There are several Ebay sellers trying to pass off Hernandis guitars as $5000. "Antonio Hernandis" guitars that were supposedly handmade and of very limited production (is there really such a luthier as Antonio Hernandis or does it just sound good for marketing?).  The regular label "Hernandis" guitars were $250 new and only available for a brief period in the 1970s and Late 1960s with various labels.  I along with three other music students bought four of the 1-A model  from Sherry Brener (alternate spelling Brenner, see various labels) in Chicago for $250 each. They were an importer.  These guitars were factory made in Japan ( a 1970s factory only site north of Honshu Island, there is a communications lab there now and the actual factory no longer exists). You do not see the name "Antonio" in the label of the 1970s models. Sherry Brener Ltd. has a long and somewhat questionable history. You can find that information if you dig. The website guitarsofspain.com maintained by Sherry Brener does not contain information about the guitars that are being sold by unscrupulous Ebay sellers on their site, NOR do they have the guitars with the Antonio Hernandis label on their site. Compare the woods (do you see Black Palosanto on the label of the guitar being sold on Ebay?) and the name to the label on the guitars of the sellers. Here are labels. The guitar without the word "Antonio" in the title is the one I bought for $250 new. The other is the "Antonio" Hernandis is also by Sherry Brener but not by the or a luthier. The guide I put up a few weeks was flagged for removal by a dishonest seller.  There was much more information, including information about Sherry Brener freely using luthier sounding labels on factory made guitars. I have a few links to information if you need them. Please feel free to contact me with specific questions and I will try to answer. Some of the Ebay sellers know they are committing fraudulent misrepresentation (I am nonpracticing lawyer, a pro guitarist with 38 gold/platinum credits, and during a slower period was a professor at Syracuse University, The State University of New York and several smaller colleges) and some sellers just lack the correct information about what they are selling. One seller told me that someone at Sherry Brener said his Japanese made guitar was the $5000 model. The problem with that is Jim Sherry (Sherry Brener) is probably 80 or more years old by now. So, who told him what? Was the person working there in the early 1970s?  Again, you can read about those business practices on the web. To avoid confusion. The photo on top is an ANTONIO HERNANDIS Sherry Brener LABEL, but I question the label as valid with respect to any Luthier (why do people think there is or was a luthier named Antonio Hernandis?--- this is not Francisco Simplicio Hernandis of Barcelona, he died in 1932).  The bottom photo is the factory model Hernandis from Japan (It even notes assembly in Japan on the label).I do not buy or sell these guitars other than the one I owned that I sold on Ebay four or five years ago (or any other guitars for that matter with the occasional exception of an item for my own use). I have no personal interest in the outcome of the auctions other than I hate to see people be scammed. Do not misunderstand, the digit GRADE 1 (which is not synonymous with the Roman numeral GRADE I of Antonio Hernandis) or Grand Concert Hernandis models made in Japan are nice inexpensive student guitars, however, they are not a $5000 product. The GRAND CONCERT with Brazilian Rosewood sides and back are worth at most $500 to $600).The Grade 1-A are probably worth $400 - $450 . The Grade 1 is worth less than the Grade 1-A. The Grade 2 are of substantially lesser quality and maybe at most worth $200 - $250 which is the current selling price on certain local versions of a national website by that Craig guy in most cities that I can't mention here because of the Ebay rules.

UPDATE:

There is an another review by a disgruntled would be seller who has unsuccessfully try to represent and sell his personal Hernandis Grade 2 (the bottom of the factory line that sold for around $100 as something it is not without success . I wanted to verify his credentials with my own contacts or his status as a  luthier with Paul Reed Smith (Paul Reed Smith Guitars a/k/a PRS Guitars) or Roger Sadowsky (Roger Sadowsky Guitars) with whom I had long time business arrangements (Roger handled my guitar repairs in NYC, PRS endorsement arrangement). The seller informed me that he has no credentials as a player, luthier, or guitar repairperson, thus begging the question as to the quality of his information and alleged expertise (of which nothing substantial or verifiable has been posted). I was around when these guitars were produced and sold and know what I paid. According to a few other Ebay users, I overpaid. The actual going price was $175 for th 1-A model. I paid $250 (noting that the Grade 1-A is substantially better quality than Grade 1). Whoops! But , the important thing for buyers is to ask the seller about the source of their information and their credentials to make a qualitative assessment. If they have been playing in bars or at weddings all of their life, that pretty much tells you they are not professionals. If someone claims they are at teacher, ask where they received their doctorate and at what college they teach.  Then look it up in the school's online catalog to verify. There are a lot of out of work musicians that teach $20 lessons at home because they didn't develop as players or musicians and are unemployable. As one other "reviewer" claims experience is the best teacher. But, the difference levels of experience between full-time major label players professional and recreational players with day jobs is huge. Right?

