The new semihollows he's putting out under his own name. This led to his first book, The Oak Ridge Boys: Our Story, published in 1966. -- … The collection, described as “wide-ranging,” includes both vintage and modern guitars, from a 1941 Martin 000-45 that Clapton purchased from Gruhn in 2005—offered for $150,000—to a two-tone sunburst finish 2014 Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, shown below, that was one of his main guitars in 2014 and is available for $42,500. George writes that list prices can be deceptive when trying to anticipate which instruments will appreciate in the future. I believe they're made by SouthBound ... seem to remember reading that on Gruhn's site. After spending over 15 years in our second location at 410 Broadway, Gruhn Guitars moved three doors down and became a familiar landmark from 1993-2013 in our four-story location at 400 Broadway. If you're even remotely interested in guitars, Gruhn Guitars is a must visit when in Nashville. “There’s nobody in Nashville like you,” Hank proclaimed to George. There’s Probably a Great Winery Near You, The Great Gatsby Audiobook, and a Few Other Classics You Should Hear for Yourself, Weiss Crypto Ratings for Extensive Independent Analysis, Midnight Planetarium Watch by Van Cleef & Arpels Astounds, Rembrandt Night Watch, A Closer Examination, Collector Car Lending, Insurance, and Storage are More Important Than Ever, The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity – Carlo Cipolla. George paid only $30 for the domain many years ago, because, “he was there before anyone else.” Although the elaborate website features daily updates of their entire inventory, along with the ability to submit guitars for online appraisal, the focus remains simple. Established in 1970 and proud to be showing our age! stuff is kept. Featured. Electric Guitars and Basses book. Not sure exactly what the mentioned quote meant, maybe that he was no Roy Clark or Chet? "Not a player" as in...never touched a guitar, or "not a player" by Nashville standards? George Gruhn is a legend, the most knowledgeable person about vintage guitars. "George Gruhn (Nashville TN) knows more about guitars than anyone on earth" says Tom Wheeler, former editor of Guitar Player magazine. He responded that the most popular vintage models today are the same that were popular when he opened his store in 1970. I can't recall WHAT he played, only that he had a Les Paul in his hands and was making music. JavaScript is disabled. Since 1963, George Gruhn has been buying and selling used instruments, but there’s an intriguing story behind the start of the company. No, not the vintage ones. The only thing is, by his own admission, Gruhn is not a player, and not even a music fan. From 2000 to 2007, prices increased tenfold for some models. . This guitar is everything you would expect in a 1955 Les Paul Custom. If you would like more information on one of our inventory listings, please call us at (615) 256-2033 or email us at gruhn@gruhn.com. Acoustic. Gruhn Guitars buys, sells, and consigns instruments. I can't recall WHAT he played, only that he had a Les Paul in his hands and was making music. Gruhn describes his early days of guitar collecting as “a compulsive mania.” He goes on to say Gruhn Guitars is a business that is “a result of a hobby that got out of hand.”. Gruhn also commented on the state of the market where prices have been driven up by speculators. You can find your way to the Gruhn company website using the coveted, Guitars.com domain. However, Gruhn goes on to explain in his writing, that it can be an interesting exercise to compare current market values with original list prices. TMN is very proud to bring you one of the world`s foremost experts in guitars & other stringed instruments, Mr. George Gruhn (Gruhn's Guitars). Namely, he says rarity is not always a quantity that indicates value. The reason being, one day, he received a phone call from none other than Hank Williams, Jr. looking for old Martin guitars. Here you will be able to see if an extra premium has been added to the price because of a specific models’ popularity. He ended up buying various guitars from Gruhn over the next few days and eventually convinced George he needed to move to Nashville. This Guitar is truly in beautiful condition considering it is 65 years old. