What are you really getting when you buy Elvis's guitar on EBay? You write to the seller and ask him (or her) about the guitar... some kind of proof that the King at least PLAYED it once. To yourself, you think it's too good to be true... you are already getting ready to sell your Elvis mug set... the works...this HAS to be real! So when you listen for the answer that comes back, you are already making up your mind that whatever the guy says, you will believe him....you're basically waiting for him at home base, telling him to 'bring it on home'. So he (or she) does, and writes back... "My Uncle lived three doors down from the Presley family in Tupelo... Elvis lived at 510 1/2 Maple Street (but was born in another house in Tupelo). (My Uncle lived in 516 Maple). He went to the Lawhorn elementary school (same as Elvis, but was a few years off from the King). This is the first guitar Elvis bought, at the Tupelo hardware store, and Elvis used to play it at Mayhorn's grocery store... where he would also listen to the blues. When the King left Tupelo at the age of 13, in 1948, the guitar was gifted by Elvis' mother to my Uncle. There is no paperwork (of course) since Elvis wasn't known yet publicly. I have a letter from my Aunt Flo notarized, (she is now dead), but the letter attests to the provenance of this guitar. Inside the guitar, in faded blue ballpoint pen are the initials E.A.P. The 'A' is a little hard to read....but the "E" and the "P" can clearly be made out. Since this guitar lacks some 'pedigree' I will list this item with NO RESERVE. Good luck bidding!" Sound a little too scary and familiar? Well... if you like the guitar, go ahead and buy it... but pay what an old guitar bought at a local hardware store in some small town is probably worth... assume IT IS NOT the King's first ... but then you still have a story to tell everyone who comes over on Friday.
(I have a Steve Mcqueen motorbike... it came with the same kind of story... and I paid what an old bike is worth and no more..the license plate did expire just before his death (Nov.7th, 1980), so maybe I'll hit paydirt..). Happy bidding ... (I got all the Elvis info via google!).
