What is a limited edition Bonamassa 335 worth ?

Fusionista

RRP is £3k, there's one available in UK that I can see for £2400. Had this French dealer wants to buy mine - which has a rather special serial number.  Actually it is pretty fantastic: great action, and unplugged an unusually woody tone, somewhat louder than other 335's I have played, but he has approached me sight unseen. Checking him out I see he has a rep for selling on at 2x and 3x the price, so I'm wondering.  JB has already done quite a few limited editions, and he's a young guy, no reason to expect him to stop here. So I wasn't expecting it to appreciate, but maybe I am wrong ?

John_P

Is it one of these?

That seems a reasonable price for one from a dealer so I'd expect a private sale to be a little less.

1nten5e

Before long there's gonna be more gear with Bonamassa's signature on than there is with Les Paul's sig

 

Fusionista

John_P said:

Is it one of these?

That seems a reasonable price for one from a dealer so I'd expect a private sale to be a little less.

So £2200 used from a dealer.

hubobulous

I paid £1800 in May for mine. But given that he's approached you, there's a lot of upside to be had. I also got a deal due to the transaction turning out to be very easy in terms of meeting up etc

Philly_Q

There's one on eBay now for £2k.  Is that yours?

Fusionista

Yes, but thinking of pulling it. Nothing like selling to make you realise what you've got.  Had the privilege of playing a few 335's over the years (including Andy Summers' inter alia) and the 335 is one of the best designs there has ever been IMO. Not a great sig fan, nor even a Bonamassa aficionado (although I recognise a great player when I hear one),  but this instrument really is nice. I'm sure it's quite accidental. As every craftsman and artist knows, sometimes what you do just hits the spot, and whoever built this one maybe got lucky with the piece of plywood he was using

Philly_Q

Fusionista said:

....this instrument really is nice. I'm sure it's quite accidental. As every craftsman and artist knows, sometimes what you do just hits the spot, and whoever built this one maybe got lucky with the piece of plywood he was using

It's interesting you say that, because I have actually tried one of these Bonamassa 335s - unusual for me, I wouldn't go into a shop and try a 335 because they're too big (or I'm too small!).

But anyway, I got to try one when I was buying a guitar from someone and he had a Bonamassa 335.  We compared it with another, non-vintage, ES model he had and agreed it wasn't a particularly nice one, it sounded a bit harsh and snappy.  The other ES had a more pleasing tone.

It's quite accidental, as you say!

Fusionista

Indeed.  The other thing is, whatever they sound like unplugged, 335's to my knowledge sound very similar amplified (as long as they remain 'standard').  I have changed out pups (although not gone any further than eg Pearly Gates or SD Antiquities), switched bridges (ally for nickel) and nuts (plastic, bone, graphite) and - no difference that I could hear (although 335's themselves sound quite distinct from other brand lookalikes eg Yamaha SAs, D'Angelicos or Washburn HBs). That really surprised me when I first 'discovered' it. By contrast, Strats and Teles in my experience often sound very different one from another.

Fusionista

See this is what I don't get - a 'standard' 335 selling for similar money and odds are it will need a set up and new strings.  

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-ES335-Blond-/271634666765?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f3eb0150d

OK, "welcome to capitalism" I guess.  Instead of pulling the ad I am going to put the price up. 

fretfinder

Fusionista said:

See this is what I don't get - a 'standard' 335 selling for similar money and odds are it will need a set up and new strings.  

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-ES335-Blond-/271634666765?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f3eb0150d

OK, "welcome to capitalism" I guess.  

I doubt it will sell at that price. 'gazzza' has lots of overpriced stuff on eBay which never seems to sell, he's a dealer trying to sell at dealer prices I guess. Up to him I s'pose.

Fusionista

End of, I know a 'good 'guitar when I play one.  This one is both a player's guitar and a collector's item, so  if it doesn't sell,  I will - paradoxically - be quite content

Fusionista

SOLD

underdog

What you get for it?

Fusionista

More than @hubobulous paid !-)

hubobulous

Congrats :-)

Fusionista

Y-e-e-e-e-s.  As I said, would like to have kept. End of, decent buyer, fair price, can't hog all the goodies