Gary Moore owned Heritage CM-150 for sale

[Emerald]

Gary Moore's famous Heritage CM-150 used on the After The War and The Still Got The Blues tours has come up for sale in England.
It was purchased from the seller in 2007 when Gary sold the guitar through GAK in Brighton. GAK is guitar and keyboard center.
They are selling it for the current owner at a mere 30,000 GBP!
Here is an history of Heritage and Gary Moore that I wrote for the Gary Moore fan club site:

the guitar was also featured on the cover of 1989's After The War:

Search GAK guitars for the website:here it is, you need to ask about the guitar as it isn't listed on their website.
Since Gary lived in Brighton GAK was his local music store and he sold quite a bit of gear through them over the years: GAK (Guitar, Amp and Keyboard Centre)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyqgesB_m-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0nKJFVVoYM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfaOI94mfaU

Emerald

[Emerald]

Price is on application apparently..?
Emerald

[Shawn Lutz]

I'm not one who thinks previous ownership adds value. I wouldn't pay more than the current going rate for used Heritage (great guitars by the way) but that's just me

[PowerTube]

I'm not one who thinks previous ownership adds value. I wouldn't pay more than the current going rate for used Heritage (great guitars by the way) but that's just me

Preach on, brother. If someone gave me the Strat played by Hendrix at Woodstock, I might play it for an hour or so, then sell it and retire.

[ulijdavid]

I'm not one who thinks previous ownership adds value. I wouldn't pay more than the current going rate for used Heritage (great guitars by the way) but that's just me

I have to agree with this. I have a lot of guitars. But, I have them to play. The fact that I would spend that kind of money on a guitar would be just as disappointing as when I plugged in and sounded like me and the guitar did not spit out the dramatic note selection or tones from Gary Moore.

[Emerald]

Points are well taken on this matter however this particular guitar was the prototype Heritage for the mega rare Heritage Gary Moore Signature models of which I owned two of, one from each worldwide total of 75, there being a second run of 75 after the first 75 sold out immediately. Actually the second run of Almond Burst were closer to the color Gary wanted in the first place. The first 75 being Amber Burst.
Gary actually may only have played the actual Signature model only once on stage whereas with the CM-150 he played in 1989 and 1990-92/
My article for the Gary Moore fan site Lord of the Strings details the history of Gary and Heritage: http://garymoorefc.com/lots/guitars_heritage
Several years ago I was forced to sell one of my two Signature models the Almond Burst being the one I chose to sell. It was a beautiful looking and sounding guitar and once I had the fretboards leveled and the guitars refretted with DiMarzio stainless steel wire plus the addition of Nashville Schaller bridges and conventional Gibson style stop tail pieces they both played incredibly well.
The cachet of a guitar being star owned is different things to various people.
No you will not sound like the artist who had owned the guitar, but to fans and that's who these celebrity owned guitars really appeal to they have a connection to the artist that is unique..at a price of course.
When I had the opportunity to play one of EVH's Peavey Wolfgangs I was more excited to play Steve Stevens owned Charvel Glow guitar which I was picking up at Rack Systems and Dave Friedman. The Glow being the guitar I had first seen Steve playing back in Philadelphia on the Whiplash Smile tour back in 1987. The guitar had a special meaning to me and it was a brilliant guitar and very famous.
On average paying a premium for a celebrity played guitar, one that they really have used is usually reserved for those with large disposable incomes who can 'collect' these guitars of their youth and have for them a special connection.
For example the two months I had SS's Glow Charvel in my care, it was woefully apparent that I couldn't do the guitar the justice it deserved as if Steve was playing it, but the appreciation I experienced and the satisfaction of the mere act of holding it in my hands and connecting with it was priceless.
The issue of signature guitars was one that I have had quite some experience with. The ones I collected has more of a direct connection with their respective artists than the usual signature guitar which is miles away form what the artist really uses, being a signature model in name only for the most part.
I had a Fender 2005 YJM Strat ans though it was a great guitar, the variances between the guitar and one of Yngwie's actual stage guitars was a world away. He has his guitars specially scalloped by a private luthier, he wires the controls differently, has the middle pickup disconnected and has his action set much higher than a stock YJM model.
My Washburn Steve Stevens SS80's both were built for Steve himself so they are the closest signature models I have ever owned. In my research for the Steve Stevens Washburn history I wrote about their being a Steve Stevens spec within the Washburn production. Steve specified DiMarzio pots for the volume control, his examples had additional shielding and in the case of my black SS80 the headstock was unfinished with different Washburn logoing:

http://www.vintagewashburn.com/Elect...veStevens.html

Back to topic, this particular Heritage which is a production CM-150 with a unique pickup selection specified by Gary. A P J Marx in the neck and an EMG 81 in the bridge. The ' production Signature models had twin EMG 81's fitted. The prototype had Gary Moore engraved on the truss rod cover, whereas the signature models had he Gary Moore signature as a decal on the headstock face. The signature had flame maple pickguards which matched the tops whereas the prototype had no pick guard fitted.
The lengths that Gary Moore fans have gone to replicate Gary's two guitar tech constructed Charvel Strat heads shows the dedication that players who are great fans exhibit and they want to match these unique Charvels that Gary had which did not leave the Charvel shop in the form they ended up in!
This CM-150 Heritage is up for sale for the second time having been originally sold by Gary through his favorite local music store GAK in Brighton back in 2007. The current owner feels that his best chance to reach the specialized market for this guitar is through a specialty dealer such as GAK who have a long history with Gary Moore and his equipment.
The exciting aspect for me is meeting players from all over the globe who love Gary Moore and Steve Stevens playing and they have kindly shared their creations with me.
My extremely rare Maple quilt topped Washburn Steve Stevens SS80 for example was always in the personal collection of the ex CEO of Washburn/St. Louis Music Rudy Schlager and hung on the wall of the Washburn museum private collection since it's build in 1993 until I purchased it, I am really the first owner outside of the factory and I had to pay a premium for a guitar built for Steve to his specifications yet never delivered. It has a museum quality birdseye maple cap neck and a gold Gotoh trem, unlike any other Washburn guitar built back then. This guitar which I will never sell has a huge value for so many reasons, but beyond all its beauty it is an incredible playing and sounding instrument a win win for me!
My collection which has been thinned considerably from a few years ago is all for playing. I enjoy keeping my instruments in immaculate condition and do not play out so it is easier to keep them pristine for some other guy one day.
AS one gets older it becomes more important to have a working as semblance of guitars not just for the luxury of a collection.
I had to eat hot dogs for three months to afford my Quilt SS80 placing myself in the hospital with an acute attack of pancreatic disease. Was it worth it plus having to turn over a lot of gear in a month. Yes, though I will never do it again!!
Joe Bonamassa with his Heritage Gary Moore in Almond Burst:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhTTc4cBQ_8&index=9&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA

Emerald