Ethyl's GarageSave Shop

Buying and selling guitars online since 2002 through Ebay and new to the Reverb space in 2016. I have bought and sold over 40 high-end guitars these last 15 years spending more time with Martin than Gibson, though I love both. Only one knucklehead in that time where I learned to put in place the simple principle I observed from Scott Silver of Chicago Music Exchange fame. Simply put, both parties feeling good about the deal is far more important than making a buck.

I love guitars, I love the wood and the craftsmanship and the story that vintage guitars tell when they speak to you. My favorite story to date involves my purchase and sale of the principal guitar of David Houston. Houston, a rockabilly legend is also noted for the record breaking, chart topping song Almost Persuaded from 1966. I purchased this distinctive guitar from David's son through an eBay auction. The 1952 Martin D28 was easily recognizable due to it's distinctive oversized pick guard. I was bidding what I felt a safe number for the vintage 50's Martin when the auction abruptly ended. Almost instantaneously, I received a call from the Houston son stating that he had a buyer lined up and had intended to sell to that buyer. What came out of his mouth next really surprised me though. The young Houston said "Congratulations on your purchase". I had won the auction at what I believed to be a great price. The guitar itself was a real treat! Reported to have been played on the road by Elvis and Johnny Cash and deriving its distinctive appearance from the aforementioned distinctive pick guard that was installed after a honkey tonk session where George Jones played it with a dime scratching through much of the surface of the top. I am certain more than a few drinks were consumed that night leading to the event. Not surprisingly the guitar sounded very rich with loads of overtones you would only expect to hear from a Martin of this generation. Interestingly but not surprising, when playing, the rosewood would open up and release the sweet smell of both the brazilian wood and years of second hand smoke. This guitar told stories with its sound and smell as many do. I sold the guitar several years later in an eBay auction with no reserve and I was blown away to learn that the buyer had been bidding for the guitar when I purchased it and had won the auction now years later. As it turns out, the buyer was a former opening act of Houston's who had wanted to own the guitar for many years and had all but given up hope. The buyer sent me a heart-felt note after the sale detailing just how much the guitar meant to him.

Guitars tell stories for us and each has a heart and soul contained in the rare woods that give them structure. Ethyl's Garage guitars is more about getting the right guitar into the hands of its rightful owner than about making money. I make a few bucks on some of these beautiful instruments and I lose some on more than a few, but each deal affords the opportunity to connect the right person with their match of a guitar.

That's the story of Ethyl's Garage guitars.

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