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers. George gives the example of a custom, one-of-a-kind guitar that might not be considered as valuable as a pristine condition catalog model. Gruhn recalls a phone conversation with Hank Williams, Jr. about the various guitars he had in his Knoxville apartment and what he’d be willing to sell. In an interview for Marty’s Music, George discussed his love for vintage guitars and the magic behind great instruments where he said, “To me, one of the things that separates the really truly great instruments from the average is that the average may feel like a good, compliant tool, a good servant. George Gruhn had design input on these "Gruhn Design" Hohner models from the early '90s. Electric. The really great ones feel alive and then they make suggestions that you would not have thought of otherwise.”. Gruhn describes precedent as a significant contributing factor when valuing vintage guitars. George Gruhn is a writer, businessman and ophiophilist. Martin Gruhn 50th Anniversary models. The new semihollows he's putting out under his own name. "Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars" is the most extensive and detailed list of specifications ever published for identifying, dating, and establishing the authenticity of an instrument. George says simply, “knowledge, integrity, and service are remarkably low-tech.”, Filed Under: Featured Post, Memorabilia & Collectibles, Vintage Guitars Tagged With: Collectibles, Collecting, George Gruhn, Vintage Guitars, Led Zeppelin's Recording Console Heads to Auction, George Daniels Space Traveller Sells For $4.6 Million, Hagerty Collector Car Market Rating for October…, The Legendary 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, Can’t Get to Tuscany? Ukulele. A few of the primary issues George considers when assessing vintage guitars are original price, precedent, and rarity. Banjo. Mandolin. My favorite person to deal with at Gruhn Guitars is Sales Manager Rob Ruff. Over fifty years, he’s grown it to become one of the largest dealers of vintage and used instruments in the world. The Ventures is one of the best selling instrumental bands of all time. George has sold guitars to some of the biggest names in music, including Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, and Johnny Cash. It’s been said that George knows more about vintage guitars than anyone on earth. George has sold guitars to some of the biggest names in music, including Eric … 20s $ … Gruhn Guitars has a large inventory of Taylor guitars. Specializing in vintage, used, and new acoustic and electric guitars, basses, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, resonator guitars and amplifiers. Electric Guitars. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. Mandolins & Mandolin Family Banjos. George Gruhn turned a hobby collecting vintage guitars into one of the most well-known guitar shops in the world. Dooh! Ask politely and you'll be escorted upstairs where the really rare stuff is kept. Specializing in vintage, used, and new guitars, basses, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, and amps since 1970. Have you any details? He started Gruhn Guitars in 1970 with just twenty-two instruments. The release of the Fender Stratocaster in 1954 was one of the most important pieces of American musical instrument design in history. I know nothing of them. I remember him saying as much in VG years ago, that he did not even own "records.". It’s become an institution over the years and a voice of authority in the collector vintage guitar market. Over fifty years, he’s grown it to become one of the largest dealers of vintage and used instruments in the world. Sonny Osborne from the Osborne Brothers’ bluegrass band had told Hank about Gruhn’s collection of Martin guitars. We are a Taylor licensed dealer and always keep a variety of models in stock. As one of the foremost experts of vintage guitars in the world for the past forty years and as someone who has had the opportunity to see, hear and hold some of the most legendary instruments, I'm guessing that he has a pretty good idea of makes a good instrument. Established in 1970 and proud to be showing our age! When a dealer has no purchase to compare to in past years, it leads us to our next factor in valuation, which is rarity. … Guitars, acoustic and electric, ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, new, vintage, rare vintage, as far as the eye can see. Bass. It just so happened that Gruhn had already made a name for himself as a source for prime time instruments. This one, to be honest, is a killer guitar. If you're even remotely interested in guitars, Gruhn Guitars is a must visit when in Nashville. A story on these in the back of a recent vintage guitar issue. Please browse thru our Taylor inventory now. Check out this 1966 Mosrite Ventures model and Fender Showman Amp at: guitars.com. On January 2, 1970, Gruhn Guitars Inc. started life at 111 4th Ave N with an inventory of twenty-two instruments. Gruhn Guitars. Ask politely and you'll be escorted upstairs where the really rare stuff is kept. Ukuleles, Taropatches, & Tiples Tenor & Plectrum Guitars Misc Instruments Basses Amplifiers Cases. He adds that the high-end of the market is delicate, and if younger collectors don’t step in at some point, prices could collapse. I have seen him play in the shop, I think the last time I was there was in the early 90s. Southbound. A guitar responds to the individual player and sounds completely different when you play it then when you listen to someone else play it…There is, therefore, greater depth of appreciation with musical instruments than with almost any other collectible, perhaps even more than with painting and sculpture.”