Back to the actual guitars: In any event, this is not the type of guitar that will appreciate in value. Why specifically would it? It is a very imporatnt question. This is a Spanish Pine top ( a term created for sales purposes), not a spruce top whose sound will improve with age. The rosewood is not particularly good rosewood (although not bad) and is heavily laminated. It is factory made (assembly in Japan does not mean hand made)....enough! If construction is the issue I guess the best way to test the guitar is to see if it will withstand being run over with a bicycle.

Similarly, if you think the value has risen dramatically from $175 new due to inflation, do a present value calculation. Even if you do not know the mathematical formula there is probably an online calculator. Nevertheless, this begs the question of what is present value of an item that is not appreciating in value? All products do not appreciate. Do you think a Ford Pinto is worth a lot of money because it was made in the 1970s? Did the exploding gas tank and class action lawsuit make these valuable or collector's items? Do you think a buggy whip has value in 2007? Hardly. Similarly, Hernandis guitars are not collectables, but, they are nice inexpensive student model guitars. But there also other options.

Moreover, for those people with poor or selective  reading skills, there is nothing wrong with Japanese guitars. I play a Kohno (made in Japan) and I think it is great. In any event don't shoot me, I am just the messenger.

The bottom line is there are a lot of these Sherry Brener label guitars out there. Generally, it is very difficult to determine what the guitar actually is because of their alleged history of using their own labels sporting luthierlike sounding names on mass produced factory guitars. Although, in general I do not follow anything other than the Hernandis guitars, I have heard from Ebay users about other classical guitars such as Garcia and Barbero that are being sold in a similar fashion as to what I mention in this guide. One unfortunate paid $955 for a $99 Garcia that could have been bought in any Mom & Pop type music store (it is almost an exact replica of the Hernandis Grade 2 that was also $99, the higher quality GARCIA guitars have a red label from Brazil, are extremely rare in the United States, and never had anything to do with Sherry Brener but I question the label as valid with repect to any Luthier (why would people think there is a "Spanish" luthier named Frederico Garcia?).  -- Sherry Brener had their own alleged Garcia models from Japan that were inexpensive and have a lot of hooey surrounding them just like the Hernandis). We can't help everyone who doesn't do their homework, but you can help yourselves by doing your homework. If you want a quality guitar there are many other options.  I kept my 1-A for twenty five years, but overpaying isn't going to make them sound better or have a higher monetary value. Similarly, because you overpaid, does not give them higher monetary value.

Meanwhile, I have been keeping a list of Ebay seller's trying to deceive buyers. Unfortunately, I can't publish it here. But, you can always ask by email. Be sure to not only read feedback, but to also look at what they have been buying and selling. Moreover, sometimes you find the same person with multiple accounts. There is no reason not to investigate before spending your hard earned money.

Update 2/16/2007: I just heard from an Ebay bidder that I am bidding on and buying these guitars. That is not even logical. Why would I need or want to do this? How pathetic would that be? Do you think I might better use my time doing triple scale sessions or going back to a law practice? Or, do you think I would make more money selling guitars on EBay?

Update: 3/16:  As previously noted, I don't sell guitars or buy guitars except for the occasional personal use. Just go to my feedback and see what I have bought or sold. It is minimal over several years and primarily consists of consumer products and clothes I no longer use. The last two items I sold were a suit, a pair of shoes. HOWEVER, I DO CONTACT MEMBERS REFERRING THEM TO THIS GUIDE. I RECEIVE NOTHING FOR MY TIME AND EFFORT EXCEPT THE SATISFACTION OF SEEING PEOPLE NOT OVERPAY. For example, there is one seller who lives in my city that is selling a Grade 2 that was for sale on the local version of a national website for $250 with an inflated price, I told him what he was doing, and I was ignored. Similarly, there is someone who sells a lot of guitars with the same misinformation and the same sob story about being too old to play, he sold a $99 "Hernandis" Grade 2 model for $1800 by misrepresenting it as some  handmade "Antonio Hernandis" luthier model. Unfortunately, the person he sold it to paid by check has to commence a lawsuit to get her money back. The seller did not accept Paypal so that she would have had some protection. I am sure as reader you will avoid sellers that demand money orders or certified checks as the only form of payment. Remember, there are many consumer pro bono legal services that are not based upon income who can help you if you have a problem.

