet queen(both of which would also only appreciate in value). Those can be found for around 2-3k,which isn't chump-change but it's a fraction of the Gibby's appraisals.

It is about the sizable hypothetical chunk left after Dad enabled me to have my dream bass. Money that could (should IMO) be used for my folks to do or get something they've always wanted,now that they're retired..

I guess that's the real problem..I fully appreciate what he did,but would feel better turning it into something more mutually beneficial. It just doesn't sit right with me that I could make my folks just as happy if not for moral expectations

Lonesomedave · #30 02-09-2013, 05:26 PM

take it down to the local music store and have it re-strung.

listen to a guy play it there that really knows what he's doing...i bet you'll be amazed at how it sounds!

while there, get it appraised...notice i did not say "find out how much they'll give you for it"...have it appraised, look at some appraisal sites and find out approximately what it is worth.

have it insured for @ 5 grand more than it is worth, if possible.

take it home and DON'T SELL IT!....you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you do. me and my son have a philosophy...we don't sell instruments, we only buy them.

that has stood us in good stead.

lowsideonacurve · #31 02-09-2013, 05:34 PM

Keep it. In a safe place.

Yango · #32 02-09-2013, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkingroovin

It is but it isn't about the monetary value..

It isn't because I'm not very materialistic,and I would LOVE a vintage bass,player or closet queen(both of which would also only appreciate in value). Those can be found for around 2-3k,which isn't chump-change but it's a fraction of the Gibby's appraisals.

It is about the sizable hypothetical chunk left after Dad enabled me to have my dream bass. Money that could (should IMO) be used for my folks to do or get something they've always wanted,now that they're retired..

I guess that's the real problem..I fully appreciate what he did,but would feel better turning it into something more mutually beneficial. It just doesn't sit right with me that I could make my folks just as happy if not for moral expectations

Well, it sounds like you want to get rid of it. And you want us to tell you it's ok. Do what ever you want, he gave it to you, it's yours. Just remember that 20 years down the road (or sooner), when the regrets kick in, there'll be absolutely nothing that you can do about it.

Almost everyone has been telling you it's an heirloom, and that you should keep it... maybe you shouldn't have asked the question...

**speak2planets** · #33 02-09-2013, 06:03 PM

Keep it. My pop gave me his stamp collection from when he was a kid and I wasn't sure what to do with it. Then 2 years ago, he died suddenly. Now, I wouldn't ever get rid of the stamps he gave me. I can't really do anything with them but I know he wanted me to have them. Thanks Dad

Lonesomedave · #34 02-09-2013, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkingroovin

It is but it isn't about the monetary value..

It isn't because I'm not very materialistic,and I would LOVE a vintage bass,player or closet queen(both of which would also only appreciate in value). Those can be found for around 2-3k,which isn't chump-change but it's a fraction of the Gibby's appraisals.

It is about the sizable hypothetical chunk left after Dad enabled me to have my dream bass. Money that could (should IMO) be used for my folks to do or get something they've always wanted,now that they're retired..

I guess that's the real problem..I fully appreciate what he did,but would feel better turning it into something more mutually beneficial. It just doesn't sit right with me that I could make my folks just as happy if not for moral expectations

your dad didn't have to give it to you...HE could have sold it at any time if he wanted the money.

i think that should tell you what his priorities are...take it for what it is worth.

Ziltoid · #35 02-09-2013, 06:13 PM

Your dad clearly wanted you to have the guitar, not the money the guitar could bring you.

It's now an heirloom. Keep it and pass it to your children someday.

JTE · #36 02-09-2013, 06:45 PM

Keep it. It's a great guitar in exquisite condition. It's also rather rare, as that's a long-neck ES-330. I'm certain it's not a '65, but a late '68 or a '69. That's a good thing IMO. On the earlier ones the neck joined the body at the 17th fret, pushing the bridge and the pickups further towards the tailpiece. That suspended the neck pickup in the hollow body. On the long necks, the neck joins the body at the 19th fret, moving everything away from the tail. That puts the neck pickup next to the neck block, improving it's tone.

For comparison, look at a photo of John Lennon's Casino (the Epiphone Casino and the Gibson ES-330 were made on the same assembly line of the same materials by the same workers until they stopped making Epiphones in Kalamazoo in 1969). Note where the pickups are, where the pickguard is cut for the pickups, and where the bridge is in relation to the F-holes.

Anyway, it's a wonderful gift and it's got the connection with your dad. Trust me on this, twenty years from now if you sell it you're going to regret it.

John

Timmah · #37 02-09-2013, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ziltoid

Your dad clearly wanted you to have the guitar, not the money the guitar could bring you.

It's now an heirloom. Keep it and pass it to your children someday.

+1. Or send it to me

Really, that right there is a piece of history, a work of art, and a playable instrument all rolled into one. Play it gently please, and think of dad when you do.

Whystay · #38 02-09-2013, 07:14 PM

If I were you, I wouldn't sell it. Couldn't. Won't play it either. And just to keep that temptation at bay, I would loan it to a museum, (or hard rock cafe or music store) to hang up and display. They would appreciate it, your dad would really get a kick out of it and it's still yours!
Or if it's a really great guitar and you need to generate some income from it, you could rent it to studios for recording maybe. That would create some provenance which should increase its value. Maybe. Just musing.
But definitely keep it. My 2 cents.

mellowinman · #39 02-09-2013, 07:19 PM

You sell that guitar and I will never buy you another drink, or help you move.

Munjibunga · #40 02-09-2013, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkingroovin

It is but it isn't about the monetary value..

It isn't because I'm not very materialistic,and I would LOVE a vintage bass,player or closet queen(both of which would also only appreciate in value). Those can be found for around 2-3k,which isn't chump-change but it's a fraction of the Gibby's appraisals.

It is about the sizable hypothetical chunk left after Dad enabled me to have my dream bass. Money that could (should IMO) be used for my folks to do or get something they've always wanted,now that they're retired..

I guess that's the real problem..I fully appreciate what he did,but would feel better turning it into something more mutually beneficial. It just doesn't sit right with me that I could make my folks just as happy if not for moral expectations

OK, give it back to him then. You clearly don't appreciate it for what it is, and you won't be any worse off than you were the day before he gave it to you. It's causing angst in your life, so it's better you give it back to him and get over it.

I know this is just another answer you don't want to hear, but selling it would be a major faux pas and cause you even more angst when your dad gets wind of it. Then you'll both have angst, but you'll have money. I hope it's enough to justify the damage you'll do to your relationship with him.