. I tried shaking my guitar neck wildly, as is the current fashion.. Gruhn Guitars is the best place to buy a top quality guitar! Guitars, acoustic and electric, ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, new, vintage, rare vintage, as far as the eye can see. Some of the biggest names in music have consulted with George Gruhn and his team. For instance, if a Telecaster sells for $1,000, then other Telecasters like it will have a value of at least $1,000. George Gruhn is the co-author of Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, which is the comprehensive field guide to vintage fretted instruments, and the companion volumes Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments and Electric Guitars and Basses. ", The only thing is, by his own admission, Gruhn is not a player, and not even a music fan. He adds that vintage market values are a function of supply and demand as opposed to strictly the highest quality or most expensive guitars during a given period. Gruhn Guitars buys, sells, trades, consigns, and appraises fretted instruments. Gruhn Guitars buys, sells, trades, consigns, and appraises fretted instruments. He is an expert on vintage American guitars and related instruments. For example, some of the most expensive guitars by list price over the years don’t always turn out to be the best investments. George Gruhn is the co-author of Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, which is the comprehensive field guide to vintage fretted instruments, and the companion volumes Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments and Electric Guitars and Basses. Gruhn Guitars in Nashville is a global hub for vintage guitar collectors. Though not a price guide, the book will enable collectors to identify the date, stock ingredients, wood, and evolution of their Fender, Martin, Gibson, Gretsch, or Mosrite axes, to name just a few. The original price paid for a guitar mostly has nothing to do with the market value of a vintage instrument. The numbers back him up. Jan 17, 2010 #1 No, not the vintage ones. A story on these in the back of a recent vintage guitar … Pennebaker – features Bloomfield's animated solo on the Sunburst, even though he had played part of the set on his '66 Telecaster. From 1988 to 1992, he was a writer and researcher for Gruhn Guitars, completing Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars in 1990. It turned out he would remain in Knoxville for only one semester. He’s a magazine columnist, frequent interview subject, and author of several reference books on guitar history, including Gruhn’s to Vintage Guitars: An Identification Guide for American Fretted Instruments (now in its third edition) and Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments: A Photographic History, all co-written with Walter Carter. Have you any details? A collection of this magnitude could rarely, if ever, be seen under one roof. That knowledge has made Gruhn Guitars the world's most famous vintage instrument store and has brought George Gruhn worldwide recognition as an author of definitive books on vintage guitars and a primary source for insight into the guitar market - … Instrument Repair. 24 3/4 or thereabouts, if I am recalling correctly. Gruhn Guitars is pleased and honored to have found new homes for a collection of 29 guitars owned and used by Eric Clapton. If you're even remotely interested in guitars, Gruhn Guitars is a must visit when in Nashville. Gruhn electric guitars? Thread starter mad dog; Start date Jan 17, 2010; mad dog. Their iconic sound helped popularize the electric guitar. Gruhn Guitars is proud to present for sale a most impressive collection of recent high-end electric bass guitars. Caterham Lotus 7 Roadster RARE 80s Classic Convertible Sports Car Vintage Racer $ 26,000.00; Western Electric RA-1217 "Army Man" Compressor System Of A Down SOAD WE RARE!!!!! He then joined the Gibson Guitar Corporation as a historian and researched and wrote Gibson Guitars: One Hundred Years of an American Icon. I remember him saying as much in VG years ago, that he did not even own "records. The most Technically