Kathryn Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 My instructions were, get an appraisal, and sell them, referencing the three guitars my husband owned when he passed. The one I am most concerned about, as was he, is a Byrdland hollow body electric, probably about 1974. I would like to know if someone could point me in the right direction without the fear of being taken. The serial number (stamped on the headstock back) is 410135. There's a sticker inside one of the F-holes indicating the guitar was built in Kalamazoo. This guitar is in nice overall condition with light playwear on the top, and one noticeable scratch. The binding has yellowed, and there's some oxidation on the pickups. http://gallery.mac.com/powerandwisdom#100109&view=mosaic&sel=0 I hope this worked, if not maybe I could e-mail them easier. (rookie) The instrument doesn't appear to have any cracks or other structural concerns. Any help with the approximate value would be greatly appreciated. It has been a year, and I need to do this, want to or not. He did not want them to just set and go to ruin. Thanks, Kathryn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolidGuitar Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 If you enter the serial number on this site, http://www.guitardaterproject.org/gibson.aspx it will tell you what year it was made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 instead of going through all that hassle I'll just take em off your hands and than you won't be bothered by all the stress . Really this is the best option for everyone.:- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 Well Mick, I checked out your space, and I am afraid you would be terribly disappointed in the guitars. I have NEVER heard them play that kind of music. . I think I'll just keep on trying to get fair value for them so I can afford to keep on eating. Thanks for the offer anyway.....:- SolidGuitar, Thanks for the info, it is a 1974. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 don't say I never tried. and by the way sorry for your loss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 And no there wood be no disappointment That is a very nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I do hope all works out and best of luck. all kidding aside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Normally I would advise you to search the completed items on ebay and go from there. But a Byrdland could fetch a pretty good price and when you start getting up into the higher priced vintage instruments, you start meeting some pretty nasty people. I know firsthand from selling a '55 Les Paul. The people I dealt with were rude, pushy, and (I don't believe) had any interest in the guitar itself, they just wanted to 'flip' it. I did end up selling the LP for $25K, which was $7K more than the owner asked me to get for him.... and the guitar showed up on gbase a week later for $65K. Even though I got a hefty commission for that deal I wouldn't go through it again. I'm much happier buying guitars for $100 and flipping them for $150. There's a Les Paul forum somewhere and I haven't been on there in about 4 years because of the attitude in that group. Nasty, nasty people when you get over five digits. My advice would be to email Gruhn Guitars and Elderly Instruments; maybe Mandolin Brother in NY. I'm sure there are many reputable dealers who will sell them for you on consignment and not be so short sighted as to screw you and then run the other way, but I have personally dealt with those three dealers and they are good honest people. In addition, they are big enough and have been in business for decades; they have sold instruments all over the world. Yes, they will charge you a consignment fee. I won't tell you your business but this is not the time to agonize over that. I've sold stuff for people on ebay and they fall all to pieces when they find out it isn't free! They will get you a fair price and them taking a cut is just business. Maybe the buyer chose your guitar over one of theirs... that's worth something. After I sold the LP I had one bozo call me and say, "I would have given you $50K for that!" which is secret code for "I said that so next time you have a vintage piece you'll call me first and I will offer you half what it's really worth but I've already got you fooled into thinking I'm giving you top dollar". So contact one of the well established dealers I mentioned earlier. They'll treat you all right I bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Thanks a lot, this sounds like good advice. I really do not mind the finders fee, I'm sure they'll earn it. I really do not want to deal with it personally, he had too many friends that KNEW what he had, and like he said, "they'll come out of the woodwork, and tell you how "old" it is. The big thing is, I would like to have some rough idea, of what kind of price it should bring, going into this. Where can I find a recent, similar, sale, Anyone ? Thanks again..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Slider Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Ebay is a possible suggestion, but you'll see crazy price variances there. I wouldn't recommend it for realistic pricing on anything besides very common items. Try a local and trustworthy (check reviews!) luthier shop or vintage instrument store to give you an appraisal. I'm sure it won't cost much and so long as they don't try to worm you into a sale, I'd say it should be a good estimate. Oh and good luck! These can't be easy times for you and I wish you the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 There was a '61 that sold on ebay within the last month for $8000 but a '74 won't bring nearly as much; maybe only half that. You might go to gbase.com and just enter Byrdland in the search area (don't bother with all the other info they ask for). I'd do it for you but gbase is a miserable site for anyone with dialup (like me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Thanks, I'll surely do that, and post here what I find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Thanks, to ksdaddy, I'll surely do that, and post here what I find out. And to CT Slider, I appreciate your advice as well. I am feeling a bit better, with more information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Kathryn, you have already received some good advice, and although I'm a little late to the discussion, I just wanted to offer my own opinion. Searching the "completed items" section at ebay would indeed give you an idea of what the latest private sales have amounted to, IF there are any comparable Byrdlands having been sold (which is not necessarily safe to assume). The price would give you a ballpark idea of what your guitar is worth, but there is always the possibility that the price achieved in any given auction was lower or higher than the general fair market value. Searching G-base will give you a