Strat Collecting on Turkey Day

For an American expat living in Portugal, Thanksgiving is a non-event. On the upside, it means a break from the daily email-a-thon with US contacts and a chance to give some thought to the stories that will probably finish up the year.

Guitar manufacturers enter a hectic period getting ready for the January NAMM Show and the introduction, sales and shipping of new models that result. Instrument retailers hope things will be hectic with holiday sales and between now and Sunday eBay sellers will flood the market with used guitars hoping to cash-in on seasonal buying. Everybody in the business is busy.

Journalists are no exception. They're busy thinking back over the year and preparing their contribution to the upcoming deluge of "Year-At-A-Glance" stories.

I'm no different, but luckily the 2004 Strat collecting story of the year is a no-brainer: The Clapton Crossroads auction. With "Blackie" setting a new auction record for the sale of an electric guitar, or the auction sale of any guitar for that matter, the rest of the year pales, despite the fact that "Blackie" beat the prior record by only $2,000. That's right, a mere two grand separates the sale of "Blackie" ($959,500) from the 2002 Guernsey's auction that brought $957,500 for Jerry Garcia's "Tiger". Surprised about the Garcia guitar? In the same 2002 Guernsey auction Garcia's "Wolf" fetched $789,500. If you're not familiar with "Tiger" or "Wolf", pay a visit to their builder, Dan Irwin's, website. Amazing instruments.

So, having filed my "Year-At-A-Glance" story, what's there to think about on Turkey Day in Portugal? The future, both near and down the road.

The near future is another no-brainer. According to leaks and rumors, some great guitars will be unveiled at the upcoming NAMM Show and although my just-pregnant wife and I can't attend, we'll have a journalist and photographer there to show and tell.

But what really interests me today is the down-the-road effect the Clapton auction may have on the collectible guitar market. Was tempted to send an email to my friends who actively buy and sell for their impression, but it's a good day to take an email break.