FOR SALE = Mary Ford's 61 LP SG ! ! !

[jay]

...while looking for that episode that my son pointed out the rock star guy with the strat...I came across this:

http://centraltendencies.com/2011/03/pawn-stars-is-fake/

Interesting and proves my point to the degree the internet can do that....

[Mike Nye]

I guess I was too vague in my las post . . .

In addition to what I'd said regarding that they couldn't have a camera crew in the pawn shop 24/7, I'd failed to mention that it's almost impossible to film people coming in their shop in a one, two, three order when also having experts coming into examine their merchandise to appraise it.

OF COURSE, it's NOT 100% REALITY -it CAN'T BE ! ! !

I'm sure if someone here wants to take the time to pause frames of the closing credits to read the fine print, they'll find a disclaimer stating that the show's production (NOT the business itself) is strictly for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES . . .

[Norm]

I did a little homework and googled 'making pawnstars' and got this lengthly but slickly written article

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-r ... awn-stars/

...Which says in part

A fair amount of staging happens in the show, no question. A five-person production crew edits down and brushes up the lengthy negotiations between the Harrisons and their customers. When a person brings in a particularly fascinating item — say, a 1750s blunderbuss from an owner who wants to trade the firearm for an engagement ring — the customer might be asked to return so the crew can properly capture the scene.

This makes sense. It's a TV show. They look for what might be most interesting and do an episode shoot complete with experts conveniently available. I have no doubt the single episodes could take two or three hours to shoot due to flubs, equipment errors, audio/visual clarity problems and various retakes.

[guitarchuck]

Here's a post from the woman that claims to be the guy's wife that sold the guitar. http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/vintage-sg/179047-pawn-stars-1961-gibson-les-paul-sg-4.html#post3455840

[Norm]

That's interesting.
I don't think the pawnstar guys are going to get their money back on that guitar since it is so beat up and so far away from original condition. Of course, back then no one had any idea the collectability speculation would make old guitars spike like they do. If they had they might have taken better care of it.

Rick (of pawnstars) shouldn't invest in guitars. He really doesn't "know" guitars. One episode had them going all batspit about a certain Martin guitar...how it was old but in nearly mint condition. They paid a big price for it but it was a tenor guitar! A four string! Only tenor guitar I ever saw played was on the Kingston Trio.

In any case, like the woman's post said, they really couldn't validate the guitar as being Mary's to a collectors satisfaction so the only option they had was to go pawnshop. It probably is Mary's. One of them, anyway. They beat the hail out of it...trashed it rather than keep it as original as possible and wonder why they can't get top dollar for it.

Provenance (documetation and photos) make all the difference in the world

[jay]

they really couldn't validate the guitar as being Mary's

Looks like that is what kept them from "pawning" it off on someone else...which raises the question...who would pay 6 figures for a guitar that cannot be certified?

She states that they did take their guitar to Cowtown Guitars, which has been a supposed culprit in staging some of the guitar pawns on that show.

Could be an incredible venue to "advertise" a guitar on eBay, regardless of who is still the owner.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220939792311&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en#ht_4726wt_1064

[Mike Nye]

Well guys,

I think Rick's gonna be bendin' over backwards to the point of havin' a neck fulla heels tryin' to unload it for even a 20% profit . . .

I think it's gonna be like a chimichanga fart in a Tijuana elevator; it ain't goin' away anytime soon . . .

[guitarchuck]

My guess is that Cowtown guitars made a deal with these folks (the lady states that they put it on consignment with Cowtown guitars). They may very well be selling this guitar on consignment with a high percentage commission. It sounds like a sweet deal for everyone envolved. Put your high dollar guitar on consignment with Cowtown Guitars, who has a deal with Pawn Stars. They have the guitar on their high profile show (no transaction really takes place on the show), then their Ebay divison sell's it for a highly inflated price because it was "as seen on Pawn Stars"! Everyone makes out! (By the way in another post she states that they signed a confidentiality agreement for the show.)

(Of course I'm just speculating on all of this.)

[jay]

Chuck...

Very nice alleged summary. I believe that horse is in the money.
One of two things...
A fool and his money are soon parted
or
We will be able to see this guitar at CowTown next time we are in Vegas...

[Mike Nye]

I'd spoken with a friend's wife who works for Sotheby's in New York on the phone a little while ago.

Here's what she had to say after looking at Gold & Silver's web offering:

1. NONE of the accompanying documents, directly or indirectly, relate to the instrument itself in any way , or support it's legitimacy, except for the sliver of the paper play list still taped to the back if it were in either Les' or Mary's handwriting. The accompanying documents & photos, EXCEPT for that sliver of play list, are technically considered 'miscellaneous inclusions with the offering' for just that reason.

2. There's NO supporting documentation indicating that either Les or Mary owned it at the time:

a. the pick-up covers were removed?
b. it was re-fretted?
c. the output jack was broken?
d. WHEN the makeshift jack repair was performed?
e. WHO performed each of the aforementioned modifications and/or repairs?

She said if there were actual photos and/or documents of Les himself performing ANY of the mods or repairs, the price would go INSANE as Japanese collectors would be burning a path to their private jets to be BIG MAN ON CAMPUS ! ! !

She also said that the pick-up covers would need to be INCLUDED with the instrument in order to sustain a significant value, EXCEPT if there was documented proof that Les himself had removed them. She'd said that the closer the appearance of the present-day condition of the instrument to the album cover of Mary holding it RADICALLY INCREASES it's value from a true collector's standpoint.

3. Rick's only gonna get so much (if anything) from a truly knowledgeable collector, but don't rule out the possibility of some BRAINLESS MORON with MORE MONEY than BRAINS bending over so he can play Smoke on the Water on Mary Ford's guitar.