To Sell or Not to Sell - That IS the Question...

lovestrat74

So... I picked this up last year and tis a really nice guitar - pretty rare too.  Absolutely mint Riviera, all original inc case, with a stop tail piece, made in the Matsumoku factory in '83.  No real thoughts of selling until I see one sell on ebay for £1750! - yes you read that right 

Naturally I have GAS, always have it (common problem in this neck of the woods I believe) and naturally like most on here I have January pockets (empty!).

Question is.., do I move it on and realise that I will never get another like it, or should I keep it even if it doesn't get the play time of my other guitars and then maybe sell it as a true vintage guitar in 10+ years time when it "could" be worth some serious cash...

robgilmo

Oooih that's lovely, did the one on Ebay actually sell?

Whitecat

I do wonder if the vintage guitar market is gonna hold on that long.

This came to mind:

Anyway, further question - the one for £1750 - do they actually *sell* for that or is it one of the all-too-common eBay bedroom chancers?

Nice guitar, btw, I really dig that.

robgilmo

Oh, and I would keep that if it were mine, and a I'd play the crap out of it too. 

lovestrat74

Well it comes up as sold https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/401676340642

Whitecat

lovestrat74 said:

Well it comes up as sold https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/401676340642

That bodes well...

grungebob

Well it comes up as sold for best offer but yet to receive feedback on the sale so I’d hold on a bit. 

ICBM

It's a true vintage guitar now as much as it ever will be. Either you think it is because it's 35 years old, or you think it isn't because it's a 'modern' Japanese guitar. That won't change in another 10 years, or 20. It might go up a bit in value but it will never be a 1950/60s American-made Epiphone.

Do you like it? If you do, keep it and ignore the fact that it's worth a lot of money - if you sell it you won't be able to afford or justify another one if the price does go up a bit more. If you don't, cash it in and don't look back.

clarkefan

My first thought is, do you need the cash right now?  If so, sell it.  

If not, can you replace it with a guitar that will give you what you get from it for less money?  If so, sell it.  

If not, keep it.

Future values be damned, ask anybody who bought 400k bursts 15 years ago.

DeeTee

ICBM said:

It's a true vintage guitar now as much as it ever will be. Either you think it is because it's 35 years old, or you think it isn't because it's a 'modern' Japanese guitar. That won't change in another 10 years, or 20. It might go up a bit in value but it will never be a 1950/60s American-made Epiphone.

Do you like it? If you do, keep it and ignore the fact that it's worth a lot of money - if you sell it you won't be able to afford or justify another one if the price does go up a bit more. If you don't, cash it in and don't look back.

Yeah, it's a personal line, isn't it? If someone offered me the best part of two grand for it I'd have their hand off, but your mileage may vary. What would you get for that money? Would it feel better, to you, than what you have now?

Moominpapa

Best course of action is clear:  sell your Epiphone for, say, £1,650 and buy my Tokai Legacy in the classifieds here for £350. Then you'll have £1,300 walking around money. It's a win for everyone

Phil_aka_Pip

ICBM said:

It's a true vintage guitar now as much as it ever will be. Either you think it is because it's 35 years old, or you think it isn't because it's a 'modern' Japanese guitar. That won't change in another 10 years, or 20. It might go up a bit in value but it will never be a 1950/60s American-made Epiphone.

Do you like it? If you do, keep it and ignore the fact that it's worth a lot of money - if you sell it you won't be able to afford or justify another one if the price does go up a bit more. If you don't, cash it in and don't look back.

^ This ^

lovestrat74

Don't look back in anger 

SimpleSimon

Crazy money for an average guitar, i had a similar vintage Matsumoko Casino from the same factory and it wasnt a patch on the Elitist version.

lovestrat74

SimpleSimon said:

Crazy money for an average guitar, i had a similar vintage Matsumoko Casino from the same factory and it wasnt a patch on the Elitist version.

Not sure about the casino but the riviera, crazy money, yes. Average, not so sure about that. Maybe you had a stinker.

SimpleSimon

No not a stinker - just found the pre Elitist MIJ Epis to be a bit meh, too much poly and crappy hardware. Yours is obviously a belter and worth every bit of the asking price

lovestrat74

SimpleSimon said:

No not a stinker - just found the pre Elitist MIJ Epis to be a bit meh, too much poly and crappy hardware. Yours is obviously a belter and worth every bit of the asking price

  there is no asking price just a comparative on ebay

DrBob

If they really are going for that much I think I’d sell 

p90fool

DrBob said:

If they really are going for that much I think I’d sell 

Definitely, they're ok, but not fantastic guitars. 

The Matsumoku thing is vastly overblown, they were making guitars competently when Fender weren't, and they made low to midrange priced instruments which were eminently giggable, which was a big deal if you'd been playing in the 1970s.

It's really a 500 quid guitar, if nostalgia is currently tripling that I'd grab it with both hands before the bubble bursts.

hyperben

I used to own a wine red Matsumoku Riviera. I eventually sold it for £1200 (5 years ago) and bought a Gibson ES335, and honestly I’ve never looked back. The 335 is a MUCH better guitar and didn’t cost much more to buy second hand. @p90fool is right, the Matsumokus are midrange instruments. They’re really good, but not worth that kind of money in my opinion. £750 tops. I would definitely sell if it were me while I could get money that good for it. 

axisus

If you don't play it much get rid.