Was reading an old article in guitarist magazine that was pricing up guitars, whilst giving prices like £4m for mccartneys bass it had notes about the red special, varying from £500k to priceless and was wondering what anyone thought the value of it was.
Be interesting to know how much Brian's insured it for as it literally is a one of a kind historic guitar, unlike a 'generic' store-bought guitar used by any other artist.
The value of the thing will likely never be known ... Brian has said it's going with him in the box (or coffin, can't remember the word he used) when he goes. Even if he didn't do that, it'd likely remain in the family as an heirloom. If you look at the Lennon guitars - stuck with Yoko and occasionally loaned to museums - they'd be another one that I wouldn't even hazard a guess at the value of.
Having said that, I've been underwhelmed by some guitar auctions before. Whenever something of Hendrix's goes under the hammer I'm always thinking, "hey that was a bargain". I really wouldn't be surprised if in 50 years time, the Red Special gets pawned off for a (relative) pittance to someone who doesn't even play!
Yeh, no amount of money could compensate Brian if anything happened to his guitar. Dont see the point of insuring it. Saying that, if it fell into my hands I would demand at least a 5 million pound ransom ;-)
He's definitely stated in at least one interview that it was uninsured because it was not replaceable and therefore there was no point. The approach for those involved then, according to him, was just to take extraordinarily good care of it. Certainly makes some sense.
Sir GH wrote:
Only he and his insurance company know.
My vote goes for 'priceless', considering he's been known to purchase an extra airplane seat for it instead of sending it through luggage.
I wonder how often this has been done for precious cargo. The man I engraved guns for purchased Hank Williams' guitar and hat and bought them a seat when he flew home. When the flight attendant inquired about it, he told her that the guitar had a ticket and it may want lunch too! Knowing Jack, he probably did get it lunch and then eat both of them himself.
You know, I've always wondered what the Red Special is doing RIGHT NOW. I mean, where does it stay? Does it have it's own house? Surely Brian wouldn't keep it at his home. The risk of something happening to it there would be quite great. Theft, a fire, Anita, anything could happen to it there.
Do you think he has someone with it all the time like the Stanley Cup? Perhaps a lackey, like a Greg-Brooks-type, just sits there playing video games all day while the Red Special sits on it's stand at an unknown location.
I know for a fact the Stanley Cup and the Red Special have vacationed together. I was on the plane. There was a lot of giggling and whispering, and after that you can't go to a hockey game on the f*&#@ planet without hearing "We Will Rock You".
Zebonka12 wrote:
I thought it was uninsured? When did this change?
Oh, I had no idea if it's actually insured or not.. although someone above has pointed out that Brian said it isn't. Makes sense to me, come to think of it.
cacatua wrote:
When the flight attendant inquired about it, he told her that the guitar had a ticket and it may want lunch too!
Zebonka12 wrote:
I thought it was uninsured? When did this change?
Oh, I had no idea if it's actually insured or not.. although someone above has pointed out that Brian said it isn't. Makes sense to me, come to think of it.
cacatua wrote:
When the flight attendant inquired about it, he told her that the guitar had a ticket and it may want lunch too!
Ha.. that's hilarious!
Well, you see, the guitar was wearing the hat - looked like some shapely guy with a long skinny neck. ;o)
Micrówave wrote:
You know, I've always wondered what the Red Special is doing RIGHT NOW. I mean, where does it stay? Does it have it's own house? Surely Brian wouldn't keep it at his home. The risk of something happening to it there would be quite great. Theft, a fire, Anita, anything could happen to it there.
Do you think he has someone with it all the time like the Stanley Cup? Perhaps a lackey, like a Greg-Brooks-type, just sits there playing video games all day while the Red Special sits on it's stand at an unknown location.
No, no its sitting in the same warehouse as the Ark of the Covenant, waiting for Indiana Jones to steal it.
Micrówave wrote:
You know, I've always wondered what the Red Special is doing RIGHT NOW. I mean, where does it stay? Does it have it's own house? Surely Brian wouldn't keep it at his home. The risk of something happening to it there would be quite great. Theft, a fire, Anita, anything could happen to it there.
Do you think he has someone with it all the time like the Stanley Cup? Perhaps a lackey, like a Greg-Brooks-type, just sits there playing video games all day while the Red Special sits on it's stand at an unknown location.
Hey, that didn't keep Jackie Martling from defiling it.
The Stanley Cup is the most beautiful and hard won trophy in professional sports, but it's too cuppy. It tempts the dumb to do horrible things...in there.