Selling my '76 Destroyer -- should I?

[fivecoyote]

Have a '76 Ibanez Destroyer, I believe 100% original except for the bridge (or is it the TP?), replaced due to age. By that question mark you can tell I rarely play it, for a few reasons:

1. Makes me nervous to have it out (kids).
2. Related: don't want to bond too much with a guitar I can't just take with me to a jam somewhere.
3. Love the way it sounds and the surprising ease of playing the Explorer shape, but that ultra-flat fboard just ain't my thang.

So pretty sure I'm gonna sell it -- checking my sanity here. Do you think I'm nuts or...?!

[efraser68]

I hear ya, kind of felt the same way when I played the Destroyer at our past tone summit. Great guitar, neck was a bit too skinny and flat, super easy to play in the upper register.

Sometimes I feel that way about my '74 LP Custom. It's all original so it's got some value. I paid $1700 for it 7-8 years ago and I'm sure it's worth more now. Yet, I rarely play it because my other guitars are lighter and have tremolos.

I'd say if you dont have to sell it because you need the money, hold on to it for the investment.

[somethin'else]

Good advice, if you can keep it as an investment piece, no matter how small...

[rgorke]

I think in order to give you the best answer, you need to send it to me for confirmation of your points. I will play it and after a couple of years send you a thorough recommendation.

I would do this for free for you as a fellow board member.

let me know.

[garbeaj]

I'll weigh in...My personal feeling on owning guitars is that they should be played. I play all of my guitars, some more than others, but I just can't get with the whole investment value thing. If I had a guitar that I just didn't like I would sell it. If I didn't play it very much, I would start playing it alot.

[jape88]

fivecoyote my friend you really would be better selling it ...a guitar like that shouldn't be around children
and guess what I wanna buy it
Seriously if you are selling I'm interested could trade n cash, pulsonics, vintage cabs, marshall 50, umm, I'm coming across a bit desperate here

[dirtycooter]

Keeeeeep it. Can't get that stuff no more. You will kick yourself. Bolt on strat body, meh- , no biggy, but not a good playin set neck guitar. And one that cannot ever be made again.
And i love flat boards.
Why preserve and stress over something being like new?? Either ENJOY being one of the last to have the opportunity to jam on one like it and use it like a bad girl should be, or just put it in the vault for retirement investment and fuggetaboutit. It will be worth more later for sure. To sell it now robs you of either of these two things happening forever.
The lawsuit it created seals the deal its the last of its kind and the VH connection makes it legendary in the history books. Theres the investment fo sho.

[Rich_D]

I'm selling a "furniture" guitar I have right now for basically your same reasons. It's a Washburn N4 Davies 2.0 reissue in padauk (shameless plug, anyone interested?). It is a fantastic guitar that I have a huge crush on, but I just can't get a vibe with it like I can my homemade guitars because I take it out a certain way, only use it in one room, hold it carefully, etc. because I value it as an item. My homemade guitars, I carry them around, bang them on doorknobs, play them drunk, take them over to people's houses to jam, whatever. That gives me a personal vibe with those guitars that makes me play more. I would rather pass this guitar on to someone who will use it like it should be and get another guitar that I'll use also. I scratched the itch of having a boutique guitar, now I'll go back to worthless guitars that I play the shit out of.

I see the argument of sitting on an investment until you really need the money but I try not to get attached to things that have monetary value. It leads to angst. Don't keep it just to have it.

So, beats me I guess. btw, love your blog.

[garbeaj]

I agree with Rich_D...my most valuable guitar, both sentimentally and monetarily is my first-my '68 strat. It was appraised by Gruhn's 3 years ago for around $20,000. It may be worth closer to $30,000 today. But as God is my witness, it is still my main guitar and I play the fuck out of it. And it should be played-alot. If I have kids that want to play, they will play it. I'll never sell it, but I will never keep it as a museum piece either.

[Bore Em at the Forum]

I have one that some moron half-ass sanded, painted it in goopy black paint, and did a homemade Floyd route on it. No breaks or cracks. Paid about $175 for it.

In any event, I stripped it down and about 70% of the finish is intact. So it's an SRV/Rory Gallagher Destroyer. Installed a gold original Floyd from mid-80s. Found period correct Ibanez pickups and tuners and put those in.

Is it a pristine beautiful example? Obviously not. Collectors value? Likely not. Is it for sale? NO WAY.

As mentioned above, can't get this stuff no more. Tonally, she might have taken a hit with that routing but as a player, she's the bomb.

If you need the money for bills, or to finance something you want more, sell it. If you don't need the money, keep it and play it anyway. If the kids ding it, so what.....enjoy it.

[Rich_D]

Agree with bore, if I had an ibanez explorer instead of a Washburn, I probably couldn't help but play it too. Leave it out so you start playing it and fall in love with it all over again and keep it.
There, full swing on my advice. Helpful as always.

[jnewlyn]

Well, if you sell it, I'd like to know how much. I've never had anything but strats in my life and I'd like to have/try something different for a change.

[Mr_Pink]

Don't sell it! They are way underpriced. What you think you could get? ...I don't think they fetch over 2k.
Better yet buy another one as a player... Is $1500 really worth getting rid of something very few have?

[JimiJames]

I agree with Rich_D...my most valuable guitar, both sentimentally and monetarily is my first-my '68 strat. It was appraised by Gruhn's 3 years ago for around $20,000. It may be worth closer to $30,000 today. But as God is my witness, it is still my main guitar and I play the fuck out of it. And it should be played-alot. If I have kids that want to play, they will play it. I'll never sell it, but I will never keep it as a museum piece either.

+1
Wai,wai,wait... Send it this way and I'll let you know what it's worth, pal...

I'll weigh in...My personal feeling on owning guitars is that they should be played. I play all of my guitars, some more than others, but I just can't get with the whole investment value thing. If I had a guitar that I just didn't like I would sell it. If I didn't play it very much, I would start playing it alot.

Absofuckinglutely +1

I am a Fender/Gibson/Ibanez guy & maybe had close to 50 guitars & half of them were HM Strats (handtrix=me) Few copies of Stock, but, I couldn't help to change the rest of the stock ones to the way I wanted them. I can totally relate why Ed did this.
I guess by this time one would know what they want & need to express what is in their head to their fingers.
So, if it just doesn't feel right to you, get rid of it to someone else who belives it to be just right for them.
Trust me... I've played quite a few of someone else's dream guitar$$$ and it wasn't even close to what I prefer. ( Like Rich_D mentioned "furniture guitars")It works both ways.

Now, I'm down to roughly 7 electrics and play the shit outta' them ALL ! Beside how each one makes you play...
What is its value to you... Who gives a flyin' fuck if it will be worth more later... ? ...Really ? Put it in the hands of someone who'd appreciate it. Just sell it at a comfortable price and take those funds and some extra cash and get something that is YOU, my frent. My favorite fom this madness is my MIJ '89 butcher job FrankenStrat beat ta' shit. It's all me and who I am. I'm even more afraid to loose that one.

uhh.. anybody need parts for HM's ?

[vanhalen5150]

.