Remember the movie Casablanca? Remember how anything goes, and all the naive people lose. How about the pirate city of Mos Eisley, on the planet Tatooine... where Jabba the Hutt lives... ever tried making a deal with someone like Jabba? (I want to speak fluent Jabba....like...'Cheesa. Peacha. Chr’Wanki Chewbacca’ – which apparently translates... ’At last we have the mighty Chewbacca'... in other words... I wish I could speak fluent hustler.) One more... how about Port Royal... in Jamaica... the pirate city...that sank to the bottom of the ocean in an earthquake... the 'original sin city'. Well.. some might remember those scenes... and a nice guy goes into the scene in one piece, and generally comes back out the window a few minutes later... minus his watch, his money and his shoes. Welcome to Vintage Guitar traders of america. No... I am not harsh... and not angry... just warning those who still have their watches....the number of stories I have heard (and witnessed)... including one where a 50's Telecaster was refinished... offered to me for sale as 'refinished'... only to turn up the following year as 'totally original'... and fully priced as such. Please watch out for the Jabba's...in the world of old guitars... there are more of them... than the good, honest guys (like Han Solo?).. there are also more Signor Farrari's (in Casablanca).. than there are 'Ricks'... those willing to deal in whatever they can, and con the unwary...yes... of course there are good, honest sellers out there, but any time you have a valuable, rare item on the market, expect pirates......(my Broadcaster story next)....
