Business or Pleasure?
I put this shot here only because I like to start my posts with a photo. This is another angle on "The Mexican"-an early 65 ES 335 so named because that's where it spent the last 45 years or so. It is not currently for sale nor has it ever been by me, contrary to the opinion of a certain reader from Western Europe. Once I have it in my hands, however, I will do a post about it because I've never seen another like it.
In the last post I did something I’ve never done before and got blasted for it on the Les Paul Forum. I mentioned that a guitar might be for sale. In my last post where I talk about my adventure with that ’66 ES 345, I mention that you might want to keep an eye on the “For Sale” section if you’re interested in the guitar. Well that apparently set off an alarm with one of my fellow LPF members and reader of this blog. OK, fair enough. Because I link to this site with every posting I leave on the Les Paul Forum (and Gear Page for that matter), I won’t again mention guitars that I have for sale as being for sale. They still may be for sale, but I just won’t mention that fact. You’ll just have to go to the “For Sale” folder on your own. I try to keep my prices in line with the market and if I get a great deal, I’ll do the same for you. That doesn’t mean I’m not making a profit-it simply means that I won’t overpay for guitars and you shouldn’t either but there is always going to be a difference between cost and retail. If it bothers you that this blog is also a business, then perhaps you should find another source for your information. I love unusual examples and will continue to post about them whether I own them (like “The Mexican”) or not (like the 67 Mahogany 355). That’s the fun part. A lot of folks on the guitar forums are quick to criticize both guitars and people. It can turn into a bit of a feeding frenzy-especially when the originality of a guitar is called into question. But that can be a good thing too. I posted on the Les Paul Forum that I thought the 66 ES 345 might be a refin and I was told, by members that I trust and admire, that they did not believe it was and gave me good reasons why they felt that way. Kind of a reverse feeding frenzy, if you will. That’s good for me, as a buyer and seller and that’s good for you if you ever buy a guitar from me. At least you know it’s been checked out by me and a large number of knowledgeable individuals with no “dog in this fight”, so to speak. So, I’ll continue on as I have with the single exception of mentioning that a guitar is for sale in a post. You’ll have to go to the “For Sale” page for that. I won’t be posting guitars for sale all over the home page and putting links to the ads in the posts. They will remain as uncommercial as they have been in the past. Thank you all for reading. Without an audience, I’m just typing words on a page.
Great blog – I gotta say that I found you via Google, though indirectly. I was watching the “Mexican’s” auction – though felt uncomfortable with the seller’s lack of feedback, so didn’t bid. I wonder what it went for after the reserve wasn’t met…. 😉
Hope it turns out as well as it looks – it’s a beauty!
Thanks for stopping by. The problem with Google is that you can actually type in the complete web address and still not find me-at least not yet. It appears the wheels at Google turn slowly. With regard to “The Mexican”, I believe I took a risk but having spoken to the seller on the phone, I felt better. For all I know-until it arrives tomorrow, he shipped me a box of rocks. The price was far, far above the end price of the auction. It was clearly-at least to me-worth far more than $4000+ the auction ended at. I’m sure the fact that the seller had no feedback as a seller and was in Guadalajara didn’t exactly help his chances of moving it. The guitar is not for sale currently.
Great site for classic guitar pics and info.
A lot of fine work here.
Thank you!