rbpicker Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 I just saw a 92 J100 maple in a local small shop. The guitar is in great condition and sounds very good. It has a J45 style pickguard and a regular belly up bridge, rather than a mustache style bridge. Wonder if the pg is factory or added later. any idea what it would be worth ? (Includes OHSC). Thanks for any responses to this, folks. roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 3 minutes ago, rbpicker said: I just saw a 92 J100 maple in a local small shop. The guitar is in great condition and sounds very good. It has a J45 style pickguard and a regular belly up bridge, rather than a mustache style bridge. Wonder if the pg is factory or added later. any idea what it would be worth ? (Includes OHSC). Thanks for any responses to this, folks. roger No clue, but it will be worth what you give them for it if that counts for anything. The five J-100's on Reverb, all called J-100 Xtra, now are going for $2475 - $3498. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 Here's an '89 maple (sycamore, actually) J-100 with one of our favourite luthiers holding it, with the small pickguard that I guess you mean. I can't recall just how long they used that pickguard on the J-100 until switching to the larger 'batwing' pickguard. Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 14, 2022 Author Share Posted May 14, 2022 (edited) Yep, That’s the pickguard and the bridge, Fred. Wondering if those two differences de-value it from the standard configuration. Thanks for the pic. now wondering if the one I saw is sycamore also. Looks like Maple and sounds great, but…. roger Edited May 14, 2022 by rbpicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 15, 2022 Author Share Posted May 15, 2022 (edited) A quick search netted some more info. It seems that this is likely one of the guitars that used European sycamore for the back and sides. They painted most black as the wood isn’t particularly well figured…sort of blah looking. The legend is that these are some of the best sounding 100s to come out of Bozeman’s new factory back in the late 80s to early 90s when they exhausted the supply of sycamore. pretty intrigued with this guitar. The shop isn’t open on Monday, so maybe I’ll give it some thought over the next couple days. Still interested in thoughts about the value, however. thanks, roger Edited May 15, 2022 by rbpicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 (edited) Ive had a couple of those J100s when they were New. Nice guitars. New they were in the 1500 cdn range. Edited May 15, 2022 by slimt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Ren alerted me to how good some of those early Sycamore Bozeman built guitars were, including not only the J-100 but the J-200 and Dove, and maybe some of the early J-185s. I]So when I came across the J-100 on Elderly's site back in about '97 or so, I snapped it up. That said, I ended up selling it a few years later when I encountered a nice early '00s J-200 that sounded better. Best of luck in your chase -- the sycamore guitars from the early Bozeman years can be quite nice indeed. They tend to have rather mild figuring, but nice sound. Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 RBP, What is the shop asking for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 15, 2022 Author Share Posted May 15, 2022 Forty…the last price they gave me was $1700 (started out higher). I’d love to have it, but I think it’s a bit too high. I won’t insult them or the owner (it’s on consignment) with a lowball price offer. May just pass. rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 14 minutes ago, rbpicker said: Forty…the last price they gave me was $1700 (started out higher). I’d love to have it, but I think it’s a bit too high. I won’t insult them or the owner (it’s on consignment) with a lowball price offer. May just pass. rb Give it your best shot. You may never know what they will take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 16, 2022 Share Posted May 16, 2022 Not knowing how much lower you've talked them down - it's hard to tell if they'll be insulted. I think most of us here have been insulted at one time or another in our lives, including by low ball bidders. I'm not insulted when it's a guitar. I was significantly insulted when we had a really low offer on a custom house we had built. In part because the bidder started out by looking for and pointing out things he didn't like. If you tell them it's a great sounding guitar in great shape, but you 'can only afford' $X - they probably will just view it as a business transaction and not a personal insult. From what you've said, I know I'd be regretting not offering $1500 and compromising at $1600. Prices seem to be much higher, and I doubt they'll ever go down. So, the real question is whether you want this guitar, not the price - plus or minus a few hundred $ - now that you've zeroed in on what its market value is. G'Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 Thanks for the discussion, Forty. I’m still noodling in my head whether or not to make a run at it with a lower price offer. I’ve bought several guitars from this shop and the guys there are friends…so, I don’t know. I’ll probably stop in tomorrow for another strum or two and see what transpires. It’s not like I need another guitar, but that never stops us, does it? Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 (edited) On 5/15/2022 at 11:34 AM, rbpicker said: Forty…the last price they gave me was $1700 (started out higher). I’d love to have it, but I think it’s a bit too high. I won’t insult them or the owner (it’s on consignment) with a lowball price offer. May just pass. rb Those guys may be your friends, but on consignment means it’s not really theirs, and they have to get the thumbs up/down from the owner as to how low he/ she will go and still be able to give the store their agreed cut and make what he/she wants. Edited May 17, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 Thanks all. Yeah, I’ve done many consignments (too many maybe) and understand how the dynamics work. Just still thinking….. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 Went back today fully expecting that my original impression had been inflated. I thought I’d play it again and say “well, it’s not quite as good as I thought”. I think we’ve all been there. Well, crap, it sounded better than I remembered. I still resisted because I go through guitars probably faster than most people and I’m afraid I’d lose money when I sell it (which I know I will because that is my pattern). Plus, it’s a big BIG guitar and as I age the large guitars are more uncomfortable, plus it’s black and shows every fingerprint, plus I’d need to buy strings for it, plus the case would take up more room, plus…..🤣 still thinking…. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, rbpicker said: Went back today fully expecting that my original impression had been inflated. I thought I’d play it again and say “well, it’s not quite as good as I thought”. I think we’ve all been there. Well, crap, it sounded better than I remembered. I still resisted because I go through guitars probably faster than most people and I’m afraid I’d lose money when I sell it (which I know I will because that is my pattern). Plus, it’s a big BIG guitar and as I age the large guitars are more uncomfortable, plus it’s black and shows every fingerprint, plus I’d need to buy strings for it, plus the case would take up more room, plus…..🤣 still thinking…. Roger Johnny Cash would have rocked a black one. Thats why polish was invented. Edited May 18, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 18, 2022 Author Share Posted May 18, 2022 Just my attempt at humor, Sgt. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Just let me go get a refill of my popcorn...... 😅 Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 3 hours ago, J-1854Me said: Just let me go get a refill of my popcorn...... 😅 Fred Why, no one is arguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 17 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Why, no one is arguing. Never said there was -- it's just an ongoing saga, and I wanna see how it ends, is all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 RB, If I were in your shoes I’d snag that Sycamore gem faster than a rabbit up a drainpipe!! (I know that’s not the saying, but my old drummer came out with it once unintentionally and it never fails to amuse me) I’ve never played a Sycamore early Bozeman guitar I haven’t loved. They just have a little extra something that makes them shine sonically and in terms of responsiveness. They rarely come up for sale (barely ever in the UK!), presumably because they tend to be keepers. The J100 with the belly up bridge and plain pickguard has such a cool aesthetic too. And in black!! So cool. Not that I want to encourage reckless guitar purchasing, but I do love a bit of reckless guitar purchasing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted May 20, 2022 Author Share Posted May 20, 2022 Thanks Jinder. I can’t get it out of my head. The main issue is that I have this awful habit of buying and selling and I just want to make sure I can recover my costs (or almost) when I sell it. I know what you’re saying, though. I’ve never played one of this vintage but this thing is pretty magical. And it’s in very fine condition. Roger p.s….love your drummers saying about the rabbit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted May 23, 2022 Share Posted May 23, 2022 (edited) FWIW, I have a 1995 J-100 Extra with the mahogany back-n-sides and the mustache that I bought new. Somewhat different animal to be sure, but that thing is a canon and gets better and better with each passing year. They're big guitars for hanging out on the couch, and I'm definitely not getting any younger... but dang, I'd sure miss that sound if I ever gave it up. Edited May 23, 2022 by clayville Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justafewmore Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 Don't sell it ! I bought a new J100 extra with a cutaway in 1994. Picked it up in Missoula when I was living nearby. It just got to big to handle as I got older and sold it in 2014. Still miss the sounds that would come out of it. Jones for it back to this day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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