The Bigsby Paradox: Beating the Market Since 1949

 

Niko de Weymann

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

 

To say that Paul Bigsby’s guitars have outperformed nearly every asset class since the 1940s is an understatement of monumental proportions. The claim, on its surface, sounds precarious—almost nonsensical. But what if it were true?

 

The “Bigsby Paradox,” as we’ll call it, aims to settle this debate once and for all. Unlike an opinion piece, the intention of this article is to utilize irrefutable facts and statistics. After all, these are the methods deployed by modern-day economists and influencer gurus alike. But for the record, we’ll hold off on the side dish of influencer grift.

 

Generally speaking, in the world of commodities, supply can often be increased: more minerals mined, more corn grown, and more guitars built. In the world of original Bigsby instruments, however, the supply is frozen in time.

 

Unlike the familiar top brands that produce thousands of units, Paul Bigsby was a solo craftsman. Born in Elgin, Illinois, in 1899, Bigsby spent his 68 years innovating and producing some of the world’s most unique musical instruments, hardware, and components. It is estimated that fewer than 50 standard electric guitars were ever built, along with a handful of lap-steels and one-offs. Because most surviving instruments are housed in museums or "forever" collections, they seldom appear on the open market.

 

Needless to say, when one does surface, it is an event of global rejoicing. It isn’t just the scarcity, the beautiful birdseye maple, or the sound. We must understand first and foremost: Bigsby quite literally drafted the initial blueprint for the tool that would define Rock & Roll and pop culture for decades to come.

 

Having produced the first “modern” solid-body electric guitar, Bigsby also pioneered the “6-in-line” tuner arrangement. Perhaps you’ve seen an instrument or two with this sleek design? (In walks Leo—but that’s another story.)

 

Often overlooked, Bigsby also pioneered the through-body stringing method, which afforded players massive tone benefits and increased sustain. For the final appointment, you’d better bet on that beautiful patented Bigsby Vibrato (Patent No. USD169120S). All of these industry firsts, encompassed in one stunning six-string work of art, would have set you back roughly $550 between 1948 and 1959. Adjusted for inflation, you’d be looking at roughly $7,552 in today’s money.

 

Now, let’s take a stroll across the street... Wall Street.

 

Since its birth, the S&P 500 has maintained remarkably consistent average growth, with a nominal annual return of roughly 10.02% to 10.6%. When adjusted for inflation, that estimate hovers between 6% and 7%.

 

So how is it possible that an original Bigsby instrument can fetch hundreds or even thousands of percent in returns compared to traditional asset classes?

 

Back in 1949, if you had negotiated with Paul Bigsby, you might have talked his $550 asking price down to $300 for a single-pickup model. Had you invested that $300 into the assets below, here is how that investment would look today: 

 

Asset Class: Precious Metals (Gold) – Approx. Value Today: $20,000 - $30,000

Asset Class: Stocks (S&P 500) – Approx. Value Today: $600,000 - $1,000,000

Asset Class: Art (Bigsby Guitar) – Approx. Value Today: $175,000 - $750,000+

 

While the S&P 500 might compete on a pure percentage basis, that achievement would have required every single dividend to be perfectly reinvested for 80 years straight. Has such a feat ever actually been achieved? Somebody better call Michael Burry.

 

Conversely, the Bigsby guitar represents a “lump sum” appreciation that required zero maintenance, no fees, and no fiduciary oversight. The only caveat: a well-ventilated closet and a rigid bed frame to ensure the instrument and case didn't go "squish."

 

While the majority of our day-to-day commodities (oil, metal, wheat) are tied to industrial utility and inflation, Bigsby guitars are tied to cultural heritage. The value of a Bigsby doesn’t drop because the Fed raises interest rates or because the war machine is pacing at full throttle. Its value is driven by collectors who understand history, art, and music. They understand that by owning a Paul Bigsby artifact, they own one of the primary birth certificates of Rock & Roll.

 

 

 

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Niko de Weymann is an American musical industry executive, artist, luthier, engineer, historian, philanthropist and since 2015, the current Spokesman for the Weymann brand.  He can be reached directly, at niko - at - weymanncompany.com

 

References: 

https://patents.google.com/patent/USD170109S/en?inventor=Paul+A.+Bigsby

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SP500

https://www.macrotrends.net/2324/sp-500-historical-chart-data

https://retrofret.com/search?q=title%3Abigsby&include_sold=true

https://trends.google.com/explore?q=%2Fg%2F11fmst81wp&date=now%201-d&geo=US

https://www.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?term=bigsby&si=2&live_state=5318%7E5319%7E5320%7E5321%7E5324&item_type_instruments=1629&mode=live&pa

ge=48%7E1&ic=KeywordSearch-A-K-071316

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bigsby

 

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