I must be missing something here

[Joe]

this is a $1600 guitar? (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=3772243863&rd=1)

[Old Tele man]

..nah, it's a $1,650 guitar!

[Jim Soloway]

If it was indeed built by RC Allen, then what you're missing is the historical signifcance of the builder.

[rjlaero1]

I've never heard of him.....anybody care to expand?

[Jim Soloway]

Originally posted by rjlaero1
I've never heard of him.....anybody care to expand?

RC Allen built guitars for and with Merle Travis, Paul Bigsby, and Joe Maphis in the early days of solid body guitars. This particular instrument looks like a more modern iteration of the double necks that Joe Maphis played in the early to mid-50's.

EDIT: I should also add that I have absolutely no idea what this instrument should be worth or if it would have any collectors value, so please don't go bidding on it on account of anything I've said.

[bluegrif]

RC Allen has also built several guitars for my father, who's known him since at least the 50's. They are handbuilt in the truest sense of the word.

[Dave Paetow]

I've seen a handful, and they all have been pretty crude in build quality. So that must mean they have a lot of 'soul' and 'vibe'. ;)

[bluegrif]

Originally posted by Dave Paetow
I've seen a handful, and they all have been pretty crude in build quality. So that must mean they have a lot of 'soul' and 'vibe'. ;)

Actually, I completely agree. I've had occasion to to do a pickup installation on one of my Dad's and was very surprised to find the pickup cavities (on a hollow guitar) to have been cut by hand (no router - may have not even been a power saw!) Dick Allen's a real old-timer and while his creations are fine so far as function and general appearance (well, maybe not on close inspection), they're definitely not objects of extremely fine craftsmanship. My Dad played mostly G-branded guitars during his professional career (Gibson, Gretsch, Guild) but he's known Dick Allen forever and has had him build a few customs which Dad designed. But you're right, even though he used premium materials, the fit and finish of the average asian-made guitar would blow them away.

[ldarnell]

http://www.thehandmade.com/sellit/guitars/allenweb/images/neworld74.jpghttp://thehandmade.com/sellit/guitars/allen/neworld74.jpg
1996 "Aristocrat"

[kidmandude]

http://thehandmade.com/sellit/guitars/allen/neworld74.jpg
1996 "Aristocrat"

WOW, nice!! hows it sound???

[ldarnell]

This gutiar sounds and plays great. Very responsive amplified, lots of acoustic sustain. I'm actually in the process of unloading it, as we speak. As we all know, it is written: 'there is a time for gathering guitars and a time to let them go.'