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Author Topic: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio  (Read 2726 times)

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Offline banjochris

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Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« on: May 20, 2010, 12:16:40 AM »
Don't know if this has been mentioned before, and was too lazy to search and look, but Bernunzio has a couple of famousish instruments for sale:

Lonnie Johnson's Gibson SJ100 (this one they've had for a while):
http://bernunzio.com/products/0812438

And Rev. Gary Davis' Gibson GB-1 guitar-banjo:
http://bernunzio.com/products/0914182

I wish they'd put a price so I could see just how far out of reach they are...
Chris

Offline cc132

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2010, 01:39:18 PM »
Johnsons' guitar is 40k.

Davis' banjo is 30k.

Offline banjochris

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2010, 03:56:33 PM »
Ouch! (Thanks for the info, though!)

Offline Mr.OMuck

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2010, 04:13:20 PM »
In other words probably no real musician will be able to afford them, certain rock stars aside. This is a disturbing trend in instrument pricing, aiming sales at investment banker hobbyists. Get yer bonus walk up from Wall st, up to Rudy's in soho and plunk down $120 K for a nice D'Angelico that mostly sits in its case. :-\.
Well its been happening like that with classical instruments for decades now. Feh!
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Offline Johnm

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2010, 04:20:51 PM »
Gosh, those must really be exceptional instruments to be worth so much money!

Offline Parlor Picker

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2010, 01:33:23 AM »
Some years ago, I worked for a company selling bows for stringed instruments and encountered various people involved in the violin trade. One dealer commented that musicians were a nuisance to him, because beautiful violins were "... exquisite works of art that just happened to make a nice noise".(!)

Dreadful attitude! Musical instruments are made to be played and turning them into collectable* items is arguably almost as bad as putting them in the crusher. Sadly, this means that anyone wanting a nice old Gibson L-00 or whatever to actually PLAY, has to pay a premium price, because of the collectors who just want to OWN it and boast about their ownership. Doubtless Lonnie Johnson and Rev. Davis would have wanted their instruments to fall into the hands of genuine musicians (whatever their ability), who wanted to play them.

[* On a slightly different note, I once read an introduction to a book which went something along the lines of "I feel I shall have succeeded as a parent, if I train my children not to use the word 'collectable" as a noun".]
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Offline cc132

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2010, 10:51:24 AM »
Doubtless Lonnie Johnson and Rev. Davis would have wanted their instruments to fall into the hands of genuine musicians (whatever their ability), who wanted to play them.

True (for Gary Davis, anyway).  The banjo-guitar went straight from Gary Davis to Roy Bookbinder, who is the one selling it.

Offline Mr.OMuck

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2010, 07:42:33 AM »
Quote
The banjo-guitar went straight from Gary Davis to Roy Bookbinder, who is the one selling it.

If that's true its a shame. Roy should hold onto it and then will it to some deserving youngster, (Jerron Paxton comes to mind) unless he's strapped for cash of course.
My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music.
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Offline eagle rockin daddy

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2010, 11:42:00 AM »
Roy's no fool though....

He did tell me that Lonnie's guitar doesn't sound very good though.

Mike

Offline daddystovepipe

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Lonnie Johnson's Gibson for sale
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2012, 07:58:58 AM »

Offline banjochris

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Re: Lonnie Johnson's Gibson for sale
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2012, 09:22:01 AM »
They've got Rev. Gary Davis' Gibson guitar-banjo too.

Offline Johnm

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Re: Lonnie Johnson's Gibson for sale
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2012, 11:12:05 AM »
I'm always bemused by the prices charged for instruments that were once owned by a famous player.  You would think you'd also be getting the player's hands, ears, reflexes, ideas and sensibility for the amounts being asked.   
All best,
Johnm

Offline banjochris

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Re: Lonnie Johnson's Gibson for sale
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2012, 11:47:51 AM »
Both are considerably cheaper than the $100K Elderly Instruments was asking for Wade Mainer's banjo a while back. And I would bet he's a lot less famous than either Lonnie or the Rev.

Offline Pan

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Re: Lonnie Johnson's Gibson for sale
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2012, 05:49:55 PM »
Wasn't this guitar for sale a while ago, or does my memory fail me?

Pan

Offline uncle bud

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2012, 06:48:06 PM »
Your memory is fine, Pan. Topics merged.

Seems there's been a price drop of 5K. A steal!
« Last Edit: January 31, 2012, 06:49:07 PM by uncle bud »

Offline Rivers

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Re: Lonnie Johnson's Gibson for sale
« Reply #15 on: January 31, 2012, 07:16:57 PM »
I'm always bemused by the prices charged for instruments that were once owned by a famous player.  You would think you'd also be getting the player's hands, ears, reflexes, ideas and sensibility for the amounts being asked.

How true. The PT Barnum principle is in play here.

Offline banjochris

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Re: Rev. Davis, Lonnie Johnson instruments at Bernunzio
« Reply #16 on: February 01, 2012, 09:33:14 AM »
I totally forgot I started that first thread!

 


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