About James Koontz Expertise Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Amplifiers, Most anything Music related... Also most anything related to security, Fire and access control, as well as CCTV system.
Experience 20 years as a sound engineer, part time luthier, and general all around technical dude for many local bands. One of which was fairly large in the 80's and 90's with multiple recordings, and was the opening act for David Allen Coe, as well as got a nashville recording opportunity. The band disbanded before making it mainstream.
Organizations Loyal Order of the Moose, Boy Scouts,BMI
Publications Highlights for Children, Mystery Magazine,several online Publications, multiple cd's from various artists.
Education/Credentials I have 20 years experience, some electrical college experience. Studied Law, philosophy, and theology.
Awards and Honors well, too many to listm and none worth much more than a paperweight to hold down the ones that are on paper.
Expert: James Koontz Date: 10/4/2007 Subject: my sons new guitar
Question My son just was given an Alvarez Yairi made in 1972 it does have a small hole in the front. Is this worth having fixed?
Answer Well, it really depends on how bad the hole is. If it doesn't effect the sound, then it's really up to you. It's all cosmetic at that point. As for Value, the guitar is going to hold a maximum value for a 72, at around $800 and that's if your lucky. So, it isn't an important fix. Let me show you a guitar, that a friend of mine made for Jack Ingram(Country singer), The luthier is my friend Vince Pawless, and you can see his guitar here: http://pawless.com/images/gallery/jackbbobs1002a.jpg
As you can see the front is pretty well tore up. This still didn't effect the sound. After this picture was taken, He actually wore a hole through it, and then broke the top, so it actually needed fixed, Vince put just enough wood to fix the structural issue, and there is still a hole in the top, and that's fine with Jack. It's still his favorite guitar.
Anyway, SO, is it worth it, well, it may be if you want to sell it. But, if your wanting to play it, is it necessary? Is it a wise investment? the answer then is no. And, it adds character to an otherwise boring and same old same old guitar. BTW, let me add that the Yairi guitars by Alvarez are very nice playing and sounding guitars.. Tell him to play it ALLOT! And for what it's worth, my guitars are never in their case, I take my main acoustic with me in my work van EVERY day, and play it in between jobs, and during break. It gets banged by chairs, car doors, dropped, and still it plays great, and I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING. So, keep that in mind. A player cares not about condition, only sound. A collector cares about condition, not sound. Any true artist, would just as soon buy the guitar with the hole in the front than the one that looks like it's never been played, which it probably hasn't, and you must play a guitar, the sound mellows, and opens up as it's played, not as it gets older. If it never gets played, it can actually hurt the guitar... That's why allot of times you will see Like new guitars that don't sell for as much as beat up guitars.. The beat up guitar was played... and sounds AWESOME.
