Never-Played Guitars - Fact or Fiction?

**ArchiMark** · 03-10-2017, 02:17 AM

Have come across several for sale listings on other sites for costly ($5 - 7k) guitars where the seller says the guitar was bought some years ago, never played, just left in case.

Anyone think this can be true or just BS?

Funny thing is usually later in description they say how wonderful the sound of the guitar is. How can they know if they never played it???

**JazzNote** · 03-10-2017, 02:24 AM

I would think that this is well possible, as the expression "never played" is somehow flexible.

A guitar that was never taken to a gig, a rehearsal, or never got regularly practiced with would fall into that category even if one played it in the shop to check it out or after delivery for a few minutes/hours at home.

**Jx30510** · 03-10-2017, 03:20 AM

If it's mint and zero fretwear, no dings, scratches, or nothing else I would consider a guitar like "never played" even if it has been actually played a bit.
If someone buys a guitar and just plays it a bit once in a while, and is gentle with the instrument, plays litely, or is a beginner, it can stay in a "never used" state forever.

**add4** · 03-10-2017, 05:27 AM

A few days ago I read an article about never played amps and why it's usually a good idea to be cautious because they were usually never used for a reason.

The theory was that an well used amp taken at gigs for years has to sound good.

I don't know if the theory is always correct, but if it is it could certainly be applied to guitars too.

Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

**ArchiMark** · 03-10-2017, 06:08 AM

Hmmm............very interesting way of looking at this.......

To me, if you've played it, even just for five minutes, it's been played. Although obviously not enough to create some noticeable 'wear and tear'. So, why not say in listing 'only played for a few minutes in order to get a feel for how guitar plays and sounds.'

And regarding the never used amp theory, that's a creative approach....

**vinlander** · 03-10-2017, 06:52 AM

We see them quite often, some people buy instruments not necessarily to play them but simply to own them...

**DonEsteban** · 03-10-2017, 06:52 AM

Here in Spain almost every guitar on the second hand market is praised as "new" "unplayed" "like new" or similar. I always ask myself why they buy and own so many guitars that they obviously never play in the first place... ;-)

BTW also applies to pedals and amps.

Seems like (native) Spanish guitarists mainly buy stuff to hoard and stash it and not to play.... hahaha...

PS.: Of course it's all BS

**Lobomov** · 03-10-2017, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by DonEsteban

PS.: Of course it's all BS

Each country has its own flavour of BS. Here in Scandinavia we are usually a bit more truthful about these things, but still

Anyways .. I have a Les Paul Custom that is just georgeus that I got as a present from my spouse. It sounds awesome, but somehow I never pick it up. All in all I think it has experienced less than 10 hours of total playing time. I have no intention of selling it, but it would qualify as a never played guitar.

**hotpepper01** · 03-10-2017, 07:12 AM

If the guitar left the factory and still is in the box in which it was shipped, only then you know for sure it wqas never played. If a guitar is beyond that in its life cycle and is unboxed, it is probably played.

**mad dog** · 03-10-2017, 08:22 AM

I just traded for a Gretsch country club. 2003. According to the seller, it was originally purchased for investment by a guy who bought three at once, then stored them. Never playing at all. He falls ill, and his collection ends up pieced out to vintage shops, where the seller picks it up. He has dozens of guitars, plays little himself. Didn't have it long.

So this 14 year old guitar is close to unplayed. Unmarked, looks new in the case with all case candy. First time I've seen such a thing.
MD

**Drumbler** · 03-10-2017, 08:32 AM

I think it's definitely possible.

People collect all kinds of things and never even take them out of the box. Toys for example are often never opened by collectors.

They are worth more in the original, unopened state.

Comic books are also purchased by collectors and immediately put in storage bags for preservation in the hopes of future resale.

**jazz.fred** · 03-10-2017, 08:39 AM

I found my "MINT" condition H575 Custom in a small New England music store. I called the store and spoke with the owner. I asked if the instrument was really "MINT". He replied, "it looks as if it may or may not have ever been played". When it arrived, I was thrilled to find that it looked brand new.

An incredible value!

**John A.** · 03-10-2017, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by ArchiMark

Have come across several for sale listings on other sites for costly ($5 - 7k) guitars where the seller says the guitar was bought some years ago, never played, just left in case.

Anyone think this can be true or just BS?

Funny thing is usually later in description they say how wonderful the sound of the guitar is. How can they know if they never played it???

