Help with value of '66 strat

[buddastrat]

My '66 strat has been routed for a bridge humbucker. It was like that when I got it 15 or so years ago. It's a great sounding guitar, I've had it refretted and the finish is pretty much worn off the back of the neck from playing it through the years.

I think I changed the volume pot at one time and added a five way switch, other than these, the guitar is all original body-neck-pickups etc... I'm torn between playing it and storing it to prevent more damage/wear, or theft at a gig or something.

These guitars were meant for playing, but the value of vintage stuff is getting crazy. I wanted to get some thoughts on what you guys think about playing vs. treating as an investment.

[Wilko]

I bought a 1960 with a bridge 'bucker routing back in 86. I still have it and continmue to play it whenever I can. I did go out and get the gaurd and pickup replaced so on the outside it is right, and the pickups are all the right vintage. The pots are qwrong, no biggie.

Being routed and/or refinished these are limited in their "investment value" but still will be very high compared to other guitars.

If it were clean and original I might limit my playing time, but not with the amount of wear/mods/damage I've got.

I am drawing the line at taking it with me to Europe this fall. I will bring a "stunt double".

[Russ]

Never made sense to me , buying a guitar to not play that is! The vintage Krazy bugs me all B.S. to me. But it is your guitar do what you will.

[djinn1973]

These guitars were meant for playing, but the value of vintage stuff is getting crazy. I wanted to get some thoughts on what you guys think about playing vs. treating as an investment.

For what its worth, I can see where you are coming from. It would be difficult to replace the guitar if it were stolen, or damaged and you are torn as to whether you would rather "have it" or "play it" so to speak.
Now for all intents and purposes, you don't know me, and
all I can give you is my humble opinion. So..
Play it, enjoy it. Any guitar that you really love playing (even one that you bought yesterday) would be difficult to replace if some thing unfortunate were to happen to it.
To my way of thinking, Putting a guitar behind a glass case, or in a closet, or under a bed never to be seen or heard again, is a shame.
Its like owning a marvelously fast sports car that you will never drive faster then 65 (the speed limit in my home state) beautiful china that you don't eat off of because it may get chipped, I even know people with entire rooms they don't go in to because some thing may get dirty...
I guess my point is this, if the choice is to have some thing that I have worked hard for, or to enjoy some thing that I have worked hard for; I choose the latter.

Sorry about the rant...

[elicross]

My opinion: If you're going to store a guitar away, unplayed, as an investment -- then you should just sell it and buy the equivalent value of gold. That's going to appreciate more than most guitars, and it'll be just as useful as an unplayed Strat.

When you think about it seriously, do you see yourself selling this guitar some time in the future and realizing a big profit in the deal? And would that profit be worth more to you than years spent playing a classic Strat?

[buddastrat]

Elicross, the thing with the gold is, you can't do anything with it. The way I see it, I still get to play this guitar, plus it's appreciated greatly for me since I bought it. So I kinda get the best of both worlds. Enjoying a cool strat and having something that'll be worth something when my kids grow up.

I just wanted an idea on what you guys think a guitar like this is worth today, and that would help me decide on how much I play her.

[elicross]

Elicross, the thing with the gold is, you can't do anything with it.

Which makes it exactly as useful as a guitar you store away and don't play.

Wasn't that the question you posed in the original post? You said you were torn between storing it or playing it, and wanted everybody's opinion on treating a classic guitar as an investment rather than playing it, right?

If you've since decided you'd rather play it than store it away, that's great. But you did ask.

[Victorilux]

As much as someone is willing to pay.

Call a couple shops and pretend you want to sell it, see what they offer. You can then assume that is the LOWEST price you should sell/insure for.

[buddastrat]

Which makes it exactly as useful as a guitar you store away and don't play.

Wasn't that the question you posed in the original post? You said you were torn between storing it or playing it, and wanted everybody's opinion on treating a classic guitar as an investment rather than playing it, right?

If you've since decided you'd rather play it than store it away, that's great. But you did ask.

I did say store, but when it's stored, I can take it out and play it safely at home from time to time, that's not really playing it like my #1. I'm talking about playing it out at gigs and stuff. Ironically, I bought this because I wanted a nice older strat that I didn't have to worry about value!

I guess I just wondered how the value of a very early CBS with a bucker route would be perceived by some guys here.

[elicross]

Okay, sorry. I just thought when you said you were "torn between playing it and storing it" that it was an either/or thing.

[buddastrat]

my bad, I shoulda' just said that right off.