"Has it got all the paperwork?"

hollywoodrox

I recently sold an epiphone 2016 les Paul custom pro , I had every hang tag it came with  the stickers off the pickups the bits to explain what the coil splits do when you lift the knobs up. Plus a catalogue and epiphone stickers . It sold easy and I got the price I wanted  so even on cheaper guitars it helps . It was a great guitar , better than the 2017 gibson tribute I had for sure. It had scratches from belt/chains etc and from playing down the pub, I like to keep all the stuff though , I do have a collector mindset but I do like to play and customise my stuff.

coffeehouse

Bolters said:

If I'm buying a guitar from someone I know, or I know the particular instrument well, then I don't mind if the case candy, certs, etc are missing.

If I'm buying a guitar I've never seen in person from a stranger, I absolutely want all evidence that the guitar is genuine. Certs, stickers, manuals. Especially international transactions. And if said instrument has nothing I'm likely to walk away until something similar comes up that I can be sure about.

That's my 2p on the subject. No idea how 'most' other people deal with the COA issue. Have at it.

Exactly - There are fakes around and a nice pile of paperwork / candy is a right hassle to create / fake so it really helps to show that the guitar is genuine... Also, if buyers have choice between one with / one without... why not go for the one with?... Also, I think one of the reasons that the makers put so much candy in is that people really just like it. It's like there's still a child like part of us that still get excited about a cool glossy sticker....

bgmartinsbridge

Just to throw in, I enquired about a custom shop strat for sale on ebay recently.
The guy says he has the coa but didn't show it in the pics. 

I sent the serial number off a picture of the neck plate to Fender and they emailed back saying that it's from a Bass guitar and to check the serial number. 

Adam_MD

I was asked if I had all the original documents and packaging for a Boss Katana 50 I was selling last week.  Lol

guitars4you

bgmartinsbridge said:

Just to throw in, I enquired about a custom shop strat for sale on ebay recently.
The guy says he has the coa but didn't show it in the pics. 

I sent the serial number off a picture of the neck plate to Fender and they emailed back saying that it's from a Bass guitar and to check the serial number. 

Just to throw a touch of confusion into the pot - I have just recently acquired a used 62 C/Shop Strat - I sold it 2/3 years ago, so I know the guitar, but couldn't find the spec sheet - So I asked Fender for a copy of the travel/spec sheet, after giving them the serial number - That same serial number has been used twice - Once on this Strat and once on a D Gilmour Strat - So both are genuine and yes confusion can happen

bgmartinsbridge

@guitars4you - totally agree and I've seen that once before too.


The alarm bells happened with the recent guitar when the guy said he had the coa but wouldn't let me see it :-)

PolarityMan

bgmartinsbridge said:

It's like having a discussion with a teenager who says your wrong, your wrong, your wrong. 

As a first entry in this thread, it seems to me like you have described yourself perfectly.

PolarityMan

adampeter said:

Wow there's some dense people on this thread

@bgmartinsbridge is absolutely correct on this, like talking to teenagers 
So wide of the mark with their answers it comical, of course you buy the guitar you like best regardless of coa/cert, it will still be worth less than the one with it, fact....
Same with watches, etc.....in fact anything that can be faked.
Personally i couldn't give a flying as long as i know this, and if the "proper guitar players" can't get their heads around fact, well hey ho its their loss

Say you are spending £10k on a guitar new, from a bricks and mortar shop and the shop throws in a couple of free picks...it's like that...its free so yeah of course ill take it but the free picks aren't a factor int he buying decision. 

Kinda like in the US SweetWater put Haribo in their delivery packages....but less tasty.

PolarityMan

bgmartinsbridge said:

@Dan_Halen - If you don't feel paperwork has a value but other people feel it does have a value, then the paperwork must have a value.

If you buy a car and youre willing to pay a grand for it and someone else thinks it's worth 1200, then it's worth 1200.

It's very simple thinking. 

I think your house is worth 50p..I'll be round to collect in the morning. 

bgmartinsbridge

@PolarityMan ;
If someone thinks your house is worth 500k and someone else thinks it's worth 50p, then they don't get it for 50p :-) 

PolarityMan

Why is that different from the scenario I quoted?

prlgmnr

I think we can all agree that we're devastated someone has decided to try and kick this one off again.

bassbora

guitars4you said:

bgmartinsbridge said:

Just to throw in, I enquired about a custom shop strat for sale on ebay recently.
The guy says he has the coa but didn't show it in the pics. 

I sent the serial number off a picture of the neck plate to Fender and they emailed back saying that it's from a Bass guitar and to check the serial number. 

Just to throw a touch of confusion into the pot - I have just recently acquired a used 62 C/Shop Strat - I sold it 2/3 years ago, so I know the guitar, but couldn't find the spec sheet - So I asked Fender for a copy of the travel/spec sheet, after giving them the serial number - That same serial number has been used twice - Once on this Strat and once on a D Gilmour Strat - So both are genuine and yes confusion can happen

Similar thing has happened to me. I bought MusicMan Stingray fretless brand new in ‘99 and sold it around 10 years later. I contacted Earnie Ball and asked about the serial number. Came back as a fretted instrument. Buyer was not too concerned but clearly these things happen as you say.