This was my father's old, much played guitar

Simeon BannerSimeon Banner Posts: 6Member
edited August 2016 in Guitar Chat
Hi everybody. I joined this forum for some help. My father died in the last six months and I have to have the house assets valued. This was his old, much played guitar. I have no knowledge but think it is a jazz guitar. A auctioneer, not a specialist, in musical instruments has valued it at £300 pounds. Does that seem reasonable? If I was to sell it should I get it checked out first? Do guitars of this kind change, deteriorate over time? He loved India, Jazz, miles Davis and all that. A true free spirit you might say. Are places like this good for selling guitars or is Ebay a good idea? The guitar has many memories so I would be happy if it went to the kind of owner who would benefit.

Comments

  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member

    Guild is a highly thought-of American guitar brand, with a reputation for quality. Without knowing much about the specific model you have there (or Guilds in general), I would still say that I think that guitar is likely to be worth quite a bit more than £300 - perhaps several times more... I would say it would be best to seek some informed advice about what model and age the guitar is, and perhaps look to sell in the right place, where the guitar will be seen by the right people. Is there a label visible through one of the F-holes on the front - this might tell you something. There might also be a serial number somewhere - perhaps on the back of the headstock (i.e. where the tuning machines are).

  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member

    It is indeed a jazz archtop guitar by the way! Missing it's scratchplate, although the metal fixing bar is still there, and the wooden bridge looks to have been bodged a bit with a bit of green tape for some reason. However, those are fairly easy things to fix.

  • Simeon BannerSimeon Banner Posts: 6Member

    Thank you for the above. I see your point about finding the correct information about the make and model. A guy in a guitar shop mentioned today if the pics had been added later and then it was converted from an acoustic guitar or something.I just showed him the photographs.

  • LesterLester Posts: 1,730Member, Moderator
    edited August 2016

    I agree with Megi that it would probably be worth considerably more than you estimate if it was in pristine condition. Look at these: one, two, three, four. One is a 1950s without the pprice it sold for. Two sold for $1,250 (= £750). Three is for sale at $1,200 (= £720). Four is for sale for $1,050 (= £630).

    Inside one of the f holes should be a sticker with the model number and serial number from which a year of manufacture can be discovered.

    PS. It sounds like the chap you spoke to in the guitarshop doesn't know his stuff, saying things like that. Be careful not to get sucked into letting it go for less than it is worth.

  • AndyjrAndyjr Posts: 659Member
    Originally Posted by Simeon Banner:

    Thank you for the above. I see your point about finding the correct information about the make and model. A guy in a guitar shop mentioned today if the pics had been added later and then it was converted from an acoustic guitar or something.I just showed him the photographs.

    The electrics look original to me.  As Lester says, the guy you have spoken to either doesn't know what he's talking about or he does and trying to take you for a bit of a ride.

  • Simeon BannerSimeon Banner Posts: 6Member

    Thanks for the links to the pics.! I don't think the model I have is quite in such good condition. Looking at the photos you realise what works of art they are all with distinct designs and forms. If anybody has the email of an honest delear, person interested in this kind of guitar please pass my email on simeon simeonbanner@gmail.com 

  • LesterLester Posts: 1,730Member, Moderator
    edited August 2016

    Simeon, I am not sure whether you want someone just to buy it as it is from you or someone who will bring it back to as good a condition as possible, after which you could probably sell it for a higher price as there will be no risk for the buyer to know how good it can be.

    Richard, the forum owner and he of Richard's Guitars has been known to buy secondhand guitars. I have no idea whether he would be interested in yours. His techie did a great job sorting out a £1,500 Gibson for me so he may be able to help with tidying it up (eg. the bridge with the green tape, new strings and a general checkup and setup). Contact details are at the bottom of this page.

  • Simeon BannerSimeon Banner Posts: 6Member

    Hi, thanks Lester

    I will consider what to do over the next few days. It probably would be good to get it cleaned up first. I live in South London but the guitar is in Wales. My local music shop would charge about 30% to sell it I think he said and would check it through. Twang guitars is the name of the shop. 

     

    http://www.twangguitars.com

  • LesterLester Posts: 1,730Member, Moderator
    edited August 2016

    Just a personal thought - you will do well to wait for others' comments too - that Twang Guitars looks like it is aiming at the cheap end of the market and personally I would be cautious trusting such a shop with something as precious and valuable as a Guild. I don't know what normal commission rates are for music shop secondhand sales but 30% (of let's say around £600-800 as a wild guess) is a lot of money for helping you out. I'd spend 30% of its value getting it tidied up and then sell it privately, with adverts here (see the For Sale link at the top of the page) and on forums that cater for jazz guitarists, maybe also Gumtree.

    What do the other forummers think?