Finally, I appreciate all of the supportive emails from Ebay users. Every once in a while I hear from a disgruntled seller or would be musician. That is fine, but generally, the complaint stems from poor reading skills or their inability to charge high prices. IF YOU THINK I HAVE SAID SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THE GUITARS YOU NEED TO READ MORE CAREFULLY! I realize I am a poor typist and the Ebay spell check is insufficient, but this does not change the content or the facts. What is even more interesting is that I have offered to fax all of these sellers my original receipt (my Dad never threw away anything) and not one of them has accepted. I wonder why? hmm...

Update: March 28, 2007. Today, I heard from another regular Hernandis seller.  He has a current listing. Again, I offered to fax my original receipts without response. I read his description and asked him to verify his information and credentials. No response. So, I began to look further at the web articles, which I do not always take seriously. I found a few links that sound just like the Ebay sellers trying to justify their deeds. If you read those same articles, take five minutes to send the author an email and ask them if they have ever sold these guitars or the source of their information. Read the posts around them. There are far more people that had the same experiences as I than not.  I found one seller trying to sell the same guitar three times by changing the label.

I graduated from top law school and have a license to practice law in three States, I think I know how to do research.  Again, do you really think I would have to sell guitars on Ebay to make money?

Nonetheless, in my guitar career before practicing law and my return in 2005 I have chalked up a lot of household name gold and platinum credits that are in very music store in America and a have been discussed in Rolling Stone ("the best new guitarist in a decade"), Guitar Player (various snippets), Billboard (recordings in production) , and the Village Voice (the "New York Guitar Guru") with respect to my credentials and abilities. I make a very good living from my ears and abilities. BUT, even if this were not true, my experiences were direct with original importer and these Japanese manufactured guitars. Moreover, I am sorry about my repetitiveness, but the few people that claim to know "different"  information about these guitars always seem to try to justify their own purpose of selling guitars. They never provide research citations for their sources of fact or their credentials for making a qualitative assessment (even if  we are assuming arguendo that the guitarsofspain website is accurate, you need only compare the materials and woods with similar but not exact product names to the guitars being sold on Ebay to recognize that they are not describing the same guitars).

June 22, 2007: I heard from an Ebayer about an other alleged "guide" from a would be seller with the issues as noted above. The gentleman or lady might want to learn to read a map and the Japanese language while visiting a topography shop to locate a "factory town" of the 1970s. Hint: There is a ONLY a communications laboratory there (not a town) and you are not going to find this in English on the internet. The internet did not exist when the town existed. Just like you will not find UCC import records on the internet or the name of the mother of your next door neighbor's dog. Meanwhile, if the guide author has superior information, he or she should provide us with the location of manufacture. It is simple, and we can always learn from properly documented information and I am not perfect. Meanwhile, these issues are easily addressed by examning U.S. Customs and Uniform Commercial Code filings from the period. I look forward to substantion other than the inability to sell guitars. By the way, where is that present value calculation  that would justify inflated pricing (see above) and an explanation as to why would these guitars would appreciate in value?

Meanwhile, it sounds like sour grapes about me personally from an out of work guitarist, but, this has nothing to do with protecting Ebayers from unscrupulous sellers. Thank you to those of you that have asked for my credit list, major label discography...and legal databases to verify my status as a licensed attorney. That is much more than this person did. I appreciate your support and apologize for that person's inappropriateness.

Update: I have noticed several other guides here on Ebay. What is interesting is that only one person other than me is not a seller of Hernandis or Garcia guitars. Look at their auctions. Every other reviewer has been trying to sell these guitars. If they are as valuable or appreciating in value why are they repeatedly and almost frantically trying to sell these guitars.  Food for thought.

May 31, 2008 was the perfect example of why buyers need more information. I bought a Hernandis Grand Concert from an auction that not only claimed it was a $6000 guitar (noting that they did not even have a link to the correct model) but they sold it for $633. I bought this guitar because my pamphlet (that by design will never sell one copy, hence the concept known as "critical thinking") will soon be a book about numerous guitar scams in addition to the Hernandis and Garcia mentioned herein. I play a Kohno. The Hernandis I bought will be dismantled and used for display. And all the details of this particular auction will be used to illustrate the scams that are perepetrated by sellers