There are few instruments, if any, that have a place in the hearts of as many people as guitars do. They evoke memories of all kinds, from songs around a childhood campfire to old ballads sung by your grandfather to the memory of an early concert. They can represent a cool performance by themselves, or offer instant accompaniment for even the most basic amateur singing.
Heritage Auctions’ Oct. 23 Vintage Guitars and Musical Instruments Auction in Dallas will have wide array of instruments and accessories from which to choose. Some of our favorites:
1. A 2001 Taylor Custom GS Natural Acoustic Guitar (est. $5,000+) boasts gorgeous flamed Hawaiian Koa back and sides, and features a subtle, delicate wood vine inlay in the fingerboard and flamed maple on the body, neck and peg head.
2. An Automatic Acoustic Guitar Player with Six Rolls (est. $5,000+) offers guitar music without having to find someone who can play. This coin-operated, contemporary, pneumatically played instrument was made in Ceres, California. Punched paper music rolls control the fingering and plucking of the guitar, which hangs in in an oak cabinet with separate glazed panels for the guitar and a roll reader with locks and six rolls.
3. A 2000 Citron AE4 Natural Electric Bass Guitar (est. $3,200+) is an acoustic bass that was made in New York and lists for $7,000 when new and is one of the rare models that features two pickups.
4. A 2015 Kamil Torun PAFF Natural Electric Five-String Bass Guitar (est. $3,000+) is a clean, boutique bass with red mahogany and Hungarian mahogany on its three-piece neck, which features an ebony fingerboard.
5. A 1940s Gibson BR-6 Black Lap Steel Guitar (est. $1,000+) is one of those instruments that is identifiable instantly, by sight and by sound. It has an added multi-tube bridge and electronics that need cleaning but are all original and functional.
Written by: Steve Lansdale