  • Reg SoxReg Sox Posts: 3,121Member

    I think Lester is absolutely spot on.

     

    That green tape if probably there because the string has worn the wooden bridge slightly over the years and caused the string to buzz.  If the rest of the guitar is basically sound the bridge should be easy to sort out.

     

    I've owned a Guild acoustic guitar for over 30 years (I bought it second hand - the Guitar itself is around 40 years old) and it is a really well made instrument, even though originally it was more at the budget end of the spectrum..  Unfortunately I;m not into Jazz otherwise I'd have probably bit your hand off for something like that.

     

    If you can find a serial number there's a number of specialist resources you could approach for more information.  Luckily Guild are still going  strong (although now owned by Fender I believe).  You could approach them for more information and they may well be able to advise you on a good specialist repair shop.

     

    http://www.guildguitars.com/en-GB/

     

    Your Guild certainly looks old enough (possibly 40 to 50 years?) to have been built in the original Guild Westerly, Rhode Island, USA factory.  The following link takes you to a forum that specialises in Guild guitars of that era and you will likely find a wealth of knowledge available there (but stay around here and let us know how you get on):

     

    http://www.guildguitars.com/en-GB/

     

    And here's a link that may enable you to date the guitar yourself if you find the serial number:

     

    http://www.adirondackguitar.co...ces/Guild_dating.htm

     

    Finally, here's something you may or may not have thought about.  You father obviously loved that guitar.  Have you ever thought about maybe taking up playing the guitar yourself - see if you have some of your father's genes in that area?  That might be a good fitting tribute?

     

    Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

     

    Al the best, Reg.

  • Simeon BannerSimeon Banner Posts: 6Member

    Thanks Reg

    Overwhelming generosity of spirit here on the forum. I think I shall bring the guitar back to London and see if I can find an assessor, repair type person, as mentioned above to take a look at it. Then add it for sale on this site or add to eBay with a low starting price then it will find its own value.

     

    It certainly is very specialised. Would I be correct in thinking value is linked to the history, quality and rarity? Did guitars get made in China in the last few decades but years ago were mostly American made (Fender) etc..? Maybe the materials and craftsmanship is less than it was. 

  • The23rdmanThe23rdman Posts: 1,560Member
    Originally Posted by Simeon Banner:

    Thanks Reg

    Overwhelming generosity of spirit here on the forum. I think I shall bring the guitar back to London and see if I can find an assessor, repair type person, as mentioned above to take a look at it. Then add it for sale on this site or add to eBay with a low starting price then it will find its own value.

     

    It certainly is very specialised. Would I be correct in thinking value is linked to the history, quality and rarity? Did guitars get made in China in the last few decades but years ago were mostly American made (Fender) etc..? Maybe the materials and craftsmanship is less than it was. 

    That guitar is almost definitely American made. 

  • Reg SoxReg Sox Posts: 3,121Member

    OK, bit more research.  The one thing I can't tell from your pictures is the depth of the guitar.  Is it say around 1.75 - 2 inches, or more like say 4 inches?

     

    If it's more like the former I'd take a guess that it's a T-100 Slim Jim, dating from the early 1960s.  If it's more like 4 inches I'd take a guess it's a CE-100 (I'm not a Jazz guitar trainspotter but it seems like the naming suggests the Slim Jim is basically a thinner version of the CE-100).  The CE-100 might even date from the 1950s.  If so either of these are likely to be sought after by collectors.  It appears both of these guitar models were made in Hoboken, New Jersey.

     

    If you google either of these models there's a bunch of pictures around and even some youtube clips of what they sound like.  Don't worry if you don't see one that looks exactly the same as minor details on the specs would change almost yearly (bit like the minor changes every year with cars).

     

    Here's another link you might find useful:

     

    http://www.justjazzguitars.com/Guilds.htm

     

    Cheers, Reg.

  • Simeon BannerSimeon Banner Posts: 6Member

    Thanks Reg!

     

    If you are in South London I owe you and other members an ale or two. It would have taken me weeks to find said information. Makes me nervous what other low estimates the house auction guy might have come up with..!

     

    Now I just need to find a bloke, or lady, who can assess Guilds.. Phew the tricky bit.!

  • HobbioHobbio Posts: 21Member

    There are some good, respected, vintage guitar dealers in London that will be able to help you but you'll probably have to pay for the appraisal.

     

    I'd agree that that guitar is USA made, and even with the condition issues it has to be worth a fair chunk more than £300.

  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member

    Haven't been there for a long long time, but Ivor Mairants in Rathbone Place might be one good place to call. They do specialize in jazz guitars, and you might get some good advice - there used to be very helpful, knowledgable staff there the last time I went (about 1994 if I remember correctly!).

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