proficient guitar player in the early 80's. Vince Gill Talks about Martin Sinker Mahogany Guitars at Gruhn Guitars. He sees many new instruments entering the market from Baby Boomer collectors looking to sell out and downsize collections. After studying zoology and animal behavior at the University of Chicago, George moved to Knoxville for a research job at the University of Tennessee. Hank, calling from Nashville, replied, “well, I can be there in four hours.” Four hours later, Hank Williams Jr. showed up in Knoxville at George’s apartment, ready to make a few deals. While Gruhn Guitars grew tremendously over the years, the store never physically … Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC, or simply Fender) is an American manufacturer of stringed instruments and … Each one is in mint condition, almost all with their original certificates and paperwork. You must log in or register to reply here. Most seem to date from '90-'91. The guitar is all original as Inspected by George Gruhn. If you go to his site: "Near-acoustic tonal character" is what appeals to me. The more models that exist, and therefore the higher number of recent sales, the easier it is to establish precedent and accurate value. The band's rocking performance of "Wine" – caught on film by D.A. He explains simply, the market value for an instrument will be at least as high as the price it last sold for. G eorge Gruhn is synonymous with vintage guitars. The neck is amazing, it is straight and personifies The "Fretless Wonder" that this guitar neck is know for. Designed and engineered by Leo Fender, the Stratocaster is considered by many to be the most iconic American-made electric guitar. I have seen him play in the shop, I think the last time I was there was in the early 90s. Messages 10,952. George describes rarity in the collector guitar market as somewhat different than other collector markets. I have his book -- Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars -- and use it regularly. Covid-19 Update for Gruhn Guitars November 10, 2020. One indicator George looks at is the price of modern replicas or reissues in comparison to original list prices, after adjusting for inflation. Guitars, acoustic and electric, ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, new, vintage, rare vintage, as far as the eye can see. Michael debuted his new guitar at the historic Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, a debut for his new band, the Electric Flag, as well. The most valuable and treasured vintage guitars of all time have been evaluated, repaired, and sold at Gruhn’s shop. That was all George needed to hear, he quit school and headed to Nashville shortly after that. In the second edition to Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, the pair have created a useful resource for any lover of fine guitars, banjos, or basses. (Search product codes: EZ5758 and PA3000). ROCK ICON COLLECTION An exceptional collection of limited production Fender and Gibson electric guitars featuring commemorative Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix models. The 1950s electric guitars and 1920’s and 30s acoustics were the most in-demand guitars back then, and they still are. About ten years ago, George Gruhn published a few of his vintage guitar newsletters, where he discussed some of the factors he considers when valuing guitars. Rarest of Rare. $ 15,150.00 Western Electric Tube Amplifier Mic Mixer CRAZY RARE RARE RARE!!! Silver Supporting Member. Guitar Heaven. In a recent interview for Acoustic Guitar, Gruhn was asked what the most popular vintage models are these days. In the past decade, electric guitar sales have plummeted, from about 1.5 million sold annually to just over 1 million. Specializing in vintage, used, and new acoustic and electric guitars, basses, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, resonator guitars and amplifiers. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. In contrast, he describes the collector coin market where the rarest coins are usually the most valuable. Martin Sinker Mahogany Models. People travel from all over the world to see Gruhn Guitars in person. Instruments from Rick Derringer. George Gruhn explains his love for guitar collecting on the company website where he says, “Guitars, which I feel are the ultimate collectible, can be looked at, touched, listened to, and played. The vintage guitar market has changed dramatically over the years. If you're even remotely interested in guitars, Gruhn Guitars is a must visit when in Nashville. Ask politely and you'll be escorted upstairs where the really rare. He started Gruhn Guitars in 1970 with just twenty-two instruments. 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