I bought a guitar on ebay that may not have been literally unplayed, but was darn close. It still had shrink wrap on the pickguard and an inspection sticker and no wear or smudge of any kind. I don't remember exactly what story the seller told.

John

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-10-2017, 09:51 AM

There was an an online auction a few years ago for a guy's woodworking hand tool collection. Basically, he had bought every tool in the Lee Valley catalogue, and almost all were NIB. It was a fact, he couldn't take them with him...

I was at an estate sale last week with hundreds of cameras, some cheap as ****, still in the plastic. Why would a talented photographer buy a cheap Kodak camera to never use? Who knows, maybe to give as a birthday gift to the grandkids? Also a ton of miniature train stuff, old military uniforms, old dolls. The guy was a hoarder, maybe a high-class hoarder, for sure!

Many, many people are hoarders, I mean collectors, of one kind or another. I have a few tools that are NIB because I bought them for a project that never came to fruition.

Several of my guitars are minty. I have a 1964 Harmony Brilliant Cutaway that was apparently the first "real" guitar of a local sportscaster. It looks almost untouched, the chipboard case is mint too, with the hangtags, receipt, etc. I do think it was played--the neck in particular was perfect, not sure if has had a neck reset or not, but this guitar was babied to the max.

**Top of the Arch!** · 03-10-2017, 09:55 AM

I had a lawyer friend who bought a Gibson Historic R9 with a highly figured top , bought it just to put in a display case in his office . He didnt play guitar or any instrument as far as I know, just put it in the case to look at like a piece of art. Bob

**Bluedawg** · 03-10-2017, 01:22 PM

I would assume the guitar is lightly played in most circumstances ....

But, yeah, there are going to be some guitars that really were never played

**citizenk74** · 03-10-2017, 04:20 PM

My mid- 60's ES-345 came with hang tags and case candy in virtually un-played condition. The original flatwounds were still in tune. I don't know if the owner had ever tried to play it - it was a gift from his State Representative father. If he had tried, it wouldn't have gone far - the nut was badly cut, and even though the 12th fret harmonics were on, everything else was off. I recut the nut and proceeded to put a few decades worth of playtime on it. It was my Number One until I got my first PRS. I still have it, and play it.
There are case queens out there, but caveat emptor, and good luck!

**MaxTwang** · 03-10-2017, 08:56 PM

I bought a 2008 Gibson a year ago that arrived in what I consider 'unplayed' condition. I found no marks, signs of wear or signs that the guitar had swirl marks or felt/smelt of a non-factory polish.

**goldenwave77** · 03-10-2017, 09:02 PM

Probably most unplayed guitars, if that's what they really are, are just fine.

Unplayed amps, though?....I would think filter caps and the like would dry out, and maybe leak.

**OldGuitarPlayer** · 03-10-2017, 11:46 PM

I have never seen an un-played guitar. Every guitar I have owned I have played the heck out of...

**Bluedawg** · 03-11-2017, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by Bluedawg

I would assume the guitar is lightly played in most circumstances ....

But, yeah, there are going to be some guitars that really were never played

Then again ...

From my experience touring guitar factories ... no guitar leaves the factory without someone spending a few seconds playing it ... if that counts as being played

**christianm77** · 03-13-2017, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by Top of the Arch!

I had a lawyer friend who bought a Gibson Historic R9 with a highly figured top , bought it just to put in a display case in his office . He didnt play guitar or any instrument as far as I know, just put it in the case to look at like a piece of art. Bob

IMHO that's the best use of new high end Gibsons.

**christianm77** · 03-13-2017, 06:10 AM

Actually joking aside, I think that's who Gibson are selling to now. People who can afford these guitars are less likely to have any time to actually PLAY them, and of course there's this whole collection/investment scene (which in the case of recent Gibbos is a bit misguided, because I don't think they'll be a appreciating much)

I suspect this will work out better for Gibson than for the collectors in the long run. Caveat Emptor and all of that...

I have a friend, a well known professional jazz guitarist who was given the opportunity to go to UK Gibson HQ and try out some L5s etc with a view to endorsing (some kind of deal with Gibson? Nice work if you can get it!)

The woman working there said how nice it was to hear the guitars being played - most customers just looked in the case and closed the case again and walked out.

So - I put it to you that Gibson's primary concern is not to make archtop guitars that actually sound good.

Anyway, these days he plays a Vestax D'Angelico on most gigs. Kind of speaks for itself...