Doc's 'Ol' Hoss' for auction, 27 Nov. 2012

On Tuesday this week the European Bluegrass Blog carried the news that a historic collection of resophonic instruments made by the Dopyera Brothers will be auctioned at Christie's in New York on 27 November 2012.

Thanks to Kevin Lynch for publishing today on the EBB the news that lot #20 in the same auction will be the late Doc Watson's 1968 Gallagher G-50 guitar #68001 'Ol' Hoss', in guaranteed perfect condition, with case, pick, original leather strap bearing Doc's name, and a copy of the LP Ballads from Deep Gap. On Christie's e-catalogue you can also listen to four audio tracks from the album. The dealer's estimate for the instrument (which has already done time in the Country Music Hall of Fame) is $6,000-$8,000, which seems modest.

Our only misgiving comes from Kevin's describing the guitar as 'infamous'. Was this Doc's opinion of it? What does a guitar have to do to deserve being called 'infamous' - repeatedly break strings, refuse to stay in tune, inflict disfiguring and expensive scratches and dents on other people's instruments, or emit disturbing organic noises during gospel songs?