Vintage, Rare And Collectable Guitars
Perth, West Australia
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To Restore or not to Restore…that is the question?
There are
those that believe that a refinished vintage instrument is almost valueless.
It always hurts to see a wonderful vintage instrument stripped of its
original character. Its historical value is diminished whenever such
modifications are done. Thankfully there are a few pristine examples still
in existence that document for the historical record what an instrument
originally looked like.
That said I do not believe that an instrument loses its value as
radically as some believe.
Yes, historical originality is great, when it's possible. But much of what
exists in museums has been altered and modified over the years or centuries.
The historical value and importance is not destroyed however. There are
always clues that fill in the gaps and items are restorable that provide
future generations with the opportunity to learn from and appreciate them
regardless.
In the museum business for example there are certain rules followed to
retain or restore an artefact’s historical value. It's important to do so,
because time will destroy any organic material in spite of the best efforts
to protect it from overt damage. Wood rots, chemicals in the air oxidize
finishes and metals, insects and bacteria invade components, humidity and
temperature changes cause all materials to expand and contract at different
rates. Finishes crack and peel away, Colours shift.
If every pristine ES-295 (Gibson) for example were left alone in another 50
years not one would be historically accurate. None are today exactly like
they were when they left the factory 50 years ago, even the ones considered
"mint". They simply do not exist. But the ones that are restored back to
original factory specs as closely as possible now will be truer to the
original vintage instrument in another 50 years than the ones that are
considered mint today. Those will continue to alter over time.
This one in 50 years will be closer to the original than the ones that have
been unaltered by human intervention and stored in private collections and
museums. At some point every one of them will need some restoration.
We are still in the early years in vintage guitar history. Fifty years is a
long time for any instrument. Violins were built to be taken apart and
restored occasionally, If not they fall apart. If we took the same attitude
about old violins that we currently take with "vintage guitars" not a single
Stradivarius would exist today. Time would have destroyed them all. Yet a
Stradivarius that has been refinished to protect it holds a higher value
than the most expensive vintage guitar ever sold on auction.
I think it's time we face this reality. Restoration is not the same
as refinishing. Restoration is the unavoidable and desirable condition that
is the only real hope if these rare instruments are to survive another fifty
years or another 500 years.
Most of the instruments worked on in museums are closer to 100 years old or
more. They ALL need some tender loving care. These early examples from the
more recent past are approaching the age where they too are in danger of
being lost forever. Capacitors and potentiometers weren't made to last for
50 years. If they aren't replaced they will simply leak and the chemicals
inside will destroy other parts and components. I consider what museums do,
as saving these for history and future generations! And it's a joy to
bring them back now while it's still possible, although both difficult and
expensive, to find replacement parts yet not impossible..
We attempt to restore it as best as we can to what it was when it first left
the factory in spite of challenges of finding components even rarer than the
instrument itself and by creating those parts that are impossible to get any
other way.
We've spent years refining and studying the various forms of finishes, how
they were mixed, what they were made of and how they were applied. We honour
those methods and formulations as best we can.
Some instruments may not be 100% original, but restored as close as possible
X number of years after they were made, and I contend it's probably in some
ways closer to the original product that when it left the factory than some
of those that have never been stripped or had components replaced. And we've
saved it for history such, that in the future this may be a more valuable
instrument than those that are decaying in near ideal conditions in climate
controlled environments that have never been altered in any way. Bacteria
don’t care, Air conditioners break, Air carries pollutants, Time marches on.
Our intention is to save these precious rare instruments while it's yet
possible, and to keep the honoured integrity of restored instruments whilst
maintaining it’s value to the new owner/player/collector who will take on
the challenge of both enjoying and preserving it for future generations to
also admire and play.
Anonymously sent in....