an ethical question
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:58 pm
I predicted it would come to this. It can't be a surprise to anyone. I have seen several people now selling repro serial neck plates. This guy in particular has enjoyed a sketchy reputation in the relic market for years. He has been said to have lifted text verbatim from the Reranch site and published it in his book about refinishing guitars. But there was some other site I saw in Germany who was selling an entire set of relixed hardware plus the plate with whatever number you wanted.
Now I wouldn't do this--I don't need to. But where is the line not to cross? Let's say you want a replica relic or you merely want to complete what you already have. Is my owning the vintage neck plate from some other guitar any better or worse than buying a new repro? The new one would weaken the currency and it would get tot he point where you don't know if the plate you are buying is repro or not. Is that such a bad thing? Why should vintage neck plates go for $500? It's a little silly since it has no effect on tone and really loses its authenticity when it is removed from the original guitar anyway.
The trouble is that you buy it because you want to complete a project. Then you sell it, and are up front about it being a phony plate. The buyer GETS HIT BY A BUS that falls from a spaceship. His mother parts it out like a beyotch. Now this neck plate which you bought with honest intentions becomes a tool of TEH DEVILz.
But see, here's the weird part about ethics. A refin paintjob or wiring job or even replacing screws should change the value. But you can't be sure that anything you do to a guitar will be represented properly (or even remembered) ten years down the road.
Thoughts?
Now I wouldn't do this--I don't need to. But where is the line not to cross? Let's say you want a replica relic or you merely want to complete what you already have. Is my owning the vintage neck plate from some other guitar any better or worse than buying a new repro? The new one would weaken the currency and it would get tot he point where you don't know if the plate you are buying is repro or not. Is that such a bad thing? Why should vintage neck plates go for $500? It's a little silly since it has no effect on tone and really loses its authenticity when it is removed from the original guitar anyway.
The trouble is that you buy it because you want to complete a project. Then you sell it, and are up front about it being a phony plate. The buyer GETS HIT BY A BUS that falls from a spaceship. His mother parts it out like a beyotch. Now this neck plate which you bought with honest intentions becomes a tool of TEH DEVILz.
But see, here's the weird part about ethics. A refin paintjob or wiring job or even replacing screws should change the value. But you can't be sure that anything you do to a guitar will be represented properly (or even remembered) ten years down the road.
Thoughts?
