The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Never one to hide from contriversies, I have an opinion question. What does everbody think of buying parts from a parted-out Uncle Matt?

I am of two minds which is unusal as my opinions are usualy fully formed and not subject to much modification . While I enjoy access to the parts, I decry the destruction of perfectly good intsruments and while individual purcheses may already be stipped, are we providing a market so that others Matt's are stripped too?

This was prompted by my puchase over e-bong of a second neck for my RSB Straycat, which I have converted to a fret-less. I could not bring myself to make the Cat a fret-less even though that is what a bought it for and the parted out neck looked like the answer. However, the rest of the bass was also for sale and so a perfectly good bass was parted when it could of stayed together. What do you all thing?

Thanks for the thoughts.

That is a heated one but worth debating. There was once a thread that sparked one heck of an argument between the Matt community and an eBarf seller. The seller threw a fit because WE did not provide the answers HE wanted in the time frame HE expected and so justified parting out a pervectly good guitar. However, one member here purchased part of that guitar which then made his whole and original again.

There is an upside and a downside. Some only need a simple excuse such as a missing screw or no excuse at all to part out a good guitar. It makes good money, often more than the guitar as a whole is worth.

I myself avoid certain sellers that obviously part out otherwise good guitars for profit alone. It is usually obvious as the rest of their listings include everything one would need to re-construct that guitar.

There are other times when buying parts from a parted out guitar is well worth the trouble and risk. I would like to think I have a much greater appreciation for the guitars I have than the average parts hawker on ebay and for this at least one more Uncle Matt will remain alive or be restored to it's former glory and get the use and attention it deserves.

Imho there are quite anumber of parts that are leftover from some guitar modification (e.g. tuner upgrade, alu bridge instalations., etc.)... if the owner doesn't care about bringing his instrument back to original specs sometime in the future, why keep them rusting away without being used.

To the guys parting out a guitar and sell it in pieces afterwards:
I usually shy away from overly flashy advertisments on the online auctions... and for some reason most of those guys do exactly this (e.g. the nice MMK is at least as good as a original 59 PAF, etc.).

I hate it when people do that, but if you can use the part for your project, then go for it.

I am also not a friend of slaughtering a complete guitar, but if somebody does exactly this and sells the single parts I don´t have a problem to buy because of 2 reasons :
1. It is always good to have some spare parts at hand because if you start searching when you really need something you will most probably not find it or pay far too much.
2. I have built a complete guitar out of different parts I bought over the time and not only is it great fun to hunt for the parts and then assemble them to a functioning instrument, it also brought me a guitar that I appreciate highly and play often.

Oliver !

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Axes of the 80´s - Click here

I don't have a problem with; in this neck of the woods we have to learn to make do with what we have so to have original equipment to hand in the way of parts is a bonus. Is the destruction of guitars for bits a major problem in Europe and the US as Crusty seems to indicate? The thought of wrecking a perfectly good piece of equipment just for monetary gain makes me ill, but if there's a wanker out there doing it and I want a part he's got to complete a project then I'll probably buy it, thereby becoming a wanker myself AND supporting a trade I otherwise would decry!!

Oh, the humanity!!

How do I live with myself!!??

X189, despatched 11.05.07, finally!!

I think we're all on the same page. The problem is when these guitars, which we all agree are the great undiscovered value at a low price, are worth more as parts. If I can buy an Electra Phoenix for $100 and sell the neck, bridge and pickups for $150, then you know there's pirates doing it.

is it an epidemic? no. But for instance we see this problem in vintage motorcycles, when you can buy a running motocycle, take it apart, and sell the parts for more than it is worth together.

i get bent out of shape at car guys for this- they are often really snooty about model- a 2dr or convertible is collectable, but guys will think nothing of taking apart a running 4dr for parts. I hate it when that happens!

I don't get so bent out of shape if its a 4 door. Even with kids, I'm not gonna buy a classic with 4 doors. I'd love to have an early '50s Suburban but they still only have 2 doors.
To be honest, parting out any guitar other than a collectible doesn't bother me much. What bothers me is when you take something that has been out of production for at least 20 years, is a known collectible and jack with it.

Just my 2 cents. . .

Actually I bought my ZZ Bladerunner for exactly that reason... there was someone selling this guitar mint, for the price a mint old Kahler in this condition would cost (if I say mint, I don't mean unused, but showing no signs of being used).

Now the question is what is worse... someone buying the guitar for getting the Kahler, and sell the rest of it in parts... or someone like me buying it and not playing it on a regular basis.

Imho I should feel at least as guilty as the guy, who would have taken the Kahler o f the guitar.

nah, you're preserving it for future generations, who will say 'can you believe how original good condition it's in?'

The trouble with mix n matcheing guitar parts and accessories is that those frankenstein guitars don't get any respect either, and they get sold and parted out themselves. Original jsut stands a better chance of staying in playable condition.