cross-section of what sellers (primarily professional dealers) are asking for similar examples. Of course, private parties like us will not necessarily be able to expect to sell an instrument for the same price if we decided to sell it ourselves. From what you have already stated, I would recommend consigning the guitar to someone like George Gruhn (well-known dealer in Nashville, TN) once you have educated yourself as to what the value of your Byrdland is. I've been involved in buying/selling/trading for over 30 years, and in my experience there is no one better to deal with than Mr. Gruhn. Gruhn Guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oringo Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Kathryn, I think all the Forum members send you their sympathy for your loss, and the unpleasant chore before you. The advice you've been given about reputable dealers is all excellent, and trawling through the ads is a very good way to get an idea of an instrument's value, but it is probably quite confusing and daunting for someone who is not a guitar colector and going through a difficult time. It is very difficult to give a value to an instrument without seeing it, so I hope you understand why some sincere experts like the previous posters have refrained from giving you any numbers. A few small "issues," like a repair or a crack, especially in a hand made high quality guitar like a "Byrdland" can alter its value considerably. However, I think you want to have an idea just so you won't find yourself "cheated" by a swift talking buyer. Assuming there are no serious cracks or repairs, I think (and forum members feel free to chime in and tell me if you think I'm wrong) a mid '70s Byrdland should sell between $6-7000. Being mid-70's the guitar unfortunately doesn't have the same "super-collectible" value it would have if it were from the late '50s, and the aura of the original '50s models that still shines on the 1960s. Gibson guitars from the 1970's suffer from a general impression that they aren't as good as the older guitars, nor the later ones after Gibson's revival. The criticism applies more to solid-body guitars than hollow bodies, but it reflects on the prices. A new Custom Shop Byrdland sells for $7-9000, and if your late husband's guitar is in absolutely perfect condition, it might fetch as much as a new one. On the other hand, if there are any cracks, or neck problems, the value could drop well below $5000. I hope this helps, and again, fellow forum members, please join in if you think I'm giving misguided advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Thank you, Jim. Everyone has given good advice, which I appreciate very much. I don't know if you all looked at the pictures, but I have been told by a guitar enthusiast, (whose wife said, "no more") that this Byrdland is in Very Good condition, which is hard to tell from photos. It would seem, regarding e-bay, like comparing apples to oranges. Whatever made me think this was going to be easy? I think I chose the hardest of the three guitars, to deal with first. What do you think, as I prefer to do them one at a time. Also, what would you recommend as means and safeguards when shipping. I am only about 10 hours from Nashville, but no longer feel comfortable traveling the interstates alone. The other guitars, are a 1999 SJ 200 , and a 2003 Martin D-35 , along with this 1974 Byrdland . Any and all help is greatly appreciated, and my thanks to all that have contributed thus far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Oringo, I had to take my little black & tan "kids" out to potty, so am out of order here I suppose. Am new to forums and they're all different to navigate. Appreciate your kindness and your input also, and neglected to say in the other posts, I have never known the guitar to require any work. The parts called humbuckers are oxidized, or have the gold worn off, and the scratch is not through the 'original' finish. Still, my main concern is in shipping, which seems inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Oringo, you make some very good points. I'm basically in total agreement, but after doing a quick Gbase search, I see prices in the $5500-$6000 range, which I think is a bit more realistic than $6000-$7000. Also, I have to mention something else (I don't think it's been mentioned yet). A Byrdland is a bit of a tough sell relative to other Gibson archtops, not only because of it's relatively high end price range, but because it has a shorter scale and significantly narrower neck. There are many, many players and collectors like myself who have never owned one, because the neck is so narrow and the string spacing so close. There are still plenty of players with smaller hands who can enjoy them, and I'm not trying to suggest that it should necessarily be difficult to sell it, but there is somewhat less of a demand for them as compared to guitars with more standard necks/scales. Just so you're aware. Kathryn, I understand what you mean about driving all the way to Nashville. Finding a box to ship it in shouldn't be terribly difficult (a local music store should be able to advise you there), and Mr. Gruhn provides very helpful and professional (safe) instructions on his website with regard to packing a guitar: Gruhn / packing instructions I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Oops, one other thing I want to mention. I had forgotten to look at your photos, and when I did it reminded me what you said about the oxidation on the pickups. That "greening" that's going on there is a result of a gas that's being released by the original pickguard. I don't know if it's cracked or what, but regardless, I would advise you to take it off of the guitar asap. It's only going to do more damage to nearby metal parts, and possibly the lining of the case. I've been through this on a few occasions, including the present time (I need to buy a new pickguard for one of my L5's). Anyway, I would put the pickguard in a plastic bag and store it separately. Keep the screws and the mounting bracket in their own ziploc, and maybe store them in the case pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Thank you for this information. I have called my son, to do this job for me, rather than run into a problem due to severe arthritic weakness in one hand. Better safe than sorry. Thanks again..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfden1 Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Kathryn, that's a very nice J-200. Lovely sunburst. Your husband had good taste. I checked on Gbase but couldn't find anything comparable to get an idea of its value. I'd suggest that you might post at the Acoustic section and ask some of the folks there. I couldn't open the link to the D-35, by the way (site wants a password). Sorry for your loss. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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