craigb
Wow, Ken's got a wife and valuable guitars?  I'm impressed!

Well, one of each at least.

I've found this isn't much of an issue if you don't have any family or items of value...

The main point I was interested in making with this post is that of assurring your heirs have some knowledge of the 'potential' value of one's possessions. Maybe your heirs are already fully aware of this fact. With me, music at this point in life is just a hobby. My wife respects that. I just don't want her thinking my hobby hardware are just toys. So I addressed this with her and noted the various guitars just so she doesn't find herself totally overwhelmed if she finds herself in such situation without me. I wanted to make sure that many guitars do actually increase in value over time if well maintained. I stressed that if she wanted to make some effort, she might pull in some good money. (I will also have to make a point to include some of the vintage guitar book references mentioned in this thread.) But, like with Moshkiae's book issue, maybe an a attempt to donate to a library or something might be the best option (maybe the only option). I wouldn't know. Everything has its own values at some point in time. I guess after the fact, if she gave it away, then so be it. That might be the easiest recourse for her needs. I just did not want that to be the chosen method 'based on ignorance'. I asked her to do the same preparation for me for my benefit regarding her quilting and sewing business. These sewing/quilting machines generally cost more than I would have ever estimated with my sewing business ignorance.
 
As another example beyond guitars, books, sewing, is couples where the husband is into model railroads. The wife respects her husband's hobby, but might not really understand the potential monetary value of that hobby. After all, they are just model 'toys'. If she wanted to pass it down through the children and grandkids, that might be the best option for her especially from an emotional and sentimental perspective. But perhaps they have no family, or nobody in the family is interested. She could be literally sitting on a pile of good cash is she knows a bit more about the value of her husbands 'toys'.  Maybe she may need the money at this point in life. Having some preparation could help her acquire that.  
 
Bottom line, if my wife feels there is a best way to deal with my hobby 'leftovers', I trust she will do the right thing. True, it doesn't always have to be for money. I just wanted her to have some knowledge so as to not do something which she may later realize was very foolish. (But darn it, I just hope she doesn't take it to some of the pawn shops I see on the TV shows (especially Detroit) well they low ball you to nothing and then sell it for 5-to-10 times what they paid laughing their way to the bank).

Hi,
 
We, the children, know what is going on and the value in the education and learning ... but this, is not a priority for my mom ... she only wants to see the "famous writer" continue to live on, however, she even screwed up the ownership of the house in Lisbon, that the government is trying to steal, and that shows that she has what she sees/wants in her sights, and nothing else ... and if the house in Lisbon is gone, where is all this gonna go?
 
We, all know, the importance of the guy and the work and all that ... no issue there, but if there is a statement that I use on occasion, it is ... each house/country has a God and the children are the sacrifice for that God! ... end of story ... and there won't be anything for us, that will show, or guarantee anything ... good god, I would even take a education (tuition and books) for any children or grand-children.
 
Your guitars are valuable, and the wife needs to understand that, and so do the children, but when/if the time comes, they can not do anything with it, it's beyond your control ... you have to let it go ... you can't take it with you!
 
Hobbies are an interesting thing ... I write a lot ... and you could say that it is a hobby, but in the end, it is not a hobby, it is what I see inside of me ... and that is not a hobby ... it is what keeps me alive and happy! I think that music is similar for you!
 
The only known in life is that you will not be able to make a call or decision about what happens after you go ... end of story ... just enjoy your next chapter in the other life, and stop worrying about the guitars or instruments ... put it down on your song, and that's that ... it's all you can do!
 
Like it really matters, and folks here, or at home, give a darn ... it's the same thing ... ohhh sorry ... RIP ... and the jokes continue ... let me take a pee over his dead plot! I feel like a combination of the Fellini and Bunuel films already, and I'm not even dead! Some folks will lineup and say ... he was a pain in the wazoo anyway, and others ... will simply not care enough to even say anything ... it's the way of the world ... !

Good advice to all about everything, not just music gear.
 
I have an XL spreadsheet that lists ALL music related purchases, ever.
 
Columns include: Name, date purchased, serial numbers, reg numbers, purchase amount, shipping, tax, vendor/source, year purchased, year manufactured, support info,....
 
Another sheet lists all general software/hardware computer purchases.
 
Other sheets list possessions (houses, jewelry, art), vendor contact info (banks, utilities, insurance,..),...
 
 
Way too many stories on Antiques Road show that go like this, "I was on my way to the dumpster and decided to keep the frame."    Idiots!
 
I regularly find collectable coins in the change from purchases.
 
Why? Cuz the idiot children/grandchildren just trash the parent's/grandparent's house without using any part of their frontal lobes.
 
No thought about the jars of coins other than to put them into circulation.    Ignorance prevails.
 
The landpile dumps are full of valuable bits because of this lack of education.