How valuable would it have to be to not take it out of the house?

[madx2]

At church this morning, a member playing a violin was accompanying the organist.  I  hadn't seen her for a while so I went over to talk when service was over.   I complimented her on the sound of her violin.   Turns out it wasn't hers and was on loan to her.  She told me it was 200 years old and valued at $125,000!  I know her well enough to know she wasn't lying or pulling my leg.

I was at an Easter car show where one man drove his Murphy bodied Duesenberg down Hwy I-70 to the show.  The car was worth 1-2 million dollars.  Other people with modern cars take 2 parking spots to lessen the chance of a "ding".

I have read posts where the posters say they don't let anyone play their guitar or  mention "beater" guitars they take out when they play, etc.  but someone loaned this valuable violin to her.  Obviously, they trusted her completely and it was insured, but still.......

So, when does something become so valuable that it's value stops it from being used as intended?

[not darth]

Well, it really depends on the fragility. 
I mean, you could go out and fire a $100,000 Luger P-08 or a $250,000 Winchester M1873 and really, as long as it'd been fired before, that wouldn't really hurt the value. 
But if you have something that could easily be destroyed by a slight ding or a tear (art on paper, textile artifacts, porcelain, etc) then really it may be too risky to take it out and about, or to even use it as originally intended.

I don't think it's necessarily about the dollar amount, as much as the scarcity and sturdiness.
-K

p.s.- So, regarding the violin, it'd be foolish to take it camping, but as long as one is careful, I think playing it in church is a wonderful use of a terrific instrument.  Art hangs on walls, instruments are to be used.

[BigSkyTaylorPlayer]

I'm not planning on gigigng but my music store MAY talk me into coming to one of their bluegrass jams - I'll have to begin a thread as to how to get over stage fright..... 

Anyway, I wold be reluctant to take my Koa out but the Mini - no problem, that's what I bought him for.  He is going with me to Montana and gonna hang out on the porch watching the sun go down every night.  Heck, I may even get the nerve to busk a little and fit in with the college kids getting some beer money.

So for me the approximate $500 I paid for the Mini is worth the risk, the several thousand I paid for the Koa, not so much.  If I was playing in a church setting or something like that maybe but I will just keep that one ll to my self for now.

[madx2]

Thanks for the replies.  Great points in both. 

I have no fear or concern taking my '98 310 out but I would be extremely worried if I were transporting an instrument as valuable as that violin.   I'm glad she (and the owner) had no such compunction and I was able to hear such a magnificent violin.

[not darth]

And another thing, the case and method of transportation would definitely figure into the decision on something like the $$$$$ violin.
Nothing less than a top-of-the-line hard case would do, and even then, I wouldn't be taking the subway with it. 

Most items are fairly sturdy when used as designed, it's what occurs during the interval between uses and the transportation from A-B that leads to most damaged instruments.
-K

[Saxacat]

Just over a year ago a young violinist had her violin case containing a £1.2m Stradivarius and two antique bows worth £60,000 stolen while she was having a coffee in a London restaurant. Although the thieves have been caught and imprisoned the violin and bows have not been recovered.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13011787

[coldshot]

I look at it this way, I bought all my guitars to be played, and at home let anyone who can play and I trust, use my 35th anniversary GS Cocobolo, how else could someone appreaciate the beauty and quality if yuo won't let them play it.

I also take it to an open mic sometimes and while i normally wouldn't offer it, a good mate of mine who is an exceptional player has borrowed it.

I've even lent my Gibson L5 to a guitar teacher I know for a recording session.

If any of my guitars were accidently damaged by me or someone else I'm fully aware a great Luthier can repair and sometimes even improve a guitars appearance and sometimes playability by tweaking here and there or even changing a nut spacing.
 

[madx2]

Hello Saxacat,

Thanks for the link to the violin theft article.  Interesting reading, especially the part that the thief had 123 previous offences against his name! 

At the end of the article was this link entitled "Burden of a precious instrument".  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12627265       

More interesting reading with a picture of Viktoria Mullova and her Strad.  I had the great experience of hearing her almost 30 years ago.  It made the hair on my arms stand up.

[Ed422]

If I have it, I got it to play.  If I'm not comfortable taking a guitar somewhere, I'm not comfortable going there myself.  So, I guess "too valuable" is what I can't afford.  For a lot of years, my 422 was the most expensive acoustic guitar I had.  I took it everywhere...  open mics, camping, parties, you name it.  Not only did I play it, in general I left it on a stand and let anyone who wanted to, pick it up and play it.  I certainly kept my eye on it and once or twice took it back from someone who proved themselves unable to handle it.  But I'd have taken a Harmony Stella back from those people, too drunk or something similar...

Ed

[John429]

[...]   I complimented her on the sound of her violin.   Turns out it wasn't hers and was on loan to her.  She told me it was 200 years old and valued at $125,000!  I know her well enough to know she wasn't lying or pulling my leg.

You know, I heard a story on the news just a couple days ago of a young lady college student who left a $172,000 violin on a bus and it was gone. It was apparently on loan to her from some foundation to be used for her education. I can't imagine how badly she must feel. In answer to your question, something of that value (IMHO) should only be taken out under special circumstances with extra care, but none the less, it should be taken out and enjoyed. Just with extra special vigilance.

Update - found the article after my post. Looks like she got it back, thankfully;

http://www.kentucky.com/2011/12/23/2004416/student-leaves-172000-violin-on.html

[Saxacat]

Hi Madx2,
with the previous convictions of this guy, I think it’s safe to assume he is a career criminal, who will unfortunately be back on the streets after serving half his term.

It is sad for the young lady that the violin has not been recovered; if as the article states it is in the possession of the man's 'community', I fear it is unlikely to be seen again.

The article on Viktoria Mullova was very interesting, I wasn’t familiar with her work before. We do not get many virtuoso violinists performing in my part of the UK; however, after your recommendation I will certainly put her on my list of artists I wish to see perform.

[cotten]

Professional musicians in top symphony orchestras routinely travel with very expensive instruments. (For instance, a typical used, beginner pedal harp in mediocre shape is about $9,000, and a Louis XV Special Lyon & Healy harp is about $179,000 new.) Special precautions are taken to ensure safety, of course. The biggest danger appears to be the all too common "human error" of being absent minded.

I try to take very good care of my guitars. List price (which I would never pay) to replace my 914c is over $5,000, and it would probably take close to double that to replace my McKnight. Even my 612c Cotten is worth a lot to me, and is somewhat rare. (62 made, I believe.) This means that I don't take these guitars on hayrides or hikes, or to places where I can't reasonably protect them. Where I can, however, I do. Often. No, regularly!

cotten 

[Steve]

I don't think I would really want a guitar that I wouldn't be willing to take out and play. What would be the point of having it? So I could pull it out of the case, strum a few chords, smile, and put it back?

Seems sort of silly to me.

I suppose if I collected and traded vintage guitars; I may not take those out due to the potential of hurting the value of it. But the value of a guitar that I buy new is in playing it and enjoying it. I don't want a guitar that I wouldn't be willing to hand to another guitarist while saying "Give this a whirl".

[DMBfan41]

I will never own a guitar so precious it would never leave the house.

[madx2]

How about this scenerio...

Your significant other buys you a used guitar at a fair price.  Time passes and it is revealed  that it had belonged to someone very famous.  What was purchased for, say $1,000 is now instantly worth $50,000.    You don't want to sell it because you love everything about the guitar.  Would you still treat it as you did before it became "valuable"?